Early, Lucarelli, Sweeney & Meisenkothen Lawyers Earn Top Honors


New Haven, CT - Two lawyers from the national law firm of Early, Lucarelli, Sweeney & Meisenkothen (ELSM) have been named “Lawyer of the Year” Honorees in Connecticut by the organization Best Lawyers®. Best Lawyers is recognized as the longest running and most highly regarded peer review publication in the legal profession.

  • Co-founder and president of the firm, James F. Early, has been named 2022 New Haven, Connecticut “Lawyer of the Year” in the area of Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions–Plaintiffs
  • Partner in the firm, Chris Meisenkothen, has been named 2022 New Haven, Connecticut “Lawyer of the Year” in the area of Workers’ Compensation Law–Claimants

Each year, Best Lawyers selects one lawyer in a particular practice area and location for this distinguished honor. Both Early and Meisenkothen were chosen for this honor by receiving the highest votes from their peers. These awards are published in the 2022 edition of New England’s Best Lawyers which can be viewed at https://www.bestlawyers.com/publications/new-england.

In response to being named “Lawyer of the Year,” Attorney Early said, “I am both grateful and humbled to receive this award. It has been an honor and privilege to fight for the rights of those many people who have suffered injury and death as a result of malfeasance and wrongdoing by the more powerful. This award also is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire staff at Early, Lucarelli, Sweeney & Meisenkothen LLC.”

Regarding receipt of his honor, Attorney Meisenkothen commented, “I am deeply honored and grateful to receive this award. It is a testament to the dedication and hard work of everyone at our firm, striving every day to do the best job we can for our clients.”

About Early, Lucarelli, Sweeney & Meisenkothen

Early, Lucarelli, Sweeney & Meisenkothen (ELSM) is a national law firm recognized for its representation of over 4,250 hardworking men and women who have been exposed to asbestos and diagnosed with mesothelioma. ELSM's experience in asbestos litigation spans four decades.

ELSM is completely devoted to its mesothelioma clients and works tirelessly on their behalf to recover top settlement dollars.

ELSM assists clients not only in filing civil lawsuits to recover for their injuries but also in filing workers' compensation and bankruptcy claims where appropriate.


Request a Free Case Evaluation

Request a free case evaluation now if you or someone you love has been diagnosed with mesothelioma. The evaluation will cost you nothing. Our lawyers will travel to visit you at your convenience or conference call with you over the phone. We understand how difficult a time this is for you and will assist in any way that we can. You can also call us toll-free at 1-800-336-0086 at any time.