Barry, Taylor & Levesque, LLC

04/07/2026

We had a great time out on Main Street in Manchester with Ryan Barry and Anthony Spinella, who stopped for a quick photo with the Easter Bunny to celebrate the season!

At Barry & Spinella, LLC, we’re proud to be part of this community—both in and out of the office. Moments like these remind us how special Manchester truly is.

As the Easter holiday weekend approaches, we want to wish everyone a joyful, relaxing time with family and friends. Happy Easter from all of us at Barry & Spinella, LLC!

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03/31/2026

Barry and Spinella, LLC was proud to attend and support the 2nd Annual March Madness Basketball Competition hosted by Journey Found and MARC, Inc. of Manchester! Our team—Ryan Barry, Danielle Jankowski, Anthony Spinella, and Eric Anderson—had a fantastic time not only helping sponsor the event, but also stepping onto the court and joining in the action. It was an incredible day filled with teamwork, energy, and community spirit. Events like this truly highlight the power of connection and inclusion—bringing organizations and individuals together through the excitement of basketball and friendly competition. A big thank you to the organizers and everyone who participated. We’re honored to be part of such a meaningful event and look forward to next year!

03/03/2026

Understanding the difference between a nolle and a dismissal of your arrest in Connecticut can have important legal consequences. Our latest article explains what each term means, how they affect your record, and why the distinction matters when navigating the criminal justice process. Read more:

Learn the difference between a nolle and a dismissal in Connecticut and how a criminal defense lawyer can help protect your rights after an arrest.

02/17/2026

Can you own a pistol in Connecticut if you have a medical ma*****na card? The answer isn’t always simple. Our latest article explains how state and federal laws can impact firearm rights for medical cannabis patients. Read more:

Learn how Connecticut law treats firearm ownership and concealed carry for individuals with a medical ma*****na card.

02/10/2026

If you’re injured in a hit-and-run accident, you still have legal options to seek compensation and protect your rights. Learn what steps you can take and what to expect:

Learn what to do after a hit-and-run accident and review the legal options that may be available to you.

11/24/2025

Using AI in the legal field offers powerful benefits, but it also raises serious ethical considerations around confidentiality, accuracy, and attorney responsibility. Learn what lawyers need to know to use AI responsibly while protecting clients and complying with professional rules:

Attorney Brendon Levesque’s recent CBA presentation explores key ethical challenges and responsibilities for lawyers integrating AI into their legal work.

11/20/2025

Lawyers are required to understand the benefits and rules on new technology, including cybersecurity. That was the core message from our attorneys, Brendon P. Levesque and Michael S. Taylor, during their Connecticut Bar Association CLE presentation: "Cybersecurity & Legal Ethics: Protecting Client Data."

For any law firm, protecting your sensitive information—especially in Criminal Defense and Personal Injury matters—is an ethical obligation. Read more about the Rules of Professional Conduct, and how they demand safeguards and thorough precautions.

Explore key takeaways from Attorneys Brendon Levesque and Michael Taylor’s CBA presentation on cybersecurity and legal ethics.

11/12/2025

Barry, Taylor & Levesque, LLC is proud to share that Attorney Michael S. Taylor recently argued before the Connecticut Supreme Court in DeCicco v. Dynata LLC, a wrongful death case arising from a tragic 2017 fire in Davao City, Philippines.

The appeal centers on whether Connecticut courts must make a “meaningful assessment” of a foreign judicial system before dismissing a case under the doctrine of forum non conveniens. Attorney Taylor urged the Court to ensure that defendants meet their burden of proving that an alternative forum is both adequate and available before denying victims and their families access to justice.

This case could have far-reaching implications for Connecticut’s approach to cross-border litigation and the rights of international plaintiffs.

Barry, Taylor & Levesque, LLC is proud to share that Attorney Michael S. Taylor recently argued before the Connecticut Supreme Court in DeCicco v. Dynata LLC, a wrongful death case arising from a tragic 2017 fire in Davao City, Philippines.

10/28/2025

A recent case in Granby raises serious concerns about student safety and accountability within schools. Every child deserves protection from harm, and negligence should never be ignored. Learn more about this important case:

At Barry, Taylor & Levesque, we remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting the rights of children and families—especially when institutions fail to uphold their duty of care. A recent lawsuit filed in Hartford Superior Court brings to light a deeply troubling case involving the Granby school...

09/29/2025

We are proud to share news of a major appellate victory in State v. Nichols, where our team successfully secured a reversal before the Connecticut Appellate Court. Even more exciting — this marks Corinne Burlingham’s first appellate win. Congratulations, Corinne!

The Case Background

The defendant, Robert Lee Nichols, had been convicted at trial of assault in the first degree and risk of injury to a child. After the verdict, the defense filed a motion for a new trial, arguing that the jury’s decision was against the weight of the evidence.
The trial court denied that motion, but in doing so, it applied the wrong legal standard. Instead of independently evaluating whether the verdict raised “a substantial question regarding its reliability” — the proper test for a motion for a new trial — the court merely deferred to the jury’s findings, essentially treating the issue like a sufficiency of the evidence claim.

The Appellate Issue

This subtle but critical distinction became the focal point on appeal. The defense argued that the trial court’s reliance on the wrong standard effectively stripped the defendant of a meaningful review of the verdict’s reliability.
The Connecticut Appellate Court agreed. It found that the trial court had applied an incorrect legal standard in denying the motion for a new trial. As a result, the court reversed in part and remanded the case back to the trial judge with instructions to make a proper determination under the correct standard.

Corinne’s Role

This appellate victory is especially noteworthy because the winning issue was Corinne’s idea alone. She identified the trial court’s error when others had overlooked it, crafted much of the appellate briefing around it, and delivered persuasive oral argument before the Appellate Court.

Her innovative thinking and precise legal writing directly led to this important reversal, showing how appellate advocacy can protect clients by ensuring courts follow the law correctly.

Why This Matters

This decision highlights a fundamental principle of appellate practice: trial courts must apply the correct legal standard when evaluating motions for a new trial. Failure to do so undermines confidence in the verdict and denies defendants an essential safeguard in the justice system.

By securing this reversal, our firm not only protected the rights of our client but also reinforced the importance of trial courts independently reviewing verdict reliability when asked to do so.
Congratulations, Corinne!

Please join us in congratulating Corinne on her first appellate win — a reversal in State v. Nichols. Her insight, advocacy, and determination made all the difference. Bravo, Corinne!

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09/22/2025

"How We Got Charges Dropped in a Juvenile Sexual Assault Case"

Client’s case nolled due to alleged victim not cooperating with the State.

Earlier in the year, our juvenile client was arrested for s*xual assault in the 1st degree. The assault allegedly took place at a boarding school. One of the defenses we raised was that the alleged s*xual encounter was consensual. The State wanted to speak with the alleged victim and assess his/her credibility. After 6 months, the alleged victim refused to tell the State his/her side of the story. The State dropped the charges.

While the charges were pending, the case had a significant impact on our client’s life. The client had to live at home, get tutored, be monitored by probation, and face a great deal of social isolation. Now, the client has been able to enroll in another school and can play on a sports team and do other activities with no restrictions. Thankfully, the State acted fast to clear our client’s name. Too often, cases like this take several years to resolve.

Over the years, we have had a number of cases with similar facts. Two people engage in consensual s*x. When a third party finds out, one of the persons involved becomes embarrassed, or humiliated, or refuses to admit the s*xual activity to a parent who finds out, or to a steady boyfriend/girlfriend. The “victim” tells the police and an arrest is made. The arrest has a cascade effect on the accused: school expulsion, loss of housing privileges, loss of job, public humiliation, and much more. It is very important to examine very closely every piece of evidence, especially phone records and social media accounts of the “victim”. In this case, the “victim” reached out to our client through social media and that act damaged the State’s case. The credibility of the “victim” became questionable. Oftentimes, late disclosure, no physical evidence of assault and no record of reporting a s*xual assault in the “victim’s” medical records can help us defend our client. The facts can lead to a case being thrown out, or a client pleading guilty to a lesser included offense such as a lower degree of s*xual assault, a non-s*xual assault, or unlawful restraint. These charges could be misdemeanors and could also prevent the client from having to be listed on the s*x offender registry.

Case Results DISCLAIMER: The following results and outcomes listed on this page are specific to the cases described and are not a guarantee of results. Sexual Assault Client’s Case Nulled Due to Alleged Victim Not Cooperating With the State Earlier in the year, our juvenile client was arrested for...