BPS Welcomes Seven New Attorneys: Attorneys Karen Perry, Melissa Antonio, Michael Curley, Trent LaLima, David Coughlin, Virginia Gillette and Robert Sheehan.

Brown Paindiris & Scott, LLP is pleased to announce that Karen Perry, Melissa Antonio, Michael Curley, Trent LaLima, David Coughlin and Virginia Gillette have joined the firm:

Attorney Perry has handled a variety of land use and environmental cases, from transactional work, zoning and wetlands permitting, compliance issues, to complex state and federal environmental litigation. Attorney Perry has worked at several prominent Connecticut firms and has vast experience in trust and estates law as well as real estate law. 

Attorney Perry will be the resident Partner of the new BPS office in Essex, CT, expanding accessibility to the firm’s practice in the shore area.  

Melissa Antonio has joined the firm as a Partner. Attorney Antonio began her career as a prosecutor and has broad legal experience. She currently practices Matrimonial Law and is skilled in matters concerning divorce, financial support, property division, and collaborative law and mediation.

Attorney Antonio will be the resident Partner of the new BPS office in New Hartford, CT, further expanding the firm’s family law practice in Litchfield County. 

Michael Curley has also joined the firm as a Partner. Attorney Curley focuses his practice primarily on guiding clients to develop their estate plans. He began his career as a social worker and developed a unique perspective on the importance of empathy, efficiency, and precision in legal practice. 

Attorney Curley joins the BPS Trusts, Estates, and Probate Department at the main office in Glastonbury, CT. 

Trent LaLima has more than a decade of experience in criminal law as well as appeals, civil litigation, and juvenile matters. Attorney LaLima has held a number of leadership positions for Connecticut legal organizations, including Chair of the Criminal Justice Section of the Connecticut Bar Association. He joins BPS as a Partner in the firm’s Hartford office. 

David Coughlin is a member of the Family Law Department in the firm’s Glastonbury office. David is a licensed attorney with over 15 years’ experience, specializing in Family Law. Prior to joining BPS, David worked for The Children’s Law Center where he was a licensed Guardian ad Litem. During his time at The Children’s Law Center David represented over 900 children in over 600 custody cases. Because of his experience, David values the importance of minimizing the conflict that can have a negative impact on children. David has also been a certified Family Law mediator since 2011, having mediated many high conflict custody and divorce actions.  David is admitted to both the Connecticut and Massachusetts Bars.  

Virginia Gillette is a member of the Criminal Defense Department in the firm’s Hartford Office. Her practice includes matters related to criminal investigations, arrests, plea negotiations, trials, and post-conviction appeals for a variety of cases ranging from misdemeanor offenses, DWI, larcenies, and domestic violence to serious felony matters, assault, sexual assault, and homicide.

Robert Sheehan travels throughout Connecticut courthouses for his family law practice and has tried divorce and custody cases at nearly every superior courthouse in the State. He handles any type of divorce/custody matter, whether there is an abrasive or erratic opposing attorney involved or a difficult opposing party. Attorney Sheehan will be joining BPS’ Family Department in Hartford, CT.