Sugarbrook Law Center

Thank you for considering the Sugarbrook Law Center for estate planning and administration, general business formation and representation, litigation, personal injury, commercial or residential real estate, family or consumer needs. The Center is owned and operated by me, William F.L Rodgers. I opened the Center in 1993, and have been in practice for more than 35 years. Set forth below is relevant information about my qualifications beyond that provided in the individual profile beneath.

I spent several years in the Corporate Law Departments of two leading Connecticut law firms in Hartford, before moving down state.

My time in Hartford was interrupted by a three year tour of duty as a Judge Advocate in the Marine Corps. I served thirty years as a Marine Corps Reservist, including a deployment to Iraq in 2006-2007, where I performed a variety of nonlegal duties and was awarded the Bronze Star. My last billet was as an Appellate Judge on the Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals. I retired as a Colonel.

I began my legal career in estate planning and administration and those fields remain the ones in which I am the most active. I draft estate planning documents from simple wills to complicated trusts, and I handle both uncontested and contested probate matters.

I have a significant business practice. I represent a number of local businesses primarily Limited Liability Companies and Corporations, with both their formative and ongoing needs. I also represent multi-million dollar corporations and an international trade association of manufacturers.

I have litigated at the trial level in Connecticut and New York courts. I also have an unbeaten record in the Connecticut Appellate Courts, including its Supreme Court. I have both argued and decided cases in military appellate courts. Finally, I frequently appear in Probate Courts throughout CT and occasionally in Surrogates Courts in NY.

Reported Cases which I either argued or decided are as follows: Connecticut National Bank & Trust Co. v Chadwick, 217 Conn. 260 (1991); Newtown Pool Construction v Errico, 103 Conn. App. 567 (2007); Newtown Pool Service v Pond, 140 Conn. App. 514 (2013); United States v. Kohut, 44 M.J. 245 (C.A.A.F., 1996); United States v Rosendahl, 47 M.J. 689 (N.M.C.C.A., 1997); United States v Michael, 2005 CCA Lexis 386 (N.M.C.C.A., 2005); United States v. Caves, 2005 CCA Lexis 318 (N.M.C.C.A., 2005, affirmed 64 M.J. 433 (C.A.A.F., 2007)); United States v. Boodhoo, 2005 CCA Lexis 319 (N.M.C.C.A., 2005 rev. dnd. 63 M.J. 295 (C.A.A.F., 2006)).

My experience includes approximately three dozen personal injury or tort cases, primarily in CT but also in NY, CA and federal venues. The most common type of case has involved automobile accidents, but I have also represented clients in connection with “slip and falls”, dog bites, assaults, medical malpractice, pool and other property accidents. My practice has included death cases. I deal with opposing counsel in or outside the courtroom, insurance claims adjusters, in-house corporate counsel, and even directly with property owners or wrongdoers, public and private. I have a network of fellow counsel, investigators, and medical, engineering, and accident reconstruction experts who consult or retain as required in cases.

I have conducted over 500 real estate closings or refinancings in CT, NY, and CA. While the bulk of these were residential, I have represented buyers, sellers, and borrowers in commercial transactions in CT and NY ranging from $50,000.00 to over $10,000,000.00 in value. I represent local, regional and national banks in real estate matters as well.