Claire Howard

Claire Howard is a partner at Madsen, Prestley & Parenteau, LLC, where she represents employees in a broad range of workplace disputes. She negotiates employment law, terms, and exit agreements and litigates whistleblower, discrimination, retaliation, wage and hour, and contract claims. She guides clients from the beginning of a case through trial and appeal. She appears before Connecticut state and federal courts and agencies, including the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, Department of Labor, and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Claire earned her B.A. in Political Science from Yale University. She earned her master’s degree in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University. She later earned her J.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Law. She is admitted in Connecticut and before the US District Court for the District of Connecticut. Her academic background supports her work on employment matters involving public institutions, government agencies, workplace policy, and complex statutory rights.

Claire has represented professors facing discrimination or retaliation during tenure and promotion proceedings. She has represented public employees in whistleblower and defamation claims and workers in sexual harassment and hostile work environment cases. She has also handled age, race, sexual orientation, and gender discrimination claims. Her wage practice includes overtime and employee-misclassification disputes under federal and Connecticut law. She also advocates for employees who face retaliation after reporting workplace health and safety concerns.

Claire Howard has earned professional recognition for her employment advocacy and service to the legal community. She was named a Best Lawyers “One to Watch” in Labor and Employment Law from 2022 through 2024. She received the University of Connecticut Law School Alumni Association’s Graduates of the Last Decade Impact Award in 2022. She serves in the Connecticut Bar Association’s House of Delegates and Professionalism Committee. She is also a fellow of the American Bar Foundation and Connecticut Bar Foundation and belongs to several employment and diversity-focused legal organizations.

Law Office Affiliations

• Partner, Madsen, Prestley & Parenteau, LLC
• House of Delegates, Connecticut Bar Association
• Member, Oliver Ellsworth Inn of Court
• Fellow, American Bar Foundation
• Fellow, Connecticut Bar Foundation
• Member, Connecticut Employment Lawyers Association
• Member, George W. Crawford Black Bar Association

Licensed State

• Connecticut

Education

• University of Connecticut School of Law
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• Carnegie Mellon University
  MA in Public Policy & Management
• Yale University
  BA in Political Science

Awards & Badges