William N. Wright

Background

William N. Wright is a Principal in Cummings & Lockwood's Litigation Group and is based in the Stamford office.

Will is an experienced commercial litigator known for his dedication to client service and his ability to achieve favorable outcomes in complex disputes. He represents both individuals and businesses across the full spectrum of commercial matters, including partnership and shareholder disputes, claims for breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty, and complex land use and property tax appeals. Will also has extensive experience as a probate litigator — both in state Probate Courts and in probate appeals to the Superior Court and beyond — where he has represented clients in will contests, conservatorship appointments, and other trust and estate litigation matters.

Will has represented clients in both jury and bench trials and also has significant appellate experience in state and federal appeals courts. In 2023, he successfully argued an appeal before the Connecticut Supreme Court in what is now considered the leading case in Connecticut on the enforceability of no-contest clauses in wills and trusts.

After graduating law school in 2008, Will worked for one year as a law clerk to Judge Robert E. Beach of the Connecticut Appellate Clerk. He joined Cummings & Lockwood in 2011, where he is currently a Principal in the firm’s Litigation Group in Stamford. Since 2021, he has been recognized as among the “Ones to Watch” by The Best Lawyers in America.

Will lives in Stamford with his wife and three children. He is currently the Chairman of the Board for the Stamford Downtown Special Services District, which is the largest business improvement district in the state of Connecticut.

Practice Areas

• Litigation Group
• Business and Commercial Litigation
• Closely-Held Business Litigation
• Employment Litigation
• Real Property and Environmental Litigation
• Trusts and Estates Litigation
• Appellate Litigation
• Tax Controversy and Litigation
• Fiduciary and Probate Litigation Group
• Trusts and Estates Litigation

Education

• University of Connecticut School of Law (J.D., with honors, 2008) Connecticut Law Review, Editor
• Boston College (B.A., 2005)

Bar Admissions

• New York, 2011
• Connecticut, 2008
• United States District Court, District of Connecticut
• United States District Court, Southern District of New York
• United States Court of Appeals, Second Circuit

Professional Organizations

• Connecticut Bar Association
• Fairfield County Bar Association
• The Raymond E. Baldwin American Inn of Court

Professional Recognition

• The Best Lawyers in America, "Ones to Watch", 2021 - Present

Civic and Philanthropic Activity

• Stamford Downtown Special Services District, Board Chairman
• Newfield Swim & Tennis Club, Board Member

Matters

• Prevailed on appeal before the Connecticut Supreme Court in a case establishing a public policy exception to the enforcement of in terrorem/no-contest clauses in wills and trusts under Connecticut law. Opinion

• Obtained full dismissal in federal court on behalf of an NBA agent on all claims alleging that the agent stole a client from another agent and violated the National Basketball Players Association Player Agent Regulations. Opinion
• Successfully represented a large international law firm in a lawsuit seeking damages in excess of $10 million for the alleged breach of a confidentiality agreement by obtaining both summary judgment at the trial court level and successfully defending the appeal before the Connecticut Appellate Court. Opinion
• Successfully represented executor of estate on appeal before the Connecticut Appellate Court in case alleging tortious interference with inheritance and tortious interference with contract. Opinion
• Successfully obtained a reversal from the Connecticut Supreme Court on behalf of a pro bono client who was a 9/11 widow in a case concerning the client’s access to funds awarded to her by the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund for the benefit of her minor daughter. Opinion
• Obtained a reduction of more than $30 million in assessed fair market value on a large office complex for a client in a commercial tax appeal, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in yearly tax savings for the client.
• Successfully represented an individual in a large commercial arbitration matter seeking hundreds of millions of dollars in damages
• Obtained summary judgment before the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut on behalf of an estate in a lawsuit concerning the entitlement to roughly $4 million in proceeds from a Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan
• Obtained a six-figure settlement in a fraud action concerning misleading investment materials that had induced an investment from our client
• Successfully represented developers in land use appeals concerning decisions by the Stamford Board of Representatives to overturn decisions by the Stamford Zoning Board and the Planning Board
• Obtained a summary judgment on behalf of a neighborhood association against a resident in a dispute involving the construction of a new home
• Represented a Fortune 500 corporation in its commercial tax appeal resulting in a multimillion dollar reduction in assessment
• Represented a developer in an appeal involving a multimillion dollar turnover order before the Second Circuit Court of Appeals

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™
• Five Cummings & Lockwood Attorneys Recognized as “Ones to Watch” in 2021 by The Best Lawyers in America
• 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 Successfully Represents 9/11 Widow in Connecticut Supreme Court