Disputes related to probate, wills and trusts, and eldercare concerns are some of the most emotionally charged conflicts that individuals and families go through. At the heart of these disagreements lie deeply personal issues related to family, independence, security and relationships. Fortunately, despite the emotional nature of these issues, it's often possible to reach resolution without resorting to litigation.
That's where Attorney Paul Knierim, a retired probate judge, comes in. As the head of our dispute resolution practice, he brings unparalleled problem-solving strategies to bear on even the most complex of issues. Dispute resolution is a voluntary process designed to help parties achieve a mutually beneficial settlement that ends a disagreement in a faster manner and at far less expense than a typical court case.
Paul's experience includes more than two decades of service in the judiciary. After 10 years as judge of the Simsbury Probate Court, the Chief Justice appointed Paul to lead the state’s Probate Courts as Probate Court Administrator, a role he served from 2008 to 2019.
Paul’s experience as a lawyer and judge is enormously valuable to his clients, but it's his ability to bring a sense of calm to tense situations and his skill in facilitating creative solutions that make him so good as a mediator. A problem-solver with deep knowledge of probate law and keen insight into family dynamics, Paul provides objective and practical guidance to help families resolve their conflicts quickly, cost effectively, and with as little drama as possible.
- Estate Planning
- Guardianship & Conservatorship Estate Administration, Health Care Directives, Trusts, Wills
- Probate
- Probate Administration, Probate Litigation, Will Contests
- Elder Law
- Arbitration & Mediation
- Business Arbitration, Consumer Arbitration, Family Arbitration
- English: Spoken, Written
- Counsel
- Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri LLC
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- Probate Court Administrator
- State of Connecticut
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- Judge
- Simsbury Probate Court
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- Partner
- Cummings & Lockwood LLC
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- Partner
- Drew, Mersereau & Knierim
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- State Representative
- Connecticut General Assembly
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- Law Clerk
- Connecticut Supreme Court
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- Yale Law School
- J.D. (1989)
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- Williams College
- B.A. (1986)
- Honors: summa cum laude
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- Daniel F. Caruso Public Service Award
- CT Probate Assembly
- Treat Award for Excellence
- National College of Probate Judges
- Henry J. Naruk Judiciary Award
- CT Bar Association
- Capitol Caregiver Award
- AARP
- Connecticut Bar
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- Activities: Estate and Probate section, Elder Law section, Opioid Task Force
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- Connecticut Bar Foundation
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- Elder Justice Coalition
- Member
- Current
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- Connecticut Probate Assembly (Emeritus)
- Current
- Activities: Ethics Committee, Past Chair
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- Simsbury Cemetary Association
- Vice President
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- National College of Probate Judges
- Current
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- Literacy Volunteers Greater Hartford
- Tutor
- Current
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- Simsbury Land Trust
- Trustee
- Current
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- Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation
- Trustee
- Current
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- CT General Assembly
- State Representative
- Current
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- Governor's Commission on School Choice
- Co-Chair
- Current
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- Probate Courts are a Good Value
- Connecticut Law Tribune
- Probate Courts Protect Vulnerable Citizens From Harm
- The Hartford Courant
- Probate Court Consolidation Yields Savings and Strengthens Professionalism
- Fairfield County Bar Association Newsletter
- Testimony for Raised Bill 976, An Act Concerning Conservator Accountability, General Assembly testimony, Hartford, CT
- Testimony for Raised Bill 6104, An Act Concerning Adoption of the Connecticut Uniform Trust Code, General Assembly testimony, Hartford, CT
