Tom Cassone is a Partner at MSS and manages its Connecticut office. Formerly the Director of Legal Affairs for the city of Stamford, Connecticut (1995-2009), Mr. Cassone engages in a broad array of trial and appellate litigation on behalf of individual and institutional clients, including commercial and business disputes, “corporate divorces”, construction litigation, products liability, municipal liability, land use and zoning, personal injury and matrimonial. Mr. Cassone regularly advises clients on transactional and corporate issues, especially as they relate to dispute resolution and litigation avoidance. Mr. Cassone has also served as arbitrator, mediator and legal expert for a variety of disputes, especially in commercial, construction and legal malpractice litigation.
EDUCATION
Western New England College School of Law. J.D.
Lehigh University. B.A. Economics
ADMISSIONS
Connecticut
U.S. District Court
District of Connecticut
Before joining MSS in 2014, Mr. Cassone was a principal of Bello Lapine & Cassone, LLP, a litigation and general practice firm in Stamford since 1984. Mr. Cassone also served as the Director of Legal Affairs for the City of Stamford from 1995 through 2009, where he supervised the legal division including all municipal transactions, litigation, legislation, labor relations and human resources.
Multimillion dollar wrongful death settlement for reckless service of alcohol to minors.
Multimillion dollar personal injury settlement on behalf of injured motorcyclist.
Represents innovative Connecticut medical device manufacturer in corporate disputes, including dissident shareholders’ challenge to capital raise, employment dispute with former president, and numerous corporate transactional matters and disputes.
Represents municipalities and municipal water pollution control authorities, including a successful defense before a jury in State Superior Court of claims of negligence allegedly resulting in millions of dollars of property damaged due to a flood event, as well as fending off multi-million dollar challenges to sewer connection fee programs. Also serves as counsel and advisor to several municipal boards and city administration.
Has successfully represented multiple defalcation victims, including a widow in recovery of millions of dollars systematically diverted over a period of years by her investment counselor, accountant and his brokerage firm, and an elderly assisted living facility resident whose former attorney defrauded her out of the proceeds from the sale of her home.
Successful defense of widow of General Insurance Agent in U.S. District Court and Connecticut Superior Court against claims of conspiracy and unjust enrichment due to decedent’s alleged theft of multiple millions of dollars in insurance premiums.
Before the Connecticut Appellate and Supreme Courts, has represented successful appellants and appellees in multiple appeals, including a seminal Supreme Court case in post-judgment alimony modification, as well as construction and construction arbitration, oyster aquaculture, zoning and land use, personal injury and condemnation.
In the complex litigation docket of the Waterbury Superior Court, represented owners of a 30,000 square foot warehouse building against contractors and engineers who had negligently designed and constructed it in a former bog, resulting in its sinking. Mr. Cassone successfully recovered the substantial costs of repair as well as consequential damages.
Recovered substantial damages in a products liability action on behalf of a plumber whose eye was lacerated by defectively designed natural gas transmission pipe. Successful defense of millions of dollars of alleged Civil RICO claims against insurer for limousine company in the Southern District of New York.
Represented Furnace Putty Manufacturer in multiple dozens of asbestos claims in Connecticut Superior Court.
Represented California lettuce farm and California State Insurance Guaranty Fund in E. coli outbreak case, navigating the epidemiological studies of the CDC and California Department of Agriculture, resulting in the successful shift of liability for plaintiffs’ profound injuries on other defendants.
HONORS
Martindale Hubbell, Preeminent AV Rated, 2013 – Present
Connecticut Super Lawyers, 2006, 2024 – Present
INVOLVEMENT
Board Member, Stamford Veterans Park Partnership
Member, Board of Trustees, Ferguson Library, Inc. (1997 – present)
Trustee Ferguson Library Foundation (2002 – present)
Chairman, Board of Trustees, Ferguson Library, Inc. (2001, 2008)
Member, Board of Directors, St. Luke’s Lifeworks (2010)
Trustee, Stamford Museum and Nature Center (2001-2004)
“In Common,” on “At War: Notes from the Front Lines,” a blog by The New York Times, December 30, 2011
“Combating Worry,” The New York Times, February 22, 2010
“One Homecoming,” The New York Times, July 22, 2010
“Christmas in Harm’s Way,” The New York Times, December 16, 2009
