Ted O'Hanlan's practice runs the full gamut of land use matters, from administrative applications and appeals to complex real property litigation, including state and federal wetlands and environmental laws, real property law, title insurance claims and defenses, and constitutional law issues. He serves as attorney trial referee and fact finder/arbitrator for the Connecticut Superior Court and in numerous private arbitrations. He is an adjunct professor at Pace University School of Law and has taught trial advocacy for the Connecticut Bar Association and at the Naval Justice School in Newport, Rhode Island. He is a barrister in the Raymond Baldwin Chapter of the American Inns of Court.
In 25 years of trial practice, Mr. O'Hanlan has successfully represented clients before forums ranging from municipal land use and wetlands agencies to NASD arbitrations to jury and bench trials in state and federal courts to appeals before the Connecticut Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
Professional Associations
- American Bar Association
- Connecticut Bar Association, Past Board of Directors Member, House of Delegates
- Connecticut Bar Foundation, James W. Cooper Fellow
- New Canaan Bar Association, Past President
- Stamford Land Conservation Trust, Board of Directors
- Stamford Regional Bar Association, Board of Directors
- Stamford/Norwalk Regional Bar Association, Director
- Captain, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Naval Reserve (Retired)
Community Involvement
- Southwest Connecticut Counsel of the Navy League of the United States, Past President
- Stamford Land Conservation Trust, Board of Directors
- New Canaan YMCA, Board of Directors
- Waveny Care Center Health Services, Board of Directors Chairman
Honors and Awards
- Listed in Connecticut Super Lawyers® in the area of Land Use/Zoning Law since 2007 (Super Lawyers is a registered trademark of Key Professional Media, Inc.)
- 2010 Pro Urbe Award, St. Andrew's Parish, Stamford, Connecticut
- 2009 Robinson & Cole Pro Bono Award
- AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated in Martindale-Hubbell™ in the areas of Land Use Law, Zoning Law, Real Estate Litigation, and Civil Litigation (Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings is a trademark. AV Preeminent is a certification mark of Reed Elsevier Properties, Inc.)
Experience
- Defended Connecticut private owner against claims of a prescriptive "aviation" easement in air space by New York county government seeking to expand airport runway on abutting property. Adverse summary judgment decision by USDC was reversed in client's favor after U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit certified case for argument to and advice from Connecticut Supreme Court on issue of first impression under Connecticut real property law.
- Representation of an urban parish in defending its right to sell a dilapidated building next to the sanctuary to a developer under a long-term lease agreement that will fund the mission of the church for decades into the future. After the sale and removal of the building was approved, an advocacy group formed to try to require the congregation to maintain and rehabilitate the building, at substantial cost and with little future value. Robinson & Cole helped prevent the group from obtaining landmark status for the building. After Robinson & Cole helped the parish prevail at the administrative agency level, Robinson & Cole defeated an injunction action intended to prevent development of the property.
- Representation of major title insurer in dispute with commercial developer over some $200,000 in unpaid real property taxes. The client sought a declaratory judgment that it was not liable to reimburse the insured when the insured unilaterally paid over $200,000 to the municipality without the insurer's consent. The insured also breached its duty to cooperate in the client's coverage investigation. The insured countersued, alleging breach of contract, bad faith, and unfair trade and insurance practices. The bad faith and unfair trade/insurance practices claims were dismissed on summary judgment. After a trial to the court without a jury, the court rendered declaratory judgments in favor of the client and rejected the insured's breach of contract counterclaim.
- Representation of St. Andrew's Parish in Stamford, Connecticut. Client had valuable excess land for development. Robinson & Cole developed a sales contract (not an option to buy) as a part of an eight-year ground lease with rent commencing (and stepping up) at a large enough monthly amount to support parish activities. The developer had up to eight years to time the market for apartment approvals, and the land value/purchase price amount was fixed in future at a set percentage of the total project value (future market value including extraordinary 100 percent occupancy presumption). Many local approvals were required in the name of the ground landlord, but in favor of the ground tenant.
- Representation of Imaginative Research Associates, a cosmetics and pharmaceutical research company, in an action brought to enforce intellectual property, noncompete, and confidentiality restrictions in a stock purchase agreement; defeated a motion for summary judgment and thereafter settled the action on favorable terms.
- Pursued successful appeal to Connecticut Supreme Court that reversed lower court dismissal and clarified right of private action under Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Act and standing doctrine under Environmental Protection Act.
Real Estate
- Representing a nonprofit human services organization in a dispute concerning title to a large parcel of real estate and the effect of a reverter in the deed.
Publications & Presentations
Articles
- "2007 Connecticut Real Property Law Developments" (3/2008), published in Connecticut Bar Journal
- "2006 Connecticut Real Property Law Developments" (6/2007), published in Connecticut Bar Journal
- "Court Tackles Multiple Real Property Issues: Smorgasbord of Decisions Includes Eminent Domain, Sovereign Immunity" (9/2006), published in Connecticut Law Tribune
- "Easements, Buddhists and Sexually Oriented Businesses," coauthored with Tyisha S. Hovanec published in Connecticut Law Tribune
Presentations
- "Jetties, Docks, Seawalls, Littoral Rights, Waterfront Homes, Spartina, and More" (7/14/2009) presented at Robinson & Cole's Coastal Considerations and Regulatory Reality Breakfast Seminar
News
12.20.10, LandLaw Attorneys Receive Award for Pro Bono Work
9.21.10, Edward O'Hanlan Featured in the Connecticut Law Tribune's "Wetlands Battle"
5.26.10, Robinson & Cole Attorneys Participate in Wetlands Program
12.09.08, Robinson & Cole Land Use Attorneys Co-Author Article for Law Tribune
Military
- Captain, JAGC, U.S. Naval Reserve (1982-2005)