Nine Shipman Attorneys Receive "Lawyer of the Year" Honors

Nine (9) lawyers from Shipman & Goodwin LLP have been named “Lawyer of the Year” in their individual practice areas by The Best Lawyers in America© 2022: James W. Bergenn, Criminal Defense – White Collar; Glenn M. Cunningham, Litigation – Intellectual Property; Gabriel J. Jiran, Labor Law – Management; Kent S. Nevins, Real Estate Law; Robert J. O’Brien, Litigation – Construction; Mark K. Ostrowski, Litigation – Insurance; Matthew Ranelli, Land Use and Zoning Law; William J. Ronalter, Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs; and Louis B. Schatz, Tax Law. 

Best Lawyers has been universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence for more than 30 years. Based on more than 10 million confidential detailed evaluations, only a single lawyer in each high-profile legal specialty in each large legal community is designated as a “Lawyer of the Year.” These Shipman lawyers received particularly high ratings from their peers for their abilities, professionalism and integrity:

James W. Bergenn, Hartford Lawyer of the Year in Criminal Defense – White Collar, has more than 30 years of experience as a trial lawyer, and focuses his practice on complex criminal and civil litigation, including white collar crime and government investigations, personal injury and wrongful death cases, and other trials involving significant consequences.

Glenn M. Cunningham has been named Hartford’s Lawyer of the Year in Intellectual Property Litigation. Glenn is the Chair of the firm's Intellectual Property Practice Group and Manufacturing Industry Team. He represents publicly traded and privately held companies in industries, including manufacturing, software and technology, food and beverage, franchise, construction, and healthcare in intellectual property and technology cases throughout the United States. His trial practice includes the prosecution and defense of unfair competition, non-competition agreement, trade secret, trademark, patent and copyright cases. As Chair of the Board of Directors of Interlaw - a leading global network of independent law firms - Glenn brings a cross-border perspective to working with national and international clients.

Gabriel J. Jiran has been named Lawyer of the Year in Labor Law - Management in Hartford. Gabe is Chair of the firm's Employer Defense and Labor Relations Practice Group. One of a select group of attorneys with experience in employment law as well as traditional organized labor and union matters, he provides comprehensive counseling and dispute-resolution guidance to public and private employers of all sizes and across numerous industries. While much of Gabe’s employment work is designed to minimize or prevent disputes, when issues do arise he is tenacious in his clients’ defense. In state and federal trial and appellate courts, he has successfully litigated discrimination claims based on age, disability, race, national origin, gender, sexual harassment and workers' compensation retaliation, among numerous other matters.

Kent S. Nevins, Lawyer of the Year in Real Estate Law in Stamford, is Chair of Shipman’s Management Committee. Drawing on his extensive experience in private practice and as former general counsel for a capital markets firm, Kent provides business-oriented, outcome-focused legal advice to clients involved in complex, large-scale commercial real estate projects across the country. Over the course of his career, Kent has advised developers, owners and funders on numerous projects ranging from retail, warehouse and distribution properties and facilities, to student housing, fitness centers and hotels, with an aggregate value exceeding $3 billion.

Robert O’Brien, recognized as Hartford Lawyer of the Year in Construction Litigation, has more than three decades of experience handling a broad range of construction-related matters on behalf of contractors, public and private owners, subcontractors, sureties, architects, engineers and condominium associations. He is a member of the American Bar Association’s Forum Committee of the Construction Industry and serves on the American Arbitration Association's National Panel of Arbitrators. Bob is also a frequent panelist and speaker at construction law programs. He has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America© since 2015 and was previously recognized as Lawyer of the Year in both Construction Litigation and Construction Law.

Mark K. Ostrowski, recognized as Hartford Lawyer of the Year in Insurance Litigation, is Co-Chair of the Insurance & Product Liability Litigation Practice Group, where he has over 25 years of experience defending chemical and product manufacturers, public utilities, retailers, pharmaceutical companies, and business and medical professionals in complex tort and product liability actions. Armed with the latest case management and courtroom presentation technology and with ready access to many of the northeast's leading scientific, engineering and medical experts, Mark regularly handles cases in all courts throughout Connecticut and has appeared pro hac vice in many other jurisdictions.

Matthew Ranelli has been recognized as New Haven Lawyer of the Year in Land Use and Zoning Law.  Matt’s land use practice includes wetlands permits, zone changes, subdivision, site plans, special permits, variances, workforce and affordable housing, and enforcing and appealing administrative orders. He is effective in working with local, state and federal agencies in drafting environmental and land use regulations.  He also represents clients in eminent domain, adverse possession and takings claims.

William J. Ronalter, recognized as Hartford Lawyer of the Year in Plaintiff’s Product Liability Litigation, represents individuals who have sustained substantial personal injuries and in wrongful death cases.  Bill has approximately 30 years of experience handling catastrophic injury cases in various roles, including plaintiff’s lawyer, defense lawyer, and as a consultant for an insurance company. He currently represents 8 of the 10 passengers that were killed or injured in the crash of a B-17 airplane at Bradley International Airport in October 2019.  Bill is Board Certified as a Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, a distinction that less than 4% of trial lawyers can claim.

Louis Schatz has been recognized as Hartford Lawyer of the Year in Tax Law. He is Chair of the firm's Tax and Employee Benefits Practice Group, and practices in the areas of federal and State of Connecticut tax matters with attention to the representation of closely held businesses organized as limited liability companies, partnerships and S corporations; real estate joint ventures; and the representation of taxpayers involved in Connecticut tax controversies (at the audit, appellate and court levels). Louis is co-author of Connecticut Limited Liability Act: Forms and Practice Manual, the leading treatise in Connecticut on limited liability companies. He is also a frequent lecturer on federal and State of Connecticut tax, partnership and limited liability company issues. He has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America© since 2012 and was named Lawyer of the Year in both Tax Law and Tax Litigation and Controversy in previous years.

Robert L. Wyld, Hartford Lawyer of the Year in Trusts and Estates Litigation, has significant experience representing fiduciaries and beneficiaries in complex trust and estates litigation, including will contests, trustee surcharge and removal litigation, contested accountings, cy pres and deviation claims, and trust and will construction actions.  He also has extensive civil litigation experience centering on complex business and commercial litigation.  In addition to his trial practice, Bob has considerable experience with alternative dispute resolution procedures, including mediation and commercial arbitration.