Principal and founder, attorney and mediator, Carmina K. Tessitore utilizes a multi-faceted approach to problem solving in order to achieve the best possible outcome for her clients.
Prior to law school, Carmina served as a certified mediator and program coordinator for Mediation Matters, a private, non-profit, alternative dispute resolution agency servicing five counties in upstate New York. Her issue areas included business to business contract disputes, consumer and merchant issues, construction claims, housing matters, small claims matters, family matters, divorce, property division, alimony, child custody, child support, juvenile truancy and probation matters, special education matters, victim-offender criminal issues, and lemon law arbitration.
After working in the civil and criminal fields, and sitting as clerk for a family court Judge, Carmina served as a mediation specialist for the Connecticut Judicial Branch’s Foreclosure Mediation Program in Stamford.
Thereafter, Carmina worked for the law firms of Hoffman & Hoffman, LLC in Stamford, the Bauer Law Group, LLC in Hamden, and McCabe, Weisberg, & Conway, P.C. in Stamford.
Carmina was selected a ’10 Best’ and ’10 Best Under 40′ for Client Satisfaction in Connecticut by the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys, named a Super Lawyers Connecticut Rising Star in 2014 and 2015, recognized as a ‘Top 40 Under 40′ of Family Lawyers in the State of Connecticut by the American Society of Legal Advocates for three consecutive years 2014, 2015 & 2016, received Avvo’s Client’s Choice Award in 2015, was honored by the Connecticut Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section with the ‘Leadership Award’ in 2015, recognized by New England’s Top Lawyers – New England Rising Stars for 2015, recognized by Top Attorneys New England’s Outstanding Young Lawyers for Family Law in 2014, and honored by the National Association of Professional Women for Outstanding Excellence and Dedication to Her Profession and the Achievement of Women for 2013-2014.
Carmina contributes print and blog articles to legal and non-legal publications, her article “Divorce Mediation: Mediating Financial Disputes” was published in Connecticut Lawyer magazine, and she is a featured author in the 2014 MCLE New England publication, “A Practical Guide to Divorce in Connecticut.” Additionally, Carmina develops curriculum for and presents at CLE and seminars on the topics of business, marketing, practice management, foreclosure, divorce, custody, alimony, child support, and mediation/alternative dispute resolution. Carmina is also an adjunct law professor at Quinnipiac University School of Law.
Carmina is the current Legislative Liaison for the Connecticut Bar Association’s Women in the Law Section, Co-Chair of the Connecticut Bar Association’s Court Visitation Program for the Norwalk/Stamford GA/JD, and Co-Chair for the Fairfield County Bar Association’s Law Practice Management/Solos & Small Firms Committee.
As her calling in life is to aid the needs of others, Carmina keeps an active role in non-profit organizations and community service associations. She has volunteered at ACT Spooner House food bank and homeless shelter in Shelton, and the Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen (D.E.S.K.) in New Haven. She has also volunteered with the New Haven Truancy Intervention Project, where she mentored and served as counsel for a minor child. Additionally, Carmina volunteers with the Women’s Business Development Council (WBDC) as a business mentor and speaker on business legal issues to aid budding entrepreneurs create and sustain successful ventures. She has also volunteered at the Stamford Day Laborer Wage Clinic, a project of Connecticut Legal Services, Inc., and serves as a volunteer attorney for the court annexed Foreclosure Volunteer Attorney Program in the judicial districts of New Haven, Fairfield, and Stamford/Norwalk. Carmina also annually serves as Judge for Connecticut Mock Trial competitions.
Carmina is a member of the American Bar Association, Connecticut Bar Association, Connecticut Italian-American Bar Association, Connecticut Mediation Association, Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association, Fairfield County Bar Association, Greater Bridgeport Bar Association, and New Haven County Bar Association.
Bar Admissions:
United States District Court, District of Connecticut 2013
Connecticut 2008
Certifications:
Guardian Ad Litem (GAL) & Attorney for the Minor Child (AMC) 2011
Victim-Offender Mediation 2004
Family, Parenting Plan, Custody & Visitation Mediation 2004
Civil Mediation 2004
Paralegal 2001
Education:
Albany Law School 2008
The Sage Colleges 2003