Middletown, CT

Andrew S. Groher

For more than 30 years, Andy has been representing people in Connecticut who have suffered life-changing events through no fault of their own. He has represented clients injured as a result of aviation accidents, catastrophic automobile and truck collisions, medical malpractice, defective products, including prescription and over the counter medications, premises liability, and police misconduct. Over those years, Andy has tried numerous cases in State and Federal Court, obtaining multi-million dollar verdicts and similar settlements on behalf of many. In order to consistently achieve the best results for his clients, Andy brings his ethic of hard work and sense of fairness to his representation. He strongly believes in the firm’s credo that “the best interests of the client always comes first.” It is this belief and sense of doing what is right that has led him to offer services to clients that go far beyond his office practice, including pro bono representation of victims of the 911 terrorist attacks, service on the Board of the Connecticut Traumatic Brain Injury Association and countless hours spent advocating for injured citizens before the state General Assembly.

Robert B. Adelman

Bob Adelman has been trying jury cases since his graduation from Cornell Law School. As a result of his record in the courtroom, he has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America®, recognized in Connecticut Magazine and New York Magazine, and inducted into the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers. Bob served as the President of the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association. Because of his expertise in the law of evidence, Bob was selected to serve on the Connecticut Law Revision Committee, which, over the course of five years, wrote the Connecticut Code of Evidence. That Code now governs evidence in all Connecticut state trial courts. Bob was appointed by the Chief Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court to the Code of Evidence Oversight Committee of the Supreme Court. He continues to serve on that Committee.

William R. Davis

RisCassi & Davis, P.C. began when Bill Davis joined Leon RisCassi in the practice of law in Hartford in 1955. Throughout his long career, Bill Davis has consistently sought to pass on to younger attorneys not only his courtroom skills, professionalism, and collegiality, but also the importance, responsibility, and meaning of being a trial lawyer representing injured victims seeking justice. He has accomplished this through seminars and lectures at professional associations and by generously sharing his wisdom, experience, and knowledge as a mentor for other lawyers in the firm and throughout the state. From 1970 through 1987. Mr. Davis taught Trial Practice courses at the University of Connecticut School of Law, which now has a trial practice courtroom bearing his name.

Mark D. Leighton

Mark D. Leighton is the founding, and senior partner of the firm of Leighton, Katz & Drapeau. He was admitted to practice in Connecticut in 1981 and Massachusetts in 1980. His practice consists primarily of representation of injured persons in both work and nonwork-related accidents. Attorney Leighton is a Board Certified Workers’ Compensation Specialist and is the past Chair of the Workers’ Compensation Section of the Connecticut Bar Association. Attorney Leighton has represented both plaintiffs and defendants over the course of his career, having previously been an attorney for an insurance company defense firm as well as a claim representative. He also worked for the Attorney General’s Office in Massachusetts. He received his Juris Doctorate from Western New England University, School of Law in Springfield, Massachusetts, and his Bachelor of Arts from Westfield State University in Westfield, Massachusetts. Attorney Leighton serves on a number of professional organizations, including the Connecticut Bar Association where, in addition to service as Chair, he served as Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer of the Workers’ Compensation Section, and is a member of the Executive Committee. He currently serves as the Tolland County representative to the CBA House of Delegates. He is a member and past President of the Tolland County Bar Association. In addition, he is a member of the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association. He has served on a number of town and civic organizations including the Board of Selectmen and Board of Finance for the Town of Ellington where he and his wife resided for over 30 years. Attorney Leighton has authored articles including “Surveillance - Duty to Disclose” in the Compensation Quarterly. He has lectured to other attorneys in the areas of workers’ compensation and personal injury/workers’ compensation lawsuits. In addition, he has served as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Connecticut, School of Law and Asnuntuck Community College.

Renée Dwyer

Renée Dwyer joined The Flood Law Firm in 2025 as the Director of Litigation. With a strong background in personal injury and civil litigation, Renée has built a career rooted in advocacy, leadership, and a deep understanding of the legal system.

Francis X. Drapeau

Francis X. Drapeau is a partner in the firm of Leighton, Katz & Drapeau. His practice consists primarily of representing claimants in the workers’ compensation forum and on appeal. Attorney Drapeau is a Board Certified Workers’ Compensation Specialist. He has lectured on various workers’ compensation topics for both the Connecticut Bar Association and the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association. Mr. Drapeau received his B.A. degree from Fairfield University and his Juris Doctorate from Western New England College School of Law. He was admitted to practice in the State of Connecticut in 1991. He has been a contributor in both the Practice Tips and Point-Counterpoint sections of the Compensation Quarterly. He is a member of the Workers’ Compensation Section of the Connecticut Bar Association, the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association, and the Tolland County Bar Association of which he is past President. He currently sits on the both the Executive Committee of the Workers’ Compensation Section of the Connecticut Bar Association and the Examining Committee for Board Certification as a Workers’ Compensation Specialist.

Sandra Stanfield

Sandra Stanfield is a founding partner of Stanfield Bechtel Law. She graduated from Wesleyan University and earned her Juris Doctor with honors from the University of Connecticut School of Law. She has substantial experience across multiple areas of practice including legal, dental, and nursing home malpractice, employment and discrimination law, personal injury, workers’ compensation, professional negligence, probate litigation, insurance defense, premises liability, contract disputes, and business formation. She is admitted to practice law in Connecticut and Massachusetts state and federal courts. She has tried cases and taken appeals before Connecticut state, appellate and supreme courts, and practiced before various commissions and agencies. She is also an adjunct professor teaching new law students at the University of Connecticut School of Law.