Connecticut Family and Divorce Lawyers

Family and Divorce Law

55 Greens Farms Road, Westport, CT 06880

I am often asked, “Why are you a divorce lawyer?” The answer – I get great satisfaction from seeing how well my clients are doing at the end of their case versus when we first met. Facilitating that transition and growth, while challenging, is the most gratifying part of my job. The follow-up question is often: “What prepared you most to be a Family Law attorney?” Ironically, the answer lies not in court but rather on a court – a tennis court! Besides being a highly competitive tennis player throughout my life, I worked in various capacities as a tennis pro and in clay court maintenance. Little did I know that over thirty-five years ago, as a teenager and through college, spending my spring and summer days waking up at 5:00 a.m., rolling and sweeping har-tru tennis courts, carrying 50-pound bags of calcium chloride and clay, providing instruction to adults and children, and training for upcoming tournaments, that I would actually be learning how to become a Family Law attorney. There are many similarities between a Family Law attorney and a competitive tennis player. First, preparation is key. Just as I endlessly practiced to hone and analyze every last minute detail of my strokes, it is necessary as a Family Law attorney to understand the details regarding my client’s wishes and desires, his/her unique situation, his/her spouse’s personality, and attitude, the strengths and weaknesses in positions, and the ramifications of the foregoing in light of the law. Second, being able to change strategies if your initial plan is faltering is the key to achieving a most favorable outcome. While preparing and counseling my client, I know that the other side is strategizing and preparing to take advantage of and expose weaknesses in my case. Accordingly, I prepare as though I represent the other side. Since I represent all different types of people, I have a tremendous advantage – as I often represent the “other side,” which provides me with a unique perspective, allowing me to effectively counsel my client best on how to proceed. Put simply, no one will outwork or outlast me.

Family and Divorce Law

5 Imperial Ave, Westport, CT 06880, USA

Eva has extensive experience practicing all areas of family law, including divorce litigation, post-judgment modifications and enforcement actions, and prenuptial/postnuptial contract drafting. Eva started her career in a small civil law firm in Fairfield County in 2008, when she first began handling matrimonial matters. During her nearly fifteen years of legal experience since then, she has been personally involved in all aspects of representation from client intake through trial, working directly with clients for the entirety of their cases. Eva takes a customized approach to each case in order to determine a strategy that would be best for each specific client’s needs and goals. Eva has litigated, negotiated, and mediated family law cases, often working with high net worth individuals and families. Her background also includes estate planning and employment contract negotiation and litigation. Her years of experience working with high net worth families in the estate planning context, as well as representing high-level executives in the employment context, gives her a unique understanding of complex assets and compensation structures that other family law attorneys often lack. This enables Eva to advocate for clients in a manner that best protects their assets. Understanding that financial consequences are not the only considerations individuals face during litigation, Eva also works with clients to resolve custodial issues involving minor children in order to find a solution that works best for each family. She has significant experience working with families in crisis and handling heavily litigated matrimonial matters. Her experience includes guardian ad litem work at the Children’s Law Center of Connecticut, where attorneys represented minors in highly contentious custody disputes, often in high profile family court and criminal court matters. She worked on cases ranging from complex relocation proceedings to emergency removal proceedings, many of which involved sensitive issues such as child abuse, neglect, and termination of parental rights. She regularly partnered with the social work department, making home visits to meet with families in order to prepare evaluations and recommendations to the Court. Her public service work also includes volunteering at Sanctuary for Families in New York City, where she represented victims of domestic violence in divorce proceedings. Eva was honored with the Archibald R. Murray Service Award summa cum laude from Fordham University School of Law in recognition of her dedication of over 1,500 hours of pro bono work to victims of domestic violence and families in crisis. Eva also makes time to volunteer in her community. She has mentored young women through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, as well as through her alma maters, Boston College and Lauralton Hall Academy.

Family and Divorce Law

1100 Summer St #300, Stamford, CT 06905, USA

Family and Divorce Law

5 North Main Street, Suite 5, Wallingford, CT 06492

Attorney Allen has extensive litigation experience including arbitrating, mediating, and trying family disputes. His family practice includes everything from amicable mediated property-only divorces to complex litigated divorce and custody matters. His real estate practice concentrates on residential real estate closings. Our firm has relationships with a number of local real estate agents and lenders. Attorney Allen is licensed to practice in all Connecticut State and Federal courts. Attorney Allen has been recently selected by the New Haven Register for inclusion in their list of the Best in New Haven series. He has also been recognized by the National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys, Inc. as one of the top 10 personal injury attorneys under age 40 in Connecticut. Attorney Allen has consistently been selected for inclusion on the Connecticut Super Lawyers List since 2010 and was selected for inclusion on the Connecticut and New England Super Lawyer List in 2013 and 2014. See selection process details here. He was selected for the Connecticut Law Tribune's 2012 Class of New Leaders in the Law and as a member of the National Trial Lawyers Top 40 under 40 in 2012, making him one of only 40 trial lawyers from the State of Connecticut to be selected for this group of accomplished young trial lawyers. Attorney Allen was also selected for inclusion as a Member of the Claims & Litigation Management Alliance in 2012.

Family and Divorce Law

5 Imperial Ave, Westport, CT 06880, USA

Prior to joining Rutkin Oldham Contratto LLC, India gained experience working in a fast-paced litigation firm representing health care providers in the defense of medical malpractice matters. During that time, she handled all aspects of pre-trial litigation, including case development, legal research, fact investigation and motion support. India was largely responsible for discovery oversight, including compliance management and review. She compiled relevant discovery and drafted various discovery motions, including demands and objections relative to discovery requests. India’s interest and passion for family law arose out of her experience working at a law firm in South Carolina during her undergraduate years. She helped the partners prepare for mediation and negotiations and was responsible for drafting and reviewing separation agreements. It was during this experience that India realized the importance of individualized, quality representation in family law matters. Having spent a great deal of time in law school studying corporate law and securities as well as her experience drafting chapters of a corporate finance textbook, India holds a unique knowledge and interest in the financial aspect of high net worth divorce. India graduated cum laude from Coastal Carolina University. There, she served as a member of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity and focused her studies on History and Political Science. India received her Juris Doctor from New York Law School, graduating cum laude. During her time in law school, India was a John Marshall Harlan Scholar and a member of the Dean’s Leadership Council. Additionally, she gained invaluable research and writing skills while serving as a Staff Editor of the New York Law School Law Review. India has spent a significant amount of time volunteering with Leaps of Faith, a non-profit organization in her hometown of Newtown, CT. The program is focused on providing adaptive waterski instructions to children with physical disabilities. Through the program, India had an opportunity to connect with children of all ages and provide a safe and memorable experience.