William J. Sweeney Jr.

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  • Attorney

Location:

New Britain, CT

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Email:

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Year Joined Firm

1987

Areas Of Practice

  • Commercial Litigation
  • Civil Litigation
  • Personal Injury
  • Criminal Law
  • Probate Litigation

Litigation Percentage

  • 80% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions

  • Connecticut, 1975
  • U.S. District Court District of Connecticut, 1975
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit, 1975
  • U.S. Supreme Court, 1983

Education

  • Suffolk University Law School, Boston, Massachusetts
    • J.D., Doctor of Jurisprudence - 00/1974
  • Fairfield University, Fairfield, Connecticut
    • B.A., Bachelor of Arts - 1969

Representative Cases

  • State v. Canady, 187 Conn. 281 (1982) (Criminal)
  • City National Bank of Conn. v. Henderson, 1 Conn. App. 96 (1983) (Creditor Rights)
  • Hasbrouck v. Hasbrouck, 195 Conn. 558 (Domestic)
  • Fillipetti v. Fillipetti, 2 Conn. App. 456 (Real Estate)
  • Kingsley v. Sadi International Co., 5 Conn. App. 76 (1985) (Contract)
  • O'Sullivan v. Bergenty, 214 Conn. 645 (1990) (Real Estate)
  • Maluszewski v. Allstate, 34 Conn. App. 27 cert. denied 229 Conn. 921, 1994 (Insurance Coverage)
  • Hirsch v. Harper, 168 B.R. 512 (Bankr.D.Conn., 1994) Power of Trustee in Bankruptcy to act on behalf of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
  • Serrano v. Aetna Life & Casualty, Conn., 233 Conn. 437 (1995) (Uninsured Motorist, Remedial Legislation)
  • Napoletano, et al. v. Cigna Health Care of Connecticut
  • Hollis v. Cigna Health Care of Connecticut, consolidated appeals 238 Conn. 216 cert. denied 117 S.Ct. 1106 (1997) (Managed Care, ERISA Preemption
  • Stiles v. Hartford Casualty Insurance Co., 44 Conn. App. 1 (1996) cert. denied 240 Conn. 909 (1997) (Personal Injury, Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage)
  • Marcus v. Gonzalez, 44 Conn. App. 911 cert. denied 240 Conn. 977 (1997) (Scope of Review, Arbitration)
  • Halloran & Sage v. Parker, 45 Conn., 920 (1997) Amicus for the Connecticut Bar Association (Scope of Review, Arbitration)
  • Northeast Parking, Inc. d/b/a V.I.P. Valet Airport Parking v. Planning and Zoning Commission of the Town of Windsor Locks, et al. and Bradley Airport Valet Parking v. Planning and Zoning Commission of the Town of Windsor Locks, et al, 47 Conn. App. 284 cert. denied 243 Conn. 969 (Zoning)
  • Emerald Ridge Property Owners Association v. Cheryl Noel Thornton, et al. (Land Use) 54 Conn. App.6 (1999)
  • Kaila Marshall ppa. Nicole Wilson v. Hartford Hospital (Medical Malpractice) 65 Conn. App.738 (2001)
  • Robert Cheverie vs. Ashcraft & Gerel (Arbitration) 65 Conn. App. 425 (2001)
  • Edward Collins, et al. v. Anthem Health Plans, (Class Action Certification) 255 Conn. 12 (2003)
  • State v. Tomasso, 49 Conn. Sup. 327 (2004)
  • Edward Collins, et al. v. Anthem Health Plans, (Class Action Certification) 275 Conn. 309 (2005)
  • Sokaitis vs Bakaysa 105 Conn App 663 cert granted 286 Conn. 913 (2008) (Wagering Contracts)
  • Halik v. DeFilippo 107 Conn. App. 903 (2008), (Civil Procedure)
  • Bridgeport Harbour Place v. Joseph P. Ganim et al, 111 Conn App. 197, (2008) (Anti-trust)
  • Hannaford v. Mann 134 Conn App 265 cert. denied 304 Conn 929 (2012)
  • Kosiorek v. Smigelski 138 Conn App. 695 cert. denied 308 Conn 901 (2013)
  • Smigelski v. Kosiorek 138 Conn App 728 cert. denied 308 Conn 901 (2013)
  • Total Recovery Services of Connecticut v. Connecticut Oil Recycling Services, 308 Conn 312 (2013)
  • $3.5 million settlement, product liability against medical devise manufacturer on behalf of HIV infected healthcare worker
  • $2.0 million settlement, class action against law firm for unfair trade practices on behalf of former clients
  • State v. Tomasso, 49 Conn. Sup. 327 (2004), Motion to Dismiss granted on behalf of client, defendant in Unfair Trade Practice Act brought by State Attorney General
  • Napoletano, et al. v. Cigna Healthcare of Connecticut, 238 Conn. 216, cert. denied, 117 S.CT. 1106 (1997) established cause of action against health insurer on state law grounds avoiding ERISA presumption
  • $500,00.00 settlement 87 year old pedestrian injured in shopping center parking by car
  • $1,000,000.00 settlement (35 year old man hit on head by metal bar resulting in chronic migraine headaches and a Botox treatment)
  • $298,458.29 jury verdict against attorney for excessive fees from an estate
  • 777 Residential, LLC v. The Metropolitan District Commission, 336 Conn. 819 (2020), Water pollution control authority for a metropolitan district had the authority to levy a sewerage benefit assessment against a property because the property owner's interior renovation of the commercial office building by the creation of residential units in the building constituted the construction of structures under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 7-249
  • Doe v. Rackliffe, 337 Conn. 627 (2020), Extended limitation period in Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-577d did not apply to plaintiffs' negligence claims as it was not intended to apply in absence of an act of intentional sexual abuse, exploitation or assault; and plaintiffs' claims for injuries arose from medical negligence and NIED, unaccompanied by an originating act of intentional misconduct.
  • MDC v. Marriott International Inc., 216 Conn. App. 154 (2022), abuse of discretion by the Trial Court in discharging sewer assessment.

Significant Verdicts, Settlements And Decisions

Attorney William J. Sweeney Jr. has litigated cases for over 40 years. He has practiced in every level of court in Connecticut, and has represented clients in major federal criminal cases. He has been involved in all of the major political corruption cases in Connecticut in the past 30 years. Note some of his significant settlements in the list below:

  • $750,000 Workers comp settlement for Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) Syndrome. *
  • $1.35 million settlement against hospital for death of child. *
  • $850,000 settlement suicide in hospital. *
  • $3.5 million settlement, product liability against medical device manufacturer on behalf of HIV infected health care worker. *
  • $2 million settlement, class action against law firm for unfair trade practices on behalf of former clients. *
  • State v. Tomasso, 49 Conn. Sup. 327 (2004), motion to dismiss granted on behalf of client, defendant in Unfair Trade Practice Act brought by state attorney general. *
  • Napoletano, et al. v. Cigna Healthcare of Connecticut, 238 Conn. 216, cert. denied, 117 S.CT. 1106 (1997) established cause of action against health insurer on state law grounds avoiding ERISA presumption. *
  • $500,000 settlement, 87-year-old pedestrian injured in shopping center parking by car. *
  • $1,000,000 settlement (35-year-old man hit on head by metal bar resulting in chronic migraine headaches and a Botox treatment). *
  • $298,458.29 jury verdict against attorney for excessive fees from an estate. *
  • MDC v. Marriott International Inc., 216 Conn. App. 154 (2022) abuse of discretion by the Trial Court in discharging sewer assessment. *

*past success does not guarantee future results but are based on the merits of each individual case

Professional Associations And Memberships

  • Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association, President, 1994-1995
  • Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association, Member, Board of Directors Committee, 1988-Present
  • Connecticut Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
  • American Association for Justice
  • American Board of Trial Advocates
  • Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, Board Member, President
  • Life Fellow, The Connecticut Bar Foundation

Pro Bono Activities

  • Community Mental Health Office, 1989 to 1992
  • United Community Service, 1985 to 1990
  • State of Connecticut Attorney Trial Referee and Arbitrator, 1986 to present
  • United States District Court, Special Master, 1988 to present
  • State of Connecticut, Office of Healthcare Advocate, Advisory Committeet
  • Chief Court Administration Civil Committee, 2006 to present