James Rotondo

Practice Areas

James "Jim" Rotondo, a seasoned trial lawyer, represents a broad range of corporate clients in product liability, negligence, insurance coverage, class action and commercial litigation matters.

In his product liability practice, Jim defends retailers, suppliers and manufacturers of industrial equipment, aviation, automotive and consumer product lawsuits. He also represents clients in commercial litigation, and defends religious, charitable and educational organizations in lawsuits and claims alleging sexual abuse and breach of fiduciary and/or statutory duties.

In addition, Jim also represents insurers in litigation. With his deep understanding of this complex, fast-paced and highly regulated industry, he is able to assist them in disputes over coverage and business practices.

Clients seek out Jim for his extensive experience trying cases to verdict before judges and juries in state and federal courts in Connecticut and Massachusetts. He also has represented clients in matters pending in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, New Jersey and New York.

Admitted in these jurisdictions and courts:

- State of Connecticut

- Commonwealth of Massachusetts

- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

- U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut

- U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts

- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan

- U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York

Professional Memberships

Product Liability Advisory Council (PLAC)

American Board of Trial Advocates, Associate Member

Oliver Ellsworth Inns of Court, Emeritus

Publications

Co-author, "Mallory Ruling Leaves Personal Jurisdiction Deeply Unsettled," Law360, July 13, 2023

Co-author, "The Regulation of CBD and Delta-8 THC," For The Defense, September 2022

Presenter, "Alphabet Soup: The Regulation of CBD, CBN, Delta 8, Delta 10, and Other Cannabinoids," DRI Cannabis Law Seminar," DRI Cannabis Law Seminar, September 7, 2022

Co-author, "The Litigation Privilege: Immunity for False Pleadings and Discovery Responses?" Connecticut Law Tribune, April 19, 2022

Co-author, “Snapchat Case May Offer Opening For Design Defect Plaintiffs,” Law360, May 28, 2021

Co-author, "Chapter 12: Regulating Cannabis Products, Product Liability Litigation, Current Law, Strategies, and Best Practices, Second Edition," Product Liability Litigation, Current Law, Strategies, and Best Practices, Second Edition, April 1, 2021

Co-author, "Revisiting the Relatedness Standard" The Supreme Court's Decision in Ford Motor Co. v. Montana Eighth Judicial District Court Refines the Standard for Specific Jurisdiction and Leaves Unanswered Questions," Day Pitney Alert, March 29, 2021

Co-author, "Generations Winter 2021 - How Will Legal Landscape Around Cannabis Evolve Under New Administration?," Day Pitney Generations Newsletter – March 2021, March 10, 2021

Co-author, “Ohio: ‘Control’ determines whether Amazon is subject to strict liability,” Westlaw Today, November 6, 2020

Co-author, "May Amazon be held liable in strict products liability?" Westlaw Today, September 28, 2020

Co-author, "COVID-19 Update on Opening of Connecticut Courts," Day Pitney Advisory, June 10, 2020

Co-author, "Can He Do That? The Governor’s Authority to Suspend or Modify Statutes in an Emergency Like the Covid-19 Pandemic," Day Pitney White Paper, April 4, 2020

Experience

Tried property damage action arising out of the explosion of industrial equipment; verdict upheld on appeal to jury verdict of $18.3 million in favor of clients

Tried case involving collapse of suspended scaffold that resulted in two deaths to jury verdict in favor of client

Represented distributor of allegedly defective kerosene heater that resulted in significant burn injuries; tried to jury verdict in favor of client

Tried an action arising out of the denial of a disability claim to jury verdict in favor of client insurer

Represented homeowner's insurer in a declaratory judgment action; trial court granted summary judgment for insurer on the basis of an automobile exclusion in the policy, which was upheld on appeal

Represented an insurer in an insurance coverage case arising out of a series of product liability cases against its insured; after extensive discovery involving the production of millions of pages of documents and scores of depositions, the case was resolved favorably to our client through "baseball" arbitration

Represented disability insurance carrier in putative ERISA class action, successfully arguing that New York state law limitation on pre-existing condition provision did not apply because the choice of law provision need not be included in the Summary Plan Description, the absence of the choice of law provision in the Summary Plan Description did not prejudice the plaintiff, and even if New York law applied to the choice of law issue, New York law did not compel the application of New York substantive law. Woloshin v. Aetna Life Ins. Co., 2010 W.L. 723667 (S.D.N.Y. 2010)

Represented disability insurance carrier in putative ERISA class action, successfully arguing that plaintiff failed to exhaust remedies. Peck v. Aetna Life Ins. Co., 464 F. Supp. 2d 122 (D. Conn. 2006)

Education