HARTFORD, CT (June 21, 2007)—The Connecticut office of Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner LLP has been recognized by clients and peers for leadership and excellence in the newly-published fifth annual Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business.
Chambers again recognizes the firm’s Connecticut attorneys in two main areas: Real Estate and Labor and Employment. Connecticut partners Garry C. Berman (Real Estate) and Beverly W. Garofalo (Labor and Employment) are both ranked in the first tier in their respective fields. Nationwide, 30 Thelen attorneys from 14 practices are recognized in the 2007 Chambers guide.
Chambers had this to say about Thelen’s Connecticut Real Estate group:
"The Connecticut office of this New York-based firm aims to provide the expertise of a New York City law firm without the prices. The "fair, responsive and customer-driven" firm has an expanding real estate department, which handles leasing, lending and development matters. The firm’s construction expertise is an added bonus for the team, and symbolic of the "many resources it can call upon - as many as a lot of New York firms have." Clients are appreciative of the "easy manner and practical insight" of the firm’s lawyers, which are combined with "depth and sophistication." They are also impressed with the firm’s "extensive experience in the construction arena, expertise in Connecticut issues and willingness to be flexible."
On Garry Berman:
"Garry Berman impresses his clients as a "skilled and conscientious attorney" who "knows real estate law well and is able to focus on big issues." Clients praise his responsiveness, with one saying that as a real estate attorney, he is "without comparison." In negotiations, Berman is described as "razor-sharp and tough." His commercial acumen is also commended, with one client remarking, "he has very sound business judgment in making decisions about what clients should care about versus non-practical matters."
On Thelen’s Connecticut Labor and Employment group:
"Although a new entrant in Connecticut market, the firm is making a name for itself through its program of gradual expansion. The Hartford office has five full time attorneys, two of which are partners. Half of its work is litigation, with the remaining time split between advice and counseling. The ongoing growth in corporate outsourcing is generating work for the practice in associated labor and employment issues, alongside its regular diet of M&A-related matters."
On Beverly Garofalo:
"Diplomatic and resourceful", Beverly Garofalo has made a name for herself in the state as "a classic employment lawyer," and "is a very bright, tenacious defender of her clients." Client commentators go on to specify that "her strength is that she works in a manner that is respectful. She understands that when she left we had to carry on and still have a relationship with our employees."
To identify the nation’s top firms and attorneys in each practice and region, Chambers conducted more than 14,000 interviews with key in-house counsel and private practice lawyers. These interviews highlight Thelen's depth and experience, as well as the individual talents of our leading attorneys. The number of Thelen lawyers and practice areas recognized by the guide has increased every year since the U.S. rankings began in 2003.
For more information, contact:
Kevin Livingston
National Manager of Public Relations
Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner LLP
415.369.7224
klivingston@thelen.com