Appellate lawyers at Wiggin and Dana LLP are roundly praised by sources as ‘smart and creative with the right amount of practicality’. Centered in Connecticut, though it also draws on a significant New York base, the group is a regular fixture in all thirteen federal circuit courts, while it also argues in lower and higher state appellate courts nationwide. Most notably, the team’s representation of Hartford Financial Services Group in business-interruption claims related to Covid-19 has created a steady stream of appellate cases across the country, including Florida, New York, and California. From New Haven, department chair Jonathan Freiman leads on the Hartford matters. Other recommended names in New Haven include Jeffrey Babbin and Tadhg Dooley.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘I've been so impressed by the strong bench of appellate advocates at Wiggin. Several track the Supreme Court very closely and sound more like law professors than lawyers as they discuss the intricacies of cases. The firm does a terrific job of collaborating together to deliver the best possible results.’
‘Jonathan Freiman is both extraordinarily bright and practical — this is a rare combination and one which provides tremendous value to his clients. He is an expectational advocate and one of our go-to lawyers for challenging cases.’
‘Absolutely top-notch lawyers. Particularly good judgment and advice, ability to see the big picture, and outstanding value.’
‘The team is very dedicated to our case. There are never issues with deadlines or availability. The quality of the legal work has been outstanding, while the team has also been sensitive to political and public relations matters: it managed to fulfill both needs without reducing the overall quality of the work.’
‘Jonathan Freiman is the leading partner for our case. Besides his excellent ability to explain tactics and the law to foreigners and non-native speakers, he performed outstandingly at the oral arguments.’
‘Lawyers in Wiggin’s appellate practice are the best legal minds: smart and creative with the right amount of practicality. Practice leaders appropriately delegate work to less-experienced, but not less-qualified, group members, allowing clients to build meaningful relationships with a diverse range of lawyers.’
‘A very committed, strategically outstanding team. All briefs were executed to the highest standard and the team took lots of time to answer all our questions in depth.’
‘Jonathan Freiman is an absolutely outstanding attorney - knowledgeable, erudite, incredibly articulate and strategically excellent.’
Key clients
- Federal Republic of Germany and the Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz (a consortium of government museums in Berlin)
- The Hartford Financial Services Group (“The Hartford”)
- Zurich American Insurance Company
- Doctor’s Associates LLC (franchisor of Subway restaurants)
- Stamford Health/Stamford Hospital
- Somatics LLC
- Medical Protective Co. (“MedPro”)
- Hanover Insurance Company
- Otis Elevator Company
- Metalclad Insulation LLC
- Yale University
- Exxon Mobil Corp.
- University of Connecticut Health Center
- HDI Global Insurance Company
- Signify North America Corporation (formerly known as Philips Lighting North America Corporation
- The United Illuminating Company
- Pfizer
- Cirrus Aircraft
- MetLife
- Global Aerospace
- City of Hartford, CT
- American Institute of Marine Underwriters
- Vanderbilt Minerals LLC
- Old Dominion Insurance Compan
- Ryan Specialty LLC
- Home Dynamix LLC
- Arcadian Risk Capital (Bermuda)
Work highlights
- Successfully represented the Federal Republic of Germany and the Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz (its national museum) before SCOTUS, in a case involving the ownership of certain medieval artifacts; the case returned to the DC Circuit where the team prevailed again.
- Defended on appeal what was the largest judgment in Connecticut history at the time of its issuance on behalf of the Kuwaiti Ambassador to Austria in Marafi v. El Achchabi.
- Represented a medical device manufacturer before the California Supreme Court in a major product liability case.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Jonathan Freiman