Stephen R. Polauf

Attorney, Labor & Employment
Polauf Law LLC

Since launching Polauf Law LLC, Stephen has built on that record by securing settlements for clients with wage and workplace claims, obtaining a first-of-its-kind approval from the Department of Labor on paid sick leave and wage-deduction matters under new state law, and advising employers and employees alike on navigating complex disputes involving nearly all areas of employment law. Polauf Law LLC continues to grow by staying committed to its core principles, applying a selective approach to client engagements, maintaining a technological advantage on data security and workflow efficiency, refusing to compromise on its founding standards, and delivering results that reflect strategic thinking formulated around a client’s rational objectives.

My Practice & Philosophy

My philosophy is simple: I deliver value by identifying high-quality solutions others miss. My primary expertise is Employment Law, and I work with both employers and employees to resolve legal issues and disputes. Rather than a “quick resolution,” I search for the “right” solution, which is the one that is geared for both the short- and long-term and tailored to the client’s reasonable and objective goals, whether in litigation or through advice and counsel. My greatest source of professional gratification comes from my ability to help clients resolve their problems with the clear thinking, strategic judgment, and principled advocacy that I bring to the table.

Whether in litigation or through advice and counsel, my approach is principle-driven, strategic, and collaborative. I have secured dismissals on dispositive motions, defeated class certification attempts, and obtained summary judgment for clients. My litigation experience encompasses discrimination claims (including ADA, race, and disability matters before EEOC and CHRO), wage and hour disputes, ERISA claims, non-compete enforcement, wrongful termination, and retaliation cases in state and federal courts. I also handle administrative proceedings before the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. I provide advice and counsel on personnel matters, draft and revise employment contracts and handbooks, and facilitate pre-trial dispute resolution through strategic motion practice and a firm, principled approach to negotiations.

My Extended Background

Since establishing my practice in February 2025, I have written for the Hartford Business Journal on employment law matters and am a member of the Greater New Haven and West Hartford Chambers of Commerce. I often attend professional events across the state to expand my network and engage with the business community. I am an avid reader of Ayn Rand and apply her philosophy, Objectivism, which instructs that one hold rational self-interest guided by reasoning above all else, to my practice and daily life. I am passionate about technology and its integration into modern legal practice.

I relocated to Connecticut from Charlottesville, Virginia, where I attended the University of Virginia School of Law, and before that from my hometown of Brooklyn, New York. Prior to law school, I spent four years in public service with the federal and municipal government.

My Representative Case Matters

Representative Litigation Matters

Administrative Tax Appeals

  • AMERICA PETROLEUM REALTY LLC v. CITY OF DANBURY (DBD-CV23-6046185-S) – Secured dismissal of administrative tax appeal by advancing novel construction of General Statutes § 12-117a(a)(2) establishing independent appraisal requirement as jurisdictional prerequisite to Superior Court review.
  • DANBURY GAS REALTY LLC v. CITY OF DANBURY (DBD-CV23-6046184-S) – Moved to dismiss administrative tax appeal based on jurisdictional interpretation of § 12-117a(a)(2), securing dismissal.
  • GERMANTOWN ROAD LLC v. CITY OF DANBURY (HHB-CV23-6097881-S) – Drafted and secured dismissal on motion presenting threshold statutory construction of independent appraisal requirement under § 12-117a(a)(2).
  • PLAZA LLC v. CITY OF DANBURY (HHB-CV23-6097888-S) – Obtained dismissal of administrative tax appeal through motion advancing novel jurisdictional construction under General Statutes § 12-117a(a)(2).
  • H D DANBURY LLC v. CITY OF DANBURY (HHB-CV23-6097895-S) – Moved to dismiss and secured dismissal based on independent appraisal requirement as jurisdictional prerequisite under § 12-117a(a)(2).
  • BDN PROPERTY LLC ET AL v. CITY OF DANBURY (HHB-CV23-6097877-S) – Drafted motion to dismiss administrative tax appeal establishing jurisdictional bar under § 12-117a(a)(2), securing dismissal.
  • BIG SKY PROPERTIES LLC v. CITY OF DANBURY (HHB-CV23-6097891-S) – Obtained dismissal through motion presenting novel construction of independent appraisal requirement under General Statutes § 12-117a(a)(2).
  • BEST ENTERPRISES LLC v. CITY OF DANBURY (HHB-CV23-6097889-S) – Secured dismissal of administrative tax appeal by advancing jurisdictional interpretation of § 12-117a(a)(2).
  • TROMA, LLC v. CITY OF DANBURY (HHB-CV23-6080527-S) – Moved to dismiss and obtained dismissal based on statutory construction establishing independent appraisal as jurisdictional prerequisite under § 12-117a(a)(2).
  • STETSON DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION v. CITY OF DANBURY (HHB-CV23-6097885-S) – Drafted motion to dismiss administrative tax appeal on jurisdictional grounds under § 12-117a(a)(2), securing dismissal.
  • MAIN STREET, LLC v. CITY OF DANBURY (HHB-CV23-6081769-S) – Obtained dismissal through motion advancing novel construction of independent appraisal requirement under General Statutes § 12-117a(a)(2).
  • MILL PLAIN INVESTORS LLC v. CITY OF DANBURY (HHB-CV23-6085299-S) – Secured dismissal of administrative tax appeal by establishing jurisdictional bar through interpretation of § 12-117a(a)(2).
  • 7 GERMANTOWN ROAD LLC v. CITY OF DANBURY (DBD-CV23-6046282-S) – Drafted motion to dismiss presenting threshold statutory interpretation of § 12-117a(a)(2), securing dismissal at trial level (reversed on appeal).

Employment Litigation

Non-Compete & Restrictive Covenants

  • ADAM PAUL v. UNITED RENTALS – Prepared motion for summary judgment establishing illegality of non-compete agreement under Connecticut choice of law rules and Illinois state law, securing stipulated dismissal.
  • COOPER TANK LLC v. ROSATI, ET AL. (UWY-CV23-6073440-S) – Drafted pretrial legal memorandum for complex trade secret and non-compete litigation.

Wage & Hour

  • SAVINOVA v. NOVA HOME CARE, LLC (3:20-cv-1612-SVN) – Drafted opposition to renewed motion for class certification and opposition to plaintiffs’ motion for reconsideration, securing denial of class certification.

Employee Benefits/ERISA

  • GUTIERREZ v. TWO PICKWICK RESTAURANT ASSOCIATES, LLC D/B/A MEDI (AAN-CV20-6041006-S) – Moved to dismiss four counts based on ERISA preemption, securing dismissal of all four counts.

Discrimination

  • MOORE v. 315 TRUMBULL HOTEL OWNER, LLC (3:2023cv01011) – Drafted motion to dismiss ADA employment discrimination claim, securing dismissal.
  • EEOC Charge – Manufacturing Plant (ADA) – Secured dismissal of EEOC discrimination complaint alleging ADA violations against manufacturing plant.
  • EEOC Charge – Hospital (Race Discrimination) – Secured dismissal of EEOC race discrimination complaint by nurse against hospital after charge had been pending for over three years.
  • CHRO Complaint – Dispatch Caller (Public Accommodations) – Secured dismissal of CHRO public accommodations complaint against dispatch caller.
  • CHRO Complaint – Town (Racial Discrimination) – Secured dismissal of CHRO complaint alleging racial discrimination against Town.
  • CHRO Complaint – Disability Discrimination – Secured dismissal of CHRO complaint alleging disability discrimination.

Commercial Litigation

  • GILEDAN v. AUTONOMIZE (3:24-cv-00263-OAW) – Drafted complaint alleging violations of Connecticut sales representative commission protection statute and breach of contract.
  • DHR INTERNATIONAL, INC. v. ATMOS AIR SOLUTIONS (FBT-CV21-6105297-S) – Prepared motion for summary judgment advancing agency theory without direct precedent, securing judgment.

General Civil Litigation

  • PIZZICONI v. GRAY, ET AL. (3:23-cv-1080-KAD) – Prepared motion to set aside default and subsequent answer with affirmative defenses, securing vacatur of default and proceeding on merits.

Bar Admission

Connecticut Bar No. 444124

Education

University of Virginia School of Law
J.D.

Goucher College
B.A.

Contact Information

Tel: (203) 304-4942

Fax: (203) 413-5554

Email: srp@polauflaw.com

Location: 630 Chapel Street #403, New Haven, CT 06510

Practice: Labor & Employment

Compliance & Risk Management

  • Employee Handbooks
  • Workplace Policies (including CT Paid Sick Leave)
  • Employment Contracts & Separation Agreements

Advice & Counsel

  • Employee Discipline & Termination
  • Management Trainings on Union Campaigns/NLRB Elections

Litigation & Administrative Proceedings

  • Discrimination, Harassment, & Breach of Contract Lawsuits
  • Wage & Hour Claims
  • CHRO, EEOC, DOL, & NLRB Charges & Investigations

Administrative Law

I represent clients in administrative proceedings before city, state, and federal agencies, drawing on four years of civil service at both the federal and municipal levels in New York. This background provides practical insight into government processes and regulatory frameworks.

  • Representation in Agency Hearings & Appeals
  • Regulatory Compliance & Licensing Matters
  • Advocacy before Municipal Boards & Commissions
  • Defense in Federal & State Administrative Investigations

Business & Commercial Litigation

I handle business disputes with a focus on pursuing and securing judgments in debt collection and breach of contract actions. My litigation practice emphasizes efficient, results-driven representation tailored to the client’s objectives.

  • Debt Collection Litigation
  • Breach of Contract Suits
  • Commercial Dispute Resolution
  • Judgment Enforcement