MOST PROMINENT WORKERS' COMP FIRM

Richard S. Bartlett, Attorney, McGann, Bartlett & Brown
The insurance capital’s answer to workers compensation.
Attorney Bartlett graduated from the University of Connecticut School of Law with honors in 1981 and was admitted to the Connecticut Bar Association that same year.  He received a Masters Degree in the field of Nutritional Biochemistry in 1974 and worked in that field prior to obtaining his law degree. He is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association, is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court and is also admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court and the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.
Timothy D. Ward, attorney, McGann, Bartlett & Brown
The insurance capital’s answer to workers compensation.
Attorney Ward received his B.A. Degree from Boston College in 1983. He graduated from Wake Forest University School of Law in 1986 and was admitted to the Connecticut Bar that same year. He is also admitted to practice in the Federal Court System. Attorney Ward has given lectures to insurance company representatives on various aspects of premises liability. He has served as an arbitrator in underinsured/uninsured motorist cases. Attorney Ward is a member of the Connecticut Defense Lawyers Association and the Connecticut Bar Association.
Diane D. Duhamel, attorney, McGann, Bartlett & Brown
The insurance capital’s answer to workers compensation.
Attorney Duhamel is a partner of the firm.  She obtained her A.B. degree from Saint Michael’s College in 1982 and a Juris Doctorate from Franklin Pierce Law Center in 1987.  She was admitted to practice in the State of New Hampshire in 1987, the State of Connecticut in 1988, and the State of Massachusetts in 1998.  She is a member of both the Connecticut and New Hampshire Bar Associations. As an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Connecticut she handled many workers’ compensation matters while representing the Second Injury Fund.  She is a past-Chair of the Executive Committee of the Workers’ Compensation Section of the Connecticut Bar Association.  Presently, she is the Chair of the Examining Committee for Workers’ Compensation Certification in the State of Connecticut and serves on the Legal Advisory Panel to the Workers’ Compensation Commission Chairman, Stephen Morelli.  She was a member of the editorial board for Compensation Quarterly from 1996 to 2000 and is a frequent speaker at workers’ compensation seminars.  In 2018, she was named as Attorney of the Year in Workers’ Compensation by Best Lawyers.  In 2019, Attorney Duhamel was inducted into the American Bar Association’s College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers. In 2019, she was also awarded the Edward Pomeranz/Edward O’Brien Award for Excellence and Achievement by the Workers’ Compensation Section of the Connecticut Bar Association.  In 2021, she was named as Lawyer of the Year in Workers’ Compensation for New England by Best Lawyers.
Laurie McQuade, ATTORNEY, MCGANN, BARTLETT & BROWN
The insurance capital’s answer to workers compensation.
Attorney McQuade is a partner of the firm with 20 years of experience. She graduated from Fairfield University with honors in 1993, and from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1996. Attorney McQuade began her legal career in 1996 as In-house Counsel for Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, where she spent several years defending both workers’ compensation and personal injury cases, including bringing civil cases to jury defendant verdicts. Attorney McQuade spent the past ten years with another defense firm where she focused exclusively on defense of workers’ compensation cases. During the past two decades attorney McQuade has handled all aspects of workers’ compensation claims, including appellate experience with the Compensation Review Board. Attorney McQuade is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association.
Erik S. Bartlett, attorney, McGann, Bartlett & Brown
The insurance capital’s answer to workers compensation.
Attorney Bartlett graduated from the Qunnipiac College School of Law in 2000, and was admitted to practice that same year.  He received a Bachelor of Science in Biology at the University of Connecticut in 1997.  Attorney Bartlett has successfully argued cases before the Connecticut Appellate Court and has appeared before the Connecticut Supreme Court as well.  Currently he is a member of the Workers’ Compensation Section of the Connecticut Bar Association and serves on the annual charity golf tournament committee that has raised substantial funds for Connecticut Food Bank and Foodshare.
Michael M. Buonopane, attorney, McGann, Bartlett & Brown
The insurance capital’s answer to workers compensation.
Attorney Buonopane graduated from the University of Connecticut with honors in 1993 and received his law degree from New England School of Law in 1996.  He is currently a member of the Connecticut Bar and the United States District Court of Connecticut. Attorney Buonopane served as an intern in criminal matters with the Public Defender’s Office in Hartford and Rockville Superior Court.  He has worked as a general practitioner, educating himself in diverse areas of the law before focusing on workers’ compensation and personal injury law. For the past twenty years, attorney Buonopane has appeared before the Workers' Compensation Commission, the Compensation Review Board and the Appellate Court for the State of Connecticut. He handles subrogation,  litigation and all aspects of workers' compensation matters. He is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association, the Workers’ Compensation Section of the CBA and a former member of the American Bar Association.  Mr. Buonopane has lectured to local business entities and the State Department of Labor on issues of Workers’ Compensation Law. In 2003, he became board certified with the Connecticut Bar Association as a specialist in workers’ compensation law.
Terrance M. Brennan, attorney, McGann, Bartlett & Brown
The insurance capital’s answer to workers compensation.
Attorney Brennan is a attorney with the firm. He received his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Connecticut.  He received his Juris Doctorate from Western New England School of Law in 1999, and was admitted to the Connecticut Bar that same year.  He is also admitted to practice in the Federal Court Systems.  Prior to joining McGann, Bartlett & Brown, he worked at Kenny, Brimmer, Melley & Maloney as well as the Law offices of Nancy Rosenbaum dealing with all areas of civil practice with an emphasis on workers’ compensation defense.  Attorney Brennan is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association.
George F. O’Donnell, attorney, MCGANN, BARTLETT & BROWN
The insurance capital’s answer to workers compensation.
George F. O’Donnell graduated in 2007 from Gettysburg College with a B.A. in management and a minor in economics. In 2010 he earned his J.D. from Western New England College, School of Law. Following law school, he practiced primarily in the areas of personal injury, workers’ compensation, and criminal defense. Attorney O’Donnell joined McGann, Bartlett & Brown in 2015, and represents employers, insurance carriers, third party administrators and self-insured employers in all aspects of workers’ compensation claims. He regularly presents and advises clients on substantive and procedural issues related to the workers’ compensation system in Connecticut. Attorney O’Donnell is admitted to the state bar of Connecticut and the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut. He is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association and the Workers’ Compensation Section Executive Committee. Attorney O’Donnell has served on the Board of Directors of the Hartford County Bar Foundation since 2020.
James L. Pomeranz, ATTORNEY, MCGANN, BARTLETT & BROWN
The insurance capital’s answer to workers compensation.
Attorney James L. Pomeranz was born in Hartford, Connecticut, is a graduate of Yale University (B.A. 1969) and Georgetown University (J.D. 1972), and was admitted to the Bar in l972. He is also a member of NWCDN. He has practiced in the defense of workers’ compensation claims for approximately 43 years and has also done appellate work in this field including appearances before the Supreme Court for Connecticut and the United States Second Circuit Court of Appeals concerning Federal issues. He is authorized to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court. Attorney Pomeranz is a member of the Hartford County Bar Association. He is also rated AV by Martindale-Hubbell and selected for The Best Lawyers in America. Attorney Pomeranz is listed in the Catalog of Super Lawyers of New England for the defense of Workers' Compensation cases, as well as Best Lawyers of Connecticut and Connecticut Magazine for Best Lawyers in Connecticut defending Workers' Compensation claims. Attorney Pomeranz is one of only five attorneys who have been awarded the Connecticut Bar Association Workers' Compensation Section award for excellence in the practice of Workers' Compensation law.
Nicole A. Fluckiger, attorney, McGann, Bartlett & Brown
The insurance capital’s answer to workers compensation.
Attorney Nicole Fluckiger received her B.A. in American Studies from Emmanuel College in 2015. She graduated from Quinnipiac University School of Law summa cum laude in 2018.  While at Quinnipiac she was a member of the Health Law Journal, International Human Rights Society, and acted as an admissions ambassador. While in law school, she interned at a firm that specialized in workers compensation and personal injury. She is admitted to the Connecticut Bar and is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association.
Douglas L. Drayton, OF COUNSEL, MCGANN, BARTLETT & BROWN
The insurance capital’s answer to workers compensation.
Attorney Douglas L. Drayton attended the University of Connecticut where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in l966 and received his Juris Doctor from the University of Connecticut School of Law in l969. Attorney Drayton is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association and the Hartford County Bar Association. He is a past member of the Medical-Legal Committee and currently a member of the Executive Committee of the Workers' Compensation Section of the Connecticut Bar Association.  He has lectured on Workers' Compensation Law for many institutions, law schools and organizations including various Bar Associations as well as testified at legislative committee hearings on Connecticut Workers' Compensation Law.  He was Secretary of the Connecticut Bar Association Committee on Workers' Compensation that drafted appellate rules and regulations for the Connecticut Compensation Review Division. He was a founding member of the Committee for Workers’ Compensation Specialization and the original chairman of the Workers’ Compensation Certification Examining Committee. He resigned as Chairman but remains on the Examining Committee. Attorney Drayton has also been a faculty member of the Connecticut Bar Association Section on Continuing Legal Education.  He is past Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Workers' Compensation Section of the Connecticut Bar Association and has been recognized since the l995 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America for his expertise in Workers' Compensation Law. Annually, Attorney Drayton is listed in the Catalog of Super Lawyers of New England for the defense of Workers' Compensation cases, as well as Best Lawyers of Connecticut and Connecticut Magazine for Best Lawyers in Connecticut defending Workers' Compensation claims. Attorney Drayton was honored with the 2016 Lawyer of the year award in workers' compensation law representing employers. Attorney Drayton is one of only five attorneys who have been awarded the Connecticut Bar Association Workers' Compensation Section award for excellence in the practice of Workers' Compensation law.  
Michael A. Burton, ASSOCIATE, MCGANN, BARTLETT & BROWN
The insurance capital’s answer to workers compensation.
Attorney Burton is an associate with the firm with 22 years of experience. He received a Bachelor of Political Science at the University of Connecticut in 1989. He graduated from Western New England College School of Law in 1994 and was admitted to practice that same year. Attorney Burton began his legal career in 1994 practicing in civil litigation and workers’ compensation matters. Attorney Burton successfully operated his own practice at Cantarella & Burton where he specialized in practicing general liability and workers’ compensation law. From 2000 to 2016, attorney Burton was employed as in-house counsel for Zurich Insurance, defending workers’ compensation matters.
Amanda Hakala, associate, McGann, Bartlett & Brown
The insurance capital’s answer to workers compensation.
Attorney Hakala obtained her B.A. in Political Science from Manhattanville College in 2014. She graduated from Quinnipiac University School of Law magna cum laude in 2017 and was admitted to practice in the State of Connecticut that same year. Attorney Hakala began her legal career in insurance defense and has focused exclusively on defense of workers’ compensation cases. Attorney Hakala is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association.
Amber L. Russell, Paralegal, McGann, Bartlett & Brown
The insurance capital’s answer to workers compensation.
Amber Russell has been an employee of McGann, Bartlett & Brown since April of 2002. She graduated from Kaplan University in 2005 and has served as paralegal for the firm since that time. Ms. Russell assists the attorneys on workers’ compensation and civil matters. Ms. Russell has in-depth knowledge of legal terminology and is responsible for handling legal documents, performing legal research and coordinating with local and federal courts to execute the legal affairs of the firm. In addition, Ms. Russell is responsible for the initial review and assignment of all new referrals and may be contacted directly by our clients on new matters requiring our service.
Lisa J. DelMastro, Office Manager, McGann, Bartlett & Brown
The insurance capital’s answer to workers compensation.
Lisa DelMastro has been an employee of McGann, Bartlett & Brown since February of 1986. She took over the responsibilities of Office Manager in August of 1999. Mrs. DelMastro helps in facilitating the day to day operations of the firm, supervising support staff and assuring that the office remains compliant with local, state and federal regulations. She manages vendor relations, interviewing and hiring of support staff and administration of payroll. Mrs. DelMastro serves as a liaison to firm clients and services the needs of our clients as they arise.