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EDUCATION:

Post  Graduate:   University of Connecticut School of Law, Hartford, CT

 Participant in civil, criminal and mental health law clinics. Graduated 1977, Juris Doctorate

College:  University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

Moore School of Electrical Engineering; Elected to Eta Kappa NU,

National Honor Society for Electrical Engineers

Graduated 1973, B.S.E.E.

Secondary: Hartford Public High School, Hartford, CT

Graduated 1969, High Honors

WORK EXPERIENCE:

Attorney: Law Office of John Q. Gale, LLC,  Hartford, CT

 Engaged in general practice of law. Trials in all Connecticut courts;

 Administrative and General Appeals. Practice includes the following

 areas: Administrative, Bankruptcy, Business Law, Criminal, Family,

 Personal Injury, Property, Real Estate, Trusts and Estates, Wills, Worker’s Compensation and Zoning. Successful court and jury trials in all Connecticut state and federal courts. Successful appeals in state Appellate and Supreme Court.

 1977 to Present: Principal 1980 to Present. Current entity is the successor to Calvocoressi & Gale (1999) and Gale & Kowalyshyn, LLC (2011). 

Corporation Counsel: City of Hartford, Hartford, CT

Staff attorney in the City’s Corporation Counsel’s office 1977

Electrical Engineer: General Electric Company, Valley Forge, PA

Worked in the Space Services Lab on research projects in low power

transmission television, optical scanning and detection devices. Secret Clearance granted by federal government. 1972-1974

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES:

Member: 

 - Hartford County Bar Association

- Connecticut Bar Association

Special Recognition Award given in 2009

For 20 years of Service to the Bar Association

Professional/Discipline Committee (1990 - present)

Chairman (1994 - 2009)

Administration Law Committee (1989 - 1990)

- American Bar Association

- Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association

- Association of Trial Lawyers of America

- Phi Delta Phi

 Honorary election 1995

Listing:  

-Who’s Who in American Law

 First listed in 1996-1997 Edition

-Who’s Who in America

 First listed in 1997-1998 Edition

 COMMUNITY AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICE: 

Elected  Official : City of Hartford - Court of Common Council

Elected in November, 2015 to be one of nine members of the Hartford

City Council after receiving Democratic Party nomination and successfully surviving a Primary Challenge as highest vote getter of council candidates. Four year term commencing January, 2016.   Re-elected in 2019 when, failing to receive party endorsement, created a new political party, The Hartford Party.  Re-elected again in 2023 as The Hartford Party candidate.

Commissioner of the Metropolitan District (MDC)

Appointed by the Hartford City Council in 2022 to be one of its representatives to the regional water and sewer company which serves 8 towns and others with a nearly $300M budget.  Term ends 2026.   

Editor: Professional Discipline Digest

Founder and writer of digest which summarizes for the Connecticut Bar Association all disciplinary action taken against Connecticut Attorneys. 1991 to Present.

Director: Immanuel House

Immanuel Church Housing Corporation, a non-profit, owns and operates Immanuel House, a nine story 190 unit residential complex on Woodland Street in Hartford providing low-income housing and assisted living for the elderly. In 2009, construction completed on new 40 unit complex on Hudson Street in Hartford now known as The Seasons. 1998 to 2014.

Trustee:  Hartford Public High School Alumni Association

Association invests alumni fund ($1.6 Million +) created in 1889 and

determines scholarship recipients yearly. 1998 to Present. Treasurer 2003 to Present.

Executive Board: West End Civic Association

Local civic association in Hartford’s West End residential neighborhood. Chair of the Planning and Zoning Committee. 1997 to 2015.

Member: Hartford Democratic Town Committee

1992 to 2002 and 2014 to 2016

Treasurer 1994 to 2002

Parliamentarian 2003 to 2013 (selected meetings) 

Trustee:  Noah Webster School Alumni Association

Founder of 501(c)(3) non profit in memory of my uncle, Hartford youth boxing coach legend Johnny Duke. 2007 to Present.

Member: Lions Club of Hartford, Inc.,

The Lions Club is a non-profit group which raises money to support

local charities in Hartford including, over the years, Brotherhood Homes, Connecticut School for the Blind and Hartford Neighborhood Centers. 1980 to Present

President 1988-1989

Secretary 1983-1986

Director:Silver Service, Inc.

Silver Service provides programming and programming services to the elderly in Hartford. It considers itself a “Senior Center without walls.” 2001 to 2013.

Treasurer 2001 to 2013.

Director: Peace Train Foundation, Inc.

Peace Train is a non-profit organization which created and produced the New England Fiddle Contest, held in Hartford. 2003 to 2005 

Director:  New Horizons, Inc.

New Horizons is a non-profit business which provides housing for

disabled persons by way of about a 100 unit village in Farmington for

independent living, a five unit condominium in Woodbury and a 100 bed convalescent facility (Cherry Brook) in Canton. 1988 to 2013

Chairman of the Board 1998 to 2000.

Director: Connecticut Vision Services, Inc.

Connecticut Vision Services is a non-profit business which sells,

markets and administers vision care insurance. Territory rights sold to

Vision Service Plan, company dormant since 1992. 1983 to 1992.

Trustee: Bloomfield United Methodist Church

1991 to 2000.

Member: Greater Hartford Chamber of Commerce

1988 to 1998

Business Council’s Legislative and Government Affairs Committee

1988 to 1996

Elected Official: Justice of the Peace

Performing marriages for friends and relatives. 1976 to present.

COMMUNITY AWARDS and RECOGNITION:

Fellow : Connecticut Bar Foundation, Life Fellow status granted in 2011 on the basis of demonstrated superior legal ability and devotion to the welfare of the community, state and nation, as well as to the advancement of the legal profession. 

Graduation Speaker:  Hartford Public High School, Class of 2009 Commencement Keynote Address, June 2009. “We Must Each Tend our Own Garden.”

Community Recognition :Hartford Courant, Salutation for Improving the City from then columnist, now editor, Tom Condon, 1993.

Special Recognition: Connecticut Bar Association,  Special Recognition award given for 20  years of service on the Professional Discipline Committee and 15 years as Chairman of the Committee, 2009.

COMMUNITY RELATED VENTURES:

Business Ventures:

Mo’s Midtown, Hartford, CT

Founded with two partners a breakfast/lunch diner in Hartford’s West End in 1987, financing from CBT. Business sold in 1989. Diner continues to win awards with menu and recipes we provided.

Jambalaya On The River, Hartford, CT 

Founded, with partners, in 1992. Produced riverboat entertainment cruises sailing from Hartford. Self-financed. Joint Venture with Deep River Navigation Company from 1995 - 1999. Cruises with live music and Cajun cuisine ran from Memorial Day to Columbus Day. No cruises since 2000, except for a revival cruise in the summer of 2012 as a joint venture with Black Eyed Sally’s Restaurant in Hartford.

The Alley, Hartford, CT 

Founder and one of three member-managers of company comprised of 45 West Enders, which purchased its local duckpin bowling alley in 2000. Self financed. Business was renovated with loan from Hartford Economic Development Corporation and sold in 2006. Business is still going strong. 

Fun: 

Coneheads, Cone Street, Hartford, CT

Founded the annual entry of the Coneheads of Cone Street in Hartford’s Hooker Day Parade, started by Mike Peters in 1991 before he became Mayor. Cone Street challenged other Hartford streets then and now to come out, showcase your neighborhood and have fun at this tongue and cheek festival.

New Year’s Eve Hike, Talcott Mountain, CT

Founded, with others, an annual New Year’s Eve hike to an overlook in

the afternoon of New Year’s Eve to toast the last sunset of the outgoing year. Hike has been continuous since 1976 and routinely attracts about 80-100 participants yearly.

Wethersfield Cove Yacht Club

Local boat club on Wethersfield Cove in Wethersfield, Connecticut, in

existence since 1908.

Rear Commodore 2013-2014

Vice Commodore 2014-2015 

Historic Properties: Hartford - owner, in various capacities, of:

Single family home, 4,000 square feet, built in 1897

Two adjacent mansions, now mixed office/residential properties,

6,400 and 7,000 square feet, built 1888 and 1890

Mixed office/retail building, 4 story, 16,000 square feet, originally

housing, built 1875

Brownstone condominium, 1150 square feet, built 1867

LEGAL CASES OF NOTE:

Supreme Court Cases:

Unkelbach v McNary. Represented woman where her ex-husband sought to reduce child support after losing his job. His new girlfriend supported his lifestyle so he did not replace job. Trial court agreed that new girlfriend’s contributions could be considered in setting child support.  He appealed. Supreme Court agreed with our position.

Boyce v. Allstate Insurance Company. Trial counsel for homeowner in  fire insurance claim. Allstate claimed arson. Won substantial verdict at trial. Allstate appealed. Supreme Court overturned.

Brooks v. Sweeney. Represented property owner, arrested for failing to  repair a leaky septic system, in action against town and health district employees, alleging malicious prosecution, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and selective prosecution. Supreme Court upheld lower court’s Summary Judgment against plaintiff. 

Appellate Court: 

Reid and Riege, P.C. v. Bulakites. Set out, for the first time, that an oral  settlement agreement made in court is not subject to the statute of frauds.

Heath, et al v. Heath, et al. See Superior Court summary below. Appeal decided in client’s favor. Plaintiffs sought and were denied Supreme Court Certification.

Superior Court Cases :

Graham v. GJS Properties, LLC. Collected over $1M for client who broke both ankles after falling from a ladder while assisting the property owner with the installation of electrical wiring.

Heath, et al v. Heath, et al.

Represented defendant in an intra-family dispute involving the interpretation of a gas and oil royalty trust created in1953 and the monies distributed therefrom since 1967 to the marital trust

created for the benefit of client by his then deceased wife. Judgment in client’s favor; case was appealed. 

Scott, et al v. 240 Church Street Associates, et al. 

Represented over 60 of the tenants of the former Hartford Hotel when they were evacuated from their residences after the building became unstable due to excavation in the street. Substantial damages obtained from the owners, contractors and City of Hartford. Picture below of hotel in better days. 

Ayala, et al v. Carey, et al. Represented Assembly District Town

Committee in claim that opponents were committing absentee ballot fraud. After trial lasting until 8:30 pm the night before the election, the court called off the election. May be the first time in Connecticut history that an election was postponed by court order. Evidence at trial led to arrest and conviction of a former State Representative and others.

Crawford v. Osgood. Represented plaintiff, a gay woman, in a palimony trial against her ex-lover. May be first time a court in Connecticut allowed such a claim.

Rossetti v. Amenta.  Represented conserved plaintiff against his ex-sister-in-law where he claimed she and her lawyers had defrauded him of his home. Won substantial judgment at trial. Case highlighted by Connecticut Law Tribune.

Victims Compensation  Fund: September 11, 2001, World Trade Center. Volunteered as an American Trial Lawyer Association member to join Trial Lawyers Care (TLC). Through TLC, represented, on a Pro Bono basis, a claimant before the Special Master to obtain compensation for the death of her husband on 9/11 at the World Trade Center in New York. Client received 3 highest award issued by Special Master Kenneth Feingold. 

Plaintiff:  John Q. Gale v. Chicago Title, et al.  Class action lawsuit brought on behalf of all Connecticut attorneys against every title insurer writing in Connecticut (except for CATIC) to stop illegal writing of title insurance policies. I was the only class representative.  Case dismissed; all companies conformed their conduct to Connecticut law.