We are frequently asked by lawyers from outside Connecticut to serve as their Connecticut local counsel for matters pending in the state or federal courts. These firms look to us a Connecticut commercial litigation firm because of our wealth of experience before those courts, our knowledge of local practices and procedures, and our familiarity with Connecticut lawyers and judges. For emergency matters and injunctions, ZNC can staff cases with its deep bench of experienced litigators and paralegals. In additional to general commercial litigation expertise, ZNC’s attorneys have particular depth of experience with bankruptcy and reorganization litigation, the Employee Retirement and Income Security Act or “ERISA,” construction litigation, commercial real estate, manufacturers, and medical products litigation.
We welcome these engagements, and the opportunity to collaborate with lead counsel to advance and protect the client’s interests. Over the years we have found that lead counsel will often look to the lawyers in our firm for substantive contributions to the defense or prosecution of the lawsuit. For example, we have frequently been asked to share the load in briefing or discovery, and in some cases, to assist in the presentation at trial.
Of course, we respect the source of the referral, and provide as much or as little support as the out-of-state firm wishes, consistent with our own ethical obligations to the mutual client, to opposing counsel, and to the court. As with all of our engagements, we strive to provide excellent, cost-effective representation to our clients.
Examples of our work as local counsel include:
- Working with a New York firm on the prosecution of an antitrust claim growing out of the hostile takeover of a public company in the U.S. District Court in Connecticut;
- On short notice, helping a Boston firm in defense of a trade secrets claim seeking temporary injunctive relief in the Connecticut Superior Court;
- Working with New York, Washington, and Houston firms in the prosecution and defense of several major patent infringement lawsuits in the U.S. District Court for Connecticut;
- Local counsel for New York City firm in several complicated commercial real estate bankruptcy cases;
- Local counsel on a Qui Tam case against a for-profit university for a New York firm;
- Local counsel in a bankruptcy case for a manufacturer of glass bottles
- Local counsel for a Cleveland law firm in workout proceedings for a personal health care products manufacturer.
With their long experience in the Connecticut courts and in-depth knowledge of Connecticut law and procedure, ZNC’s commercial litigators help out-of-state counsel succeed in the Connecticut courts.
