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26 ¦ JULY 27, 2020 NEWS

¦ From CT PERSONAL on PAGE 25 “He enjoyed helping his clients,
to represent injured people, as op- and had the ability to convey a story
posed to the insurance companies,” to a jury. … Not many lawyers in
said Gaston, now a solo practitioner Connecticut could do that,” said
in Bridgeport. Berke, principal at the Law Offices
That hire paid off in big ways, of Robert Berke in Bridgeport. “It’s
Gaston said Friday. not something you can learn. It’s
“He was an exceptionally gifted something you just have.”
trial lawyer,” Gaston said of Naizby, Berke remembers his friend’s
who was a member of the Connect- kindness.
icut Trial Lawyers Association and “I slept on his couch when I first
taught for more than two decades at became an attorney in 1992, be-
the Trial Lawyers College in Wyo- John Naizby. Courtesy photo cause I didn’t have any money for an

ming. “He was a consummate human being. He was apartment,” Berke recalled Friday. “Then nine years
the real deal.” later, I was unhappy with the firm I was working for
Gaston said Naizby made an art form of getting to and he helped me get a job with another firm. He
know his clients. was generous to others.”
“He would actually go to his clients’ house and Jay Ruane worked with Naizby from 1999 to 2001
he’d visit them frequently,” Gatson said. “He wanted when the two worked for Gaston & Ruane, the firm
to know about their struggles and challenges. It’s not in which Ruane’s father was a partner.
all that unusual for lawyers to do that, but John did “He was the kind of guy who’d give you the shirt
it more frequently than most.” off his back,” Ruane said. “He was so generous and
Naizby’s performance in the courtroom was a he liked to talk. He talked about everything. He had
must-see, those who knew him said. a passion for life and would talk about travel and
“In trials, he came across as very sincere. Jurors sports and law and culture.”
liked him because he had immediate credibility,” ¦

Gatson said. “He never exaggerated. He just pre- Robert Storace covers legal trends, lawsuits and
sented a genuine heartfelt case.” analysis for the Connecticut Law Tribune. Follow
Longtime friend, attorney Robert Berke echoed him on Twitter @RobertSCTLaw or reach him at
Gatson. 203-437-5950.

Litigation Leads 4 Connecticut School Dis-
tricts to Train Staff on Use of Insulin Pumps

By Robert Storace

In what legal proponents of students with dis- “This is most definitely groundbreaking. We
abilities are calling a groundbreaking mandate, haven’t had a case like this in Connecticut ever, and
the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Con- as far as we know, the only other case of its kind was
necticut has said that personnel in four Connecticut in California a few years back and that dealt with a
school districts must comply with the federal Amer- private entity,” said Bonnie Roswig, who, on behalf
icans with Disabilities Act of 1990 by having school of four students with Type 1 diabetes, brought for-
personnel trained to treat students with diabetes. ward a complaint with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

CONNECTICUT
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