Sarah S. Oldham (Partner)

Sarah S. (Sally) Oldham joined Arnold Rutkin in 1994, and together they founded a partnership, Rutkin & Oldham, L.L.C., in 1996. Attorney Oldham has an extensive career in matrimonial law, helping clients address the financial consequences of divorce while recognizing the psychological impact of the process on those involved. Attorney Oldham’s deep understanding of family issues goes far beyond her extensive legal training. For a decade before she entered the law, Attorney Oldham was a school psychologist in various Connecticut public schools, as well as in private practice in Westport. At Rutkin, Oldham & Needle, L.L.C., Attorney Oldham handles all types of domestic relations matters, including dissolutions involving complex financial, custody, and visitation proceedings. She also serves as a special master for family matters in the Connecticut court system.

Among Attorney Oldham's professional contributions is her co-authorship (with Attorneys Rutkin and Hogan) of Connecticut Family Law and Practice, the three-volume work published by West Publishing. In addition, she has written several articles for Family Advocate, the official family law publication of the American Bar Association, and The Connecticut Family Lawyer, the newsletter of the Connecticut Bar Association family law section. Attorney Oldham was co-counsel (with Attorney Rutkin) in the precedent-setting case of Wendt v. Wendt, which made national headlines and set a legal precedent regarding the way that courts view the financial arrangements in marriage – especially when there are significant assets involved. Attorney Oldham has been selected by her peers every year since 2006 for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America (the selection process is available here). Because no fee is required to be listed, inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor by the legal profession. Attorney Oldham was also named one of Connecticut's Top 25 Female Lawyers for 2006 (the selection process is available here). She has also been selected as one of “Ten Leaders in Matrimonial & Divorce Law” in Connecticut (the selection process is available here). Attorney Oldham is also AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell, which is the highest rating possible by this national rating service (the rating process is available here). She has shared her knowledge and experience in many publications and articles and lectures regularly on a wide variety of topics at legal seminars. (Please see the firm‘s “Publications” section for these and more articles about/by Attorney Oldham.)

Among Attorney Oldham‘s best known accomplishments was her litigation of Ireland v. Ireland, a landmark decision involving relocation of children after divorce. Attorney Oldham represented the plaintiff father in opposing the Mother‘s move to California. At trial, after the court heard the facts and evidence, the Father prevailed. The decision was upheld at the Appellate level. However, on appeal to the Connecticut Supreme Court, that court reversed, making new law and essentially granting the custodial parent greater freedom to leave the state in pursuit of personal opportunities. This landmark case led to greater confusion about whose interests were best served: the custodial parent or the child. Attorney Oldham persisted in her interest on this issue, subsequently writing position papers for the Connecticut State Bar calling for a state law to give clarity to the issue, and testifying several times in public hearings on the need for new legislation to reverse the effects of the Ireland. In 2006, the Connecticut Supreme Court decision effectively became moot when the Governor signed into law Public Act 06-168, which gives the custodial parent the sole burden to prove that a move is legitimate and in the child‘s best interest.

Attorney Oldham has been elected a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Currently, Attorney Oldham is Chair of the National Test Sub-Committee of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, overseeing the administration of and regular revisions to the standard written examination required for admission into the Academy. She is also a Founding and Life Member of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Foundation. In 2005 she co-chaired the Biennial Seminar for the Connecticut Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. The topic was “Complex Issues in Family Law.” Attorney Oldham's other professional affiliations also include the Fairfield County Bar Association and the American Bar Association. She is a member of the Family Law Section of the Connecticut Bar Association, and has held multiple positions within this section, including serving as Chair in 2003 – 2004. In May 2008, she was reinvited to lecture on the utility of psychological testing in custody cases at the joint conference of the ABA Family Law Section and the American Psychological Association.

Attorney Oldham received her B.S. cum laude in psychology from Wesleyan University, her M.S. from Southern Connecticut State University where she graduated magna cum laude, and her J.D., cum laude, from the University of Connecticut School of Law where she was a member of the Connecticut Law Review. She is also a private pilot, licensed since 1980. Having a grandfather who was a judge, a father who was a lawyer in a major New York firm, and three sisters and a brother who are all practicing professionals, Attorney Oldham is born and bred into the profession. She has two grown children and five grandchildren.