Overview
Stuart is the only lawyer in Connecticut who has been named "Lawyer of the Year" by the Best Lawyers in America® for representing both Management and Individuals in the area of Employment Law, recognition that reflects his unique experience on both sides of the employer-employee relationship. A strong advocate who brings a strategic, big picture approach to every case, these attributes have been recognized in Chambers USA where sources say: “He works with clients very well and keeps them informed. He is one of my go-to people for employment litigation and is all-around excellent."
Employment Law
Stuart leads the firm’s Employment Counseling & Litigation Group. He represents employers of all sizes in defending a wide range of discrimination and harassment suits and litigating restrictive covenant, breach of contract, and wage claims. His clients include employers in industries such as healthcare, financial services, higher education, technology, construction, retail, and municipalities.
Stuart also represents professionals and executives in matters relating to their employment. He routinely provides workplace trainings and guidance to employers and employees regarding personnel policies, handbooks, internal investigations, and employee discipline. Stuart’s employment practice includes representation of clients in both state and federal courts, often acting as local counsel for out-of-state law firms and companies. He regularly handles matters before the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Department of Labor, and other administrative agencies. Stuart also serves as an arbitrator and mediator for employment disputes and is a member of the American Arbitration Association's Panel of Employment Arbitrators.
Commercial Litigation
A former chair of the firm’s Litigation & Dispute Resolution Group, Stuart handles complex business disputes of all kinds. His clients include owners of closely-held businesses, universities, financial services firms, medical and dental practices, and municipalities in cases involving claims of breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, violations of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act (CUTPA), and various business torts. He regularly appears in both state and federal courts and before alternate dispute resolution organizations such as the American Arbitration Association (AAA) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), as well as other arbitration and mediation neutrals.
Involvement
Stuart serves on a number of the firm’s management committees and chairs its Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee. This committee has undertaken a number of initiatives aimed at promoting greater diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal field, and at Cohen and Wolf. Stuart has previously chaired the firm’s Marketing and Recruitment committees.
Outside the office, Stuart is a past-president and longtime member of the board of directors of Camp Ramah in New England (President, 2018-2022). He is a member of the Executive Leadership Team for the American Heart Association's 2024 New Haven Heart Walk. Stuart also served for many years as an associate national commissioner and on the regional executive committee of the Anti-Defamation League and on the board of directors of Ezra Academy, and is a past-President of Temple Beth Sholom in Hamden.
