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38 Hartford Business Journal • August 6, 2018 • www.HartfordBusiness.com N isha Kapur is a member of the business and finance depart- ment, the privately owned business group and the emerging companies group of Murtha Cullina LLP. She represents public, private and emerging-growth companies, including for-profit and not-for-profit entities, with corporate transactions, includ- ing acquisitions and dispositions, joint ventures, equity and debt financings, and other strategic transactions. Kapur has helped several compa- nies with their large-scale mergers and acquisitions. She also counsels clients on general corporate and business matters, including choice of entity, corporate governance, restructuring, contract negotiation and licensing matters. Additionally, she works closely with clients on purchase agreements, charter docu- ments, stockholder agreements and operating agreements. What's been your biggest professional accomplishment? Earlier this year I was recognized by the Connecticut Law Tribune as a "New Leader in the Law." This award recognizes my dedication and personal commitment to my clients as a corpo- rate attorney representing a diverse range of companies from all over the United States. How are you involved in the community? Currently I serve as the chair of the Lawyer's Collaborative for Diversity Attorney Advisory Committee and as a director on the boards of direc- tors of the UConn Law School Alumni Association and Conscious Capitalism Connecticut Inc. As a board member of Conscious Capitalism Connecticut, I strive to help companies in Connecti- cut create a community in which busi- ness can have a positive social impact. What do you like to do outside of work? I am passionate about serving entrepreneurs in our community and have developed a strong relationship with reSET, a co-working space in Hartford. Each month I provide free office hours there to mentor. What do you hope Greater Hartford will be like in 10 years? I hope to see Hartford as a hotbed for business, which in turn will drive young professionals to want to work and stay in the area. Four reasons why you deserve to be a 40 Under Forty: • I counseled a local startup from formation to its multimillion-dol- lar sale four years later. • I helped plan and facilitate the seventh annual Building Careers Symposium for the Lawyers Col- laborative for Diversity, which focused on helping young and diverse attorneys boost their busi- ness development skills and build their networks. • I initiated and assisted in the drafting of my firm's first-ever diversity and inclusion policy. • I strive to continually build the Hartford community through my work with local businesses and entrepreneurs. Fun Fact I love to dance and minored in it in college. Nisha Kapur Age: 28 Company: Murtha Cullina LLP Title: Associate No. of years with current company: 4 Town where I live: West Hartford Town where I work: Hartford College: George Washington University, UConn School of Law Highest degree: Law degree K athleen M. Coss is a commer- cial real estate attorney in West Hartford's Blue Back Square. Her practice focuses on representing institutional clients in connection with commercial finance and leasing trans- actions. Coss received her Juris Doctor with an energy and environmental law certificate from the University of Con- necticut School of Law. While in law school, Coss received four awards for excellence, served as the managing editor of the Connecticut Insurance Law Journal, the president of Energy & Environmental Law Society, and a member of the Moot Court Board. What's been the biggest professional accomplishment so far in your career? Through my work as a commercial real estate attorney, I have helped bolster the local economy and create more jobs by securing state funding and other financial incentives for nu- merous businesses, including inter- national entities and nonprofits alike, to establish and expand their pres- ence in the Greater Hartford area. How are you involved in the community? I am the youngest member on the board of directors for the Bushnell Park Foundation, and a founding member of the Hill-Stead Museum's young philan- thropist group, for which I also serve an advisory role. Additionally, I sit on the Ovations Gala Committee for the Bush- nell Performing Arts Center, helping to raise funding for arts education and community impact programs. What do you like to do outside of work? I recently launched a collaborative Instagram presence called the Hart- ford Darlings to showcase the region's panoply of unique features and attrac- tions, and provide a social media outlet and resource for the Greater Hartford community to discover and experience all that the area has to offer. What must the Greater Hartford region do to attract more talented young professionals? Enlivening representation of Greater Hartford on social media is vital. These burgeoning platforms are exceedingly influential and play an increasingly significant role in this demographic's perceptions of our capital region. Four reasons why you deserve to be a 40 Under Forty: • I'm a proactive "downtown dweller," dedicated to the promotion of Great- er Hartford through professional and personal channels, and passionate about promoting business and social development around our region. • My work with the Hill-Stead Museum has cultivated a philanthropic culture among local young professionals. • My work with the Bushnell Per- forming Arts Center helps provide invaluable educational opportuni- ties for inner-city youth. • Through the Bushnell Park Foun- dation, I have helped enhance the beauty, safety and value of the park. Fun Fact I sail competitively along the New England coast. Kathleen M. Coss Age: 32 Company: Kroll McNamara Evans & Delehanty Title: Attorney No. of years with current company: 1 Town where I live: Downtown Hartford Town where I work: West Hartford, Blue Back Square College: UConn School of Law Highest degree: Law degree 40 UNDER FORTY 2018