Litigation

Business disputes can spell financial disaster for companies large and small. When these disputes lead to litigation, the impact on a company, in terms of time and cost, can increase dramatically. At Diserio Martin O'Connor & Castiglioni LLP, we understand the expense, both tangible and intangible, of protracted commercial litigation.  We take the time to learn our clients’ businesses, often drawing on the experience of attorneys in our other departments, to develop the appropriate strategies to bring about the most efficient and economical resolutions to business disputes.  By proper planning, management and staffing, use of computer technology, and drawing on our extensive experience, we are able to aggressively represent our clients’ legal interests while never losing sight of the specific needs of their businesses.  While we are always prepared to proceed to trial when necessary, when appropriate we work with our clients to seek creative and results oriented alternatives to the traditional trial process.

Diserio Martin’s trial attorneys have extensive experience litigating business disputes, contract disputes, and business torts that span a broad spectrum of industries, including finance, real estate, consumer products, marketing, manufacturing, leasing, construction, and information technology.  Among the array of commercial cases we manage for our clients are matters involving unfair trade practices, business fraud, corporate dissolutions, warranty claims, breach of contract, insurance issues, securities fraud, and commercial lease disputes.

Defense of Claims Against Employers

An employee lawsuit claiming illegal discrimination, sexual harassment or a wrongful termination can be a serious distraction and financial drain to a business. The experienced employment law attorneys of Diserio Martin O'Connor & Castiglioni LLP offer a proven record of success in mitigating these effects through aggressive defense of employment claims, when they occur, and proactive counseling of clients as to preventive strategies designed to minimize future legal exposure.

We have represented businesses ranging in size from small independent companies to major corporations in Connecticut and New York. Our organization and staffing enables us to respond quickly and efficiently to the needs of our clients in order to secure maximum damage control. Our veteran employment trial lawyers possess skills and experience comparable to that of much larger law firms, but often at far less cost.

Our experienced attorneys handle cases in all state and federal courts in Connecticut and New York and before administrative agencies such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities and the Department of Labor, covering every facet of employment litigation including the following types of claims:

• Employment discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin and gender.
• Sexual harassment claims and investigations.
• Age discrimination.
• Disability discrimination and failure to accommodate under the Americans With Disabilities Act.
• Termination or retaliation claims under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
• Wrongful termination, including qui tam and whistle blower claims.
• Employment contracts.
• Wage and hour claims.
• Violation of restrictive covenants including non-compete, non-solicitation and confidential information agreements.

Preventing Exposure Through Assertive Risk Management

While Diserio Martin O'Connor & Castiglioni LLP has a proven track record at trial, we understand that counseling our clients to adopt preventive employment strategies is more cost effective for them in the long run. Diserio Martin’s employment law attorneys provide counseling and guidance on the development of company-wide policies and procedures to prevent lawsuits where possible and to best position the client to defend itself successfully in the event that litigation cannot be avoided. We will conduct a thorough review of human resources policies and analyze past claims to target critical areas for improvement. We will also review insurance coverages and risk management best practices to provide more comprehensive protection from liability.

We also have extensive experience in drafting and enforcing non-compete agreements, non-solicitation agreements and other restrictive covenants to protect a company’s trade secrets without overstepping employees’ rights.

The experienced attorneys in our Intellectual Property Department routinely litigate a wide range of issues in state and federal court, including copyright, trademark, patent, internet and eCommerce, false advertising, and trade secret cases.  Please click here to learn more about the Intellectual Property Department.