Bernardo practices in the area of estate planning, estate settlement and trust administration. Bernardo assists clients with the full range of planning techniques for tax-effective intergenerational and charitable transfers. He also prepares, and advises those preparing, probate documents, estate tax returns and fiduciary income tax returns as well as represents estates before the IRS and DRS on audit.
Prior to joining Shipman & Goodwin, Bernardo was a law clerk for the Honorable Flemming L. Norcott, Jr. of the Connecticut Supreme Court. While in law school, Bernardo participated in the National First Amendment Moot Court Competition, externed for the Honorable U.S. Magistrate Judge Kenneth P. Neiman of the U.S. Federal District Court District of Massachusetts, served as President of the Family Law Association, and was Managing Editor of the Western New England Law Review.
Distinctions
· Clerk, Justice Flemming L. Norcott, Jr., Connecticut Supreme Court (2010-2011)
· Managing Editor, Western New England Law Review (2009-2010)
· Norman Prance Award for Academic Excellence (2010)
· Abraham Smith Award for Academic Excellence in Probate-Related Classes (2010)
· Henry Downey Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Law Review (2010)
· Benjamin Novack Award for Best Student Note (2010)
· CALI Excellence Awards in Civil Procedure (Fall 2007), Evidence (Fall 2008), Administrative Law (Spring 2009), Criminal Procedure (Fall 2009), Patent Law (Fall 2009), Trust & Estates (Fall 2009), Criminal Procedure Simulation (Spring 2010)
· Oliver Wendall Holmes, Jr. Scholarship Recipient (2007-2010)
Professional Affiliations
· American Bar Association
· Connecticut Bar Association
· Hartford County Bar Association