Alfred R. Casella

Alfred Casella is a partner in the Trusts and Estates Department at Murtha Cullina.

Al's practice includes estate administration, probate litigation and sophisticated estate planning.  His practice also includes serving as a fiduciary, whether as executor, trustee or conservator, as well as serving as counsel for conservatorships.  He also advises Private Foundations on governance and compliance.

Presentations & Articles:

• "Implications of Tax Reform for Businesses, Gifting and Estates," Estate & Business Planning Council of Hartford, December 9, 2021, co-author and co-presenter
• "Planning in a Time of Uncertainty," Estate & Tax Planning Council of Eastern Connecticut, October 6, 2021
• When a Borrower Dies," Farm Credit East, February 7, 2019
• "Pitfalls of Probate," Edward Jones, East Longmeadow, MA, October 7, 2015
• "Legacy Planning," Fiduciary Investment Advisor, Newport, RI, co-author and co-presenter, June 18, 2015
• “Income Tax Considerations for Estate Planners,” Executive Committee of the Connecticut Bar Association, Estates & Probate Section, May 5, 2014
• "Postmortem Planning,"  A Practical Guide to Probate in Connecticut, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (1st. Edition 2013), chapter author (updated 2017)
• Dealing with a Decedent's Tax Fraud When Handling an Estate, Connecticut Bar Association, March 15, 2013, author and presenter
• Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts, Connecticut Bar Association, March 12, 2012, author and presenter
• Estate Planning Gone Awry:  What Happens When Things Don't Work Out the Way We Planned?, American Bar Association, February Meeting, Tax Section, February 17, 2012, author and presenter
• So You Want to Run a Farm Stand - Entity Choices, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, February 13, 2012
• State Income Tax of Trusts Holding Business Interests, American Bar Association, 2011 Fall Meeting, Tax Section, October 21, 2011, author and panelist
• Business Succession Planning, Federal Tax Institute of New England, September 23, 2011, author and presenter
• The New Federal Estate and Gift Tax Portability Law and Related Connecticut Tax Matters, Connecticut Bar Association, Annual Meeting, June 23, 2011, author and presenter
• A Guide to Probate Accountings, Connecticut Bar Association, May 6, 2011, author and presenter
• Tilling the Soil of Opportunity, Entity Choices, Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation, Inc., February 2011, author and speaker
• Tilling the Soil of Opportunity, Entity Choices, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, January 31, 2011, author and speaker
• Giving Away the Store:  A Primer on Business Succession Planning and Post-Mortem Financing of Tax Liabilities of Estates Holding Closely Held Business Interests, American Bar Association, 2011 Midyear meeting, Tax Section, January 21, 2011, author and panelist
• The Probate Process From Start to Finish, NBI, December 6, 2010, author and presenter
• Challenging Estate Assets:  Firearms, co-presenter for Connecticut Probate Asembly Judge and Clerk Seminar, January 12, 2010
• Panelist for Planned Giving Group of Connecticut, September 17, 2009
• Panelist for Connecticut Probate Assembly Judge and Clerk Seminar on Conservatorships, November 18, 2008
• 2009 contributor to LawForChange^TM Forms of Organization (Connecticut)
• The Probate Process from Start to Finish, NBI, December 7, 2009, author and presenter
• Simple End of Year Tax Planning Strategies, Connecticut Bar Association Estates & Probate Section, Notes & Commentary Special December 2008 Electronic Issue - No. 64, co-author
• Estate Administration Procedures:  Why Each Step is Important, NBI, June 11, 2008, author and presenter
• Estate Administration Procedures:  Why Each Step is Important, NBI, June 2007, author and presenter
• Estate Administration Procedures:  Why Each Step is Important, NBI, June 8, 2006, author and presenter
• How to Protect Assets During Life & Avoid Estate Tax at Death in Connecticut, NBI, 2005, author and presenter
• Effective Planning for New Couples, NBI, 2004, author and presenter
• How to Protect Assets During Life and Avoid Estate Tax at Death in Connecticut, NBI, 2003, author and presenter

• Probate and Trust Dispute Resolution
• Tax Practice and Procedure
• Trusts and Estates
• Privately Owned Businesses
• Tax-Exempt Organizations

• Fellow, The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC)
• Connecticut Bar Association: Executive Committee, Estate & Probate Section (2005-present, also member of Steering Committee and CLE Committee
• Connecticut Bar Association: Executive Committee Tax Section (2011-2013)
• Hartford Estate and Business Planning Council (2005-Present): member CLE Committee (2019-2020)
• Central Connecticut Estate and Business Planning Council, Executive Committee (2009-2017)
• Greater Hartford Probate Forum, Chair (2008-2014)
• Connecticut Governor's Tax Panel (2015)

• Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® in the area of Trusts and Estates Law, 2017- (Copyright 2015 by Woodward/White, Inc., Aiken, SC)
• Listed in Connecticut Super Lawyers® in the area of Estate & Probate (Super Lawyers is a registered trademark of Key Professional Media, Inc.)

• Judicial Intern for the Honorable Robert Chatigny, of the U.S. District Court

• Hartford Symphony Orchestra, Board of Directors (2011-2019)
• Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, Professional Advisory Committee (2012-2014)
• Connecticut Judiciary Public Service and Trust Commission - Pro Bono Committee (2011-Present)

• August 19, 2021 - 40 Murtha Cullina Attorneys Receive “Best Lawyers in America” Recognition
• August 20, 2020 - 48 Murtha Cullina Attorneys Receive “Best Lawyers in America” Recognition
• October 30, 2019 - 37 Murtha Cullina LLP Attorneys Receive Super Lawyers Recognition
• August 15, 2019 - 33 Murtha Cullina Attorneys Receive “Best Lawyers in America” Recognition; Four Named “Lawyer of the Year”
• August 15, 2018 - 32 Murtha Cullina Attorneys Receive “Best Lawyers in America” Recognition; Two Named Lawyer of the Year
• October 25, 2017 - Alfred R. Casella Elected Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel
• October 18, 2017 - 38 Attorneys Receive Super Lawyers Recognition
• August 15, 2017 - 35 Murtha Cullina Attorneys Receive “Best Lawyers in America” Recognition; Three Named “Lawyer of the Year”
• August 16, 2016 - Attorneys Receive "Best Lawyers" Recognition
• October 14, 2014 - Alfred R. Casella Appointed to State Tax Panel
• Murtha Cullina Names 2013 Partners

• February 16 & 17, 2016 - The Business Lunch Series: How to Avoid Being Hit By A Bus - Risk Management for Entrepreneurs

• September 18, 2019 - Trusts and Estates Group News: Asset Protection Trusts: Directed Trusts: Greater Flexibility for Connecticut Trusts

• Novmber 3, 2014 - Alfred R. Casella quoted in Hartford Business Journal Article
• "Firms Turn To Video To Tout Practice Areas"

• November 29, 2017 - Alfred Casella Presenting at Joint CBA and Probate Assembly Seminar on "Probate Court Jurisdiction Over Revocable Trusts"
• March 6, 2017 - Alfred Casella presented on Grantor Trusts to the Estates and Probate Section of the Connecticut Bar
• A Guide to Probate Accountings
• The Probate Process from Start to Finish

• Murtha Minutes: Funding a Living Trust

• Massachusetts
• U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts
• Connecticut
• U.S. Tax Court

• New York University (LL.M. in Taxation, 2001)
• University of Connecticut School of Law (J.D., 1996)
• Trinity College (B.A. in Political Science, 1993)
• Suffield Academy (1989)