West Hartford-based litigation firm Gfeller Laurie LLP has opened an office in Rutland, Vermont, and added three attorneys including a prominent ski litigation specialist — marking the firm’s second expansion in six months.
Three attorneys from the Rutland-based firm Cleary, Shahi & Aicher — partners Thomas P. Aicher and Kaveh S. Shahi, along with associate Ellie Gebarowski-Shafer — have joined Gfeller Laurie, the firm announced Monday.
The new Vermont office brings the firm’s total attorney count to 39.
Aicher, who has practiced trial law since 1991, regularly defends Vermont’s winter and summer resorts in sports injury claims and was named outside special counsel to the National Ski Areas Association in 2016. He is a former president of the Association of Ski Defense Attorneys.
The expansion follows Gfeller Laurie’s August opening of a Denver office, where it added three ski litigation specialists.
With Aicher’s addition, Gfeller Laurie now counts four former Association of Ski Defense Attorneys presidents among its attorneys, including co-founding partner Charles Gfeller, and Steve Zweig and Maryjo Zweig, who joined the firm’s Denver office.
Shahi and Gebarowski-Shafer add depth in other practice areas.
Shahi’s litigation experience spans insurance defense, civil rights, construction, medical and legal malpractice, and employment law. He is a fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers.
Gebarowski-Shafer focuses on estate planning, family court matters and the defense of tort claims.
Gfeller Laurie’s sports and recreation practice represents facilities throughout the United States and the Caribbean, including ski areas, ice arenas, water parks, rock climbing facilities, zip line operators and equine operations.
The firm now operates eight offices across Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Colorado and Vermont.
The new Vermont office is based in Cleary, Shahi & Aicher’s former office in downtown Rutland.
Cleary Shahi & Aicher’s other attorneys, partner Joel P. Iannuzzi and of counsel David L. Cleary, retired as of Jan. 1.
