Family Law

• Divorce
• Child Support
• Child Custody and Visitation
  Our attorneys will also help you understand the factors that Connecticut’s family law courts and judges will consider in resolving a marriage or child custody dispute, including infidelity, domestic violence, alcoholism or addiction and the marital finances, while taking into consideration the best interests of the minor children.
• Premarital Agreement
  In her family law practice, Mrs. DaSilva-Fiano has significant experience representing clients in all facets of family law matters in Fairfield and New Haven Counties including premarital agreements, mediations, marital dissolutions, legal separations, alimony and property distribution disputes, and post-judgment enforcement and modification.
• Spousal Support
  Enforcement and defense of various family law orders and financial awards, including alimony, support, and property division
• Legal Separation
• Annulment
• Child Abuse
  Proceedings involving the Department of Child and Family Services relating to alleged child abuse or neglect, or termination of parental rights

Criminal Law

• Criminal Defense
  As Connecticut criminal defense attorneys, ZNC offers valuable guidance through all stages of the legal process, including the pre-arrest period. We fight to assure that those who have been accused of a crime have all their legal rights protected, and thoughtfully work with them in considering their best options.
• DUI/DWI
  With offices in Bridgeport and Stamford, ZNC attorneys have an established presence in appearing before judges and prosecutors in criminal courts throughout the State. We aggressively defend the rights of our clients against a wide range of charges, from infractions and misdemeanors to serious crimes. We have successfully resolved allegations of DUI / DWI, vehicular offenses, traffic violations, assault, domestic violence, drug and alcohol related crimes, larceny, breach of peace and public disturbances, and property damage. How a criminal charge is resolved can have long-lasting effects. We consider and explain all of our clients’ potential outcomes, including pursuing the pretrial diversionary and rehabilitative programs, and expungements, available in Connecticut to minimize or eliminate the adverse effects of a criminal record. We have successfully disposed of all types of criminal matters defending clients who have been charged with sexual assault, risk of injury to a minor, DUI, assaults and domestic disputes, leaving them without a criminal record after the court proceedings were finalized.
• Wrongful Death
  Kyle assists in the representation of individuals suffering injuries from medical malpractice, wrongful death, civil assaults, and other personal injury cases such as car accidents and slip & falls.
• Traffic Violations
• Sex Crimes
  Mr. Virgil’s personal injury practice involves wrongful death, serious and significant personal injuries, general negligence cases, such as car accidents, truck crashes, construction injuries, railroad accidents, defective and dangerous products, slip and falls, assaults, sexual assaults, toxic torts, hit and run collisions, uninsured drivers, underinsured drivers. He has pursued class action lawsuits on behalf of the victims of defective products and unscrupulous retailers. Mr. Virgil has also sued multiple insurance companies directly for their misconduct and bad faith behavior in the handling and processing of personal injury lawsuits and claims.
• Fraud
  In our white-collar crime practice, we are effective in analyzing complex financial evidence related to charges of RICO, tax fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud, Medicaid and Medicare fraud, mortgage and real estate fraud, securities violations, false billing practices, money laundering, structuring, conspiracy, embezzlement, theft, and other serious felonies. ZNC is diligent in fully investigating the evidence forming the basis for any criminal allegations against its clients. Our attorneys are careful and instinctive in all of their dealings with United States attorneys and agents of the IRS and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and only recommend trial when a difficult case cannot be fairly and reasonably resolved in the pre-trial stages. If trial is necessary, however, ZNC’s criminal law attorneys are experienced and zealous advocates for their clients.
• White Collar Crimes
  While pursuing his Juris Doctorate at Quinnipiac University School of Law, Kyle was the recipient of a Dean’s Fellow Merit Scholarship (full-tuition scholarship). Kyle graduated Quinnipiac Law Summa Cum Laude (highest honors) with a concentration in Civil Advocacy & Dispute Resolution with additional honors. Kyle was student-president of his class, on Law Review, on the Mock Trial trial-advocacy team that won the Georgetown White Collar Crime Invitational, on the Moot Court appellate-advocacy team, on the alternative-dispute-resolution team, and was a captain of the Quinnipiac Men’s Club Lacrosse Team.
• Theft
• Misdemeanors
• Embezzlement
  Sabato (“Sam”) Fiano represents individuals, closely-held businesses and large corporations in a wide variety of complex commercial, securities, civil and white-collar crime matters. In particular, Attorney Fiano represents both plaintiffs and defendants in cases involving business and corporate disputes, contract issues, shareholder and partnership disputes, business break-ups and dissolutionS, business valuations, fraud and embezzlement claims, corporate usurpation claims, lost profit claims, lawsuits seeking to pierce the corporate veil or establish successor liability, employment issues including non-competition and non-solicitation agreements, lender liability, foreclosure defense, construction litigation, probate litigation, professional malpractice claims, insurance coverage issues, zoning disputes, residential and commercial landlord-tenant disputes, real estate litigation including boundary and easement disputes and adverse possession cases, and disputes arising out of the buying and selling of properties and businesses.
• Assault
• Juvenile Crimes
  Ali is excited to expand her practice as an associate in the Litigation practice group at the firm’s Bridgeport office. She currently oversees a variety of cases in all aspects of civil litigation, as well as various Family Law and Probate Court matters. Prior to joining the team at Zeldes, Needle, & Cooper, PC, Ali concentrated her practice in family and juvenile law, representing clients in divorce, custody, and child protection matters. Ali earned her J.D. from Quinnipiac University School of Law in 2016, where she graduated with concentrations in civil advocacy & dispute resolution and family law, with honors. She also currently sits on the Executive Committee of the Connecticut Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section and is active in the CBA’s Lawyers in Libraries program, where she provides legal counsel to individuals who may not otherwise be able to afford legal representation. A native of Queens, New York, Ali enjoys traveling back to the five boroughs to visit family and friends. Ali also enjoys cooking in her spare time and chatting with her colleagues about her book club’s monthly pick.
• Money Laundering
• Hit and Run

Business and Corporate Law

• Corporate Law
  ZNC health care law services encompass many subject matters, including the formation of business entities for physician practices and other corporate law matters, advice concerning relationships between physician practices and hospitals or insurers, employment issues arising within physician practices, regulatory investigations and audits, defense of malpractice claims, and more general business matters such as disputes with vendors or competitors and the purchase or sale of medical practices. ZNC has also represented medical device manufacturers and distributors involved in regional, national and international markets.
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Business Disputes
  Zeldes, Needle & Cooper offers sophisticated legal assistance in the area of Connecticut health care law through its transactional attorneys, paralegals, and, where necessary, ZNC litigators experienced in representing health care providers in practice management and ownership disputes, contract disputes, employment, and covenants not to compete.
• Business Transactions
  Attorney Robert S. Cooper heads ZNC’s health care practice area. He combines his broad experience in business transactions with the specialized knowledge about regulatory and patient care issues necessary to navigate complications inherent in health care matters. He represents both physician practices and medical device manufacturers and distributors, and a company that establishes concierge practices for medical practitioners.
• Limited Liability Companies
  Currently, the most popular kind of business entity in Connecticut is the limited liability company. One of the main advantages of organizing a business as a limited liability company is the flexibility of this kind of business organization. ZNC’s attorneys guide clients in the choice of the structure and management most suited to their own businesses, and preserve these choices through written operating agreements. ZNC has extensive experience in preparing LLC operating agreements tailored to our clients’ specific needs. There are a few Connecticut legal requirements applicable to all limited liability companies, but for the most part, each company can decide for itself how best to organize its ownership and management.
• Intellectual Property
  Mr. Scofield joined the firm in 1986 and has established a successful practice concentrating primarily in commercial litigation and intellectual property litigation. Representative cases include an antitrust claim stemming from a hostile corporate takeover, a dispute involving television syndication contracts, obtaining injunctions against trademark infringement, false advertising, and the violation of restrictive covenants, and a number of complex patent cases.
• Antitrust

Employment Law

• Workers Compensation
  The attorneys in our offices have a wealth of knowledge of substantive worker’s compensation law from representing Connecticut injured employees in proceeding before the Connecticut Workers Compensation Commission, the Compensation Review Board, and appeals to the Connecticut Superior Court and the Connecticut Appellate Court. ZNC’s workers compensation attorneys are also experienced in pursuing alternative dispute resolution of Workers Compensation disputes through both informal mediation and in court-annexed and private mediation. Our attorneys zealously advocate for those who have been injured due to the misfortunes of being exposed to workplace hazards. When a worker has been hurt on the job, ZNC attorneys find a way to obtain maximum compensation for these injuries to compensate for their lost earnings and future earnings from the loss of work experience that contributes to higher pay scales. ZNC’s Workers Compensation attorneys keep their clients informed about the status of their cases, and keep them involved in all aspects of their case.
• Wrongful Termination
  Mr. Virgil’s labor and employment practice involves representing individuals and companies before federal and state courts, administrative agencies, industry regulatory bodies, and private arbitrators. Mr. Virgil handles sexual harassment, age discrimination, sex discrimination, race discrimination, employment contracts, whistleblower claims, FMLA violations, and wrongful discharge.
• Employment Discrimination
• Employment Contract
• Employment Litigation
  The employment law team at ZNC has litigated all types of employment disputes, including jury trials in state and federal court, and in administrative agencies, including discrimination matters before the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, and wage and hour and unemployment claims with the Department of Labor.
• Sexual Harassment

Property Law

• Real Estate Litigation
  In his white-collar crime practice, Attorney Fiano is effective in analyzing complex financial evidence related to charges of RICO, tax fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud, Medicaid and Medicare fraud, mortgage and real estate fraud, securities violations, false billing practices, money laundering, structuring, conspiracy, embezzlement, theft, and other serious felonies. He has had extensive dealings with prosecutors and agents of the Internal Revenue Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in resolving difficult situations for his clients.
• Premises Liability
  Mrs. DaSilva-Fiano also focuses on representing injured parties in personal injury, premises liability, medical malpractice, nursing home negligence and workers’ compensation claims, wherein she employs her extensive insight and medical knowledge as a Registered Nurse.
• Construction Litigation
  Informed, responsive and cost-effective representation of associations navigating the complicated legal and practical challenges faced by association boards, including collection related matters, rules enforcement, association borrowing, contract negotiation, governing document revisions and developer transition issues, including construction defect litigation.
• Real Estate Transactions
  Zeldes, Needle and Cooper represents both individuals and businesses in all aspects of commercial and residential real estate transactions and real estate development throughout Connecticut, including: Bridgeport, Stamford, Greenwich, New Canaan, Darien, Norwalk, Westport, Fairfield, Trumbull, Danbury, Milford, Prospect, New Haven and all other cities within Fairfield County, New Haven County and Hartford County.
• Easement
• Land Use and Zoning
• Landlord-Tenant Disputes
  Attorney DaSilva-Fiano has a diverse litigation practice wherein she represents individuals and corporate clients in a wide range of civil and commercial litigation matters. More specifically, Attorney DaSilva-Fiano handles cases involving business and corporate disputes, contract issues, real estate disputes, construction litigation, commercial and residential landlord-tenant disputes and insurance coverage issues. Mrs. DaSilva-Fiano has also represented both creditors and debtors in foreclosure and bankruptcy matters.
• Property Damage
  At Zeldes, Needle & Cooper, our highly trained personal injury attorneys help plaintiffs recover financial compensation for their physical injuries, pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost wages, property damage and more.
• Condominium Law
  Jan M. Alafriz is an associate within the real estate, condominium law, and transactional law practice group at Zeldes, Needle...

Health Law

• Personal Injury
  The Alternative Dispute Resolution (“ADR”) practice group at Zeldes, Needle & Cooper, P.C. offers mediation and arbitration services for complex civil matters, including commercial, construction, employment, insurance, personal injury, family and probate disputes.
• Medical Malpractice
  Mr. Virgil represents the victims of medical malpractice and professional negligence. He has obtained favorable verdicts or settlements for clients who were the victims of medical negligence involving reproductive and fertility medicine, tissue banking and cryopreservation, gastroenterology, neurosurgery, internal medicine, physical therapy and nursing care amongst others.
• Auto Accidents
• Dog Bites
  Our firm recognizes that physical injuries come with emotional scars. As a result, we draw upon the resources and experience of our entire firm to provide compassionate and quality representation to each of our clients. We always strive to achieve the best possible results for our clients. We have successfully represented individuals regarding injuries sustained as a result of motor vehicle accidents, slip and falls, recreational accidents, medical malpractice, defective products, work related accidents, dog bites, and more. Our attorneys are devoted to obtaining the maximum compensation for our clients’ injuries – whether through settlement, mediation, arbitration or trial.

Trusts and Estates

• Estate Planning
  Estate planning at ZNC starts with listening: what are the client’s goals, now and in the future? We then gather the information necessary, and work with the client to create the plan, and draft the legal documents that advance these goals. Once our clients are satisfied with the planning, the documents are finalized, executed under our supervision and stored in a will vault. We work closely with our experienced paralegal staff, assuring cost-effective representation and effective client communication.
• Wills
  Zeldes, Needles and Cooper’s estate planning group can assist clients with an array of estate planning choices including wills, revocable trusts, health care related documents (living wills and appointments of health care agents) and insurance trusts. The appropriate estate planning documents can smooth the way for a shorter, easier estate administration.
• Trusts
  Mr. Reynolds specializes his practice in the areas of estate planning, federal and Connecticut estate and gift taxation, federal income taxation, and estate and trust administration. He has represented many individuals, couples and families in planning simple and complex estate plans which have been designed to minimize both income and estate taxation across generations. His clients range from family business owners and professionals to those with inherited assets. In addition, he has supervised the administration of many estates and trusts and has been instrumental in the favorable settlement of estate and gift tax audits estates and trusts.
• Probate

Finance Law

• Bankruptcy
• Foreclosure
  Our nation has rightly concluded that it is unwise and unhealthy for individuals and businesses to attempt to live and endure under extreme financial distress. Our bankruptcy laws exist to provide both debtors and creditors a venue where relief can be obtained and fair accommodations reached. ZNC’s Zeisler-Verillo Bankruptcy and Restructuring Group expertly guide individuals, families and business entities – both small and large – through the process of analyzing their current situation, identifying potential solutions and where appropriate, seeking relief under bankruptcy laws. Our lawyers understand that there are few situations in life as stressful to clients as the ones which arise in this field: the threat of losing one’s home to foreclosure; the possibility of having to close one’s business; or the loss of critical revenue caused by the default of a customer.
• Tax Law
  ZNC Attorneys provide advice and other assistance concerning a multitude of other business-related issues, such as formation of business entities, purchases and sales of businesses, employment, contracts, regulatory concerns and tax issues. These comprehensive services include the following...