Kensington Resident Honored at New CBA Awards Celebration

The Connecticut Bar Association (CBA) is proud to announce Attorney Harry N. Mazadoorian as the recipient of this year’s John Eldred Shields Distinguished Professional Service Award.

Harry N. Mazadoorian is a commercial arbitrator and mediator and serves as Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Center on Dispute Resolution at Quinnipiac University School of Law, having previously served on the faculty at the law school. Prior to that, he was employed by CIGNA Companies for 25 years and held a number of positions, including chief insurance counsel, vice president of government affairs, and assistant general counsel managing commercial litigation. While at CIGNA, he served as the first in house counsel dedicated exclusively to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) matters. He has been in private practice and has served as legislative commissioner for the State of Connecticut and corporation counsel for the city of New Britain.

Involved in ADR for over three decades, he was first appointed to the American Arbitration Association’s panel of arbitrators in 1976. He has served on the council of the ABA’s Section of Dispute Resolution and was the charter chairperson of both the section’s Mediation and Corporate Counsel. As a member of the Connecticut Bar Association, he holds membership in the Health Law Section and Alternative Dispute Resolution Section, serving on both sections’ executive committees.

The John Eldred Shields Distinguished Professional Service Award was presented to Mazadoorian at the CBA’s new annual awards celebration, “Celebrate with the Stars,” on April 3 at Cascade in Hamden sponsored by Geraghty & Bonnano LLC, Attorneys at Law and Kronholm Insurance Services.

For decades, the association has honored leaders in the legal profession for their professional accomplishments and community service as part of the CBA Annual Meeting. This year, a special evening was dedicated to recognizing Connecticut’s top judges and lawyers who make a difference through their work by demonstrating allegiance, dedication, conscientious service, commitment, and mentorship.

“Celebrate with the Stars” is an exciting occasion where professionals and supporters of the legal industry can mix and mingle with their peers in a lively, celebratory evening out. Other awards presented at “Celebrate with the Stars” included: the Henry J. Naruk Judiciary Award, the Charles J. Parker Legal Services Award, the Tapping Reeve Legal Educator Award, the Citizen of the Law Award, and The Honorable Anthony V. DeMayo Pro Bono Award.

Recipients of the John Eldred Shields Distinguished Professional Service Award are based on nominations submitted to the CBA Awards Committee and must meet the following criteria: be a member of the CBA; perform outstanding service through or on behalf of the CBA; provided such service to have benefitted members of the CBA the legal profession, or the community at large; and such service should cover a period of years and not be a single or isolated activity.

The Connecticut Bar Association is a professional association committed to the advancement of justice, the practice of law, the image of the profession, and public understanding of the law. For more information, please visit www.ctbar.org.