Shipman & Goodwin Attorneys Ali Haffner and Mike Meo Named to Fairfield County Business Journal's 40 Under 40 List

STAMFORD, Conn. (June 24, 2010) - Shipman & Goodwin is pleased to announce that Ali Haffner and Mike Meo have been named to the 2010 Fairfield County Business Journal's 40 Under 40 List for their extraordinary business leadership, professional commitment and success in the field of law. The 40 Under 40 List recognizes 40 of the best, brightest and most promising business people in Fairfield County who are under the age of 40. Both were honored last week at an awards event at the University of Connecticut in Stamford.

Ali Haffner, of Danbury, CT, is a Partner in the firm's Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation practice. Before returning to Shipman & Goodwin in 2007, Ali spent eight years as in-house employee benefits and executive compensation counsel to International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) at its corporate headquarters in Armonk, New York. Her experience and unique in-house perspective now benefit the firm’s clients as she advises employers on all aspects of tax-qualified employee benefit plans, executive and equity compensation arrangements and health and welfare benefits. She regularly serves as counsel to pension plan committees, advising on the committee members' fiduciary responsibilities under ERISA. Ali is a member of the firm's Diversity Committee, a Board member of the CT Chapter of the National Association of Stock Plan Professionals, a Girl Scout leader, Danbury Youth Soccer coach and co-founder and co-chair of the Danbury chapter of the Interfaith Community. Ali can be reached at ahaffner@goodwin.com or (860) 251-5091.

Mike Meo, of Riverdale, NY, is a Partner in the firm's Litigation Department, and a co-chair of the firm's Construction and Real Estate Litigation Practice. He has represented owners, developers, construction managers, contractors, and design professionals in a wide array of construction matters, including payment disputes, nonperformance, delay claims, bond claims and mechanic's liens. Mike also practices in the areas of complex business and real estate litigation, and has represented clients in both state and federal courts in matters involving business torts, breach of contract, partnership and corporate disputes, lender liability, mortgage foreclosures, title defense, landlord/tenant and other real estate disputes. Mike is a past President of the Stamford Rotary Club, and is now an Assistant Governor for Rotary District 7980. He is a Board member of the Housatonic Community College Foundation and chair of its Board Governance Committee, and is an Eagle Scout and the Cubmaster of Cub Scout Pack 24 in Riverdale. Mike can be reached at Rmeo@goodwin.com or (203) 324-8105.