Jack Reardon

Jack wears many hats in his family. As one of seven children, Jack knows the importance of family relationships and the internal bond that holds a family together through the inevitable ups and downs of life. When Jack and his six siblings gather at their parents’ house with their spouses and children in tow, the head count reaches thirty-six at the dinner tables, not counting the often multitudes of aunts and uncles and first cousins.

As with many large families, Jack’s extended family gatherings often occur because of weddings or funerals. He has been fortunate to attend many happy weddings and watch the next generation of toddlers racing around the dance floor.

“I have also felt the torment of family members battling Alzheimer’s disease and cancer, and the great burden of caring for an elderly or ill family member,” says Jack. “I have sat at a loved one’s deathbed, and served as a pallbearer to carry many family members to their final resting place. Losing a loved one is difficult but I take comfort in knowing the family lives on in each generation.”

Helping families plan for the future

Being part of a large family has instilled in Jack the desire to support and protect others in their times of need. Jack feels good when he can help families plan for the future. His clients get to air their burdens to someone who believes strongly in the importance of preserving the family unit.

Education

Jack’s devotion to helping others inspired his career in the law. After graduating from Stonehill College in 1994, Jack enrolled in Suffolk University Law School in Boston, and received his Juris Doctor in 1998. He took his first legal position with John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Co. in Boston, as a legal analyst. From 2000 to 2003, he worked as a trial lawyer at Mitchell & DeSimone, a prominent insurance defense firm in Boston. By 2003, Jack decided to set up his own practice in Wellesley, Massachusetts, focusing on estate planning, real estate closings, and criminal defense work.

In 2008, Jack moved his family and his law practice to Connecticut near his wife’s hometown of Guilford. Jack settled in Essex with his wife and two children. Wanting to expand his knowledge in the growing field of elder law, Jack enrolled in Western New England College School of Law, where he received a Master of Laws in Estate Planning and Elder Law in 2011. Jack joined Cipparone & Zaccaro, P.C. in 2012.

A leader in elder law

Jack is a leader in the elder law bar. He has achieved the designation as a Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA) by the National Elder Law Foundation (NELF) – the only organization approved by the American Bar Association to offer certification in the area of elder law. He is a Past President and former board member of the Connecticut Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (CT NAELA), where he continues to serve on the Public Policy Committee, lobbying state government to protect the rights of the elderly in Connecticut. He is an active member of both the Elder Law Section and Estates & Probate Section of the Connecticut Bar Association, and serves on the Elder Law Section Executive Committee. Jack is also a member of the New London County Bar Association, and is a board member of the Estate & Tax Planning Council of Eastern Connecticut.

In his free time…

Jack is an avid fisherman and boater, and was an accomplished athlete in his younger years. In high school, he was an all-star and team captain in hockey, lacrosse, and soccer. He also captained the Stonehill College Ice Hockey team while competing at the NCAA Division II level. Currently, he enjoys volunteering his time coaching for the Middlesex County Youth Hockey Association, and the Essex Little League Softball.