By Carol Frances
I’m about to leave the best job I’ve ever had. To work longer hours. To be on my feet all day and to deal with the public. I’m parting company with the finest group of colleagues I’ve ever had the privilege to work with to embark on a journey into the unknown.
I wouldn’t blame you if you called me crazy!
We are pleased to announce once again our attorneys have been named to the Connecticut Super Lawyers list for 2021!
Attorneys Brendan Daly and Carmine Perri were among the recipients of this recognition in the Elder Law practice area, and Attorney Andrew Veale was named a “Rising Star” in recognition of his work in the Estate and Trust Litigation practice area.
As a firm, we take pride delivering top-notch client service to Connecticut residents and have done so for over 20 years. We are delighted to work with such a strong team of attorneys who have been recognized by New England Super Lawyers Magazine, year after year over the past decade.
In 1962, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera (better known as Hanna-Barbera) premiered The Jetsons, a cartoon series about a family living their best lives 100 year in the future in the year 2062.
We’re still 42 years away from being contemporaries of the Jetsons, but many of the technologies the show predicted have already become a reality. George, Jane, Judy, and Elroy Jetson enjoyed many of the modern conveniences we now take for granted, from flat-screen TVs and tablet computers to robot vacuums and smart watches.
One of the technologies predicted by the show has taken center stage during the COVID-19 pandemic: video conferencing. While the first video conferencing phone was introduced by AT&T at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York, the technology didn’t really become ubiquitous until the 2000s with the launch of internet-based video conferencing technologies like Skype.
Like so many others, our team has spent the last few weeks acclimating to the new reality of working from home. In response to the COVID-19 crisis, everyone on our staff began telecommuting in mid March. The experience has been different for each of us, but we’re happy to report that we’re not only able to service clients, we’re also maintaining our collective sense of humor.
Because we’re all in this together, we thought it would be fun to share a few personal stories and photos from our crew. So, without further ado, here are some real-life snippets and words of wisdom from some members of our intrepid team.
Erin Duques…
Paul Knierim, the head of our dispute resolution practice area, just returned from Philadelphia where he was awarded the National College of Probate Judges (NCPJ) highest honor – the Treat Award for Excellence. This national award recognizes Paul for his significant contribution to the improvement of the law in the probate field while he served 11 years as Connecticut’s Probate Court Administrator.
While serving as Probate Court Administrator, Paul’s accomplishments were both impressive and numerous. They included:
We are told the benefits of stepping outside of our comfort zones to learn new things. Of course brain health is enhanced, but in some circumstances, others can benefit as well.
Let us tell you about just that…
Attorney Brendan Daly – Managing Partner of Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri. Certified Elder Law Attorney. And…ballroom dancer? Yes, that’s the part about stepping outside one’s comfort zone! Recently, Brendan participated in the Alzheimer’s Association Connecticut Chapter’s “A Dance to Remember” – a special event and fundraiser modeled after the hit TV show, “Dancing with the Stars,” to benefit Connecticut residents living with Alzheimer’s and to support their caregivers.
Longtime probate judge and retired Probate Court Administrator joins our litigation team
We are pleased to announce our expansion into the dispute resolution practice area. With a specific focus on probate and elder law dispute resolution, our firm now provides mediation and arbitration services. Paul Knierim, the recently retired Connecticut Probate Court Administrator, has joined the firm to lead this initiative.
During his eleven years as head of the probate court system, Paul was responsible for policy leadership and operation of all 54 of the state’s probate courts. He has been recognized for launching numerous initiatives which include the enactment of stronger judicial ethics code, expanding continuing education for judges and court staff, establishing better support and oversight for conservators and the complete overhaul of the rules of procedure that govern probate cases.
Last month the Connecticut Supreme Court handed down a favorable decision in a case argued by attorney Carmine Perri of Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri.
Why this matters
For married couples who intend to apply for Medicaid for one of the spouses, it is now possible to protect as much of the ill spouse’s income as is necessary for the healthy spouse to remain safely in the community , even if it exceeds the Medicaid cap.
Advocating for Connecticut residents and helping them plan for the future is what we do. And when we feel it’s necessary to bump up our resources to accommodate our residents in the best possible way, we take the steps to do so.
For the New Year, we are pleased to announce lots of exciting news:
As of January 1st, we have a new principal, a new name, a new partner and four new attorneys. And we have opened an office in Madison, a second office in Berlin and expanded our Simsbury office.
Connecticut Estate Planning Attorneys Blog