Practice Areas
General Law Practice
Comprehensive legal navigation for justice seekers, grounded in experience with criminal adjudication, mediation, and immigration.
At a Glance
- Criminal and appellate defense
- Family law matters
- Administrative law proceedings
- Family- and business-based petitions
Overview
Legal support across criminal, family, and administrative matters
The general law practice covers the broad range of matters that come with a general legal practice, from criminal and appellate issues to family and administrative law. Each engagement begins with a careful review of the facts and the applicable law.
Criminal & Appellate
Background in criminal adjudication supports representation at the trial and appellate stages, including work connected with the criminal appeals unit of the Connecticut Division of Public Defender Services for the 2012–2013 fiscal year.
Family Law
Advice and representation on family matters, drawn from experience handling family- and business-based petitions.
Administrative Law
Guidance through administrative proceedings, including the drafting of legislation for the Connecticut General Assembly as a legislative attorney.
Related Practice Areas
Immigration matters, estate planning, and certified mediation are offered alongside general law services, allowing complex matters to be handled within one office.
Practice Profile
A lawyer and an award-winning journalist
Attorney Marie P. Grady is licensed to practice law in Connecticut and Massachusetts and graduated from Western New England University School of Law in 2010. Before entering private practice, she served as managing editor of The Republican, the largest daily newspaper in Western Massachusetts, and as managing editor and writer for the Connecticut Law Tribune — a background that shapes a clear, persuasive approach to written advocacy.
She also interned with the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, and in 2010 earned certification and the highest semester grade in a 40-hour mediation course at Western New England College School of Law.
A general law practice serves as a broad entry point for people who need legal guidance but do not yet know how their situation fits into a specific category. Matters involving criminal charges, appeals, family disputes, and administrative proceedings all require careful reading of the facts, the applicable law, and the procedural timeline. Having a lawyer who has handled adjudication, mediation, and immigration work means each client receives a grounded perspective rather than a narrow one, and can be helped in navigating toward the justice they seek and deserve.
Mediation services offer an alternative to courtroom litigation, allowing parties to work through disagreements in a structured, confidential setting. For family matters, business disputes, and certain administrative issues, mediation can help individuals and organizations reach practical resolutions without the cost and strain of a full trial. A skilled mediator creates space for real dialogue, keeps the conversation focused on workable outcomes, and helps clients realize goals that litigation often leaves unrealized.
Every general law engagement begins with a consultation and a careful review of the client's circumstances. From criminal and appellate defense to family law matters and family- or business-based petitions, the process starts with listening, clarifying objectives, and building a strategy suited to the individual's needs. Clients are encouraged to pursue justice deliberately, understanding both their rights and the practical steps required to protect those rights, and to pursue their goals with confidence and realistic expectations.
Areas of Work
How the office can help
General law engagements often begin where another specialty ends. The table below lists the principal matters addressed and the related service pages where more detail is available.
| Matter | What it covers | Related page |
|---|---|---|
| Criminal & appellate | Representation through criminal adjudication and appeals | Contact |
| Family law | Family-based petitions and related disputes | Contact |
| Administrative law | Proceedings before administrative bodies and agencies | Contact |
| Immigration | Federal immigration petitions and appeals for individuals and businesses | Immigration |
| Mediation | Certified dispute resolution as an alternative to court | Mediation |
| Wills & estates | Personalized estate planning and documents | Wills |
Discuss your matter with Attorney Grady
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