Our Attorneys
Joseph B. Summa
Joseph B. Summa has a BA from Wesleyan University, a Masters Degree in Labor Law and Organizational Behavior from Cornell University and a Law Degree from the University of Connecticut.He has served as advisor and counselor to local companies, municipalities, and Fortune 500 corporations in all aspects of labor and employment law including National and State Boards of Labor Relations proceedings, employment discrimination, workers’ compensation, arbitration, contract negotiations and general labor relations strategy. Mr. Summa is frequent lecturer at universities and before business organizations on workplace issues, discrimination law, preventative labor relations and collective bargaining. He has authored numerous articles including one of the earliest studies of State employee collective bargaining “Collective Bargaining for State Employees: A Look at the Statute and Relevant Decisions” Connecticut Law Review, Summer 1977.
In the public sector he has worked with numerous municipalities and public sector employers over the last 40 years primarily as Labor Counsel and/or Chief Negotiator. He has served as Chief Negotiator for the State of Connecticut in its negotiations with state employee unions. He has also served as Counsel for Charter Revision Commissions for the City of Waterbury in 2010, the Town of Watertown in 2011 and again for the City of Waterbury in 2014.
In addition to the practice of law, Joe has been involved in other civic and community interests. He was part of a special mediation team that successfully resolved an armed Indian takeover of a camp in the Adirondack Mountains. Joe also has been involved in various community activities including the “Armory 2000” project, Sacred Heart Alumni Hall, and the Fairlawn Park restoration project. He founded the “Connecticut Kingz” basketball program, an academic and athletic basketball program currently run out of the Waterbury YMCA that has helped local high school basketball players secure millions of dollars in basketball scholarships over the last 15 years.
Joe also has served on the Board of Directors for Sacred Heart High School and currently still serves as President of the Greater Waterbury YMCA Board of Directors.
Mary Jane Ryan
Mary Jane Ryan is a 1978 honors graduate of the University of Connecticut School of Law where she concentrated in the study of private and public sector labor law. Upon graduation from law school she served as a Law Clerk to the judges of the Superior Court of the State of Connecticut. She also served as Vice-President and General Counsel to the Associated General Contractors of Connecticut, Inc., a trade association comprised of major commercial and industrial companies that engaged in multi-employer bargaining with Connecticut's various construction unions. Since then, she has engaged exclusively in the practice of labor and employment law in the public and private sector, representing management in contract negotiations, binding interest arbitration under M.E.R.A., S.E.R.A., and the Teachers’ Negotiation Act, contractual grievance and arbitration proceedings, and other employment law matters, including unfair labor practice proceedings before the state and federal boards of labor relations and discrimination cases before CHRO and EEOC, as well as in state and federal court. For the last several years her practice has been heavily concentrated in the representation of social service and health care providers.
Ms. Ryan has been an adjunct professor of labor relations at Post University and has served as instructor for certificate programs in human resources management and personnel relations and the law. She has lectured before a variety of trade and professional associations on numerous labor law related topics including privacy issues in the workplace, sexual harassment and other forms of discrimination and wrongful termination. She is admitted to practice both in Connecticut and the State of Washington.
Ms. Ryan has served on the Board of directors of Shakesperience, Productions, Inc. and on the Town of Burlington Planning and Zoning Board. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Southmayd Home as the Chair of its Personnel Committee and as Treasurer of the Burlington Republican Town Committee.