Brody Wilkinson Names Four New Principals

Brody Wilkinson PC is pleased to announce that Daniel B. Fitzgerald, Mark W. Klein, Lisa F. Metz and Alyssa V. Sherriff were named principals of the firm.

“It is with great pleasure that we congratulate our newest principals who have become vital members of the Brody Wilkinson team.  Over their many years of practice at the firm, they have developed a remarkable level of both legal skills and client service.  They stand ready to be part of Brody Wilkinson’s future,” stated principal Ronald B. Noren.

DANIEL B. FITZGERALD is a member of the firm’s Business and Dispute Resolution Groups.  His practice is focused in the areas of employment law, general business law and commercial disputes.  Mr. Fitzgerald counsels employers and executive-level employees in a wide range of employment matters including non-solicitation and confidentiality agreements, severance agreements, employment handbooks, compliance with state and federal law, hiring and discharge issues, and sexual harassment prevention and investigations.  In addition, he frequently negotiates employment-related agreements and represents clients in employment litigation matters.

Mr. Fitzgerald also provides outside general counsel services to various business clients, including those in the sports, health and fitness, and manufacturing industries.  In this role, he handles contract issues, corporate governance and compliance and often assists clients with risk and litigation management. An experienced litigator, Mr. Fitzgerald has represented clients before the Connecticut Commission on Human Resources and Opportunity (CHRO), Connecticut Department of Labor, Connecticut Superior Courts, Connecticut Appellate Court, U.S. District Court, U.S. Bankruptcy Court and Statewide Grievance Committee in various matters.  In both his employment and business practices, he applies his litigation experience to assess risk and proactively resolve problems.

Mr. Fitzgerald is an avid writer, having created and published Connecticut Sports Law (www.ctsportslaw.com), Connecticut’s first blog covering the intersection of sports and the law.  He most recently published an article in Primerus Paradigm entitled “Today’s Use of Social Media Blurs Lines with Non-Solicitation Covenants.”  Mr. Fitzgerald is a Martindale-Hubbell AV-rated attorney.  He was recognized by “Connecticut Super Lawyers” as a “Rising Star” in the areas of Employment and Labor, Business/Corporate and Entertainment and Sports from 2009 to 2017.  Mr. Fitzgerald is admitted to practice in Connecticut and the U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut.  He is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association and is the former chair of its Sports and Entertainment Law Section.  Prior to joining Brody Wilkinson, Mr. Fitzgerald practiced for five years at the Connecticut-based law firm of Updike, Kelly & Spellacy, P.C.

He received his B.A., cum laude, from Fairfield University in 1999, where he is regularly involved today in assisting the University’s St. Robert Bellarmine Pre-Law Society.  He received his J.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 2005, where he was an associate editor of the Connecticut Insurance Law Journal.  Mr. Fitzgerald resides in Fairfield, Connecticut.

MARK W. KLEIN is a member of the firm’s Business and Real Estate Groups.  His primary practice areas include mergers and acquisitions, business transactions, securities law, general contract matters, commercial real estate transactions, franchise law and entertainment law.

As part of his practice, Mr. Klein represents business owners in all stages of the business cycle.  He assists start-up companies with forming business entities and raising seed money from investors.  He helps businesses grow and develop by preparing operating agreements that govern the company’s operations and all necessary contracts specific to the company’s industry.  These include but are not limited to supply and distribution agreements for manufacturing companies, service agreements for service providers, terms of use and privacy policies for online retailers and leases for commercial and residential real estate holding companies.  Mr. Klein also creates business succession plans to transition the ownership of family-owned businesses to next generations.  In addition, he helps many business owners successfully sell their assets or equity interests, often in multi-million dollar deals that involve complex elements such as earn out payments and escrowed funds.

Mr. Klein is admitted to practice in Connecticut.  He is on the Executive Committee of the Connecticut Bar Association’s Business Law Section.  He is also a member of the American Bar Association’s and Connecticut Bar Association’s Franchise Law Sections, the American Bar Association’s Business Law Section and the Greater Bridgeport Bar Association’s Business Law and Real Estate Sections.  Mr. Klein was a member of the CUSA Regulations Task Force that worked with the Connecticut Department of Banking to propose revisions to Connecticut’s securities regulations.  Previously, he served on the drafting committee for a comment letter submitted jointly by several American Bar Association committees regarding the SEC’s final crowdfunding rules.  Active in the community, he has performed pro bono legal services for Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts and the Pro Bono Partnership.  He graduated from the Bridgeport Regional Business Council’s Leadership Greater Bridgeport program.

Mr. Klein received a B.A. from Duke University in 1997 and a J.D. from Fordham University School of Law in 2002.  He also attended the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies in London, UK.  Prior to joining Brody Wilkinson, he worked for a general practice firm in West Haven, Connecticut.  Mr. Klein currently resides in West Haven, Connecticut.

LISA F. METZ is a member of the firm’s Trusts & Estates Group.  She practices in the areas of estate planning, trust and estate administration and estate settlement in Connecticut and New York.  Ms. Metz represents a range of clients, including high net worth individuals who are providing for multiple generations, recently divorced women and couples with young children.  For all clients, she takes the time to ensure that their questions are answered and they fully understand their options.  She has significant experience drafting sophisticated and flexible estate planning documents to accomplish goals such as asset protection (including working with counsel in states such as Delaware) and estate and income tax minimization.  She also advises clients with existing family trusts regarding how the trusts may be administered to address changing needs.  She closely follows federal and state laws to keep her clients informed about changes and best practices.  Ms. Metz has published several articles including co-authoring a chapter entitled, “Lifetime Asset Transfers” in A Practical Guide to Estate Planning in Connecticut published by MCLE New England.

Prior to joining the firm, she practiced at other firms in Connecticut and Illinois, including eight years in the Greenwich office of Cummings & Lockwood.  Ms. Metz is a Martindale-Hubbell AV-rated attorney.  She is admitted to practice in Connecticut, District of Columbia, New York and Illinois.  Ms. Metz is a member of the American, Connecticut, New York, Greater Bridgeport and Stamford/Norwalk Bar Associations.  She is also a member of the Estate Planning Council of Lower Fairfield County.  Ms. Metz received her B.S. from Cornell University with honors in 1984 and her J.D. from the National Law Center at George Washington University in 1988, where she was an associate editor of the Journal of International Law and Economics.  She interned for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee during Judge Robert Bork’s Supreme Court confirmation hearing.

She has been involved with numerous school and community organizations.  Ms. Metz is a member of the Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network and interviews applicants.  She volunteers her time to support Food Rescue US.  Ms. Metz resides in Westport, Connecticut.

ALYSSA V. SHERRIFF is a member of the firm’s Trusts & Estates Group. Ms. Sherriff practices in the areas of estate planning, trust and estate administration, and elder law.  In her estate planning practice, she advises individuals and families with varying estate planning needs and goals.  Her clients range from high net worth individuals implementing sophisticated estate plans to younger individuals looking to put together a simple estate plan for the first time.  She assists clients with implementing tax-efficient estate and gift tax planning. When working with clients, her goal is to make the process approachable and to work directly with them to ensure they understand the plan is being put in place and that the documents truly reflect their wishes.  Ms. Sherriff also guides clients through all phases of estate administration including probate and preparation of estate tax returns.  As part of her elder law practice, she works with those dealing with long-term care issues for loved ones by helping with Medicaid applications, reviewing nursing home contracts, and planning for potential incapacity.

Ms. Sherriff received her B.S. from Georgetown University and her J.D., magna cum laude, from Quinnipiac University School of Law.  While in law school, she served as managing editor of the Quinnipiac Law Review and held various legal intern positions at institutions such as the Quinnipiac University School of Law Tax Clinic, Day Pitney LLP, the United States District Court, Bridgeport, and UBS.  Ms. Sherriff resides in Weston, Connecticut.

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