Joseph J. Rucci, Jr. is one of the founding members of Rucci Law Group, LLC. His practice encompasses business law, trusts and estates, non-profits, real estate and land use. Joe’s business knowledge, along with his approachable manner, makes him a valued business advisor as well as legal counsel to his clients. He is adept at helping clients solve complex business challenges.

Joe understands the challenges facing an entrepreneur and helps his clients navigate their businesses from formation to operation. He has been instrumental in nurturing a number of entrepreneurial startups, including commercial banks and for-profit educational entities. He served as chairman of organizing committees, and as an organizer, director, and legal counsel for several community banks.

Non-profit organizations are a professional and personal passion for Joe. He has been a director and member of both the Governance and Audit Risk Committees of the AmeriCares Foundation, Inc. where he is an emeritus director. He has also served as Corporate Secretary and General Counsel. He is also a former director of the Americares Free Clinics.

Joe holds an AV Preeminent Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review’ rating.

Amy Zabetakis is one of the founding members of Rucci Law Group, LLC. She practices primarily in the areas of real estate, land use and zoning. With her joint J.D. and M.B.A. from Georgetown University, as well as her extensive legal experience, Amy is able to focus on the whole client. Amy counsels clients on how their decisions impact both themselves and their business, while assisting them with all aspects of their land use, zoning and real estate needs.

Amy also has a personal and professional interest in the non-profit sector. She has advised not-for-profit clients in several areas including tax-exempt status compliance, governance, and volunteer liability. She is currently a member of the Darien RTM, being elected in 2021, and is a member of the Planning, Zoning and Housing Committee. Amy has a thorough understanding of the needs of non-profit organizations, having served as a leader in various local community and charitable organizations, including A Better Chance of Darien, The Friends of Woodland Park, the YWCA of Darien/Norwalk, and the Darien Chamber of Commerce.

Amy lives in Darien, Connecticut with her husband and daughter.

Michele Gartland practices in the areas of trusts and estates, elder law, corporate law and nonprofit work. She provides expertise in a wide range of estate planning instruments, pre-nuptial agreements, and corporate documents. She works with clients to gain a thorough understanding of their goals and values as she develops individualized plans for their family or business.

Her trusts and estates work is characterized by her ability to identify clients’ needs based on their phase of life, as young couples plan for wealth generation and protection of their children, while later in life couples are looking at how best to transfer wealth intelligently. Michele has particular experience working with the intricacies of estate planning for non-citizens and individuals owning property outside the United States. Michele also has considerable background in corporate law, drawing on her years of experience in financial transactions and banking. Often, Michele’s areas of practice intersect as she assists clients with creating family foundations or holding companies for family assets.

Michele was a resident in Darien for 20 years and currently lives in Norwalk. She is active in numerous community organizations and serves as the Vice Chair of the Darien Chamber of Commerce, Secretary of the Board of Directors for Horizons at New Canaan Country School and is a member of the Community Grants Committee and board member of The Community Fund of Darien.

Marianne Cirillo is an experienced lawyer in the areas of trusts and estates and real estate law. She is known for her sensitivity and ease with clients; letting them set the pace for what can often be very emotionally difficult situations, particularly regarding estate planning or administration of estates. In both trusts and estates matters and real estate matters, Marianne diligently works to ensure clients’ wants and needs are met. Marianne appears frequently in many of the local probate courts including Darien/New Canaan, Norwalk/Wilton, Stamford, Greenwich, Westport, and Fairfield.

Prior to joining Rucci Law Group, Marianne served for many years as a court-appointed attorney in the probate courts for both Darien/New Canaan and Norwalk/Wilton and worked as a real estate attorney, practicing in the areas of commercial and residential real estate.

Marianne takes an active role in public service at the local level and is involved in numerous volunteer organizations and local boards. She has lived in Darien, Connecticut for over 25 years, where, after raising two sons, she shares an empty nest with her husband. In her free time, she enjoys bridge, book group, boating and traveling.

Kate Diehm is a business attorney with experience in all areas of business law including intellectual property. She works with clients to gain a thorough understanding of their goals and helps to create effective, flexible legal structures to develop and protect their business and personal assets. Kate’s depth of legal and business knowledge helps existing companies continue their development. In addition, she also helps less experienced entrepreneurs turn a simple idea into a thriving venture.

Kate counsels clients on structuring their business, creating employee and partnership agreements, developing private placements to bring in investors, documenting financing and real estate transactions, advising on compliance with applicable laws, and anticipating copyright and trademark challenges. When the time comes, Kate also helps clients transition their business through succession planning or disposition. A life-long resident of Connecticut, Kate makes time for travel and cooking classes at the Culinary Institute of America.

Kate holds a BV Distinguished rating.

George Reilly has nearly 35 years of experience as an attorney. As a family law practitioner at several area law firms, he has focused on helping families resolve matrimonial and child custody and support issues. He has special training and expertise in the Collaborative Divorce model, which is an internationally recognized alternative to traditional litigation. George is also well-versed in a wide variety of other legal practice areas including real estate and land use, estate planning and administration, and business law.

The opportunity to work with his friends and neighbors on a broad array of issues that affect their lives is important to George. He appreciates having the legal background and skill to be able to guide people to make intelligent choices for their businesses, families and property. He is very active in local philanthropy endeavors and believes his strengths as an attorney and deep knowledge of his community allow him to better serve his clients.

George has extensive nonprofit experience, having served on the boards of the Darien United Way, The Center for Hope in Darien, Family Centers in Greenwich, King School in Stamford and the Darien Kiwanis Club. He currently sits on the board of the Norwalk Community College Foundation.

A native of Darien along with his wife, Lynn Oakford Reilly, George raised his three sons in Darien and he has been an active volunteer in town government. He served on Darien’s Charter Revision Commission, as a town Selectman, chaired the Police Headquarters Building Committee and served for nearly a dozen years on the Board of Education.

Colette Symon Hanratty practices in the areas of commercial and residential real estate. Her experience with residential real estate in Darien, New Canaan and the surrounding towns of Fairfield County allows her to proactively advise clients on issues that may have an impact on the ownership and development of their properties. In addition, Colette assists clients in obtaining and enforcing title insurance.

Colette is a long-time resident of Darien, Connecticut.

Sarah Mead assists the attorneys with all legal matters relating to real estate, land use and zoning. She handles the administration of real estate closings and oversees the financial statements pertaining to refinancing, purchases, and sales. Having lived in several other countries and cultures prior to her move to the U.S., Sarah brings a worldly charm to her work with clients. Born in Essex, England, Sarah lived in Singapore, Tokyo and Hong Kong, before settling down in Connecticut with her husband and two children. She enjoys tennis, watching rugby, and travel with her family.

Dianne Covello assists attorneys with all legal matters related to trusts and estates and business law. Drawing on her background in social work and her tenure as a financial planner, Dianne is familiar with insurance products and estate planning tools. She uses this experience when preparing and editing documents for estate planning. Additionally, Dianne assists with corporate matters including formation and dissolution documents and annual filings. She brings a unique skill set as well as warmth and professionalism to her interactions with clients. She and her husband are raising two children in Darien, Connecticut, where they are active in youth sports and community activities.