MELINDA A. POWELL

 

MELINDA A. POWELL
Partner

Rose Kallor, LLP
750 Main Street, Suite 606                                                     
Hartford, CT  06103
(860) 748-4660
(860) 241-1547
Website:  www.rosekallor.com
E-Mail:  mpowell@rosekallor.com

Melinda A. Powell online at visit superlawyers.com

†

MELINDA A. POWELL Partner for Rose Kallor, LLP. Attorney Powell represents municipalities and boards of education, their officers and employees in federal and state court involving issues such as:

            Civil rights and § 1983 claims
            Land Use and Zoning
            Special education
            Municipal contract disputes
            Title IX
            Enforcement of municipal regulations
            Student discipline
            First Amendment retaliation
            Fair Housing Act
            Americans with Disabilities Act
            FOIA
            Connecticut Environmental Protection Act
            Injuries on municipal property

Over the course of her fifteen year career, she has represented almost every municipal department including fire, police, planning and zoning, building and health departments. Ms. Powell has tried approximately 10 cases to verdict, including several complex civil rights cases, and has prepared Appellate briefs for submission in state and federal court.  She also represents her private clients in commercial and environmental litigation.

Attorney Powell holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Administration.  While in law school, she received the Jonathan B. Chase fellowship in public interest law to work for Alaska Legal Services in Fairbanks, Alaska.  She also worked on environmental litigation for the Conservation Law Foundation in Montpelier, Vermont, and for WaterWatch of Oregon, in Portland, Oregon.

EDUCATION:

Vermont Law School, J.D., 1995
Florida Atlantic University, B.P.A., 1991, Valedictorian of College of Social Science

ADMISSIONS:

Attorney Powell was admitted to practice in the Connecticut state courts and the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut in 1996.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:

Connecticut Association of Municipal Attorneys
Connecticut Bar Association

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT:

Assistant Den Leader, Cub Scout Pack 57, East Hampton

Representative cases include:

Poirier v. Town of Enfield, 2009 WL 3086238 (Conn. Super. Ct. Aug. 24, 2009).  Temporary injunction sought by homeowner to prohibit Town from constructing flood control project denied.

Aselton v. Town of East Hartford, 277 Conn. 120 (2006)(on the brief).  Affirming summary judgment granted in favor of police chief and dispatchers on federal and state substantive due process claim.

Risica ex rel. Risica v. Dumas, 466 F.Supp.2d 434 (D. Conn. 2006).  Summary judgment granted in favor of Principal on claim by student that the Principal violated his procedural due process and substantive due process rights when he was suspended for making a “hit list.”

Earl v. Daigle, 2006 WL 2697519 (D. Conn. Sept. 19, 2006).  Summary judgment granted in favor of police department in case against individual officer and department for violation of constitutional privacy rights of citizen.

Pansy Rd., LLC v. Town Plan & Zoning Comm'n of Town of Fairfield, 2006 WL 1236781 (D. Conn. May 5, 2006).  Motion to dismiss granted in favor of First Selectman on First Amendment grounds where plaintiff alleged First Selectman violated its constitutional rights to obtaining a subdivision permit where First Selectman opposed project.

Blackhawk Sec., Inc. v. Town of Hamden, 2005 WL 1719918 (D. Conn. July 22, 2005). Summary judgment granted in equal protection case brought against Hamden police department for preferential use of police officers at construction sites rather than flaggers.

Centerfolds, Inc. v. Town of Berlin, 352 F.Supp.2d 183 (D. Conn. 2004). Partial summary judgment upholding Berlin’s ordinance regulating sexually oriented businesses under First Amendment, dismissing procedural due process claims and granting qualified immunity to individual town council members.

Merry Charters, LLC v. Town of Stonington, 342 F.Supp.2d 69 (D. Conn. 2004). Summary judgment granted in favor of zoning commission, zoning board of appeals and all individual members in case brought by plaintiff for unconstitutional taking, equal protection and substantive due process and granting qualified immunity to individual commission members.

Tsombanidis v. West Haven Fire Dep't., 352 F.3d 565 (2d Cir. 2003)(on the brief).  Reversing district court judgment applying erroneous disparate impact analysis; upheld applicability of State fire codes to challenge under Fair Housing Act.

Prescott v. City of Meriden, 80 Conn. App. 697 (2003)(on the brief).   Affirming governmental immunity and limiting exception of identifiable victim/ imminent harm exception involving parental injuries sustained at school sporting event.

R.M. ex rel. J.M. v. Vernon Bd. of Educ., 208 F.Supp.2d 216, 221 (D. Conn. 2002)(Court denied residential/ community placement of student on plaintiff’s motion for preliminary injunction)

†For selection process, please visit:  http://www.superlawyers.com/connecticut/selection_details.html.