Stephen M. Soder

Kainen, Escalera & McHale, P.C.

21 Oak Street, Suite 601
Hartford, CT 06106
Telephone: (860) 493-0870
Facsimile: (860) 493-0871
E-mail: ssoder@kemlaw.com

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Stephen Sedor joined the firm as a shareholder in 2025 with over 25 years of experience representing school districts and municipalities across the state. Steve represents school districts in nearly every matter falling under the heading of education law. He further represents schools and towns in collectively bargaining union contracts and handling a wide range of labor disputes.

EDUCATION LAW:

Steve’s experience representing school districts includes a wide range of issues, including:

• Teacher termination and non-renewals.
• Student expulsion, residency and transportation cases.
• Social media issues.
• Title IX complaints and investigations.
• DCF and student privacy issues.
• Collective bargaining, labor disputes and employee grievances.
• Insurance and budgetary issues.
• Day-to-day advice on multiple complex issues facing Connecticut school districts.

Steve represents small single-school districts to those with over 1,000 employees. He believes it is crucial to build trusting and long-lasting relationships by listening closely to his clients and being reliably responsive.

Steve is routinely engaged to serve as an Independent Hearing Officer for student expulsion and residency cases. He also serves as an independent investigator and/or decision-maker in Title IX and bullying complaints and claims of employment discrimination. Best Lawyers in Connecticut has recognized Steve for education law since 2020 and Connecticut’s Moffly Media has twice named him one of Fairfield County’s top education lawyers.

LABOR LAW:

Steve represents school districts and municipalities on an extensive range of labor and employment law matters, including:

• Collective bargaining for certified and non-certified contracts, ranging from small units of a few members to those having nearly 1,000 teachers; and towns’ Police, Town Hall and DPW units. Steve further represents clients at binding interest arbitration proceedings.
• Defending prohibited practice charges, including insurance changes, contract repudiation, modifying past practices and other work rule changes.
• Employee grievances, including cases involving termination and discipline, transfers and promotions, overtime disputes and other alleged contract violations.
• Independent investigations into alleged discriminatory practices and internal affairs.

Best Lawyers has recognized Steve for labor law since 2016, including the area’s labor “Lawyer of the Year” on 4 occasions. Best Lawyers has further recognized him as the “Lawyer for employment law in representing public sector employers.

EDUCATION:

• J.D. Quinnipiac College of Law (1995); Cum Laude
• Clarkson University (1991); Interdisciplinary Engineering and Management

PUBLISHED CASES AND SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS:

• CHRO ex rel. Ballard v. Cheshire Board of Education, 270 Conn. 665 (2004).
• Social Media and Student Discipline (CABE Conference).
• Strategies for Successful Collective Bargaining (CABE Legal Issues Workshop).
• Student Bullying and Safe School Climate (CABE Legal Issues Workshop).
• Data for Successful Collective Bargaining (CABE Legal Issues Workshop).