Vishal Garg

Partner

Direct: (860) 908-5489
Email: vishal@kgwslaw.com

Vishal Garg is a partner at Koch, Garg, Walker & Smart. Vishal is an experienced litigator who practices primarily in the areas of appellate litigation and postconviction litigation, but takes on all kinds of criminal and civil cases.

Vishal takes pride in advocating on behalf of clients who find themselves ensnared by a criminal justice system that is insensitive to their humanity. He tells his clients stories to judges and juries in a simple, comprehensible, and digestible way that helps to ensure that his clients obtain the best results possible.

Vishal employs a creative and detail-oriented approach to litigation, which has resulted in several landmark victories. Vishal represented the first person convicted of murder as an adult to receive parole in the State of Connecticut under the newly passed Public Act 23-169. Another of Vishal’s clients was the first person in Connecticut to have a conviction vacated based upon having received improper immigration advice from the judge at the time of the plea. These kinds of results are possible because Vishal leaves no stone unturned and fearlessly pursues justice for his clients.

Vishal believes that the criminal justice system’s procedures are overly complex and get in the way of justice. He has made it his mission to help reduce the procedural hurdles that defendants face to have their claims heard. Vishal’s familiarity with those procedures enables him to use them to his client’s advantage, and to change the law when he is unable to do so. He has been tremendously successful in that mission to his clients’ benefit. Two of Vishal’s recent Supreme Court victories, Rose v. Commissioner of Correction, and Saunders v. Commissioner of Correction, opened new avenues that allow inmates to have their postconviction claims considered.

Vishal’s success as an advocate has been recognized by both the legal field and the press. He was the subject of an article in the Connecticut Law Tribune titled “Attorney Succeeds Where Few Others Have, Taking Over from ‘Ineffective’ Lawyer.” He has been recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star. He has given Continuing Legal Education presentations to help other attorneys learn from his success. He has testified as a legal expert on the standard of care for criminal defense attorneys. In sum, Vishal has been recognized as a stellar lawyer.

Vishal graduated summa cum laude from the University of Illinois College of Law, where he finished fourth in his class of over 200 students. He has spent the past 10 years working at small criminal defense firms, the last four years of which have been spent as a partner at Koch, Garg, Walker & Smart.

When he’s not working, Vishal enjoys spending time at home with his family in Newington, and following Detroit sports teams.

Awards:

  • 2023 Super Lawyers Rising Star
  • 2026 Super Lawyers

Published Appellate Victories:

  • Rose v. Commissioner of Correction, 348 Conn. 333, 304 A.3d 431 (2023)
  • Rapp v. Commissioner of Correction, 224 Conn. App. 336, 311 A.3d 249 (2024)
  • Stephenson v. Commissioner of Correction, 222 Conn. App. 331, 305 A.3d 266 (2023)
  • Saunders v. Commissioner of Correction, 343 Conn. 1, 272 A.3d 169 (2022)
  • Sease v. Commissioner of Correction, 219 Conn. App. 504, 295 A.3d 436 (2023)
  • Hodge v. Commissioner of Correction, 216 Conn. App. 616, 285 A.3d 1194 (2022)
  • Donald v. Commissioner of Correction, 216 Conn. App. 63, 284 A.3d 665 (2022)
  • Sease v. Commissioner of Correction, 212 Conn. App. 99, 274 A.3d 129 (2022)
  • Anthony A. v. Commissioner of Correction, 339 Conn. 290, 260 A.3d 1199 (2021)
  • Stephen S. v. Commissioner of Correction, 199 Conn. App. 230, 235 A.3d 639 (2020)
  • Stephenson v. Commissioner of Correction, 197 Conn. App. 172, 231 A.3d 210 (2020)
  • State v. Stephenson, 187 Conn. App. 20, 201 A.3d 427 (2019)
  • Turner v. Commissioner of Correction, 181 Conn. App. 743, 187 A.3d 1163 (2018)
  • State v. Lima, 180 Conn. App. 48, 182 A.3d 101 (2018)
  • Lebron v. Commissioner of Correction, 178 Conn. App. 299, 175 A.3d 46 (2017)
  • Miller v. Commissioner of Correction, 176 Conn. App. 616, 170 A.3d 736 (2017)
  • Ruiz v. Commissioner of Correction, 156 Conn. App. 321, 113 A.3d 485 (2015) (brief only)

Articles:

Presentations:

  • Litigating Padilla claims, Mandatory OCPD Assigned Counsel Training, October, 2018
  • Knowing Presentation of False Testimony, CCDLA Training, June 2019
  • The Nuts and Bolts of Handling an Appeal, OCPD Assigned Counsel Training, January 2021
  • How to protect your client’s rights from liars and unethical prosecutors (Brady claims), Tolland County Bar Association, November, 2021
  • False and Suppressed Evidence: Understanding Brady, Giglio, and How to Make Prosecutors Squirm, training held by OCPD, September 2024
  • Confrontation Clause Claims: Identifying them at Superior Court & Preserving them for Appellate Review, training held by OCPD, March 2025

Licensed to practice in:
State of Connecticut
U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut