Kristen L. Zaehringer Partner

With a diverse background in complex commercial litigation, Kristen L. Zaehringer represents businesses and individuals in court and advises business owners on questions about contracts, employees, and compliance obligations. She has handled cases involving disputes among members of closely-held businesses, helped investors who were misled by brokers, litigated employment discrimination claims, enforced commercial agreements, secured multi-million prejudgment remedy awards, and counseled corporate officers and attorneys on their fiduciary obligations.

Kristen's practice also involves resolving compliance and ethics issues on her clients' behalf. This work includes counseling attorneys and law firms in legal ethics and litigating malpractice cases in court. Kristen uses this knowledge in her role as a member of the Federal Grievance Committee, an appointment made by the judges of the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut to a panel that hears grievance complaints against lawyers admitted to practice in federal court.

In the employment and human resources context, Kristen regularly counsels clients on a wide variety of issues. Her work includes employment contracts, restrictive covenants, severance agreements, and the implementation of employment manuals, policies and procedures. Kristen regularly represents clients before federal and state administrative agencies including the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights & Opportunities.

Dedicated to public service, Kristen is a member of the Hamden Legislative Council and commits her time to a variety of non-profit entities, including the Board of Directors of Friends of New Haven Legal Assistance Association and the Quinnipiac School of Law Alumni Association. Kristen has served as an attorney volunteer at annual student mock trials sponsored by the District of Connecticut's Public Outreach Committee and has represented veterans and incarcerated individuals on a pro bono basis.

Kristen holds an AV rating with Martindale-Hubbell and has been repeatedly recognized by Super Lawyers in various litigation and employment contexts since 2013. She has also been selected as one of Fairfield County's 2015 Top 40 Business People under 40 and as one of the Connecticut Law Tribune's 2015 New Leaders in the Law. Kristen's service to the bar includes co-chairing the Federal Practice Section of the Connecticut Bar Association and serving as an appointed member of the Local Civil Rules Advisory Committee of the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut.