With over twenty years of industry experience, Zisca St. Clair focuses her practice in the areas of insurance defense, commercial litigation, motor vehicle liability and product and premises liability matters. Zisca joined Perez Morris in 2022. A seasoned litigator, Zisca’s expertise spans all phases of litigation in state and federal courts, including discovery, fact, and expert witness depositions, motion, trial, and appellate practice. She has served as first chair at trial in civil litigation matters.

Zisca represents educational institutions, including independent schools, colleges and universities in general liability matters. Zisca also conducts investigations of former and current employees on behalf of corporate entities and participates in sovereign immunity matters concerning Indian Tribes. Zisca has defended attorneys, insurance adjusters, state employees and others before the Statewide Grievance Committee.

Zisca has extensive experience handling a range of business litigation matters, including debt/contract collections, contract disputes, and loan modifications; defamation cases involving public figures and officials; civil matters involving claims of embezzlement and conversion; and civil actions for sexual assault. In addition, Zisca handles intellectual property litigation matters involving breach of intellectual property agreements, non-compete agreements, confidentiality agreements, and fiduciary duties; as well as tortious interference with business relationships or expectancies, violation of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act (CUTPA), injunctions and probate litigation.

Zisca’s motor vehicle liability practice includes matters involving motor vehicle accidents, truck accidents, bus accidents, and uninsured and underinsured motorist claims. She also has experience with automotive consumer law, including odometer tampering and lawsuits involving automobile dealerships.

Zisca defends product liability matters involving various products, including product defects resulting in fires and significant bodily injury, including death. She has handled premises liability litigation involving slip and fall accidents, construction accidents (including NY Scaffold Law), mold litigation, and wrongful death.

Admissions

Connecticut, 2000

Mohegan Gaming Disputes Court, 2018

Mohegan Tribal Courts, 2018

U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut, 2001

New York, 2001

U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, 2003

Memberships & Affiliations

• Connecticut Bar Association, Member, 2001 – Present
• George Crawford Black Bar Association, Member, 2006 – Present
• Defense Research Institute, Member, 2006 – Present
• Hartford County Bar Association, Member, 2001 – 2016
• New York Bar Association, Member, 2001 – 2016
• Oliver Ellsworth Inn of Court, Barrister, 2005 – 2008
• Oliver Ellsworth Inn of Court, Pupil, 2001 – 2002

Presentations

• Fire Seminar, Spontaneous Combustion; The Phenomenon Deconstructed, Defense Research Institute, 2006
• Summary of Indian Tribal Courts, 2005

Published Opinions

• Pelletier v. Sordoni/Skanska Construction Co., 262 Conn. 372 (Conn. Supreme Ct. 2003)
• Pelletier v. Sordoni/Skanska Construction Co., 264 Conn. 509 (Conn. Supreme Ct. 2003)

Awards & Recognition

• Connecticut Super Lawyers Rising Star®, Civil Litigation: 2011, 2013 – 2014
• New Leader in the Law, Connecticut Law Tribune, 2012
• James W. Cooper Fellow, Connecticut Bar Foundation

Board Positions & Community Service

• The Artists Collective, Board Member, 2017 – Present
• The Hartford Promise, Mentor, 2018 – 2019