DOUGLAS L. DRAYTON is a graduate of the University of Connecticut and its law school and is well known for having defended workers' compensation claims for approximately 38 years. Attorney Drayton is an AV rated attorney in Martindale Hubbell and is listed in The Best Lawyers in America. His experience includes both appearances before the commission and appellate work, including several Supreme Court decisions in this field. He also regularly lectures on behalf of the Bar Association and insurance companies, industry associations, medical groups and other organizations on the subject of workers' compensation. He served on the Connecticut Bar Association Medical-Legal committee for over 20 years. He served on the Executive Committee of the Workers Compensation Section of the Connecticut Bar Association since its founding and was its chairman for three years. Currently he is chairman of the Examining Committee and serves on the Standing Committee of the Workers' Compensation Section's Specialization Committee. Email: dougd@pdslaw.com JAMES L. POMERANZ is a graduate of Yale College and Georgetown Law School. He has been defending workers' compensation claims for 34 years. Attorney Pomeranz is an AV rated attorney in Martindale Hubbell and is listed in The Best Lawyers in America. He has also done extensive appellate work in this field including appearances before the Supreme Court for Connecticut and the Second Circuit Court of Appeals concerning federal questions. He is also authorized to practice before the U. S. Supreme Court. Email: jimp@pdslaw.com RICHARD T. STABNICK is a graduate of Wesleyan University and the University of Connecticut School of Law. He has been practicing for 30 years. Attorney Stabnick is an AV rated attorney in Martindale Hubbell and is listed in The Best Lawyers in America. He is presently in his 25th year of practice in the defense of workers' compensation claims with prior experience in general law, including criminal defense, litigation and real estate. He has argued before the Appellate Court in several areas and has appeared before the Supreme Court of Connecticut and the Federal District Court. He also regularly lectures on behalf of Federal Associations on the subject of Workers Compensation. Email: richards@pdslaw.com LUCAS D. STRUNK is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross and the University of Connecticut School of Law. He is in his 25th year of workers' compensation defense and has been certified as a specialist in Workers Compensation by the Connecticut Bar Association. Attorney Strunk is an AV rated attorney in Martindale Hubbell. He has appeared on numerous occasions before the Compensation Review Board, Appellate Court and the Connecticut Supreme Court. He is a member of the Mashantucket Pequot Bar. He also has particular experience in claims brought under the Federal Longshore Act. He is a member of the executive committee of the Workers' Compensation section of the Connecticut Bar Association where he serves as a legislative liaison. Email: lukes@pdslaw.com JASON M. DODGE received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science, Magna Cum Laude, from the University of Connecticut (member, Phi Beta Kappa). He graduated from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1983. Attorney Dodge has argued on numerous occasions before Connecticut Supreme Court and Appellate Court as well as the Compensation Review Board. He frequently lectures in the area of Workers' Compensation law on behalf the Connecticut Bar Association. Attorney Dodge is board certified by the Connecticut Bar Association as a workers' compensation specialist. Attorney Dodge is a member of the House of Delegates and Workers' Compensation Executive Committee of the Connecticut Bar Association. Attorney Dodge is admitted to practice before the State and Federal Court as well as Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Attorney Dodge is a member of the American and Connecticut Bar Associations, Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association and American Association for Justice. Email: jasond@pdslaw.com ANNE KELLY ZOVAS specializes in the areas of workers' compensation, civil and insurance litigation. She received her B.A., Cum Laude, from Boston College in 1983 and her J.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1986. She is admitted to practice before the state and U.S. District courts as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals. Ms. Zovas has argued before the Appellate and Supreme Courts in the State of Connecticut. She is a member of the American and Connecticut Bar Associations, and the Connecticut Defense Lawyers Association. She is actively involved in the Hartford County Bar Association where she serves as a committee chair and is a member of the board of the Hartford County Bar Foundation. Email: annez@pdslaw.com RICHARD L. AIKEN, JR. is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of The University of New Haven and Cum Laude graduate of Western New England College School of Law. He has been practicing workers' compensation law for over 20 years and has been certified by the Connecticut Bar Association as a workers' compensation specialist. His previous experience included supervising workers' compensation claims for two major insurance companies. He has a background in forensic science and has particular expertise in medical-legal issues as they relate to the field of workers' compensation. He has appeared before the Compensation Review Board and the Connecticut Appellate Court. Attorney Aiken has spoken before many organizations on the subject of workers' compensation law. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Connecticut Bar Association and the Hartford County Bar Association. During 2004 and 2005. Attorney Aiken was the Chair of the Workers' Compensation Section of the Connecticut Bar Association. He also serves on the Workers' Compensation Chairman's Legal Advisory Committee as well as the Workers' Compensation Executive Committee. Attorney Aiken is also admitted to practice in Massachusetts. Email: ricka@pdslaw.com MICHAEL J. MCAULIFFE is a graduate of George Washington University and Western New England College School of Law and has practiced law since l986. He began his career in the general practice of law and then moved to a position in house with a major insurer where he handled both general liability and workers' compensation defense. He joined the firm in l991. He has argued before the Appellate and Supreme Courts in Connecticut and is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court in Connecticut. He is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association. Email: mikem@pdslaw.com HEATHER PORTO is a graduate of Syracuse University where she received her B.A, Cum Laude. She received her J.D. from Quinnipiac College School of Law, where she graduated with honors. She focuses her practice in Workers' Compensation and previously handled employers subrogation and civil defense. She is admitted to practice before the State and U.S. District courts. She has argued before the Compensation Review Board and Appellate Court. She is a member of the American Bar Association, the Connecticut Defense Lawyers Association and the Connecticut Bar Association. She is also admitted to practice in New York. Email: heatherp@pdslaw.com COURTNEY C. STABNICK is a graduate of Colby College (BA 1995) and Suffolk University School of Law, where she graduated in 1998. Before joining our firm as an associate in 2001, she clerked at the firm from June of 1995 to 1998. She practiced law in Massachusetts from 1998 to 2001. She is admitted to practice before the State and U.S. District Courts. She has appeared before the Connecticut Appellate and Supreme Courts. She is a member of the American Bar Association, Massachusetts Bar Association, Connecticut Bar Association as well as the Hartford County Bar Association and Boston Bar Association. She is also admitted to practice in Massachusetts. Email: courtneys@pdslaw.com ELLEN M. ASPELL is a graduate of Fairfield University (BS 1985) and Western New England College School of Law (JD 1992). She began her legal career in 1992 as staff counsel for a major insurer where she handled both general liability and workers' compensation defense as well as subrogation matters. She previously clerked for that firm while in law school. Ms. Aspell joined the firm in 2003. She has argued before the Appellate Court in Connecticut and is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court in Connecticut. Email: easpell@pdslaw.com