Career Summary

 

Andrew has practiced law in the Greater Hartford area since in 1996, specializing in employment law and civil litigation. For his first six years of practice, Andrew worked for the Hartford law firm of Robinson & Cole, where he was a member of the firm's Labor & Employment Group, representing, advising and defending corporate clients, and gaining significant litigation and trial experience before state and federal courts and administrative agencies. He was selected as a formal mentor to the firm's more junior associates, and published several journal articles and book chapters on various employment law topics.

 

Andrew left Robinson & Cole in 2003 to become in-house Employment Counsel for The General Electric Company in Plainville, where he focused on driving proactive employment law compliance, including developing and delivering best practice trainings to business leaders and human resource managers, performing compliance audits, and working to maximize business efficiencies and minimize legal risks to the company. He additionally defended GE in litigation brought against the company by current or former employees.  

 

Andrew subsequently worked as Assistant Vice President and Assistant General Counsel for The Hartford Financial Services Group. During most of his twelve years at The Hartford, Andrew was a member of the Employment Law Group. As at GE, Andrew's in-house practice focused primarily on proactive compliance with employment laws and best practices, as well as defending the company in litigation and administrative actions brought by employees.  Additionally, Andrew served as a leader on the law department diversity & inclusion committee, helping leaders and managers understand and embrace the benefits of fostering and maintaining a diverse, inclusive, and welcoming work environment for all employees.

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In 2018, Andrew founded Golden Law with the intent to help individuals facing employment disputes and negotiations. He seeks to use the insight and experience he gained representing companies for more than two decades to protect and defend individuals, drawing on his prior counseling work and making a positive impact in people's lives.

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Education and Training

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Andrew earned his Juris Doctorate degree, cum laude, from Western New England College, School of Law in 1996.  During that time, he published in and was selected as an editor of The Western New England Law Review.  He additionally interned during school at the United States District Court, District of Massachusetts, under the Honorable U.S. Magistrate Kenneth Neiman.  Finally, Andrew competed in moot court competitions and regularly played on the law school's soccer, basketball, softball and rugby club teams.

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Prior to law school, Andrew received a Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Boston. He attended school at night while working full time days as a mental health counselor.  Studying counseling psychology and working as a mental health counselor enhanced Andrew’s interpersonal skills, including active listening, emotional awareness, and placing empathy over judgment. Although Andrew ultimately chose law over psychology, he has continued to develop and use these distinctive skills throughout his law career and truly considers himself a "legal counselor" in the fullest sense.

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Andrew received his bachelor's degree, with honors, from the University of Connecticut in 1990. He majored in philosophy and focused largely on social and physical sciences. He was highly active in intramural sports and remains a fervent supporter of the Huskies.

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At Home and In the Community

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Andrew has enjoyed living in West Hartford for more than twenty years, where he and his wife, Heidi, raised their three children. Andrew is highly active in his community, particularly in organizations and activities involving and influencing young people. He served on the Board of Directors of The Shelter For Women, a non-profit agency in Hartford aimed at helping troubled teenage girls. In addition, Andrew coached youth soccer, baseball, and softball in West Hartford for approximately twelve years, and regularly volunteers for numerous town and school clubs and events. In 2012, Andrew was honored by the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) as the West Hartford Little League’s Coach of the Year. He remains active with PCA and is particularly struck by the lasting imprint--positive or negative—coaches can have on children. Andrew recently traded in his coach's clipboard for a referee's whistle and now referees youth soccer all around Greater Hartford.  He is also an active supporter of and frequent volunteer for Conard High School's arts and music programs. When not on a local sports field or at a school event, you are likely to find Andrew walking his dog at the West Hartford Reservoir, riding along a Connecticut bike trail, hiking in the White Mountains, downhill or cross-country skiing in Vermont, or enjoying a backyard barbecue with family and friends.