Joseph D. Szerejko

Joseph D. Szerejko, an associate, is a litigator who represents municipalities, government officials, corporations and individuals in matters ranging from real estate, land use and zoning to property tax and lending matters. 

Joe regularly advocates in state and local administrative proceedings and general litigation matters, including appeals heard by the Connecticut Appellate Court and Connecticut Supreme Court. He often represents municipalities and government officials before the Connecticut Freedom of Information (FOI) Commission; the Board of Assessment Appeals; the Planning and Zoning Commission; and other agency venues hearing Uniform Administrative Procedure Act (UAPA) cases. Representing both defendants and plaintiffs, he advises retail and skilled nursing home clients in landlord-tenant, collection and other disputes, and represents various corporate entities and individuals in general litigation as well as matters relating to commercial leases and lending transactions.

In 2022, Joe was appointed to a two-year term as the independent consumer advocate for The Metropolitan District of Hartford, Connecticut (MDC), a nonprofit municipal corporation responsible for the region’s water and sewage services. In this role he represents MDC consumers’ interests concerning water quality, water supply and wastewater service quality. 

Sought-after for both his legal and industry insight, Joe shares his knowledge with government officials and community leaders attending Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM) events. He is also a contributor to the Connecticut Bar Association Construction Law Section’s Case Law Summary and Legislative Review. 

In his spare time, Joe enjoys skiing, golf, hiking, cooking, and gardening.
 
Representative Matters 

•    Represented a municipality and its officials in successfully prosecuting a land use enforcement action brought in Connecticut Superior Court against a property owner who unlawfully operated a refuse collection center in a residential zone. The case resulted in the town collecting nearly $50,000 in fines. 

•    Litigated an administrative appeal on behalf of a skilled nursing facility against the Connecticut Department of Social Services, successfully securing a six-figure Medicaid benefit for the client. 

•    Obtained a partial summary judgment for a corporation in a property tax appeal seeking tax exemption for the client’s renewable energy source that resulted in a monetary judgment in excess of $1 million in tax overpayments. 

•    Defended a quasi-public utility company, prevailing in a highly contested land use appeal brought in Connecticut Superior Court against the client and a municipal land use agency. The successful appeal resulted in local administrative approval to construct a crucial water tank in an underserved area. 

• Community Banking
• Retail, Restaurant & Hospitality
• Municipal Law
• Land Use
• Litigation
• Appellate Practice

• Connecticut Bar Association, Litigation Section
• Oliver Ellsworth Inn of Court

• The Best Lawyers in America®, "One to Watch" (2021-2022)
• New England Super Lawyers®, "Rising Star" in General Litigation (2018-2019 (Super Lawyers is a registered trademark of Key Professional Media, Inc.)
• Connecticut Law Tribune, "New Leaders in the Law" (2021) New Leader in the Law
• CALI Excellence Award in Legal and Cultural Issues in Cyberspace 
• CALI Excellence Award in Complex Litigation 
• CALI Excellence Award in Copyright Seminar 
• CALI Excellence Award in Copyright in the Digital Age 
• David H. Neiditz Professional Writing Award 2014
• NE Regional Semifinalist-American Intellectual Property Law Association Moot Court Competition 2014

• Law Clerk, Honorable Christine E. Keller, Connecticut Appellate Court
• Law Clerk, United States Attorney’s Office
• Extern, Honorable Alfred V. Covello, United States District Court District of Connecticut
• Intern, Connecticut Office of the Attorney General, Department of Public Safety

• Metropolitan District of Hartford County, Independent Consumer Advocate
• Leadership Greater Hartford, Quest Class of 2019

• JD Supra Features Article by Nicholas Vitti and Joseph Szerejko on Six Steps Connecticut Property Owners Should Take in the Event of a Revaluation
• January 26, 2022 - Joseph D. Szerejko Appointed Independent Consumer Advocate for MDC
• August 19, 2021 - 40 Murtha Cullina Attorneys Receive “Best Lawyers in America” Recognition
• May 13, 2021 - Murtha Cullina LLP Attorneys Recognized as New Leaders in the Law by Connecticut Law Tribune
• 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 17, 2018 - Joseph D. Szerejko Joins Litigation Department

• Six Steps Connecticut Property Owners Should Take in the Event of a Revaluation
• Is Your Town Facing a Municipal Revaluation in Connecticut in 2022?
• April 30, 2021 - Retail, Restaurant and Hospitality Group News: Important COVID Updates For Connecticut And Massachusetts

• January 20, 2022 - Kari Olson and Joe Szerejko Presenting "Ethics, FOIA, Public Meetings" for CCM webinar
• November 30, 2021 - Kari Olson and Joe Szerejko Presenting “Update on Affordable Housing & Land Use Legislation” at the Annual CCM Convention.  

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

• University of Connecticut School of Law (J.D., 2015)
• Bates College (B.A. in Economics and Political Science, 2009)