I was born in Jacksonville, Florida and moved to Groton, Connecticut when I was three years old. I grew up in public housing and learned to fight from a young age. I was fortunate to have teachers who taught me the value of hard work in school and that it could provide a way to a better life. I put myself through college and law school bartending and waiting tables. I opened my own law firm as a solo in 2013 and bartended nights until the firm took off.
The firm grew from one to 30 employees, including 8 lawyers. In 2022, we obtained a $100 million verdict in a paralysis case, which was the largest verdict in Connecticut history. In 2024, I dissolved Connecticut Trial Firm, LLC with my former partner, and co-founded Claggett, Sykes & Garza, LLC (“CSG”) with new partners. My lawyers and employees joined CSG with a unified vision and a renewed commitment to doing trial work at the highest level.
I’ve been happily married to my college sweetheart, Jenny, for 13 years. We have an 8-year-old son (John) and 6-year-old identical twin girls (Alexis and Melina) that keep us busy. Outside of work, I enjoy coaching my kids’ baseball teams, playing golf, and working on carpentry projects in my workshop.
