Overview
Thomas S. Lambert, a member practicing in Pullman & Comley's Litigation department, represents clients looking for high-quality, hands-on solutions to their litigation challenges. Tom regularly advises and assists clients in reaching resolution of their litigation matters through zealous courtroom advocacy. Tom has a wide range of experience in representing individuals, businesses, fiduciaries, and municipal clients in state and federal court. He represents clients in all phases of litigation, and in all manner of practice areas, including commercial litigation, insurance coverage disputes, complex personal injury, probate disputes, transportation, municipal liability and construction. Tom has successfully defended numerous cases to their conclusion, regularly resolving cases through dispositive motion practice, including numerous reported decisions and "zero dollar resolutions," settlement negotiation and mediation, arbitration, trial, and appellate briefing and argument. Tom has also successfully represented clients in contested probate court hearings throughout the state.
Prior to joining Pullman & Comley, Tom gained valuable litigation experience as an associate at a prominent litigation-boutique firm in Connecticut, where he spent nearly six years representing clients in court, mediations, depositions, and through extensive legal writing. Through this prior experience, Tom also became familiar with the insurance and property casualty industries, having worked with many different insurance carriers. During law school, Tom served as an intern in the U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut under U.S. Magistrate Judge William Garfinkel. He was a senior editor of Wake Forest School of Law's Journal of Law & Policy and the runner up in the Carolina regional for the American Association of Justice (AAJ) National Trial Team Competition. Tom also served as a clerk in the Fairfield Probate Court.
Tom has also dedicated himself to the practice of law, both within the firm and in the Fairfield County area, where he was born and raised. Since 2019, Tom has served as the Chair of the Civil Litigation Committee of the Fairfield County Bar Association. Tom was elected to the FCBA’s Board of Directors in 2020. Tom was also elected to the Connecticut Defense Lawyers Association’s Board of Directors in 2021. Tom maintains an active pro bono practice, assisting clients with their litigation needs. Also within the community, Tom was elected to the Fairfield Representative Town Meeting (RTM) in 2021. Tom routinely participates in firm volunteer activities, in addition to supporting his church and the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Office
Professional Affiliations
American Bar Foundation - Fellow
Fairfield County Bar Association – Former Board of Directors (2020-2024); Past-Chair (2021-2023), Civil Litigation Committee
Connecticut Defense Lawyers Association - Board of Directors - former member; Young Lawyers Committee
Connecticut Bar Association - House of Delegates, Member, District No. 5; Litigation Section Executive Committee (2022-2023)
Federal Bar Council – First Decade Committee
Raymond E. Baldwin American Inns of Court
Community Involvement
New Neighborhoods Board of Directors - Member, 2024
Fairfield's Fair Rent Commission - Chair, 2024
Fairfield Representative Town Meeting - elected representative, 2021-2023
Honors & Recognitions
Recipient of Westfair Business Journals’ 2021 Millennial + GenZ Awards (formerly 40 Under 40) for Fairfield and Westchester Counties
Appointed to the Connecticut Bar Association Presidential Fellows Program
Named a Moffly Media Top Lawyer in Fairfield County, 2021, 2023 and 2024 - Civil Law and Litigation
Recipient of the The Best Lawyers in America "Ones to Watch" award since 2021
Named to the Super Lawyers "Connecticut Rising Stars" since 2018 in the area of civil litigation: defense
Experience
- Successfully navigated founder of new aviation start-up through litigation involving former partnership.
- Obtained “zero dollar” voluntary dismissal of ADA action for client online retailer stemming from claims concerning client’s website.
- Successfully defended bank through evidentiary hearing, where court dismissed claims of improper use of, and transactions from, customer account.
- Achieved zero dollar resolution through voluntary withdrawal by the plaintiff of wrongful death claim against in-home nursing service.
- Assisted in the defense through trial, where the matter was dismissed, of claim for water-run off damage allegedly caused by commercial property owner.
- Assisted client jewelry company in successfully contesting and avoiding additional payment to vendors following claims for outstanding amounts.
- Secured significant payment from insurance company for client's commercial property fire loss after insurance carrier initially denied coverage.
- Obtained decrees on behalf of client hospital system in probate court hearings regarding the commitment of psychiatric patients and appointment of conservators of the person and estate.
- Assisted corporate client in obtaining maximum insurance benefit from carrier following employee defalcation.
- Prosecution and defense of corporate clients from claims for Unfair Trade Practices and Unfair Insurance Practice.
- Prosecution of insurance coverage claims on behalf of insured businesses against insurers refusing to honor coverage.
- Secured favorable outcome for client jewelry designer in defending and prosecuting claims against vendors for breach of contract and Unfair Trade Practices.
- In 2017, assisted in the successful defense through trial of what is believed to be the first spray polyurethane foam (SPF) product liability case tried in the country.
- In 2017, successfully briefed and argued the defense of an appeal taken from a dismissal in favor of a client on an issue of personal jurisdiction.
- Developed strategy and coordinated defense among defense bar for diminution of value claims for property damage.
- From 2013-2016, was the associate responsible for all Connecticut litigation arising out of the May 2013 Metro-North train derailment in Bridgeport, Connecticut, a mass tory resulting in over 100 claims and lawsuits from nearly 60 plaintiffs in Connecticut.
News & Insights
News
Publications
Press Releases
Practice Areas
Bar and Court Admissions
- Connecticut
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
- U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
Education
Wake Forest University School of Law, J.D., 2013
Pepperdine University, B.A., magna cum laude, 2010