Attorney Anthony Minchella Garners Statewide Recognition

Named a “Connecticut and New England Super Lawyer” for commercial litigation by “Connecticut” magazine in 2011 and 2012, Anthony R. Minchella, Esq. of Minchella Law in Middlebury, Connecticut, was interviewed and quoted for several recent articles in Connecticut’s leading legal newspaper, “Connecticut Law Tribune”. Recognized as a top business and employment litigation attorney, Minchella was quoted in the three issues of the leading law trade publication, including an article in a December 2012 issue on retiring Senator Joseph Lieberman’s return to Connecticut to practice law. In the December 14, 2012 article titled “Cybersecurity Expertise Could Make Sen. Lieberman Attractive to Law Firms” by Jay Stapleton, Attorney Anthony Minchella was quoted as stating, "It would be like getting Joe DiMaggio to be your high school baseball team's hitting coach. Lieber-man's political career on the state and national level, his relationships at very high levels of government, and his power-broking skills, all equate to business generation, most likely in a government-relations type practice." Minchella was also quoted as saying, "And his years of experience, knowledge and wisdom would add considerable value to any firm looking to really train and mentor young associates." As the lead partner in a small firm, Minchella was especially pleased to be quoted amongst larger law firms in the state for the insightful article. Minchella commented, “In the article, Senator Lieberman was quoted as stating he was considering joining a law firm in Connecticut, and it’s my belief he would be a notable asset to any sized firm. As the article mentioned, his ‘star-quality alone’ lends itself to raising the visibility bar for any firm.” Minchella’s law experience in litigating unfair trade practice claims was especially helpful for an October 2012 article in the “Connecticut Law Tribune” titled, “Man’s Death In Romania Prompts Federal Lawsuit”. The article outlined a lawsuit concerning former Sacred Heart University basket-ball star, Chauncey Hardy, who was playing professionally in Romania, and was beaten to death in a Bucharest pub in 2011. The basketball star’s family in Connecticut sought justice for their son’s death through Romania attorneys, “but they were deterred.” The article by reporter Christian Nolan stated, “The family took a rare approach and filed a federal lawsuit in federal court in Connecticut against the Romanian Basketball Federation, a Romanian hospital, two doctors, Hardy’s basketball coach and team, and the man who beat Hardy in a bar. Allegations in the 18-count lawsuit included assault, breach of contract, negligence, medical malpractice, misrepresentation, and violations of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practice Act (‘CUTPA’).” Attorney Minchella was interviewed for the article due to his extensive knowledge of Connecticut law on unfair trade practice claims. He was quoted as stating, “The plaintiffs have a decent shot of keeping their CUTPA claim alive against overseas defendants in a Connecticut federal court because of the alleged misrepresentations in the recruit-ment process there.” He went on to state, “The contract could contain a specific choice of law provision making Romanian law the governing law, which can control the CUTPA analysis.” In the October 2012 article, Minchella further explained that the “language in CUTPA requiring trade or commerce ‘in this state’ was originally proposed as ‘directly or indirectly affecting the people of the state’. Courts have interpreted the language ‘in this state’ as requiring trade or commerce ‘intimately associated with Connecticut’. Romanian basketball is not intimately associated with Connecticut, but if the recruitment process is the ‘trade or commerce’ then that’s something different.” He concluded by stating, “CUTPA claims are mutually exclusive so if the CUTPA claims are dismissed, a malpractice claim may still make it to trial.” A January 11, 2013 “Connecticut Law Tribune” article also drew on Attorney Minchella’s CUTPA experience for the article titled, “State Brings Digital Dimension to CUTPA Cases” by reporter Christian Nolan who sought input from CUTPA practitioners and Attorney Minchella’s perspective. The article explained that “The state Department of Consumer Protection and the Attorney General’s Office are trying to make life easier to private sector lawyers.” The article stated that, “previously anyone filing a lawsuit under the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act (CUTPA) needed to send a copy to both the AG (Attorney General)and the Consumer Protection commissioner. Until recently, that meant snail mail. But now there’s a digital option.” Minchella Law focuses on CUTPA claims, and Attorney Minchella acknowledged that “the new email method of sending CUTPA complaints to the state agencies would be helpful. Yes, it's a help because it makes it much easier to transmit the complaint. So I agree…it will save time and reduce costs for our clients." The law firm represents Fortune 50 financial services companies, retail giants, and small and large specialty products companies. It focuses on business to business commercial litigation and employment litigation including unfair trade practices, trade secrets and non competition litigation. The practice also selectively represents individuals harmed by the negligence of others and those who have experienced illegal treatment by employers. In 2004, Attorney Minchella was voted a New Leader of the Law in Connecticut by American Lawyer Media. His firm was voted a “Go to Law Firm” in Labor and Employment by a survey of Corporate Counsel at America’s Leading Financial Services Companies. Minchella Law was also named as a “Firm that Represents America’s Biggest Companies” by American Lawyer Media. Minchella Law is located at 530 Middlebury Road, Suite 209B in Middlebury, Connecticut. For more information, visit www.minchellalaw.com, or call 203-758-1069.