Melissa A. Federico

Melissa Federico is a trial attorney who represents a broad range of business clients in complex commercial litigation.  She is experienced in all aspects of litigation, from pre-suit investigation and early case assessment through trial and appeal. She litigates business disputes for both plaintiff and defendant, including breach of contract, shareholder disputes, violations of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act (CUTPA) and other business torts.  She represents clients in federal court in intellectual property disputes, including patent infringement actions, theft of trade secrets, trademark/ trade dress infringement, copyright infringement, unfair competition and false designation of origin.

Melissa represents employers in litigation to enforce non-competition, non-solicitation, confidentiality of trade secrets and non-disclosure agreements. She also defends employers in employment disputes, such as claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wrongful discharge. As a member of the Insurance Recovery group, she has assisted businesses in pursing insurance coverage claims under a wide array of insurance products including general liability, D&O, excess and umbrella and reinsurance.

Representative matters include:

• Blocked preliminary injunction in federal court in which plaintiff alleged breach of restrictive covenants, violations of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act and violations of Section 43 of the Lanham Act.
• Won arbitration judgment in favor of former franchisee on grounds that the franchise agreement was unenforceable due to the claimant's prior material breaches, obtaining fees and costs for the arbitration as well as reimbursement of attorney’s fees for defending related injunction.
• Assisted in obtaining a unanimous decision from the Connecticut Appellate Court affirming the trial court’s decision not to disturb an arbitration award in A Better Way Wholesale Autos, Inc. v. Rodriquez, et al., 176 Conn. App. 392 (2017).
• Negotiated resolution of copyright and trademark infringement claims pending in federal court for the District of Connecticut involving major toy company.
• Won a bench trial awarding insurance coverage to a Roman Catholic diocese for settlements of negligent supervision claims involving sexual abuse by clergy under excess insurance policy.  Hartford Roman Catholic Diocesan Corp. v. Interstate Fire & Cas. Co. 199 F. Supp. 3d 559 (D. Conn. 2016).
• Represented barge transportation company in federal court litigation to pursue insurance coverage under a bumbershoot/ umbrella protection & indemnity policy;
• Negotiated full indemnification funding from reinsurer on behalf of hospital's captive excess insurer;
• Counseled bankruptcy trustee to obtain insurance coverage for claims against officers of debtor corporation under a directors & officers policy;
• Represented hospital clients in litigation and arbitration in connection with reimbursement disputes with commercial payors.

In 2014, Melissa was selected by the Connecticut Law Tribune as one of Connecticut’s “New Leaders in the Law.”  The award honors lawyers under the age of 40 who have excelled in the courtroom, in client service and cultivation, in service to bar associations and in performing pro bono work or community service in a volunteer capacity.

Melissa serves on the Board of Directors for the Hartford County Bar Association and the Executive Committee for the Antitrust and Trade Regulation Section of the Connecticut Bar Association.  She is also a member of the Business Law, Federal Practice and Insurance Law Sections of the Connecticut Bar Association. 

She is a volunteer attorney for Lawyers for Children America, a child advocacy organization protecting the rights of children who are victims of abuse, abandonment and neglect, and serves on its Board of Directors. 

• Business Litigation
• Unfair Competition, Trade Secrets and Non-Competition Agreements
• Intellectual Property Litigation
• Labor and Employment
• Appellate Practice
• Privacy and Cybersecurity
• Insurance Recovery
• Health Care

• Hartford County Bar Association, Board of Directors (2017 - Present), Co-Chair of Federal Practice Committee
• Connecticut Bar Association, Antitrust and Trade Regulation Section, Executive Committee
• Connecticut Bar Association, Business Law Section
• Connecticut Bar Association, Federal Practice Section
• Connecticut Bar Association, Insurance Law Section
• Federal Bar Association
• American Bar Association, Section of Litigation
• American Bar Association, Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section (TIPS)
• The Risk Management Society (RIMS), CT Valley Chapter

• Connecticut Law Tribune 2014 New Leader in the Law
• Listed as Connecticut Super Lawyers® Rising Star in the area of Insurance Coverage in 2013 - 2016 (Super Lawyers is a registered trademark of Key Professional Media, Inc.)
• Feinstein Institute for Legal Service Public Service Award

• Clerk for the Honorable Judith C. Savage, Providence Superior Court

• Board Member, Lawyers for Children America

• August 2, 2018 - Melissa A. Federico Appointed to the Executive Committee of the Antitrust and Trade Regulation Section of the Connecticut Bar Association
• July 18, 2017 - Melissa A. Federico Elected to Board of Directors of Lawyers for Children America
• May 17, 2017 - Melissa A. Federico Elected to Board of Directors of The Hartford County Bar Association
• September 30, 2014 - Connecticut Law Tribune Names Murtha Cullina Attorneys New Leaders in Law
• Melissa A. Federico Joins Murtha Cullina LLP

• June 12, 2018 - Cyber Security Conference: Threat Evaluation & Incident Response
• June 7, 2017 - Cyber Security Conference: Protecting our Businesses, State and Nation
• March 20, 2013 - Murtha Cullina Sponsors CBIA's Annual HR Conference

• July 2014 - Construction Group News: Supreme Court Finds Duty to Defend in Law School Library Case

• April 6, 2018 - EmploymentLawPerspectives.com: Connecticut Considers Requiring Legislative Approval of Agency Settlement Payments and Nondisclosure Agreements
• January 2018 - Survey of Developments in Insurance Coverage Law for 2014-2016
• August 16, 2016 - CommunityBankingInsights.com: What Community Bank Board Members Need to Know About D&O
• December 9, 2015 - Article by Ryan M. Suerth and Melissa A. Federico Published in CT Law Tribune's Special Insurance Section
• May 16, 2014 - Health Law: Data Breaches In Health Care

• February 22, 2018 - 2017 Connecticut Supreme Court Developments for Businesses
• January 11, 2018 - Melissa Federico and Kristen Zaehringer Presenting at Hartford County Bar Association Civil Practice Series
• June 12, 2017 - Melissa Federico Speaking on Insurance Recovery at the CT Legal Conference
• March 28, 2017 - Bob Kaelin and Melissa Federico Speaking On Advanced Contract Issues to CT Institute for Supply Management
• February 8, 2017 - Ryan Suerth and Melissa Federico Speaking on Captive Insurance to CT Chapter of Risk and Insurance Management Society
• November 2014 - Melissa A. Federico to present on “Litigating Managed Care Contract Disputes,” at the Healthcare Financial Management Association - Connecticut Chapter in November 2014
• June 2014 - Melissa A. Federico to present on "Insurance Discovery In Motion,” at the 2014 Connecticut Bar Association Annual Meeting in June 2014
• May 2014 - Melissa A. Federico to present at the Construction Law Annual Update CLE, Connecticut Bar Association
• April 2013 - Melissa A. Federico is the Co-author, “Cover Yourself (and Your Client): Critical Insurance Considerations When Prosecuting or Defending Civil Actions,” for the Connecticut Bar Association, Insurance Law Section Symposium held at University of Connecticut School of Law, Hartford, Connecticut

• Connecticut
• U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

• Roger Williams University School of Law (J.D.)
• Stonehill College (B.A.)