Stanley A. Twardy Jr., an attorney in the Stamford office of Day Pitney LLP, was honored earlier this week during a special dinner of the Connecticut Bar Association”™s (CBA) Federal Practice Section with the 2023 Richard Law Award.
The judges of the District of Connecticut designated the award winner, who is cited for exemplary service to the federal court within the state. But while the award was inaugurated in 2018, Twardy is only the second person to ever receive this honor ”“ and he described it as being an “out of left field” experience.
“Chief Judge Michael Shea called me earlier this year to inform me and I was speechless,” Twardy said. “He said that the judges have gotten together and we voted on awarding you the Richard Law Award. And I knew what the award was ”“ when Paul Thomas was the first recipient, I was at the dinner for him. And I said, ”˜Judge, I’m honored. I don’t know what to say.”™ And that’s literally what my response was ”“ I’m honored, I don’t know what more to say other than ”˜Thank you.”™”
For Twardy, the award offers a lifetime achievement tribute in a career that was originally shaped by Lowell Weicker.
“I worked with him for three and a half years as a senator and two and a half years when he was governor,” he said ”“ the latter job found him as Weicker”™s chief of staff. “And he had a profound influence on my life, probably the most other than my father. Just in all positive ways. I consider him a mentor ”“ I’m still in touch with him.”
While Twardy enjoyed government work ”“ he had also served as U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut ”“ the commute from his Stamford home to Hartford became onerous ”“ especially after the birth of his daughter in 1989. He joined Day Pitney, where he gained prominence as a corporate litigator with a client base that included Fortune 500 companies and their executive leadership. His work took him state and federal appellate courts, and on several cases he was counsel of record before the U.S. Supreme Court ”“ the latter experience left him in awe of the judicial process.
“Regardless of one’s political bent, to be in chambers that are so historic and to watch the back and forth between judges and the litigants is inspiring,” he said. “You know the case being argued is something that is going to go down in history ”“ there are not all that many cases that are argued in the Supreme Court, and it could impact millions of people by how the court rules.”
Twardy rose to become managing partner at Day Pitney, but he stepped down from that position at the end of 2021 because the law firm does not permit its attorneys to remain as a partner once they hit their 70th birthday. He still maintains an active practice with the firm, serving under the title of counsel, and he encourages the next generation of attorneys to “follow your love in the area of law that you want for your practice” ”“ advice that he still embraces.
“I do love going to work every day,” he said.
