750 Main Street, 2nd Floor, Hartford, CT 06103
Phone: 860.548.1122 | Fax: 860.548.1223
Practice Areas
Education
- Western New England Law School, J.D., cum laude
- University of Massachusetts, B.A.
Biography
Deborah Etlinger practices in the areas of insurance defense and insurance coverage. She has thirty-five years of legal experience. Deborah’s clients are insurance companies seeking legal services to address complex matters and high stakes litigation. Matters include construction defect, toxic tort, employment, and defense of institutional clients in sexual molestation cases.
In a multi-million-dollar construction defect case, Deborah implemented a strategy of conducting limited discovery on behalf of her contractor client to set the stage for prevailing on a summary judgment motion. She successfully defended institutional clients including schools and municipalities in lawsuit alleging claims of sexual molestation. In her employment defense practice, she defends non-profit and other organizations in both administrative proceedings and in State and Federal Court.
Deborah develops and implements creative and cost-effective strategies for her clients, defending companies and individuals in high stakes litigation. Deborah directs a knowledgeable and confident team of attorneys and legal staff, all working toward the client’s end goal. She knows that her clients want the best result performed cost-effectively and concluded as quickly as possible. Deborah works diligently to obtain early, favorable resolution of her clients’ cases. However, when such an early resolution is not possible, Deborah has a proven track record of successful verdicts.
Deborah was a contributing author to the Law and Practice of Insurance Coverage Litigation, published by the West Group. She has also served as Co-chair of Mealy’s Lead Litigation Conference. She has been appointed to serve on the State of Connecticut Judicial Branch’s Civil Commission. Deborah received her undergraduate degree from the University of Massachusetts, and her juris doctorate from the Western New England College School of Law. She is admitted to practice in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
Professional Memberships
- American Bar Association
- Connecticut Bar Association
- Board of Bar Overseers
- Claim & Litigation Management
- Connecticut Defense Lawyers
- Defense Research Institute
Honors & Awards
Publications
- Law and Practice of Insurance Coverage Litigation, West Group, contributing author
Speaking Engagements
- Mealy’s Lead Litigation Conference, Co-chair
Representative Cases
Published decisions:
- Summary Judgment Granted in Favor of the Defendants in a Catastrophic Injury Product Liability Toxic Tort Case, Feb., 2023
- Favorable Summary Judgment Obtained for Insurer on Underinsured Motorist Claim, Feb., 2023
- Favorable Appellate Court Decision Obtained for Insurer, Jul., 2022
- Girolametti v. Michael Horton, Inc. 332 Conn. 67 (2019)
- Viola v. O’Dell, 108 Conn. App. 760 (2008)
- Burlington Insurance Company v. DeVesta, 511 F. Supp. 2d 231 (D. Conn. 2007)
- Citizens Communications Co. v. Trustmark Insurance, 303 F. Supp. 2d 197 (D. Conn. 2004)
Bar Admissions
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut
- U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit