In 1999, the American Bar Association published “Expert Evidence in Connecticut State Courts” — a legal monograph authored by Seth J. Arnowitz, who had graduated from Hofstra University School of Law a decade earlier as a Notes and Comments Editor on the Hofstra Law Review and gone on to join Cummings & Lockwood, one of Connecticut’s established law firms. That publication is one marker of a legal career that has spent over thirty-five years in Fairfield County, with the last twenty-seven of them at the firm he founded in 1998. Today, the Law Offices of Seth J. Arnowitz, LLC focuses on residential real estate, foreclosure defense, and probate matters for individuals and small businesses across lower Fairfield County.
Overview
The Law Offices of Seth J. Arnowitz, LLC was founded in 1998 in Stamford, Connecticut. Seth Arnowitz practiced at Cummings & Lockwood following law school and then moved to Law Offices of Frank N. Peluso P.C. as a senior associate from 1994 to 1998, where he managed the real estate and litigation departments. In 1998, he established his own firm. The practice now includes two additional attorneys — Sarah A. Ripegno and Anna Perera — and operates from two locations: Stamford and Wilton.
The firm’s practice is anchored in Fairfield County real estate and in helping homeowners who are in financial distress with their mortgages. A significant portion of the practice consists of foreclosure defense, loan modifications, and short sales — the tools available to homeowners who are behind on their mortgages and seeking alternatives to losing their homes. The firm also handles residential closings, probate, guardianship, and conservatorship. Arnowitz is admitted in both Connecticut and New York and in multiple federal district courts.
Practice Areas
Residential Real Estate. The firm handles residential real estate closings throughout Fairfield County, Connecticut. This includes representing buyers, sellers, and lenders in purchase and sale transactions, reviewing and negotiating purchase contracts, conducting title searches, and overseeing the closing process. For many clients, a home purchase or sale is the largest financial transaction of their life, and the firm’s deep experience in Fairfield County real estate provides familiarity with local market practices and common transaction issues.
Foreclosure Defense. A significant focus of the firm’s practice is helping homeowners who are in default on their mortgages and facing foreclosure. Connecticut is a judicial foreclosure state, which means foreclosure proceedings go through the courts — a process that provides opportunities for legal defense and negotiation that non-judicial foreclosure states do not offer. Arnowitz represents homeowners in foreclosure proceedings, challenging procedural defects, negotiating with lenders, and pursuing alternatives to losing the home.
Loan Modifications. For homeowners who want to remain in their homes but cannot sustain the current loan terms, a loan modification restructures the mortgage — potentially reducing the interest rate, extending the term, or reducing the principal — to create a payment the homeowner can afford. The firm represents homeowners in loan modification negotiations with servicers and lenders.
Short Sales. A short sale allows a homeowner to sell their property for less than the amount owed on the mortgage, with the lender’s agreement to accept the proceeds as full or partial satisfaction of the debt. This is often a better outcome than foreclosure for both the homeowner and the lender, but it requires lender approval and careful negotiation. The firm represents sellers in short sale transactions.
Probate. The firm handles probate matters in Connecticut, including the administration of decedents’ estates through the probate court process. Connecticut probate courts handle the formal administration of estates, and the firm guides executors, administrators, and beneficiaries through the process.
Guardianship and Conservatorship. When an individual can no longer manage their personal affairs due to age, illness, or disability, Connecticut’s probate courts can appoint a guardian (for personal decisions) or conservator (for financial decisions) to act on their behalf. The firm handles petitions for these appointments.
Attorney Profiles
Seth J. Arnowitz is the founder and principal attorney. He earned his B.A. from New York University in 1986 and his J.D. from Hofstra University School of Law in 1989, where he served as Notes and Comments Editor on the Hofstra Law Review. After law school, he practiced complex litigation at Cummings & Lockwood and then served as senior associate at Law Offices of Frank N. Peluso P.C. from 1994 to 1998, managing the real estate and litigation departments. He founded his own firm in 1998 and has practiced in Fairfield County since. He is admitted to the State of Connecticut, the State of New York, the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. He has received Super Lawyers recognition. He is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association and the Fairfield County Regional Bar Association. He authored “Expert Evidence in Connecticut State Courts” (American Bar Association, 1999) and “Denying a Natural Parent Visitation Rights” (20 Family Law Review 2, 1988).
Sarah A. Ripegno is an attorney at the firm. Specific credentials and bar admission details are not publicly specified.
Anna Perera is an attorney at the firm. Specific credentials and bar admission details are not publicly specified.
Location and Service Area
The Law Offices of Seth J. Arnowitz, LLC has two locations: the primary Stamford office at 1111 Summer Street, Suite 400, Stamford, CT 06905 (phone: 203-348-7722) and a second office at 195 Danbury Road, Suite 120, Wilton, CT 06897 (phone: 203-834-8700). Initial consultations can be scheduled by phone or by email at [email protected]. The website is ctattorney.com/
The firm’s primary service area is Fairfield County, Connecticut, with an emphasis on lower Fairfield County. Arnowitz is also admitted in New York and federal courts, extending the firm’s geographic reach for certain matters.
Client Focus
The firm serves two primary client populations: homeowners completing real estate transactions (purchases, sales, and closings) and homeowners in financial distress who are facing foreclosure or struggling to sustain their mortgage payments. These two groups reflect the full real estate ownership lifecycle — clients who are entering homeownership and those who are at risk of losing it.
Probate and guardianship clients are typically individuals and families navigating estate administration or seeking court appointments to manage the affairs of an incapacitated family member. Small businesses in Fairfield County that need real estate transaction support are also part of the client base.
The two-office structure — Stamford and Wilton — gives clients in both lower and mid-Fairfield County accessible locations for in-person consultations and closings.
FAQ
Does the firm handle foreclosure defense for Connecticut homeowners?
Yes. Foreclosure defense is a significant part of the firm’s practice. Connecticut’s judicial foreclosure process gives homeowners legal opportunities to contest the foreclosure, challenge procedural defects, and negotiate alternatives. The firm represents homeowners in these proceedings and explores all available options, including loan modifications and short sales, before a foreclosure judgment is finalized.
What is the difference between a loan modification and a short sale?
A loan modification keeps the homeowner in the property by restructuring the mortgage terms — potentially reducing the interest rate, extending repayment, or adjusting the principal — to make the payment sustainable. A short sale involves selling the property for less than the amount owed, with the lender’s agreement to accept the proceeds as full or partial satisfaction of the debt. Both are alternatives to foreclosure. The appropriate approach depends on the homeowner’s financial situation and long-term goals.
Is Seth Arnowitz admitted in New York as well as Connecticut?
Yes. Arnowitz is admitted to both the State of Connecticut and the State of New York bars, as well as the U.S. District Courts for the District of Connecticut, the Southern District of New York, and the Eastern District of New York. This dual admission is useful for clients with legal matters touching both states.
What ABA publication did Seth Arnowitz author?
“Expert Evidence in Connecticut State Courts” was published by the American Bar Association in 1999. It addresses the standards and procedures governing expert witness testimony in Connecticut state court proceedings. Earlier in his career, Arnowitz also authored “Denying a Natural Parent Visitation Rights” in the Family Law Review (1988). These publications reflect sustained engagement with legal scholarship alongside his practice.
Does the firm offer consultations at both the Stamford and Wilton offices?
Yes. The firm operates two offices in Fairfield County: Stamford (203-348-7722) and Wilton (203-834-8700). Initial consultations can be scheduled by phone at either location or by email at [email protected].
Closing
A published ABA author, a Super Lawyers selection, thirty-five years in Fairfield County, and a practice structured to serve homeowners at both ends of the real estate ownership experience — from purchase through the possibility of foreclosure defense — define The Law Offices of Seth J. Arnowitz, LLC. The firm’s dual Connecticut-New York bar admission and its two-office Fairfield County footprint reflect a practice built specifically for the county it serves.