About Us

Collins, Deans & Melocowsky has been awarded the highest possible rating (av) by Martindale-Hubbel, the leading lawyer rating service in the United States.

The attorneys at Collins, Deans & Melocowsky, LLC have a well-established residential real estate practice, representing lenders, buyers and sellers of homes. They have a staff of four full-time real estate paralegals who are dedicated to residential closings. The attorneys and their staff have extensive knowledge and experience with title matters, and all aspects of closings. They are on the approved closing attorney list of virtually all mortgage lenders in the area.

The attorneys at Collins, Deans & Melocowsky, LLC are experienced with Commercial Real Estate as well, representing buyers, sellers, landlords, tenants and/or lenders in commercial real estate transactions.

Our firm has extensive experience handling Personal Injury, negligence, and medical malpractice claims. This includes claims for permanent disability and wrongful deaths where another person, company or municipality is at fault.

We work closely with our clients and all relevant providers to properly evaluate the liability and damages aspect of a negligence claim. We are fully staffed and experienced in all aspects of personal injury law.

We are actively involved in the area of Divorce & Custody and have assisted families in resolving disputes with compassion and concern. This includes all aspects of contested custody visitation and financial and property disputes. We also do pre-nuptial agreements, divorce mediation, and paternity matters.

Our Criminal Defense practice includes years of experience representing those accused of major felonies and misdemeanors. This includes all major crimes at the state and federal Court level. We have extensive experience at the local courts where we have successfully tried cases and negotiated plea agreements on behalf of our clients. Our firm also handles administrative hearings at the Department of Motor Vehicles when people are accused of drunk driving.

We also provide representation at Juvenile Court for children accused of crimes or parents accused of neglect by DCF.

The attorneys at Collins, Deans & Melocowsky, LLC are experienced and knowledgeable in the field of Estate Planning and Estate Settlement, including Wills, Trusts, Living Trusts, Living Wills, Durable Powers of Attorney and other planning techniques. Their goal is to assure that their clients realize their wishes with regard to protecting their assets during life and disposing of their estates at death. They advise clients as to the estate tax effects of their plans and recommend alternative solutions wherever appropriate.

When Estate Administration becomes necessary, our attorneys assist survivors with sensitivity and consideration, handling probate, property transfers, death taxes and other administrative matters efficiently.

The Business practice includes creating corporations, Sub-S corporations, LLCs, LLPs and sole proprietorships. They frequently handle the purchase/sale of a business, and-or buy-sell agreements between co-owners. In addition, they have expertise in Small Business Administration financing, often representing lenders or borrowers in SBA loan transactions.

BACKGROUND

	Attorney Deans started his legal career with the major Connecticut law firm of Cummings & Lockwood, where he spent eight years as an associate in the Real Estate Department. From there he was recruited by Capital Holding Corporation, an insurance conglomerate based in Louisville, KY, where he served as Assistant General Counsel and head of the Real Estate Section of the Law Department. He then moved up to become Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Barclays Business Credit, Inc., a unit of Barclays Bank PLC headquartered in Glastonbury, Connecticut. He eventually became General Counsel for several other Barclays units, including a US National Bank, a factor, a commercial leasing company and others. In 1994 he started his own law firm in Glastonbury, focusing on real estate and the legal needs of small businesses and their owners, including the areas of business law, secured lending, estate planning and estate settlement. In 1999 he became a co-founder of Collins & Deans, LLC.
	Attorney Collins began his legal career with the firm of Black, Buono, DelPrete and Flynn, P.C. in Framingham, Massachusetts where he managed the firm’s residential and commercial real estate conveyancing department. From there he joined the large Boston firm of Riemer and Braunstein where he was the managing attorney of the residential real estate department responsible for a very large and active conveyancing operation. Attorney Collins then became corporate counsel and secretary for Forum Holdings USA, a multi-national publicly traded holding company doing business throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. His duties as corporate counsel comprised a very diverse corporate practice involving the holding company and its 52 subsidiaries and affiliates throughout the world. He then moved to Connecticut where he became a partner in the firm of Blume, Elbaum & Collins, with areas of practice in small business and corporate law, commercial and residential real estate law and estate planning and probate law. In 1999 he became a co-founder of Collins & Deans, LLC.
	Paul Melocowsky is a founder of Melocowsky and Melocowsky. He handles all aspects of litigation including criminal matters, divorce and custody, and personal injury claims. Prior to becoming a partner at Melocowsky and Melocowsky in 1997, he served as a Public Defender in Hartford Superior Court. He has practiced for the previous twelve years in Superior Court locations in Hartford, Tolland, Middlesex, New Britain and Windham counties. Attorney Melocowsky also practices in several local Probate Courts where he handles contested estate matters. Attorney Melocowsky graduated from Quinnipiac School of Law in 1996 and the University of Connecticut in 1993.
	Steven Melocowsky is a founder of Melocowsky and Melocowsky. He handles personal injury and negligence claims, criminal matters, family matters and assists with real estate closings and will preparation. He has extensive litigation experience in Hartford, Tolland, Middlesex, New Britain and Windham counties as well as local Probate Courts. Attorney Melocowsky is associated with AARP, ARAG, Hyatt Legal Plans and Legal Club of America. He has conducted seminars for local insurance companies and lectures at the University of Connecticut. Attorney Melocowsky graduated from the University of Miami Law School in 1996 and the University of Connecticut in 1993.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

The attorneys of Collins, Deans & Melocowsky are very active in the community. Attorney Deans is Past Chairman of the Board of Managers of the Glastonbury YMCA; past Secretary and Member of the Board of Directors of the Exchange Club of Glastonbury; and past Member and Secretary of the Glastonbury Education Foundation. He is currently active as Counsel to and Member of the Board of Directors of the Glastonbury Chamber of Commerce.

Attorney Collins is active in the Glastonbury Republican Town Committee and served for many years on the Glastonbury Board of Education. He also served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Society to Prevent Blindness.

Attorney Paul Melocowsky is an active member of the Nayaug School Community where his children attend. He has lectured at local high schools and has provided legal services to local insurance companies and businesses.

Attorney Steven Melocowsky is also an active member of the Nayaug School Community. He speaks on legal matters at UCONN, local high schools and has served as counsel for members of AARP, Legal Club of America, and ARAG.