Cate is a trusted advisor for individuals and families who seek practical strategies for their estate planning and estate-related needs. Her practice focuses on trust and estate planning, Medicaid / Title XIX, probate, and business succession planning. Cate also handles residential and commercial real estate transactions. Ericson, Scalise & Mangan was voted Best Law Office in 2022 and Best Eldercare Attorneys in 2021 in the poll. Cate earned her undergraduate degree from The University of Texas at Austin and her Juris Doctor from Quinnipiac University School of Law, Magna Cum Laude. During her time in law school, she was inducted into the legal honor society Phi Delta Phi and was the recipient of The John L. Hanny Memorial Scholarship, The Sandra and Martin Lax Endowed Scholarship, and the Distinguished Academic Achievement Awards for Civil Procedure I, Mediation, Healthcare Compliance Law, and Representing Clients. Upon graduating, Cate was the faculty’s choice for the Superior Classroom Performance award. Cate is a member of the Greater New Britain Chamber of Commerce, Wethersfield Chamber of Commerce, Connecticut Bar Association’s Trust and Estate and Elder Law sections, and West Hartford Phoenix BNI. Trained in Alternative Dispute Resolution processes, Cate is an empathetic and compassionate attorney who strives to establish meaningful connections with her clients. Her experience includes a Sappern Fellow in the Family Services Center of the Hartford Superior Court, intern at The Children’s Law Center of CT, and Associate Attorney in estate administration and estate planning. Demonstrating an impeccable eye for attention to detail and excellent organizational skills, Cate provides exceptional client service with time-sensitive work requiring fast action and composure under pressure. Cate serves on the Board of Directors for Healing Hoofbeats, a non-profit organization that specializes in working with individuals, families, and veterans to overcome trauma through Focused Equine Assisted Psychotherapy. Cate is also active as a fundraiser for the Amyloidosis Foundation, helping to finance finding a cure. A classically trained dancer, in her spare time, she enjoys mentoring young dancers, spending time with her family, and being outdoors.

Steve began his career as a defense lawyer defending medical malpractice, cerebral palsy, insurance defense and product liability claims. As a defense lawyer, Steve tried over 100 cases to verdict throughout Ohio and on behalf of many insurance companies and hospitals. In 2001 Steve utilized this experience when he changed the focus of his practice to representing injured individuals and their families against the same insurance industry he once represented. This experience in the courtroom, combined with the knowledge of how the insurance industry evaluates claims, makes Steve a unique lawyer to hire for your case. When you hire Steve Crandall, you are hiring a lawyer adept at evaluating both sides of your case. This allows the best representation by combining the experience of a courtroom litigator with the vision of how to present your case's strengths and weaknesses most effectively to the Defendant for settlement or the Jury for a verdict.

With licenses to practice law in Kentucky, Ohio, and various Federal Courts, Steve Crandall has been a top trial lawyer for nearly 30 years. Steve’s goals are to first investigate your case to get you answers and then focus on holding those responsible for the mistakes that changed your life. Steve’s clients can attest to the fact that Steve is responsive, keeps them constantly updated and aggressively pursues their case. Steve also remains their lawyer for life. Steve Crandall is a force to be reckoned with in the legal world. His experience, trial skills and connections in the legal industry allow him to provide his clients with unparalleled representation. Throughout his career, Steve built strong relationships with expert witnesses, opposing counsel, in-house lawyers, insurance representatives and courthouse personnel. This network of contacts allows him to uncover the truth about a case, as well as maximize the recovery and compensation for his clients. As a result, Steve has a reputation as a knowledgeable, tough and fair trial lawyer, with proven experience and results.

Lauren Crane represents and advises the most accomplished individuals in a wide array of matrimonial and family law matters including the equitable distribution of assets, spousal and child support, child custody and access, and prenuptial, postnuptial and separation agreements. While she skillfully resolves such matters through artful negotiation and settlement, when necessary, she is an aggressive litigator at the trial and appellate court levels. In addition to her prodigious litigation experience, Lauren is an appointed mediator in New York County. She completed several mediation courses to advance her mediation training for divorce and child custody related issues—the Essential Mediation Skills for the New Mediator with the American Arbitration Association and the Advanced Mediation Training with the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. In February of 2020, Lauren was selected to serve as a Mediator on the New York County Supreme Court’s Roster of Matrimonial Mediators. Upon graduation from law school, Lauren had the unique privilege of serving as the judicial law clerk to the Honorable Ellen L. Koblitz, Superior Court, Family Division, New Jersey. She joined Bender & Rosenthal LLP in 2005, where she practiced exclusively in the area of matrimonial and family law, specializing in high net worth clients. Then, in 2022, after 17 years of exceptional advocacy, she is now one of the primary attorneys of Bender & Crane LLP. Lauren earned her B.A. in English and History from Emory University and her J.D. from Rutgers Law School.

Lauren Crane represents and advises the most accomplished individuals in a wide array of matrimonial and family law matters including the equitable distribution of assets, spousal and child support, child custody and access, and prenuptial, postnuptial and separation agreements. While she skillfully resolves such matters through artful negotiation and settlement, when necessary, she is an aggressive litigator at the trial and appellate court levels. In addition to her prodigious litigation experience, Lauren is an appointed mediator in New York County. She completed several mediation courses to advance her mediation training for divorce and child custody related issues—the Essential Mediation Skills for the New Mediator with the American Arbitration Association and the Advanced Mediation Training with the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. In February of 2020, Lauren was selected to serve as a Mediator on the New York County Supreme Court’s Roster of Matrimonial Mediators. Upon graduation from law school, Lauren had the unique privilege of serving as the judicial law clerk to the Honorable Ellen L. Koblitz, Superior Court, Family Division, New Jersey. She joined Bender & Rosenthal LLP in 2005, where she practiced exclusively in the area of matrimonial and family law, specializing in high net worth clients. Then, in 2022, after 17 years of exceptional advocacy, she is now one of the primary attorneys of Bender & Crane LLP. Lauren earned her B.A. in English and History from Emory University and her J.D. from Rutgers Law School.