Kapusta, Otzel & Averaimo
Attorneys
OUR ATTORNEYS
Paul Lewis Otzel has been actively practicing law since 1979. He is also licensed to practice in the United States District of Connecticut, United States Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.
Areas of Practice
Areas of Practice
- Civil Litigation
- Wills and Probate
- Elder Law
- Real Estate
- Bank Representation: Foreclosures, Bankruptcy
- Landlord/Tenant
- Land Title
Education
Mr. Otzel is married to Colleen Otzel, and they have two children, Richard and Daniel. Richard is an attorney with the Florida law firm of Mierzwa Associates, P.A., specializing in representing public and private labor organizations. Daniel is a senior at Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, Connecticut.
Special Interests
- 1976 graduated from Fairfield University of Fairfield, Connecticut with a B.A. in History
- 1979, graduated from Suffolk University Law School of Boston, Massachusetts with a Juris Doctorate
- Interned at Boston law firm of Broderick and McManus and argued his first cases as a Suffolk University Legal Assistance Bureau student attorney.
- Litigation Counsel for Fidelity National Title Insurance Company, Chicago Title Insurance Company, First American Title Insurance Company
- Counsel to The Milford Bank
- Litigation Counsel to Nationstar Mortgage, LLC.
- Corporation Counsel (Pro Bono) Devon Rotary Club, Inc.
- Corporation Counsel (Pro Bono) Bridgeport Elks Lodge No. 3
- American Bar Association
- Connecticut Bar Association
- Milford Bar Association
- Served as Association’s fifth president
- Executive Secretary since 2003
- Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Bridgeport Lodge #36
- Connecticut Elks Association Committee Chair for site selection
- Member of National Committee on Laws
- Elk of the Year 1986
- Devon Rotary Club, holding positions of Secretary, Treasurer, President and Director
- Oliver Andras Founders Award for Rotarian of the Year
- Triple Sapphire Paul Harris Fellow
- Established Devon Rotary Foundation Trust, a 501(c) (3) charitable organization, and served as chair
- Milford Chamber of Commerce
- Director for 5 years
- Chairman Summer Concert series for 25 years
- Lifetime Volunteer Award 1995
- Established Edward Meinket Foundation Trust, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization
- New Haven Legal Assistance Association, Inc. (Past Director)
- Connecticut State Senator Gayle Slossberg (Campaign Treasurer)
Mr. Otzel is married to Colleen Otzel, and they have two children, Richard and Daniel. Richard is an attorney with the Florida law firm of Mierzwa Associates, P.A., specializing in representing public and private labor organizations. Daniel is a senior at Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, Connecticut.
Special Interests
- Paul Lewis Otzel brings over thirty years of practicable experience to the legal marketplace.
- Being a trial lawyer with a heavy Motion Practice provides the basis for aggressive representation of clients’ interests.
- Attorney Otzel prides himself on the ability to offer high production legal services to financial and banking institutions, management and reporting for portfolio accounts, as well as rapid resolution of commercial issues.
- Efficient, complex document draftsmanship is a particular area of pride.
- Despite a large concentration on large volume or commercially complex matters, a significant portion of Attorney Otzel’s representation remains individuals and families.
- As an attorney, Attorney Otzel has overseen in excess of five thousand (5,000) residential closings, five hundred (500) wills/elder plan and weekly settlement of decent estates throughout Connecticut’s probate courts.
- Attorney Otzel is equally comfortable at a corporate board meeting as among multiple family members discussing elder plans, wills and life directives.
- No aspect of the law is more fulfilling to Attorney Otzel than acting as counselor and corporation counsel for numerous Non-Profit Organizations including civic corporations and IRS recognized 501 (c)(3) charities.
Mr. Averaimo joined the law firm of Kapusta & Otzel in 2001. He became a partner of what is now known as Kapusta, Otzel & Averaimo in 2008 and has been actively practicing law since 2001. He is licensed to practice in the Connecticut Superior Court, Federal District Courts of Connecticut, Federal Bankruptcy Courts of Connecticut and the State Appellate and Supreme Courts. He has also served as Adjunct Professor of business law at the University of New Haven and currently teaches courses in Short Sales and 1031 Exchanges and the Basics of CT Foreclosures for the Dares Institute.
Areas of Practice
Areas of Practice
- Civil and Corporate Litigation
- Probate Administration and Litigation
- Title Litigation
- Wills and Estate Planning
- End to end default services
- Commercial Real Estate Transactions and Litigation
- Landlord/Tenant Law
Notable Legal Activities Past and Present
Mr. Averaimo is married to the former Tracie Rauccio and they have two daughters, Shaelyn and Madelyn. He loves spending time with his family, and also competing in USTA-sanctioned tennis matches and tournaments.
- Litigation Counsel for Fidelity National Title Insurance Company, Chicago Title Insurance Company and First American Title Insurance Company
- Counsel to the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority in Foreclosure Matters throughout the State of Connecticut
- Conducted significant research in equitable adoption principles, ownership and holder of Promissory Notes in foreclosure litigation, fraudulent conveyances, the Mortgage Release Statute and Home Improvement Contractor’s Act
- Assist The Milford Chamber of Commerce, Inc. and The Boys and Girls Club of Milford, Inc. with corporate governance, compliance and other legal matters
- Conducted many presentations before numerous Real Estate Companies regarding Real Estate Transactions and Their Legal Effects upon Realtors and Attorneys as well as Foreclsoures, Short Sales and Loss Mitigation providing a road map through the legal process
- Presented Business Formation and the Law on behalf of SCORE at Platt Tech Regional Technical Vocational School and Jonathan Law High School
- Presented the seminar “Estate Planning and Title XIX: A Discussion of the Probate Process, Creation of Wills and Trusts and Protecting Assets as an Adult Child or Individual at several local Senior Centers, Assisted Living Facilities, and Adult Day Activity Centers
- Presented a seminar on “Ethics, Sexual Harrassment and the Law as it relates to Licensed Massage Therapists at several Massage Therapy Schools.
- Co-corporation Counsel to Milford Progress Inc.
- 1998 graduated from Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York with a Bachelors of Arts in History and Minor in English Literature.
- 2001 graduated from Quinnipiac University School of Law, Hamden, Connecticut.
- Milford Bar Association
- Connecticut Bar Association
- Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association
- Milford Chamber of Commerce
- Chairman 2011
- Board of Directors (2004 to Present)
- Executive Committee (2008 to Present)
- Ambassador Committee, (2001 to 2007), Chairman (2005 to 2007)
- Ambassador of the Year Award, 2004
- Milford Progress, Inc.
- Devon Revitalization Committee
- Milford Columbus Committee
- Boys and Girls Club of Milford
- Former Director and currently Incorporator
- New Haven Business Times “Forty Under 40” Award in recognition of personal achievement and community involvement.
- "Helping Milford Grow" Award for professional and community contributions to the City of Milford.
Mr. Averaimo is married to the former Tracie Rauccio and they have two daughters, Shaelyn and Madelyn. He loves spending time with his family, and also competing in USTA-sanctioned tennis matches and tournaments.
Marisa M. Engel joined the law firm of Kapusta & Otzel in 2005 as a file clerk while she was still in high school. She continued to work for Kapusta & Otzel, which is now known as Kapusta, Otzel & Averaimo, as a legal secretary and legal intern from that time until November 2012, when she joined the firm as an attorney licensed to practice law in Connecticut.
Areas of Practice
Areas of Practice
- Estate Planning
- Elder Law
- Probate Administration and Litigation
- Real Estate
- Civil Litigation
- Corporate Law
Education
Academic Awards
Memberships
Personal Information
Ms. Engel met her husband in Berlin Germany while studying abroad in Prague, Czech Republic, so travel has and always will be an important part of her life. She enjoys reading literature as well as the constant adventures of home ownership.
- 2009, Graduated from Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts, with a B.A. in History and Literature Honors.
- 2012, Graduated from Quinnipiac University School of Law, Hamden, Connecticut, with a Juris Doctorate
Academic Awards
- Inaugural Member of the Honors Program at Suffolk University
- English Department Recognition Day Achievement Award
- Sigma Tau Delta (English Honors Society)
- Phi Alpha Theta (History Honors Society)
- Rosalie L. Warren Prize for Distinguished Achievement in English
Memberships
- Milford Bar Association
- Connecticut Bar Association
Personal Information
Ms. Engel met her husband in Berlin Germany while studying abroad in Prague, Czech Republic, so travel has and always will be an important part of her life. She enjoys reading literature as well as the constant adventures of home ownership.
Chris Groleau joined Kapusta, Otzel & Averaimo in 2013. He spent 18 months as a foreclosure clerk at the Superior Court in New Haven, Connecticut where he was an intricate part of the foreclosure docket and its management.
Areas of Practice
Areas of Practice
- End to end default services including (but not limited to)
- Evictions
- Title Curative
- Complex non-routine litigation
- Mediation
- Appeals
- TILA, FDCPA, CFPB and RESPA regulations
Chris also has an extensive background in Real Estate and REO transactions.
Education
Chris is a member of the Southern Connecticut Hockey League, USA Hockey and USGA.
- Chris graduated from Quinnipiac University with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and obtained his JD from Quinnipiac University School of Law.
- Milford Bar Association
- Connecticut Bar Association
Chris is a member of the Southern Connecticut Hockey League, USA Hockey and USGA.
