Tim Bates assists clients in meeting requirements for land development, particularly planning, zoning, and wetlands regulations. He appears before planning, zoning, and wetlands commissions throughout the State of Connecticut and has brought and defended numerous court appeals of these types of decisions, including several involving Connecticut's Affordable Housing Appeals Act.

Mr. Bates was named one of seven members of the advisory panel to U.S. senators Dodd and Lieberman to solicit, screen, and comment on candidates for federal positions, such as U.S. attorney and other appointments. Mr. Bates was appointed by the chief justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court to the Committee on Uniformity of Court Procedures. He has spoken to bar members and to planning and zoning officials on subjects such as the appropriate conduct at hearings, mixed-use and new urbanism zoning concepts, and the effect of Connecticut's Affordable Housing Appeals Act. Mr. Bates has also delivered presentations to the American Planning Association on the right to farm, nonconforming uses, and review of Supreme Court cases regarding land use law. He has addressed the International Municipal Lawyers Association at its annual meeting on the legality of design review requirements in local zoning and subdivision regulations. Mr. Bates is an adjunct professor of environmental law at Mitchell College in New London, Connecticut.  Mr. Bates also has experience in general law practice and, as head of the firm's New London office, can support client needs in other areas of practice.