Brian W. Colistra

A 2020 selection to Connecticut’s Lawyers of Distinction, Brian is a Partner in our New York City and Stamford Connecticut offices and has more than 20 years of experience as lead trial counsel, having conducted more than 100 bench and jury trials. During a five year career as an Assistant District Attorney, finishing in the prestigious Violent Felony Unit, he honed his trial skills on a daily basis, achieving a stellar felony and misdemeanor conviction record and earning a reputation as a tenacious trial lawyer.

In 2000 Brian entered Civil Practice and has brought the same passion and dedication to defending a wide variety of complex, high-exposure and often high profile cases in dozens of jurisdictions throughout the United States. His practice areas are diverse and include aviation, product liability, product recalls, premises liability, general liability, asbestos, labor law, municipal, transportation, construction defect and lead paint exposure. His outstanding trial work has continued in the civil venue, obtaining favorable trial results for our clients earning numerous directed and defense verdicts.

In his substantial national aviation practice he routinely defends airport owners and operators, aircraft manufacturers, component manufacturers and all manner of aviation industry vendors in matters ranging from complex and catastrophic aircraft crashes to simple slip and falls on airport property. His asbestos practice involves the defense of one of the world’s most respected motorcycle companies against wrongful death claims due to exposure to asbestos in the exhaust and brake components. Brian’s accomplishments as a litigator and his experience handling sensitive and complex wrongful death cases prompted a Fortune 500 Insurance Company to retain him to defend a high profile residential fire loss that received national attention due to the death of 5 family members on Christmas morning. He also currently serves as primary regional counsel defending claims of premises, product, general and automobile liability filed against the insureds of an A+ rated Insurance Company.

Brian has been a lecturer for the New York State Bar Association and has provided in-house Continuing Legal Education classes for insurance adjusters.