Pullman & Comley Names Dana M. Hrelic, Michael J. Marafito and Zachary T. Zeid as Members of the Firm
BRIDGEPORT, CT January 9, 2024 — Pullman & Comley, LLC is pleased to announce the promotions of Dana M. Hrelic, Michael J. Marafito and Zachary T. Zeid to members of the firm.
Ms. Hrelic is an accomplished appellate and commercial litigation attorney with substantial experience in state, territorial and federal appeals. Her practice focuses on the areas of constitutional law, complex litigation, business law, family law, juvenile law, personal injury, administrative law, civil procedure, probate law and criminal law.
Ms. Hrelic has represented clients before the Connecticut Appellate and Supreme Courts, as well as the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court of the United States, and the Supreme Court of the U.S. Virgin Islands. In her trial litigation practice, Dana has represented clients and consulted with trial counsel on civil, family, juvenile, criminal and complex litigation matters in both state and federal courts. She provides assistance at all stages of litigation, including both pre- and post-judgment matters — especially in matters where there is a likelihood of appeal. Dana is also a member of the firm’s Professional Liability practice, and is a frequent speaker on attorney discipline, legal ethics and risk management topics.
Ms. Hrelic joined Pullman & Comley in 2021 after practicing with a boutique appellate law firm in Hartford for more than 12 years. She also served as law clerk to Connecticut Supreme Court Judge Christine S. Vertefeuille, Connecticut Supreme Court from 2008-2009.
In addition to being a 2022 Hartford Business Journal “Forty Under 40” honoree, Ms. Hrelic has received numerous accolades from the legal community, including being named the American Bar Association Advocate of the Month (April 2021), listed in The Best Lawyers in America in the Appellate Practice area in 2024, selected to the Connecticut Super Lawyers Rising Star and New England Super Lawyers Rising Star lists in the Appellate practice area since 2021, and recipient of the Virgin Islands Bar Association Amicus Award in 2018.
She has taken on numerous leadership roles in the Connecticut Bar Association, including being a House of Delegates member (2023-2025), serving as co-chair of the COVID-19 Task Force (2020), and serving as an Executive Committee member of the Appellate Advocacy Section (2012-present). Ms. Hrelic is also an active member of the ABA where she serves as the ABA Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary, Second Circuit Representative (2021-2024), Connecticut State Delegate (2022-present), Member, ABA House of Delegates (2018-present), Member, ABA Nominating Committee (2022-present), and Treasurer, ABA YLD Fellows Board (2023-present). She is a member of the Board of Directors for the American Counsel Association, has been named to the Oliver Ellsworth American Inn of Court and is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.
Ms. Hrelic received her J.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Law and her B.A., with distinction, from the University of North Carolina.
Mr. Marafito began his career as a summer associate at Pullman & Comley and has been an attorney with the firm since 2016, in the Property Tax & Valuation practice. Michael negotiates with municipalities and revaluation firms and appears before local boards of assessment appeals to contest inequitable tax assessments. He uses a comprehensive litigation approach to seek equitable assessments for owners and lessees of real and personal property.
For the past three years, Michael has been named to the Connecticut Super Lawyers “Rising Stars” list. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Marafito worked in the State and Local Tax practice group of a Big Four audit, tax and advisory services company where he handled state and local tax issues for large corporations and investment funds.
Mr. Marafito co-authors the Connecticut chapter of the ABA's Property Tax Deskbook and Eminent Domain Compendium and routinely gives presentations before bar associations and trade industry groups. He received his J.D., summa cum laude, from Quinnipiac University School of Law and his B.S., summa cum laude, from Eastern Connecticut State University.
Mr. Zeid practices in the Labor, Employment Law & Employee Benefits arena with a focus on counseling businesses, public entities and not-for-profits in labor and employment, human resources administration, defined contribution and benefit plans, executive compensation and employee benefits. He regularly advises clients on hiring and termination, employee discipline, state and federal leave laws, employee handbooks and policies, social media and workplace privacy issues, and wage and hour compliance.
Mr. Zeid also litigates employment and commercial disputes in state and federal courts in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York, and before state and federal agencies. He supports clients in the hospitality and cannabis industries, and counsels clients on the recreational and medical marijuana laws that impact their business.
Since 2021, he has been named to The Best Lawyers in America “Ones to Watch” list and has been named a Moffly Media Top Lawyer in Fairfield County in Labor and Employment since 2021. Prior to joining Pullman & Comley, Zach worked in a Fairfield County law firm where he counseled clients on a full range of labor and employment law matters. Mr. Zeid received his J.D. from Quinnipiac School of Law and his B.A. from Roanoke College.
About Pullman & Comley
Pullman & Comley is one of Connecticut’s largest law firms and, for more than 100 years, has provided a wide range of legal services to clients in the New England region, as well as throughout the United States and internationally. Pullman & Comley’s major practice areas include business organizations and finance; government finance; health care; labor, employment law and employee benefits; litigation; property tax and valuation; real estate, energy, environmental and land use; and trusts and estates. The firm has offices in Bridgeport, Hartford, Waterbury and Westport, Connecticut; White Plains, New York; Springfield, Massachusetts; and Wakefield, Rhode Island. The firm is an active member of the Law Firm Alliance, an international affiliation of law firms. For more information, please visit www.pullcom.com.