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BIOGRAPHY
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Jeff White chairs the firm's Appellate Practice Group and has participated in over 40 appeals. He has successfully argued appeals before the Connecticut Supreme and Appellate Courts—most notably, in an anti-trust case arising out of a proposed $1 billion waterfront project. In addition, he has handled appeals in other federal and state appellate courts, including the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and in the state appellate courts in Massachusetts, New York, and Maryland. Mr. White has also been retained to serve as an appellate consultant at the trial level. His appellate experience has run the gamut of substantive areas, including products liability, intellectual property, land use, property insurance, and constitutional law.
Mr. White has tried matters to verdict in state and federal courts. The primary focus of his trial practice is representing both domestic and international manufacturers and distributors in litigation. Mr. White has handled products liability cases, originating in the United States, Canada, and abroad, involving a range of industries, including aerospace, consumer products, energy, nutritional and dietary supplements, and recreational products. He also has experience with class action litigation involving manufacturers, including in several cases pending around the country pertaining to product labeling.
As part of his trial practice, Mr. White has significant experience in matters involving aerospace/aviation, including representing a Fortune 50 company in litigation arising out of helicopter accidents and several matters for one of the world’s leading manufacturers of aircraft engines. Mr. White has also counseled clients through post-accident investigations undertaken by the NTSB and FAA.
Additionally, Mr. White provides risk management counseling for manufacturers and distributors with respect to product labeling, product recalls, contract disputes, vendor relations, and workplace safety/OSHA.
Prior to joining Robinson & Cole, Mr. White clerked for the Honorable Ellen Ash Peters, retired Connecticut Supreme Court chief justice, at the Connecticut Appellate Court. While attending law school, Mr. White was a judicial intern for United States Magistrate Judge Joan G. Margolis. He also interned at the Connecticut General Assembly for the chairmen of the Joint Committee on Judiciary.
Mr. White has written over 30 articles and four book chapters and has frequently presented on a variety of issues, including in the areas of appellate advocacy and products liability.
In 2012, Mr. White was selected by the judges of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut to receive the court’s Pro Bono Award. In 2011, he received the Judge Maxwell Heiman Memorial Award at the 228th Annual Meeting of the Hartford County Bar Association for exemplifying high standards of service to the profession, ethics, scholarship, and devotion to clients, all of which were hallmarks of Judge Heiman's professional career as a lawyer and judge. Mr. White has also been included on the New England Super Lawyers® Rising Star list in the area of Appellate Law since 2009 (Super Lawyers is a registered trademark of Key Professional Media, Inc.). |
EDUCATION
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J.D., with honors,
University of Connecticut School of Law |
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B.A., College of the Holy Cross, Political Science |
ADMISSIONS
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State of Connecticut |
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U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit |
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U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit |
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U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut |
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U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York |
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U.S. District Court, Western District of New York |
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Supreme Court of the United States |
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
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Connecticut Bar Association, Officer, Assistant Secretary-Treasurer, 2011 to 2012 |
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Connecticut Bar Association, Past Chair of Young Lawyers Section (YLS), 2010 to 2011 (The YLS is composed of over 1,200 young lawyers throughout Connecticut.)
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Connecticut Bar Association, Member of Appellate Advocacy Committee, 2009 to present; Member of Connecticut Council of Bar Presidents, 2009 to 2010; Member of Continuing Legal Education Committee, 2006 to 2007 |
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American Bar Association, Tort and Insurance Practice Section, Vice Chair of Appellate Advocacy Committee, 2007 to 2010; First Circuit Editor of Appellate Advocacy Committee Newsletter, 2005 to 2009 |
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American Bar Association, Litigation Section, Appellate Practice Committee, 2008 to 2012, Co-chair of Pro Bono Appeals Subcommittee |
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Connecticut Supreme Court Historical Society, Board of Directors; Co-chair of Programs Committee |
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Council of Appellate Lawyers, ABA Judicial Division, 2008 to present |
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Defense Research Institute, Member of Appellate Advocacy and Product Liability Committees |
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Connecticut Supreme Court 200th Anniversary Planning Committee, Member (along with four attorneys and three Supreme Court justices) |
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
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New England Air Museum, Secretary, 2011 to present; Board of Directors, 2010 to present |
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Center for First Amendment Rights, Inc., Board of Directors, 2003 to 2008 |
HONORS & AWARDS
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Winner of the 2012 United States District Court Pro Bono Award for the District of Connecticut |
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Connecticut Magazine, 2012 "40 Under 40" Inductee |
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Connecticut Law Tribune, 2012, recognized in New Leaders in the Law Yearbook |
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Winner of the 2011 Judge Maxwell Heiman Memorial Award, presented by the Hartford County Bar Association |
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Listed as a Rising Star in New England Super Lawyers® in the area of Appellate Law since 2009 (Super Lawyers is a registered trademark of Key Professional Media, Inc.) |
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Robinson & Cole Pro Bono Service Award Recipient, 2010 |
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Listed as a Second Circuit Litigation Star in Connecticut in Benchmark Appellate, 2013 |
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Listed as a Future Star in Connecticut in Benchmark Litigation for 2009 |
EXPERIENCE
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| Products Liability |
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Successfully represented worldwide helicopter manufacturer in litigation that lasted over six years and arose out of double fatality heli-logging accident in British Columbia. The first phase of the litigation, which was filed in Connecticut, was a wrongful death case involving multiple defendants. In the second phase of the litigation, which was filed in Oregon, R&C represented the manufacturer in an contribution /indemnification action brought against the owner/operator of the helicopter. We reached a favorable settlement for our client. |
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Obtained, on behalf of a major engine manufacturer, federal court dismissal in a wrongful death lawsuit of claims that arose out of a crash of a MD600N helicopter in Turkey that resulted in the deaths of three passengers. |
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Successfully represented a North American manufacturer of paints and coatings in a commercial dispute arising out of the manufacture and sale of wood finishing products to a professional cabinet installer. |
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Successfully represented a major engine manufacturer in lawsuit that arose out of a crash of a Bell Helicopter in Iraq that allegedly was due to an in-flight engine failure. The plaintiffs, who were active duty Army officers, sustained significant injuries, and brought suit against our client and a major component manufacturer. |
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Defended one of the world’s leading manufacturers of advanced commercial and military helicopters in a wrongful death lawsuits arising out of the crash of Navy helicopter in Italy. The subject aircraft was being used in a routine instrument navigation training flight carrying a crew of four members of the U.S. Navy. |
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Successfully represented international manufacturer of airline components in lawsuit involving alleged exposure of employee to toxic chemicals. Plaintiff alleged that the exposure resulted in severe birth defects. The firm reached a favorable settlement for our client. |
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Successfully represented manufacturer/distributor of nutritional products sold both domestically and internationally in state court ephedra litigation brought by foreign citizen. |
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Successfully represented a worldwide seller of sports nutrition products in an action against a contract manufacturer and formulator of a protein drink after the product had to be withdrawn from the market due to contamination in the manufacturing process. |
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Represented one of North America's largest packaged food companies in a series of products liability lawsuits arising out of the nationwide recall of an allegedly contaminated food product. |
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Obtained voluntary dismissal on behalf of national retailer of climbing equipment in products liability action arising out of a fall off a cliff at a state park. As a result of the firm's litigation efforts, the plaintiff withdrew his action without any compensation. |
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| Appellate |
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Reversed the criminal conviction of the president of a manufacturing company who the State of Connecticut prosecuted for allegedly violating Connecticut’s hazardous waste storage and disposal laws. The State convinced the trial court to charge the jury using the broader definitions of the “storage” and “disposal” in the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act instead of the definitions of those terms in the Connecticut General Statutes. The Connecticut Supreme Court held that the Connecticut definitions applied to the State’s charges, not the federal definitions. The court reversed the trial court and ordered a new trial. The decision is published as State v. Cote, 286 Conn. 603 (2008). The matter was favorably resolved without another trial. |
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Represented landowners in appeal to the Supreme Court in which the trial court's decision that commission possessed jurisdiction over multimillion-dollar, six-ton sculpture placed on property located in historic district was affirmed. Historic District Comm'n v. Hall, 282 Conn. 672 (2007). |
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| Business Litigation |
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Representing Fortune 50 company in commercial dispute arising out of an agreement to end a 20-year lease of a 650-acre headquarters site. |
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Representation of insurer in action brought by homeowners that arose from a fire at their residence. Following denial of future insurance proceeds to the plaintiffs because of the concealment and fraud provision of the subject policy, the insureds brought a cause of action for breach of contract, negligence, negligent infliction of emotional distress, unfair trade practices, and bad faith. The firm was retained a few months before the start of jury selection and was tasked with completing all expert discovery and preparing the case for trial. After five days of jury selection and five days of evidence, a favorable settlement was reached for the client. |
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Representation of a multinational health care information technology provider in an injunction action intended to prevent a breach of contract by a state health care agency. Robinson & Cole obtained an emergency ex parte injunction to prevent the state agency from disclosing trade secrets proprietary to our client in response to a freedom of information request promulgated by a legal aid organization opposed to managed care in governmental health care programs. Subsequently, Robinson & Cole defended against the agency’s efforts to lift that injunction and a subsequent appeal. The matter ended while the appeal was pending when the legal aid organization withdrew its FOIA request. |
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Successfully defended Connecticut state marshal in case of first impression regarding whether a civil capias grants authority to enter a home without consent or exigent circumstances. No court in the country had conclusively resolved whether a civil capias is equivalent to a Fourth Amendment arrest warrant. After extensive briefing on the history and origins of the capias warrant, the District of Connecticut granted summary judgment in favor of the state marshal on the basis of the qualified immunity doctrine. Milner v. Duncklee, 460 F. Supp. 2d 360 (D. Conn. 2006). |
PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS
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Articles
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"Harsh Words and Broken Leases," co-authored with Jamie M. Landry (9/17/2012), published in Connecticut Law Tribune, appeared in the special supplement "Connecticut Supreme Court Review 2012." The article reviews several Connecticut Supreme Court decisions in 2012 that have an impact on the business community. |
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"Sending Your First Memo to a Client" (4/2012), published in For the Defense |
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"Court Clarifies Personal Jurisdiction Rules," co-authored with Laura A. Torchio (12/12/11), published in Connecticut Law Tribune |
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"Favorable Ruling for Product Manufacturers" (9/19/2011), published in Connecticut Law Tribune, appeared in the special supplement "Connecticut Supreme Court Review 2011." The article reviews several Connecticut Supreme Court decisions in 2011 that have an impact on the business community. |
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"CPSC Launches New Database on Product Safety," co-authored with John Kane (4/2011), published in Connecticut Business & Industry Association News, analyzes the significant legal and business implications for manufacturers and others that exist as a result of the launching of a product safety database by the Consumer Product Safety Commission |
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"Some Obvious and Not-So-Obvious Tips: Writing a More Persuasive Brief" (12/2010), published in For the Defense, a national publication of the Defense Research Institute |
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"How to Keep Monsters at Bay" (11/2010), published in Connecticut Lawyer |
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"Antitrust Act Ruling Limits Attorney General's Authority" (9/2010), published in Connecticut Law Tribune, appeared in the special supplement "Connecticut Supreme Court Review 2010." The article reviews several Connecticut Supreme Court decisions in 2010 that have an impact on the business community. |
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"For Corporations, Home Is Where 'Nerve Center' Is: High Court Defines 'Principal Place of Business,' Streamlines Litigation," co-authored with Laura A. Torchio (4/29/2010), published in Connecticut Law Tribune |
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"Bad News for Disgruntled Minority Shareholders" (September 2009), published in Connecticut Law Tribune, in the special supplement "Connecticut Supreme Court Review 2009." The article reviewed several Connecticut Supreme Court decisions in 2009 that have an impact on the business community. |
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"Legislative Efforts to Control Statutory Interpretation Threat or Equality Assurance?" (Fall 2008), published in TortSource |
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"Shaping the Nature of Arbitration Cases" (September 2008), published in Connecticut Law Tribune, in the special supplement "Connecticut Supreme Court Review 2008." The article reviewed several Connecticut Supreme Court decisions in 2008 that have an impact on the business community. |
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"The Butler-Park Court," co-authored with Wesley W. Horton, Esq. (Winter 2005), published in Connecticut Law Review, about the Connecticut Supreme Court during the Civil War period |
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"Stamping Out the Reds: The Palmer Raids in Connecticut" (Fall 2005), published in Hog River Journal, about the wide-scale deportation of alleged members and sympathizers of the Communist movement in 1919-1920 |
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"The Baldwin-Hamersley Court," co-authored with Wesley W. Horton, Esq. (Fall 2005), published in Connecticut Bar Journal, about the Connecticut Supreme Court from 1890 to 1910 |
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"The Lawyer as 'Superadjuster': Erosion of Protections for Privileged Communications," co-authored with Gregory P. Varga, Esq. (5/2005), published in For the Defense, a national publication of the Defense Research Institute |
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"The Colors of the First Amendment" (3/2005), published in The First Voice |
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"The Impenetrable Wall?" (6/2004), published in The First Voice |
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Books
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The History of the Connecticut Supreme Court, co-authored with Wesley W. Horton (2008), published byThomson West, coauthor of Chapters 6 and 7, which discusses the history of the Supreme Court from the 1860s through 1910 |
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Book Chapters
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Co-wrote chapter on the Connecticut Supreme and Appellate Courts in The Appellate Practice Compendium (2012), published by the American Bar Association |
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Preservation and Spoliation of Evidence, co-authored with Rhonda J. Tobin (2010), published in A Practical Guide to Discovery & Depositions in Connecticut, chapter covers the preservation and spoliation of evidence in the civil context in Connecticut state court; it is part of a new publication that is the most comprehensive coverage to date of discovery and deposition issues in Connecticut and was authored by leading practitioners at the largest firms in the state. |
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Presentations
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"Strategies for Winning a Complex Products Liability Trial" (6/14/2010) presented at Connecticut Bar Association Annual Meeting |
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"Careers in Civil Litigation" (4/13/2010) presented at University of Connecticut School of Law, Career Panel Series, served as moderator and speaker of five-person panel |
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"Win Your Case Before the First Deposition: Strategies for Developing Your Case Through Private Investigators, Interviews, and the Internet" (4/7/2010) presented at 2010 National Defense Research Institute Product Liability Conference |
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"The History of the Connecticut Supreme Court," copresented with Wesley Horton, Esq., and Brendon Levesque, Esq. (11/24/2008) at CBA Young Lawyers Section Appellate Committee Meeting at UConn Law School |
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"A Contested Legacy: The Fitful Development of Freedom of the Press in the Americas" (10/3/2007) presented at Western Connecticut State University, Banned Books Week Event |
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"The Rights of Young Adults: Your Rights and Privacy" (5/5/2006) presented at Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Conference |
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"Complex Civil Litigation In Connecticut: The Complex Docket, Class Actions, and MDL Proceedings," copresented with Edward J. Heath, Esq., and Brian P. Henry, Esq. (4/3/2006) at Connecticut Bar Association, Advanced Practice Series |
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"The Rights of Young Adults: Do You Have a Right to Privacy?" (3/12/2005) presented at Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Conference |
NEWS
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