Alinor Clemans Sterling

Alinor believes the law is a powerful weapon in the fight against injustice, and she has devoted her career to that fight.

She represented nine families of victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in a landmark case against the Remington Arms Company, the manufacturer of the assault rifle used to carry out the attack. Her work led to the families' settlement of the case for every dollar of available coverage, $73 million, and the right to publicly share Remington's internal documents. The case has been compared to the first tobacco cases, in which documents were obtained that were later used to hold cigarette companies accountable for the public health crisis they had created.

Alinor also represents Sandy Hook families in a suit against e-commerce mogul and internet “newsman” Alex Jones for his false claims that the Sandy Hook shooting was a "hoax" and that it was staged by actors. In the fall of 2022, Koskoff lawyers Chris Mattei, Josh Koskoff, and Alinor tried this case, resulting in a judgment of roughly $1.5 billion in favor of the clients.

Alinor’s appellate wins include Soto v. Bushmaster, the landmark case in which the Connecticut Supreme Court allowed Sandy Hook families' case to proceed against Remington; Lafferty v. Jones, in which the Connecticut Supreme Court affirmed severe sanctions against Jones for abusive litigation conduct; Munn v. The Hotchkiss School, in which a $41.5 million damages verdict in favor of an injured student was affirmed; and Gagliano v. Danbury Hospital, confirming a $9.6 million verdict against the hospital based on its residents’ negligence.

Alinor formerly served President of the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association (CTLA). She co-chairs CTLA's Rules and Amicus committees. She is a board member of Public Justice and is a board member of the International Festival of Arts and Ideas in New Haven. She serves on American Association for Justice's Legal Affairs and Amicus committees, as well as the Connecticut Bar Association's Appellate Advocacy Committee.