Denlea & Carton Welcomes Attorneys Leigh Smith and Jacqueline E. Fusco
Denlea & Carton LLP is pleased to announce that attorneys Leigh Smith and Jacqueline E. Fusco have recently joined the firm, further strengthening its litigation capabilities and expanding the firm’s bench of experienced attorneys serving clients in complex disputes.
“Leigh and Jackie bring substantive litigation experience, excellent legal discernment, and a laser-focused client advocacy approach to their work,” said Jeff Carton. “Their backgrounds complement the firm’s continued growth and our commitment to providing sophisticated, strategic counsel to clients facing complex legal and business challenges.”
Leigh Smith is a skilled litigator with significant experience in securities litigation, general and complex commercial litigation, consumer class actions, qui tam actions, and derivative actions. She has handled matters from inception through appeal, including factual investigations, pleadings, motion practice, discovery, depositions, trial preparation, settlement negotiations, and appellate work.
Before joining Denlea & Carton, Leigh represented companies, individuals, investors, and governmental entities in a broad range of commercial and complex litigation matters. Her experience includes work on matters involving discrimination claims, commercial disputes, derivative actions, Fair Housing Act litigation, securities fraud litigation, and qui tam actions. She also played a substantial role in litigation arising from the Tyco International securities matter and has represented clients in federal and state courts across multiple jurisdictions.
Leigh earned her J.D. from Cornell Law School, where she served as Acquisitions Editor of the Cornell Journal of Law and Public Policy and was a member of the Cornell Moot Court Board. She earned both her M.A. and B.A. from Rutgers University. She is admitted to practice in New York and New Jersey, as well as before the United States District Courts for the Southern, Eastern and Northern Districts of New York, the District of New Jersey, the District of Massachusetts, and the First, Second, Third, and Ninth Circuit Courts of Appeals.
Jacqueline E. Fusco is an experienced litigator who brings nearly 15 years of complex tort litigation and trial experience to Denlea & Carton. Before joining the firm, she was a senior associate at Wocl Leydon, LLC, where she handled products liability, mass tort, multidistrict litigation, and federal district court matters, including cases involving corporate defendants.
Jackie has managed matters from client intake through trial, including drafting complaints, discovery, depositions, expert disclosures, dispositive motions, trial preparation, jury voir dire, opening and closing statements, trial motions, and witness examinations. She has served as co-first chair at trial, argued motions from discovery through appeal to the Connecticut Supreme Court, and retained and prepared experts for depositions and trial.
Jackie’s litigation practice is strengthened by her medical and scientific background. Before graduating from law school, she worked as a registered nurse in a diverse array of healthcare settings. Her nursing and biology background enables her to expertly evaluate medical records, develop medical evidence, organize complex case materials, and work effectively with experts in complex civil matters.
She earned her J.D. from Quinnipiac University School of Law, where she received the Distinguished Academic Achievement Award in Law & Forensics and was a member of the Moot Court Honor Society. She earned her B.S. in Nursing and B.S. in Biology from The Catholic University of America. Jackie is admitted to practice in Connecticut, New York, and the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut and has been recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch.
