Member Spotlight

Alison J. Toumekian is an associate at the Bridgeport office of Zeldes Needle & Cooper PC in the firm’s litigation practice group. While she focuses her practice in the areas of Probate and Family Law, she also oversees a variety of cases in all aspects of civil litigation.

The Honorable Nina F. Elgo will receive the Henry J. Naruk Judiciary Award at the CBA’s annual awards ceremony, Celebrate with the Stars, on Wednesday, April 9.

John Dankosky will receive the Distinguished Public Service Award at the Connecticut Bar Association’s annual awards ceremony, Celebrate with the Stars, on Wednesday, April 9.

Jennifer L. Herbst will receive the Tapping Reeve Legal Educator Award at the CBA’s annual awards ceremony, Celebrate with the Stars, on Wednesday, April 9.

Livia DeFilippis Barndollar will receive the Edward F. Hennessey Professionalism Award at the CBA’s annual awards ceremony, Celebrate with the Stars, on Wednesday, April 3.

Sally Zanger will receive the Charles J. Parker Legal Services Award at the CBA’s annual awards ceremony, Celebrate with the Stars, on Wednesday, April 9.

Mallori Deanna Thompson is a business litigation attorney at Robinson & Cole LLP and is currently the president of the George W. Crawford Black Bar Association and the vice chair of the Connecticut Bar Association's Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee.

Jermaine A. Brookshire, Jr. is an attorney at the full-service law firm of Herrick Feinstein LLP in New York, NY. He is a member of the firm’s Corporate Department where he focuses his practice on corporate finance and strategic transactions, technology agreements, commercial agreements, mergers and acquisitions, debt and venture capital financing rounds, securities law compliance, corporate governance, and other general corporate matters.

Denis R. Caron will receive the John Eldred Shields Distinguished Professional Service Award at the CBA’s annual awards ceremony, Celebrate with the Stars, on Wednesday, April 9.

Rosendo Garza will receive the Citizen of the Law Award at the CBA’s annual awards ceremony, Celebrate with the Stars, on Wednesday, April 9.

Alison J. Toumekian will receive the 2025 Young Lawyers Section Vanguard Award at the CBA’s annual awards ceremony, Celebrate with the Stars, on Wednesday, April 9.

Jeffrey L. Meyers is one of two attorneys who will receive the Honorable Anthony V. DeMayo Pro Bono Award at the CBA’s annual awards ceremony, Celebrate with the Stars, on Wednesday, April 9.

Jeffrey L. Meyers is one of two attorneys who will receive the Honorable Anthony V. DeMayo Pro Bono Award at the CBA’s annual awards ceremony, Celebrate with the Stars, on Wednesday, April 9.

Captain Robert Burnes (Cherokee Warrior-Cherokee Nation) works, alongside his family, to further Native American rights, to enforce treaties, and to dispel misinformation about Indigenous American appearance, customs, and history that is often misrepresented in the entertainment industry. After retiring from the Bureau of Indian Affairs-Office of Justice Services, Attorney Burnes created The Grey Winds Project to train and assist local and tribal police in missing persons/missing persons at-risk investigations.

Jennifer R. Rawlings is a native of New Haven and a senior contracts manager in the Office of Research Administration at Yale University. She is also a director at the Center for Indigenous Peoples Rights, a non-profit, Indigenous led organization the provides low cost and free legal services to Indigenous people and communities.

John M. Letizia is the managing and founding partner of the employment, healthcare, workers’ compensation, and corporate defense firm Letizia Ambrose & Falls PC in New Haven.

Cheryl A. Sharp was appointed as the deputy director of the State of Connecticut Commission on Human Rights (CHRO) on July 4, 2014, and serves as the second in command in the oldest governmental, civil rights agency in the nation.

Louis R. Pepe is a litigation attorney at McElroy Deutsch Mulvaney & Carpenter LLP in Hartford who focuses his practice on business torts and contract disputes and construction contract cases. He represents his clients in state and federal courts as well as in arbitration, mediation, and other ADR proceedings.

Cristina Salamone is a principal attorney in Updike Kelly & Spellacy PC’s New Haven and Hartford offices. She focuses her practice on commercial litigation and counseling business owners on contractual and employment issues.

Attorney Charleen E. Merced Agosto is a partner at Merced Agosto Law in Bridgeport. Her practice focuses on family law, general litigation, bankruptcy, and real estate.