NEW LONDON/OLD LYME — Suisman Shapiro, which is the largest law firm in eastern Connecticut and also serves as the Town Attorney for the Town of Old Lyme, has joined forces with Avena & Kepple, LLC of Pawcatuck, R.I.
John ‘Jack’ A. Collins III and James ‘Jay’ P. Berryman are both Old Lyme residents and Directors of Suisman Shapiro.
Attorneys Robert A. Avena and Nicholas F. Kepple will serve as Directors in the firm’s municipal law department, also practicing in the areas of real estate, estate planning, business organization, land use and administrative law. They will be resident in Suisman Shapiro’s new satellite office at 20 South Anguilla Road, Pawcatuck, CT.
“We are pleased to announce the merger of two prominent law firms that collectively represent many of our region’s municipalities,” said Attorney Robert Tukey, Managing Partner at Suisman Shapiro Attorneys-at-Law. “Together, we will offer even deeper legal resources to our local communities by combining our capabilities in diverse practice areas including personal injury, divorce, workers’ compensation, estate planning, business services, and many other areas of the law,” Tukey added.
Robert A. Avena has served as a Waterford town attorney for the past 19 years and has served as town attorney in numerous southeastern Connecticut towns throughout his legal practice. He has advised municipalities regarding aspects of municipal law and litigated substantial cases in the Superior and Appellate Court of Connecticut, principally representing Town tax assessors, planning and zoning commissions, wetlands commissions, and zoning boards of appeal.
During his practice for individual clients, Attorney Avena was involved in the permitting process for the Pfizer Research Campus expansion and opening of the Mashantucket Pequot Casino.
Nicholas F. Kepple was admitted to practice in 1989 following his service as Selectman and First Selectman of the Town of Stonington. He has focused his practice on estate planning and municipal law, representing many Eastern Connecticut communities as Town Attorney including Waterford, Eastford, Voluntown, Franklin, Salem, Canterbury, Sterling, Windham, Plainfield, North Stonington and the Borough of Stonington.
In addition to practicing law, Attorney Kepple has served for over eight years as the Judge of Probate for the Southeastern Connecticut Regional Probate District which encompasses Groton, Ledyard, Stonington and North Stonington.
Suisman Shapiro is the largest law firm in eastern Connecticut, serving the community for over 75 years with a wide range of legal services.
Editor’s Note: Suisman Shapiro Attorneys at Law is located at 2 Union Plaza, P.O. Box 1591, New London CT 06320. Its new satellite office is at 20 South Anguilla Road, Pawcatuck, CT 06379. For further information call (860) 442-4416 or visit www.suismanshapiro.com.