Meehan, Meehan & Gavin, LLP

Firm Phone:

(203) 333-1888

Richard T. Meehan, Jr., a 1974 honors graduate of the University of Connecticut School of Law, is currently the managing partner in the law firm, Meehan, Meehan & Gavin, LLP; a firm which has received the coveted AV rating (Pre-eminent—Highest Rating) by Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory for the past twenty five years. His professional recognitions include, but are not limited to: Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers; Fellow, International Academy of Trial Lawyers (an honor limited to 500 litigators worldwide); Charter Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America, Trial Lawyer Honorary Society; Fellow, American College of Board Certified Lawyers; Certified Criminal Trial Specialist, National Board of Legal Specialty Certification; Certified Civil Trial Specialist, National Board of Legal Specialty Certification and The National Trial Lawyers, Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Connecticut.

Richard has willingly served in many professional arenas, to include the Board of Editors for the University of Connecticut Law Review; Research and Special Projects Editor of the Connecticut Law Review; the past president of the Greater Bridgeport Bar Association (the youngest member elected to this prestigious position); and as a volunteer Special Master in the Connecticut Superior Court, among other positions. In addition to an already busy schedule, Mr. Meehan affords time to be a public speaker for a number of civic organizations, having appeared on Good Morning America, CourtTV, The O’Reilly Factor, Connecticut Newsmakers, Good Morning Connecticut, and numerous statewide radio talk shows. He also has been a featured legal analyst on CNN, NBC, the Associated Press, in The New York Times, The Connecticut Law Tribune, and now serves as a weekly editorial contributor to the Norwich Bulletin.

Richard’s professional career began as a law clerk to Justice Herbert MacDonald of the Connecticut Supreme Court, where he was able to make significant contributions in the development of Connecticut case law. He went on to serve as a consultant to the rules committee of the Superior Court where he aided in drafting the Rules of Practice in Criminal Cases, first published in 1976. Richard has gone on to successfully defend numerous clients in the most highly publicized criminal cases in Connecticut. He has secured multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements in complex medical malpractice and personal injury litigation, as well as complex dental malpractice cases.

Richard has been recognized in multiple professional periodicals, in addition to statewide print and broadcast media, and national media. He came to the forefront of criminal litigators in the State as lead counsel to Bridgeport’s Mayor Joseph Ganim in defense of a 24-count federal public corruption indictment.

On a more personal level, Richard, along with his family, founded the Christian Meehan Hope Foundation for SIDS, in memory of his grandson. The organization works to raise funds to support SIDS research and has recently established the SIDS Hopeline, a social services agency, which provides first responders, both religious and secular, who have been trained in grief therapy. In addition, Richard has been actively involved in a number of civic organizations to include serving as President of the Advisory Board for Catholic Family Services; serving as a member of the Parish Council for St. Lawrence Church in Shelton, serving as a coach and officer for Bridgeport’s North End Little League, Shelton Little League, and Shelton Flag Football League. Five sons have ensured Richard’s unflagging involvement in youth athletics at every level. Somewhere in all of this, he finds time to be an avid sportsman, where he satisfies his love of fly fishing, boating, and motorcycling.

Selected Positions/Professional Affiliations:

Charter Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America, Trial Lawyer Honorary Society, 2007.
Fellow, International Academy of Trial Lawyers, 2011
Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers, 2013
Charter Fellow, American College of Board Certified Attorneys, 2013
Member, American Board Of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) 2014

Certified Criminal Trial Specialist, National Board of Trial Advocacy, November, 1994; recertified 1994,1999, 2004, 2009, 2014

Certified Civil Trial Specialist, National Board of Trial Advocacy, December, 2009, 2014
The National Trial Lawyers, Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Connecticut, 2010- present

Member of the Connecticut Bar Association;
Member, Connecticut Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
Member, Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association
Member, Greater Bridgeport Bar Association

(Executive Committee 1982, 1987-90, Chairman – Criminal Law Section 1981-82, 84-85, President 1986-87)

Member, Connecticut Bar Association, Federal Judiciary Committee, Lawyer to Lawyer Dispute Resolution Committee, Media and the Law Committee.

Board of Aldermen, City of Bridgeport 1975-79. President Bridgeport Common Council, 1977-79. Commissioner, Bridgeport Airport Commission 1977-79.

Awards, Honors & Publications:
Connecticut Magazine Super Lawyers, 2006-2014 (voted Top Fifty Lawyers, 2006, 2012,
2013, 2014)

New England Super Lawyers ,2007-2014

Bar Registry of Pre-Eminent Lawyers;
Who’s Who in American Law
Who’s Who in Society
Who’s Who of Emerging Leaders in America
Who’s Who in Connecticut
Who’s Who in the East

Selected as one of Ten Best Criminal Law Attorneys for Connecticut, American Law Institute of
Criminal Law Attorneys, 2014

Recipient: United Way Community Builders Award, 2002
Catholic Charities Volunteer of the Year Award, 2000

American Jurisprudence Award for Torts, Lawyers Cooperative Publishing Company, 1972,

American Jurisprudence Award in Advanced Criminal Procedure, Lawyers Cooperative Publishing Company, 1972,

American Jurisprudence Award – Contracts, Lawyers Cooperative Publishing Company, 1972.

Lectures/Articles:
Lecturer, Connecticut Trial Lawyer’s Association, “Ethics for the Criminal Practitioner; how to keep from getting your ticket punched” April 2008

Lecturer, Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists, “Law and the Media” 2005, 2006

Lecturer, Greater Bridgeport Bar Association Seminar -“Criminal Practice–The Rules Have Changed” – December 11, 1995

Lecturer – Greater Bridgeport Bar Association Seminar – “An Alphabet Soup Guide to the G.A.” – January 31, 1994

Lecturer – Greater Bridgeport Bar Association Seminar,
“Pretrial Diversion Program and Alternative Dispositions in Criminal Cases” – 1989

Lecturer – Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association,
People’s Law School, Fairfield University 1988 – Present.

Lecturer in Criminal Law – Fairfield County Detective School 1988 – 1989

“Criminal Procedure Rules Changes”,
Greater Bridgeport Bar Association News Brief, October, 1995

Opinion Columnist, “Another View” Norwich Bulletin, 2007-present;
Weekly column discussing law related topics

Contributor, Cool Justice,
An online weekly blog discussing political corruption and the law, 2005-present

Columnist, “Due Process” ConnPost.com, 2009-present

Mr. Meehan recently authored a peer reviewed chapter in a treatise entitled, The Biggest Legal Mistakes Physicians Make, and How to Avoid Them, SEAK Publishing, 2005.

He has authored peer reviewed chapters on RICO (Racketeering), Conspiracy, and Insanity and the Death Penalty, in a legal anthology recently published by the University of Tennessee entitled, The American Encyclopedia of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.

Main Practice Area:

Criminal Defense

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