Stewart Edelstein Honored for Exemplary Community Service by The Center for Women and Families of Eastern Fairfield County

October 07, 2009

Stewart I. Edelstein, chair of Cohen and Wolf, P.C.'s Litigation Department, was recently honored by The Center for Women and Families of Eastern Fairfield County, Inc. as an "exemplary community leader."

Mr. Edelstein, who lives in Fairfield, was honored for his commitment to the Center through his role as Executor of the Ruth Krauss Estate. The estate of the children's author uses royalties from her books (such as The Carrot Seed) and those of her husband Crockett Johnson (such as Harold and the Purple Crayon) to fund worthy causes that benefit children.

Mr. Edelstein received the honor along with Tom Gallo of Sikorsky Aerospace Maintenance at the Center's 12^th Annual Speaking of Women Luncheon on September 24th in Monroe, CT.

"These men are extraordinary partners in our work to strengthen families and prevent abuse," said Sarah Smith Lubarsky, director of Development for the Center.

The Center for Women and Families of Eastern Fairfield County, Inc. (http://www.cwfefc.org/) offers a variety of programs and services to address the ongoing issues of domestic violence and sexual assault. Its mission is to strengthen women and families and to eliminate violence and abuse through education, intervention, advocacy, and community collaboration. All services are free to residents of Bridgeport, Fairfield, Easton, Stratford, Trumbull and Monroe. Last year, the Center served more than 4,500 clients and sheltered over 130 women and children. The Center's Community Educators informed and trained more than 9,500 children and adults about the effects of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Mr. Edelstein is a principal at Cohen and Wolf, where he is resident in the firm's Bridgeport office. He has more than 35 years' experience representing clients in all aspects of commercial litigation. His clients include Fortune 500 and other national corporations as well as leading municipalities and notable individuals. Litigators at many prominent New York law firms call on Mr. Edelstein as local counsel in complex matters of all types.

Mr. Edelstein has been certified as a member of the American Arbitration Association's Commercial Panel. He has taught at Yale Law School for more than fifteen years, including the first Advanced Trial Practice course there. Mr. Edelstein is a frequent faculty member at National Institute for Trial Advocacy seminars and at the Connecticut Trial Advocacy Institute. He regularly publishes articles on litigation-related topics.

His community service extends to tenures on the Boards of the Greater Bridgeport Symphony Orchestra, the Bridgeport Public Education Fund, and the Fairfield Historical Society.

Mr. Edelstein received his B.A., magna cum laude, in 1970 from Oberlin College and his J.D. in 1973 from Cornell University.