Michael P. Kaelin

Background

Michael P. Kaelin is a Principal and Chairman of Cummings & Lockwood's Fiduciary and Probate Litigation Group. He also is a Principal in Cummings & Lockwood's Litigation Group, and Family Office and Closely Held Business Group, and represents clients in both Connecticut and Florida. 

Mike represents individuals, fiduciaries and businesses in probate, trusts and estates, conservatorship, guardianship, investment, employment and commercial disputes, including will contests, fiduciary removal proceedings, contested accountings, fee disputes, construction proceedings, undue influence actions, and commitment proceedings in trial and appellate courts in Connecticut and Florida.

Practice Areas

• Litigation Group
• Trusts and Estates Litigation
• Employment Litigation
• Business and Commercial Litigation
• Closely-Held Business Litigation
• Tax Controversy and Litigation
• Appellate Litigation
• Family Office and Closely Held Business Group
• Fiduciary and Probate Litigation Group - Chairman, Fiduciary and Probate Litigation Group
• Trusts and Estates Litigation

Education

• Duke University School of Law (J.D., 1984)
• Duke University (B.A., cum laude, 1981)

Bar Admissions

• Connecticut
• Florida
• New York
• United States District Court, District of Connecticut
• United States District Court, Middle District of Florida
• United States District Court, Southern District of Florida
• United States District Court, Southern District of New York
• United States District Court, Eastern District of New York
• United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
• United States Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
• United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
• United States Supreme Court

Professional Organizations

• Connecticut Bar Association
• The Florida Bar
• New York City Bar Association
• Craig S. Barnard American Inn of Court LIV, West Palm Beach, FL

Professional Recognition

• The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), Fellow
  • ACTEC Fiduciary Litigation Committee, Member
• Chambers and Partners, High Net Worth Guide, Notable Practitioner
• The Best Lawyers in America
• Martindale-Hubbell, AV Preeminent Rated
• Connecticut and New England Super Lawyers

Articles/Publications/Presentations

• Anatomy of a Will Contest
• Probate Jurisdiction and Procedure in Connecticut, 3d Edition, co-author, Thomson Reuters
• Probate Litigation in Connecticut, 3d Edition, co-author, Thomson Reuters

Matters

• Salce v. Cardello, 348 Conn. 90, 301 A.3d 1031 (2023)
• Hynes v. Jones, 331 Conn. 385, 204 A.3d 1128 (2019)
• DeNunzio v. DeNunzio, 320 Conn. 178, 128 A.3d 901 (2016)
• Dinan v. Patten, 317 Conn. 185, 116 A.3d 275 (2015)

Books & Guides

• Probate Jurisdiction and Procedure in Connecticut, 3d
• Probate Litigation in Connecticut, 3d

News & Press Releases

• Cummings & Lockwood Wins Significant Trust and Estate Litigation Case
• 29 Cummings & Lockwood Attorneys Named Best Lawyers® in Connecticut for 2023
• Stamford Office - 2023 Best Lawyers in America® and Ones to Watch™
• Cummings & Lockwood Garners the Top Spot in Private Wealth Law and Private Wealth Disputes in Connecticut in the Chambers 2021 High Net Worth Guide
• 18 Cummings & Lockwood Attorneys Named Top Lawyers in Fairfield County, Connecticut in 2021
• 35 Cummings & Lockwood Attorneys in Connecticut and Florida Have Been Named Among The Best Lawyers in America for 2021, 2 Attorneys Received Lawyer of the Year Awards and 8 Attorneys Have Been Identified as the Ones to Watch
• Cummings & Lockwood Garners the Top Spot in Private Wealth Law in Connecticut in the 2020 High Net Worth Guide
• 24 Cummings & Lockwood Attorneys Named in the 2020 Edition of Connecticut’s Best Lawyers
• 16 Cummings & Lockwood Attorneys Have Been Named 2019 New England Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
• 34 Cummings & Lockwood Attorneys in Connecticut and Florida Named Among The Best Lawyers in America for 2020
• Cummings & Lockwood Garners the Top Spot in Private Wealth Law in the 2019 Chambers High Net Worth Guide
• Cummings & Lockwood Successfully Represents 9/11 Widow in Connecticut Supreme Court
• Cummings & Lockwood Attorneys in Connecticut and Florida Named 2019 Best Lawyers in America
• 17 Cummings & Lockwood Attorneys Have Been Named 2018 New England Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
• 32 Cummings & Lockwood LLC Attorneys Named to 2018 Best Lawyers® List
• 17 Cummings & Lockwood Attorneys Have Been Named 2017 Connecticut Super Lawyers and 2017 Rising Stars
• 16 Cummings & Lockwood Attorneys Have Been Named 2016 Connecticut Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

Videos

• Anatomy of a Will Contest