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C. Scott Schwefel

860-606-1712     |     scott@shipmanlawct.com

cschwefelC. Scott Schwefel practices in the area of litigation and represents clients in a wide range of matters including real estate, business, and employment-related disputes.

He represents litigants in state and federal courts in Connecticut and Massachusetts as well as representing clients in mediation and arbitration.  He serves as a member of the American Arbitration Association’s national panel of lawyer neutrals. 

Mr. Schwefel represents clients in a broad range of real estate disputes, including litigation involving contract disputes concerning real estate transactions, boundary disputes, claims of adverse possession, landlord-tenant disputes, foreclosures, and property valuation litigation including government eminent domain and regulatory takings, and property tax litigation.​  He is a contributing author of the Connecticut Guide to Landlord-Tenant Law (LexisNexis Matthew Bender, 2026).  He has been quoted in Fortune Magazine, Forbes Magazine, The Washington Post, and U.S. News & World Report on legal issues relating to real estate and property valuation.

Mr. Schwefel has an extensive practice in property tax litigation, encompassing work in all counties in Connecticut and Massachusetts, and handles tax appeals and abatements for various types of retail, office and industrial properties.  He litigates Superior Court tax appeals on behalf of major retailers and financial institutions, including numerous Fortune 100 companies, and is a frequent lecturer with the American Bar Association and the Appraisal Institute on property valuation.

In the area of employment law, Mr. Schwefel counsels employers on developing and applying employment policies; negotiating and drafting employment, noncompetition and nondisclosure agreements; and advises employers on hiring, disciplining and terminating employees. Mr. Schwefel has significant experience in litigating and defending claims of harassment; retaliation and discrimination on the basis of age, race, sex and disability; wrongful discharge and breach of contract. He also advises employers regarding compliance with the American with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act and other federal and state statutes governing employment.

Mr. Schwefel is admitted to practice in the State of Connecticut (admitted in 1997), the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (1999), the United States District Court in the districts of Connecticut (1998) and Massachusetts (2000), the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (2012), and the Supreme Court of the United States (2014).

Mr. Schwefel holds numerous leadership positions in state and national bar associations and currently serves on the House of Delegates for the American Bar Association and the House of Delegates for the Connecticut Bar Association.  Mr. Schwefel serves as a judge for Yale University’s Mock Trial Association.  Mr. Schwefel also volunteers at the Friendship Service Center of New Britain (CT).

Professional Affiliations:

    • Connecticut Bar Association: Member, House of Delegates, Elections Committee, and Legislative Policy and Review Committee; Past Chair, Nominations Committee, Membership Committee, and Solo & Small Firm Section
    • American Bar Association: Member, House of Delegates, and Committee on Issues of Concern to the Legal Profession 
    • American Bar Association, Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law: Member, Council; Member, Planning Committee; Vice Chair, Continuing Legal Education Committee; Vice Chair, Membership Committee 
    • American Bar Foundation: Fellow 
    • Connecticut Bar Foundation: James W. Cooper Fellow 

Speaking Engagements:

Publications:

Contributing Author, Connecticut Guide to Landlord-Tenant Law (LexisNexis Matthew Bender, 2026)

Author, “The Same-Actor Inference: A Look at Proud v. Stone and its Progeny” Employment & Labor Relations Law (American Bar Association, Section of Litigation), Spring 2008 (Vol. 6, No. 3)

Media:

Representative matters:

  • Successful Trial in Property Tax Appeal of Big-Box Retail and Restaurant Property.   Successfully represented the owner of a 19.6-acre, multi-tenant retail property anchored by a warehouse club and a restaurant in a Superior Court tax appeal against the City of Waterbury. Following trial and competing appraisal testimony, the Superior Court reduced the property’s fair market value from the City’s $16.06 million assessment to $15.4 million as of the valuation date, resulting in a corresponding reduction in the assessed value and property taxes.

  • Trial Victory Reducing Valuation of HUD-subsidized Multifamily Housing Complex.  Successfully represented the owner of a 168-unit, partially HUD-subsidized multifamily property in a Superior Court tax appeal challenging the Borough of Naugatuck’s assessment. Following trial and competing income-based appraisals, the Court reduced the property’s fair market value from $16,540,100 to $12.3 million and ordered corresponding assessment reductions, resulting in significant tax relief.

  • Successful Tax Appeal Trial for National Financial Services Institution.  Successfully represented a Fortune 100 financial services institution in challenging the Town of West Hartford’s assessment of a prominent commercial property in West Hartford Center.  After a full trial featuring competing appraisal testimony, the Superior Court reduced the property’s fair market value to $4,065,706, notwithstanding the Town’s expert witness valuation of $5.1 million.
  • Stipulated Judgment Securing Reduction for Big-Box Store.  Represented a multinational retail corporation in a Superior Court tax appeal concerning its big-box store in East Windsor, Connecticut.  Secured a $3,667,300 settlement reduction in the property’s fair market value, from $22,667,300 to $19,000,000, for the multiple grand list years, resulting in substantial property tax savings.
  • Valuation Reduction in Massachusetts Tax Abatement.  Represented the owner of a shopping center in North Attleborough, Massachusetts, anchored by a furniture showroom with additional inline retail units, in a tax abatement proceeding before the Massachusetts Appellate Tax Board.  Secured a $3,272,944 reduction in fair market value, from $10,901,200 to $7,628,256, resulting in substantial property tax savings for the client.
  • Secured Dismissal of CHRO Housing Discrimination Action.  Successfully obtained dismissal of a housing discrimination action brought by the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities on behalf of a realtor against a property owner and manager. The Superior Court held that although the ninety-day period in General Statutes § 46a–83(e)(2) for commencing a civil action after an election is not jurisdictional, it is mandatory, and the Commission’s failure to properly commence and serve the action within that statutory window required dismissal. The court rejected the Commission’s argument that the defect implicated only subject matter jurisdiction and concluded that the untimely and improper service—caused solely by Commission error—deprived the court of personal jurisdiction, resulting in dismissal of all claims against the defendants.
  • Tax Appeal Settlement for Supermarket-Anchored Retail Center.  Successfully represented owner of a regional shopping center in Newington, Connecticut, anchored by a supermarket with fourteen inline retail units, in a Connecticut Superior Court tax appeal.  Secured a $4,400,000 reduction in fair market value, from $20,400,000 to $16,000,000.
  • Superior Court Tax Appeal Settlement for National Multifamily Residential Property Owner.  Represented a nationwide owner of apartment communities in a Connecticut Superior Court tax appeal involving a 323-unit residential community in Stamford, Connecticut.  Through negotiated settlement, secured a $5,559,416 reduction in fair market value, from $105,059,416 to $99,500,000.
  • Achieved Trial Victory Reducing Assessment for Major Retailer.  Successfully secured a reduction in the assessed value of a high-profile retail property in Norwalk, Connecticut in a real estate tax appeal. The Superior Court evaluated competing appraisals and expert testimony, including specialized considerations such as the property’s two-story configuration, limited parking, and use as a furniture store. The court found the plaintiff’s sales-comparison analysis to be the most credible method of valuation, relying on comparable furniture store transactions rather than general “big box” retail properties. Based on this approach, the court determined the fair market value of the subject property to be $10,674,425, substantially below the city assessor’s valuation.
  • Secured Trial Victory Reducing Assessment for Multi-Tenant Office Complex.  Successfully obtained a reduction in the assessed value of a multi-tenant office complex in Monroe, Connecticut, through a trial tax appeal. The court evaluated competing appraisals that relied primarily on the income capitalization approach, considering factors such as occupancy rates, tenant mix, market rents, and the local economic environment. After analyzing both the plaintiff’s reported income and the town appraiser’s market-based rental estimates, the court found a fair market value of $1,448,910, significantly below the assessment set by the Board of Assessment Appeals, and resulting in a substantial tax savings for the property owner.
  • Stipulated Judgment Securing Significant Retail Property Tax Reduction.  Represented the lessee of a retail showroom property in Norwalk, Connecticut in a Superior Court tax appeal. Through stipulated judgment, secured a $4,911,250 reduction in the property’s fair market value (from $16,911,250 to $12,000,000) with the reduced valuation applied to multiple grand list years.
  • Appellate Victory Affirming Requirement of Written Arbitration Agreement in Commercial Lease Dispute.  Successfully defended clients in a commercial lease dispute involving an attempt to confirm an arbitration award. The plaintiff sought to enforce an arbitration decision purportedly made pursuant to an oral agreement on the record in court. The trial and appellate courts held that, under Connecticut General Statutes § 52‑408, an arbitration agreement must be in writing to be valid and enforceable. Because the parties had not executed a written agreement, the courts affirmed the vacatur of the arbitration award, establishing a clear precedent on the necessity of written arbitration agreements and protecting the defendants from enforcement of an improperly documented arbitration.
  • Summary Judgment Secured in Federal Employment Discrimination Action, with Court Crediting “Same Actor” Inference.  Obtained summary judgment for skilled nursing facility and its administrator in a federal race and national origin discrimination case brought under Title VII, 42 U.S.C. § 1981, and Connecticut law. The employee alleged she was promoted and then demoted from a Director of Nursing Services position and later terminated, all in violation of federal discrimination laws. The defense argued that she was not qualified for the director role, suffered no actionable adverse employment action, and was terminated for legitimate, nondiscriminatory reasons based on management’s good-faith belief that she had accepted other employment. The court agreed that plaintiff failed to produce evidence of pretext, credited defendants’ “same actor inference” argument, and dismissed all claims at the summary judgment stage.
  • Successfully Obtained Recovery Provided Under Oral and Implied Contract.  Represented a client in a dispute arising from energy management services provided for a financial institution. The client, engaged to reduce energy consumption and costs, identified utility rebates, solicited competitive bids, and implemented energy-saving strategies at the request of the opposing party, despite the absence of a signed contract. The trial court found that an enforceable oral and implied contract existed, recognized the reasonable value of the services performed, and rejected all defenses, including statute of frauds, mutual mistake, and partial payment claims. Judgment was entered in favor of the client for $93,661.14.

 

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