Thomas F. Maxwell Jr. represents individuals and corporations in numerous criminal and civil investigations. He has broad experience in these areas. In addition, he is experienced in alternate forums such as arbitration and mediation panels and administrative boards and commissions.

Tom’s primary areas of civil representation are product liability and toxic tort/asbestos defense; insurance law, including defense and casualty litigation, insurance fraud, and ERISA, life, health and disability litigation; personal injury; government liability; and trusts and estates litigation. He also represents clients in criminal matters, including white collar crime, in state and federal courts.

Earlier in his career, Tom served as assistant U.S. attorney for the District of Connecticut. Subsequently he continued to practice criminal law and also served as the special counsel to several Connecticut municipalities and as department advocate for the Bridgeport Police Department. He was a member of the Local Grievance Panel for Stamford/Norwalk Judicial District, and currently is a member of the Connecticut Statewide Grievance Panel. In addition, he is an attorney trial referee for the Fairfield Judicial District at Bridgeport. 

Representative Experience

• Defended numerous asbestos wrongful death and personal injury claims and lawsuits in state and federal court
• Personally prosecuted and defended numerous personal-injury actions involving seriously injured claimants as well as wrongful deaths
• Prosecuted and defended numerous cases involving violations of federal law
• Counseled numerous business entities on internal rules, policies and other violations
• Represented boards of ethics in major investigations and the litigation flowing from the investigations
• Prosecuted numerous sworn police officers for violations of departmental rules and regulations
• Defended municipalities in civil-rights suits and personal-injury actions
• Served as a special public defender in serious felony cases in the state and federal courts of the state of Connecticut

Professional Affiliations

• American Bar Association - Litigation Section
• Connecticut Bar Association - Executive Committee, Litigation Section; Task Force on Confidentiality Courts
• Greater Bridgeport Bar Association - vice president; Criminal Law Section
• Connecticut Defense Lawyers Association
• Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association
• Defense Research Institute - Toxic Tort and Environmental Law Committee; Corporate Integrity and White Collar Crime Committee; Product Liability and Life Committee; Health and Disability Committee
• Statewide Grievance Committee- attorney member

Honors & Awards

• Selected to the Connecticut Super Lawyers list in 2011/2012 in the area of civil litigation defense