Ethical Do’s and Don’ts for Every Attorney

Thomas J. Sansone | Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessey LLP

Tom Sansone is a partner in Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessey LLP, where he has practiced in the civil litigation arena in Connecticut for more than 37 years, representing individuals and companies in a wide variety of business-related and personal disputes. He practices in various fields, including commercial, construction, and insolvency litigation. He has tried nearly 100 cases to conclusion in Connecticut Superior Court, the United States District Court and the United States Bankruptcy Court and has argued before both the Connecticut Supreme and Appellate Courts. Much of his trial work involves complex banking issues, including lender liability cases, contested foreclosure/collection matters, and representation of creditors in adversary bankruptcy proceedings.

From 2012 – 2018, Tom served as one of the 14 lawyers appointed by the judges of the Superior Court as a member of the Statewide Grievance Committee. During that time, he presided over dozens of hearings involving allegations of attorneys’ professional misconduct.

Tom has also served the bar for many years as a member of the  Executive Committee of the Commercial Law & Bankruptcy Section of the Connecticut Bar Association, including service as its Chair from 2018 – 2020. Tom currently serves as chair of the Bankruptcy Committee of the New Haven County Bar Association.

Tom is a published author, having twice written the annual review of commercial litigation cases for The Connecticut Bar Journal (2009, 2010), as well as co-authoring the chapter on environmental issues in bankruptcy in the American Bar Association’s publication, Environmental Aspects of Real Estate and Commercial Transactions (2021) and the Thomson Reuters book, Inside the Minds: Banking & Finance Litigation Strategies (2009). Tom is a frequent lecturer on commercial law topics and has, on three occasions, co-presented the annual update of Commercial Law & Bankruptcy at the Connecticut Bar Association’s annual Connecticut Legal Conference.

Tom obtained both his undergraduate and law degrees from Boston University. He is active in a number of civic and community organizations in Connecticut and overseas

I. Setting clients’ expectations appropriately through the use of engagement agreements | 12:00pm – 12:15pm

II. Best practices for management and stewardship of clients’ funds | 12:15pm – 12:30pm

III. Effective communication with clients and prospective clients, including declining and terminating representation | 12:30pm – 12:45pm

IV. Defining who the client is in particular types of representation | 12.45pm – 1:00pm