Gwen J. Zittoun and Amber N. Sarno have been named “New Leaders in the Law” by the Connecticut Law Tribune, which honors attorneys under the age of 40 who have made significant contributions to the legal profession.
Gwen Zittoun is Counsel in the firm’s nationally recognized School Law Practice Group, where she works with many of the 125+ public school districts the firm represents throughout Connecticut. She represents clients on special education, Section 504, ADA, student discipline, Title IX, restraint and seclusion, student data privacy and general education matters. She frequently supports school districts in special education mediations, due process hearings and federal court actions. In addition, Ms. Zittoun has particular experience in the development of Board of Education policies and plays an important role in revisions to the large collection of Model Policies the firm makes available to Connecticut school districts. Ms. Zittoun is a frequent speaker, author and commentator in the media on a wide range of education issues, and is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Connecticut’s Neag School of Education. She is currently on the Board of Directors of the Mandell Jewish Community Center of Greater Hartford and is Chair of its Early Childhood Center Committee.
Amber Sarno is a member of the firm’s full-service Real Estate, Environmental, Energy and Land Use Practice Group. She focuses her practice primarily in the areas of land use permitting and litigation, environmental litigation, and representation of municipalities and quasi-governmental agencies on a variety of issues. Ms. Sarno represents both public and private clients before local and state agencies as well as in state and federal court regarding site development applications, administrative appeals, takings and eminent domain matters, fair housing claims, and environmental cleanup and cost recovery actions. In addition, she uses her skills and experience to provide pro bono legal services to several organizations, including: representing tenants in eviction disputes through the New Haven Legal Assistance Association; assisting ImmaCare Inc. with obtaining zoning approvals for its shelter facility; representing veterans facing eviction through the Connecticut Veterans Legal Center; and representing children in family court through Lawyers for Children America.