CONTACT
Deborah Monteith Neubert construction law employment law attorney in New Haven CT

Deborah Monteith Neubert

Founding Principal

195 Church Street, 13th Floor, New Haven, CT 06510

Phone: 203.821.2000 | Fax: 203.821.2009

Education

  • University of Connecticut School of Law, J.D.
  • Williams College, B.A. with Honors
Biography

Deborah Monteith Neubert is a founding partner of Neubert, Pepe & Monteith, P.C. Her practice focuses on Construction Law & Design Professionals Liability, and she also practices in the areas of Employment Law and Alternative Dispute Resolution & Mediation.

In her construction law practice, Deborah conducts contract drafting and negotiations, specification review, change order negotiations, claims analysis, project close-outs, dispute resolution, mediation, and litigation. She represents design professionals, owners, and contractors during all phases of planning, development, design, and construction. She represents a large Connecticut municipality as outside construction counsel, working on federal and state funded large construction projects in planning, bidding, contracting, surety issues, claims assessment and resolution, mediation, and construction litigation.

Deborah also represents design professionals in professional liability claims and litigation. Recent projects for owners and design professionals include negotiations and contract drafting for one of the first federally funded large-scale design-build projects in Connecticut on behalf of the owner; mediation and resolution of a multi-party claim involving settlement of a new municipal boathouse; litigation arising from several Connecticut school construction projects; and litigation involving the Dunkin’ Donuts Ballpark in Hartford.

As a litigator, she has been involved in many of Connecticut’s most high-profile construction cases. She is the co-author of two professional practice publications for design professionals and has given numerous seminars in this area. In addition to representing clients in litigation, mediation, and arbitration, she has served as an arbitrator and as a mediator.

In employment and labor law, Deborah primarily works as a legal consultant in human resources, including drafting policies, advising on Connecticut law and its application to personnel issues, and conducting employment contract negotiations. She regularly drafts employment agreements and severance agreements. Additionally, she consults on FMLA, disability and discrimination law, wages and hours law, and other statutory compliance issues. She has performed internal investigations for clients and third parties. She has also handled numerous cases before state and federal administrative agencies and courts. She is on the roster of hearing officers for National Arbitration and Mediation (NAM).

Deborah is a member of the American Bar Association, Forum on the Construction Industry. She is also a member of the Connecticut Bar Association, serving on the Construction Law Section Executive Committee. She is also in the Labor and Employment Section. She is active in the New Haven County Bar Association.

Deborah graduated with honors from Williams College and received her law degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law.

Professional Memberships
Honors & Awards
Speaking Engagements
Representative Cases

Representative court decisions include:

  • Canale v. KBE Bldg. Corp. et al, 2017 Conn. Super LEXIS 4389 (Conn. Super. Sept. 5, 2017) (claims brought against defendant/intervening defendant/apportionment defendant architecture firm for alleged negligent design require expert testimony)
  • Danbury Sports LLC et al. v. Harry N. Pharr Architect + Planner LLC d/b/a Pharr + Anderson, DBD-CV-11-6006358-S, July 28, 2015, (confirmation of arbitration award, attorney’s fees and costs, prevailing party)
  • Town of Beacon Falls v. Towers Golde LLC, 050610 CTSUP, CV0960013455 (2010) summary judgment, indemnity, statute of limitations, municipal immunity)
  • MEPT Chapel St. v. SLCE Architects, CV-09-5027764 (March 19, 2010) (dissolution of mechanic’s lien for failure of oath)
  • State of Connecticut vs. Lombardo Brothers Masonry, et al., 307 Conn. 412, 54 A.3d 1005 (Conn. 2012) (nullum tempus, sovereign immunity, summary judgment)
  • Stamford Wrecking v. City of New Haven, 120808 CTSUP, CV0850131025 (December 8, 2008) (implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, negligent misrepresentation, negligent supervision, conspiracy counts struck against City)
  • United Steel, Inc. v. Spiegel, Zamecnik & Shah, 42 Conn. L. Rptr. 476) March 27, 2007) (apportionment, economic loss doctrine, third party claims)
  • Ward v. Monighan & Associates, 050505 CTSUP, X08CV0201877395 (2005) (summary judgment under Section 31-293c, waiver of subrogation, special defense against employer)
  • Fairfield v. Commercial Roofing et al.(X02) CV-02-0175746-S (2003) (summary judgment, duty of care, waiver of subrogation, worker’s compensation immunity for architects pursuant to C.G.S. Section 31-293(c))
  • Ahern v. Fuss & O’Neill, Inc., 78 Conn. App. 202, 826 A.2d 1224, cert. denied 266 Conn. 903, 832 A. 2D 64 (2003) (summary judgment, sufficiency of and requirement for expert testimony)
  • Cruet v. Carroll, 2001 WL 1570228 Conn. Super Ct. (striking implied warranty claim against architect)
  • Amity Regional School District #5 v. Atlas Construction, 2000 Conn. Super Ct. 9374-ag (established oral joint defense privilege)
  • Tolchinsky v. Town of East Lyme, No. 534710 (November 16, 1995) (action by homeowner against surveyor stricken for lack of privity or duty owned)
  • Piccoro v. Lockwood, Kessler & Bartlett, 1993 Ct. Sup. 3858, (Conn. Super. Ct. 1993) (apportionment, sovereign immunity by the State)
  • Gambardella v. G. Fox & Co., 716 F.2d 104 (2d Cir. 1983) (seminal decision, Truth in Lending Act)
Bar Admissions
  • Connecticut
  • U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 1st Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit