Connecticut Personal Injury and Workers’ Compensation Attorneys


Leighton, Katz & Drapeau was founded in 1989 to serve Connecticut citizens who have been hurt and need compassionate, committed legal representation. We can help you with workers' compensation, personal injury, or many other types of claims.

Whether you’ve suffered a complicated personal injury outside of work – such as in a distracted driver car accident – or a serious workers’ compensation injury on the job, we’re here to help.

Over the course of 30 years, our clients and many lawyers throughout the state of Connecticut have referred us to their friends, family members, colleagues and clients for experienced, aggressive representation in their time of need.

Winning a Connecticut personal injury or workers compensation case isn’t easy.  We can’t promise you the perfect result.  But we can – and we do – promise to do everything in our power to get the full justice and financial compensation you deserve.

Our firm offers clients over one hundred years of experience and our team is entirely made up of Board Certified workers' compensation attorneys. Just as important, our main office is conveniently located across the street from the Tolland County Courthouse, meaning you get fast, efficient service.

In addition, our lawyers have all worked inside the insurance industry. They have all chosen now to work for you- the hardworking people of Connecticut. Our workers compensation and personal injury lawyers use that experience to help you get justice when you are sick or hurt. 

CONTACT:
Leighton, Katz & Drapeau
20 E Main St
Vernon, CT 06066
Phone: (860) 875-7000
Email: lawoffice@leightonlawyers.com







Mark D. Leighton


Connecticut Personal Injury and Workers’ Compensation Attorney

Mark D. Leighton is the founding, and current managing attorney of the firm of Leighton, Katz & Drapeau. He was admitted to practice in Connecticut in 1981 and Massachusetts in 1980.

His practice consists primarily of representation of injured persons in both work and nonwork-related accidents. Attorney Leighton is a Board Certified Workers’ Compensation Specialist and is the past Chair of the Workers’ Compensation Section of the Connecticut Bar Association.

Attorney Leighton has represented both plaintiffs and defendants over the course of his career, having previously been an attorney for an insurance company defense firm as well as a claim representative. He also worked for the Attorney General’s Office in Massachusetts.

He received his Juris Doctorate from Western New England University, School of Law in Springfield, Massachusetts, and his Bachelor of Arts from Westfield State University in Westfield, Massachusetts.

Attorney Leighton serves on a number of professional organizations, including the Connecticut Bar Association where, in addition to service as Chair, he served as Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer of the Workers’ Compensation Section, and is a member of the Executive Committee. He currently serves as the Tolland County representative to the CBA House of Delegates. He is a member and past President of the Tolland County Bar Association. In addition, he is a member of the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association.

He has served on a number of town and civic organizations including the Board of Selectmen and Board of Finance for the Town of Ellington where he and his wife resided for over 30 years.

Attorney Leighton has authored articles including “Surveillance - Duty to Disclose” in the Compensation Quarterly. He has lectured to other attorneys in the areas of workers’ compensation and personal injury/workers’ compensation law suits. In addition, he has served as an adjunct facility member at the University of Connecticut, School of Law and Asnuntuck Community College.

BAR ADMISSIONS:
  • Connecticut 1981 
  • Massachusetts 1980 

EDUCATION:
  • J.D, Western New England University - 1980 
  • B.A, Westfield State University - 1977 

WORK EXPERIENCE:
  • Leighton Katz & Drapeau (Founding and Managing Attorney) 1989 - Present 
  • UConn Law School (Adjunct Professor) 2002 - 2003 
  • Trowbridge Ide Courtney & Mansfield (Associate Attorney) 1987 - 1989 
  • Asnuntuck Community College (Adjunct Professor) 1984 - 1985 
  • Draghi & Leighton (Associate Attorney) 1981 - 1987 
  • Insurance Company of North America (Legal Intern/Claim Representative) 1980 - 1981 

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS:
  • Connecticut Bar Association, House of Delegates member (current) 
  • Workers’ Compensation Section, past Vice Chair and Chair 
  • Continuing Legal Education, past Chair 
  • Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association, member 
  • Workers’ Compensation Section 
  • Tolland County Bar Association, past President 

AWARDS:
  • Peer Review Rated AV (Martindale-Hubbell) 2016 
  • Super Lawyer (Super Lawyers Magazine) 2016 
  • Lead Counsel Rated - Workers' Compensation (Lead Counsel Review Board) 2016 
  • Board Certified Workers' Compensation Specialist (Connecticut Bar Association) 2001 

PUBLICATIONS:
  • Compensation Quarterly (Connecticut Bar Association, Workers' Compensation Section) - [Here We go Again - Proposed Budget Cuts to Workers' Compensation Commission] 2011 
  • Compensation Quarterly (Connecticut Bar Association, Workers' Compensation Section) - [A Call for Healthcare Reform (In Workers' Compensation)] 2010 
  • Compensation Quarterly (Connecticut Bar Association, Workers' Compensation Section) - [The Worth of a Life] 2010 
  • Compensation Quarterly (Connecticut Bar Association, Workers' Compensation Section) - [A Call to Arms] 2009 
  • Compensation Quarterly (Connecticut Bar Association, Workers' Compensation Section) - [Surviellance - Duty to Disclose] 2003 

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS:
  • Seminar - "Landmines In the Workers' Compensation/Personal Injury Case" - (Legal Issues of a Workers' Compensation/Personal Injury case) 2005 
  • Seminar - "Mock Trial Demonstration - CRB and Supreme Cour Arguments" - (Presentation of a Workers' Compensation case - start to finish) 2001 

CONTACT:
Leighton, Katz & Drapeau
20 E Main St
Vernon, CT 06066
Ph: (860) 875-7000
Business Email: lawoffice@leightonlawyers.com