CONTACT
Dennis M. Carnelli New Haven CT commercial litigation and contract law attorney in New Haven CT

Dennis M. Carnelli

Principal

195 Church Street, 13th Floor, New Haven, CT 06510

Phone: 203.821.2000 | Fax: 203.821.2009

Practice Areas

Education

  • Western New England University School of Law, J.D., cum laude
  • Roger Williams University, B.A.
Biography

Dennis M. Carnelli is an experienced civil litigation attorney who focuses his practice principally upon:

  • Business litigation
  • Civil rights actions
  • First Amendment litigation (including employee free speech matters under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-51q)
  • Appellate matters

He represents people and businesses in private disputes, matters where their constitutional rights have been violated, and in challenging laws that abridge their constitutional rights.  In so doing, Dennis draws on his prior experience representing clients in state and federal civil actions, administrative proceedings, and pre-suit investigations that spanned a multitude of practice areas.  He has tried cases to verdict, defended and prosecuted appeals, and orchestrated numerous favorable settlements for his clients.  Dennis’ litigation background includes public service as an Assistant Attorney General in the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General.  In that role, he represented numerous government agencies and officials, including the Governor of Connecticut, the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection, the Commissioner of Correction, and the Chief State’s Attorney in state and federal legal proceedings.

Dennis earned his J.D., cum laude, from Western New England University School of Law, where he was a Note Editor for the Western New England Law Review and recipient of the law school’s oldest award, the Benjamin D. Novak Award, for outstanding legal writing.  Thereafter, he proudly served as a law clerk for the late Justice Barry R. Schaller at the Connecticut Appellate Court.

Dennis is a U.S. Army combat veteran of the Iraq War, where he served as a forward observer with the 3d Infantry Division.  He is the immediate past Chairman of the Veterans & Military Affairs Section of the Connecticut Bar Association.  He is on the Executive Committee of the Appellate Advocacy Section of the Connecticut Bar Association.  Dennis is one of only three Connecticut members of the First Amendment Lawyers Association.

Professional Memberships
  • Connecticut Bar Association
    • Chair, Veterans & Military Affairs Section, 2021–2024
    • Executive Committee, Appellate Advocacy Section
    • Member, Federal Practice Section
  • Chief State’s Attorney’s Statewide Community Engagement Board, 2020-2022
  • New Haven County Bar Association
  • Oliver Ellsworth Inns of Court, Barrister, 2018-2019
  • First Amendment Lawyers Association
Honors & Awards

Dennis M. Carnelli

Rated by Super Lawyers

loading …

Community
  • Commissioner, Town of Guilford Board of Fire Commissioners
  • New England Veterans Chamber of Commerce, Advisory Board
  • Connecticut Veterans Stand Down, Volunteer
Publications
  • “Wounded Warriors and Due Process: The Cushman v Shinseki Analogy,” 35 Western New England Law Review 161 (2013)
Speaking Engagements

Connecticut Bar Foundation Fellows’ Symposium, “Veterans in Transition: Military Culture, Mental health, and Readjustment to Civilian Life,” Panel Moderator, November 2014

Classes & Seminars
  • Yale Law School, Guest Lecturer in Appellate Advocacy, 2014-2017
  • University of Connecticut School of Business, Entrepreneurial Bootcamp for Veterans, Introduction to Business Ethics, 2014-2020
Representative Cases

Attorney Dennis M. Carnelli has served as lead counsel, argued, or had substantial involvement in the following matters:

  • Quigley v. Williams, No. 3:21-CV-1158 (MPS), 2022 WL 16797334 (D. Conn. Nov. 8, 2022)
  • Fraser v. Caron, No. 3:22-CV-315 (OAW), 2022 WL 5246421 (D. Conn. Oct. 6, 2022)
  • Olivencia v. Pun, No. 3:21-CV-739 (OAW), 2022 WL 4329343 (D. Conn. Sept. 19, 2022)
  • Davis v. Furtick, No. 3:21-CV-00648 (SVN), 2022 WL 3681558 (D. Conn. Aug. 25, 2022)
  • Baltas v. Maiga, No. 3:20-CV-1177 (MPS), 2022 WL 3646199 (D. Conn. Aug. 24, 2022)
  • Davies v. Hickley, No. 3:20-CV-00940 (VAB), 2022 WL 3139542 (D. Conn. Aug. 5, 2022)
  • Cerame v. Lamont, et al., No. 3:21-CV-1508 (JCH), 2022 WL 2834632 (D. Conn. July 20, 2022)
  • Kaminski v. Kennedy, et al., No. 3:21-CV-1347 (SALM), 2022 WL 2811822, (D. Conn. July 18, 2022)
  • Gawlik v. Semple, et al., No. 3:20-CV-564 (SALM), 2022 WL 2159887 (D. Conn. June 14, 2022)
  • Harnge v. Kenny, et al., No. 3:19-CV-938 (AWT), 2022 WL 2046140 (D. Conn. June 7, 2022)
  • Harnage v. Dzurenda, et al., No. 3:14-CV-885 (SRU), 2022 WL 972438 (D. Conn. Mar. 31, 2022)
  • Rosado v. Semple, et al., No. 3:20-CV-1908 (JAM), 2022 WL 673275 (D. Conn. Mar. 6, 2022)
  • Bayview Loan Servicing, LLC v. MacRae-Gray, 203 Conn. App. 903, cert. denied, 337 Conn. 905 (2021)
  • Thompson v. Connex Credit Union, et al., Connecticut Superior Court, Complex Litigation Docket at Hartford, Docket No. X03-HHD-CV20-6132115S, 2021 WL 1117166 (Mar. 3, 2021) (Schuman, J.)
  • Hartmann v. QBE Specialty Ins. Co., No. 3:20-CV-01008 (VAB), 2021 WL 231133 (D. Conn. Jan. 22, 2021)
  • Alpha Beta Capital Partners, L.P. v. Pursuit Investment Management, LLC, 198 Conn. App. 671, 234 A.3d 997 (2020)
  • Peterson v. City of Torrington, 335 Conn. 921, 232 A.3d 1104 (2020)
  • Newtown Savings Bank v. Preferred Printing Co., Connecticut Superior Court, judicial district of Fairfield, Docket No. FBT-CV-196083447-S, 2019 WL 7900337 (Dec. 23, 2019, Jennings, J.)
  • Endurance American Specialty Insurance Co. v. William Kramer & Associates, LLC, No. 3:18-CV-00192 (MPS), 2019 WL 3842078 (D. Conn. Aug. 15, 2019)
  • Newtown Savings Bank v. Preferred Printing Co., Connecticut Superior Court, judicial district of Fairfield, Docket No. FBT-CV19-6083447-S, 68 Conn. L. Rptr. 732, 2019 WL 3318473 (June 5, 2019, Jennings, J.)
  • Voloshin-Smernoff v. Voloshin, Connecticut Superior Court, judicial district of Fairfield, Docket No. FBT-CV-186079189-S, 2018 WL 7813722 (Oct. 17, 2018, Thim, J.)
  • Gabriel v. Mount Vernon Fire Insurance Co., 186 Conn. App. 163, 199 A.3d 79 (2018)
  • Amica Mutual Insurance Co. v. Muldowney, 328 Conn. 428, 180 A.3d 950 (2018)
  • Ridgaway v. Mount Vernon Fire Insurance Co., 328 Conn. 60, 176 A.3d 1167 (2018)
  • Amica Mutual Insurance Co. v. Muldowney, 166 Conn. App. 831, 142 A.3d 439 (2016)
  • Sarfaty v. United States Liability Insurance Co., Superior Court, judicial district of Hartford, Docket No. HHD-CV-14-6052239-S, 2018 WL 3060110 (May 25, 2018, Noble, J.)
  • Perez v. Metropolitan Property & Casualty Insurance Co., Superior Court, judicial district of Hartford, Docket No. HHD-CV-14-6054148-S, 2017 WL 4399636 (Aug. 17, 2017, Shapiro, J.)
  • Bayview Loan Servicing, LLC v. Viel, Superior Court, judicial district of New Britain, Docket No. CV-16-6034762-S, 2017 WL 3613493 (May 23, 2017, Wiese, J.)
  • Corredor v. Goncalves, Superior Court, judicial district of Waterbury, Docket No. UWY-CV-16-6030436-S, 2016 WL 8468073 (Dec. 20, 2016, Brazzel-Massaro, J.)
  • LaFever v. Cambridge Mutual Fire Insurance Co., Superior Court, judicial district of New London, Docket No. KNL-CV-15-6023771-S, 62 Conn. L. Rptr. 505, 2016 WL 3912091 (June 9, 2016, Vacchelli, J.)
  • Eastburn v. Imagineers, LLC, Superior Court, judicial district of Faireld, Docket No. FBT-CV-136039189-S, 62 Conn. L. Rptr. 334, 2016 WL 3179488 (May 13, 2016, Arnold, J.)
  • Amica Mutual Insurance Co. v. Watts Water Technologies, Inc., Superior Court, judicial district of Hartford, Docket No. CV-15-6062209-S, 2016 WL 2935635 (May 3, 2016, Scholl, J.)
  • Farnsworth v. LaCroix, Superior Court, judicial district of Waterbury, Docket No. UWY-CV-15-6027634-S, 2016 WL 1710246 (Apr. 8, 2016, Brazzel-Massaro, J.)
  • Barnes v. Castro, Superior Court, judicial district of Waterbury, Docket No. CV-15-60267637-S, 2016 WL 1099117 (Feb. 24, 2016, Roraback, J.)
  • Sniffen v. Santos, Superior Court, judicial district of Waterbury, Docket No. UWY-CV-146025264-S, 61 Conn. L. Rptr. 701, 2016 WL 673503 (Jan. 29, 2016, Brazzel-Massaro, J.)
  • RF Landscaping & Construction, LLC v. Pilesky, Superior Court, judicial district of Hartford, Docket No. HHD-CV-126033361-S, 2015 WL 5025011 (July 21, 2015, Wiese, J.)
Bar Admissions
  • Connecticut
  • U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit