Service Areas
Education
- University of Dundee, Scotland, LL.B., 1975 Faculty of Law,
- University of Dundee, Scotland, J.D., 1975 M.A., History,First Class Honors, Class Rank, First Place; Awarded Class Medal in each of the four years; Scholarships for Academic Excellence
- University of Connecticut School of Law, , 1980 ,cum laude
Admissions
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Bar Admissions
- Connecticut ; 1980 Court Admissions
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit; 1980
- U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut
- Overview
- Experience
- Distinctions
- News & Media
- Affiliations
Overview
Trudie practices in the defense of major personal injury, medical malpractice and product liability cases. Over the last 25 years, Trudie has successfully defended cases on behalf of national and international product manufacturers, a national medical testing company, a New England University, as well as Connecticut hospitals and doctors, Connecticut police officers and a Connecticut public utility.
Experience
- Successfully tried to verdict cases involving brain damage, quadriplegia, death and patient suicide
- Successfully defended multiple claims against a national medical testing laboratory arising from claims of employee tampering with pregnancy genetic tests
- Successfully defended claims of physician misdiagnosis resulting in severe injury and death and claims of negligent surgery resulting in quadriplegia and death
- Successfully defended claims of mismanagement of labor and delivery resulting in severe infant brain damage
- Successfully defended claims of sexual abuse in the course of the psychiatrist/patient relationship
- Successfully defended psychiatric malpractice claims relating to suicide and homicide
- Successfully defended multiple personal injury claims relating to mold exposure
- Successfully defended multiple cancer claims relating to alleged Benzene exposure
- Represented a major international manufacturer in personal injury and death cases involving claims of defective design of motorcycles, All Terrain Vehicles and personal watercraft
- Represented a New England University in trial of claim involving a cheerleader accident resulting in quadriplegia
- With her partner, Anthony Fitzgerald, she successfully defended a Connecticut public utility claim that a young woman’s brain cancer was caused by exposure to electric and magnetic fields from residential power lines. This case had been identified by the national plaintiffs’ bar as a key case in nationwide litigation claiming that electric and magnetic field exposure caused childhood brain cancer and leukemia
Distinctions
- Listed in the 2021 Chambers USA Guide, in the area of Litigation: General Commercial
- Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers of America in the area of Litigation, 1995-2023
- Connecticut Magazine named Trudie as a Connecticut Super Lawyer® in the area of Personal Injury Defense, Medical Malpractice, for 2006-2021
- Highlighted in the 2017 edition of Chambers USA Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers for Business for placing in the Top Tier of Lawyers in Connecticut.
- First woman in Connecticut to be inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers
- First woman elected to membership in the Connecticut Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates
- First woman in Connecticut listed in Woodward/White publication “Best Lawyers in America”
- Certified Civil Trial Specialist, National Board of Trial Advocacy
- Appointed to the Board of Regents, American College of Trial Lawyers as Regent to Downstate New York, Vermont and Connecticut, 2010
- Connecticut Magazine named Trudie one of the Top 25 Women Lawyers in Connecticut, 2009, 2016, 2018
- Connecticut State Chair, American College of Trial Lawyers, 2008
- First Class Honors, Class Rank, First Place, University of Dundee, Scotland
- Awarded Class Medal in each of the four years, University of Dundee, Scotland
- Scholarships for Academic Excellence, University of Dundee, Scotland
- Member, American Bar Association Special Committee on Medical Professional Liability
- Chair, American College of Trial Lawyers Award for Courageous Advocacy Committee, 2003–2006
- Member, Sandra Day O’Connor Jurist Award Committee, 2007
- Chair, Connecticut Bar Association Grievance Committee, Litchfield County, 1988–1994
- Chair, State of Connecticut Medical Legal Committee, 1983-1987
- Selected for inclusion in New England Super Lawyers® in the area of Personal Injury Defense: Medical Malpractice for 2007 and 2008, 2016
- Selected for inclusion in New England Top 50 Women Super Lawyers®, 2007 and 2008
News
- 33 Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessey LLP Attorneys Selected to the 2020 Super Lawyers®, Rising Stars in Connecticut Lists
- 29 Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessey LLP Attorneys Selected for Best Lawyers®
- Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessey LLP Attorneys and Practice Groups Receive Honors from Chambers USA
Affiliations
- American College of Trial Lawyers
- American Board of Trial Advocates
- Oliver Ellsworth Inn of Court: Barrister
- Waterbury Bar Association
- Connecticut Bar Association
Testimonials
Events
