Liz has been working in the liquor and hospitality industry for over twenty years. She has been a restaurant manager; CEO of a wine and spirits wholesale operation; a liquor permittee (holder) of multiple liquor licenses; and has been a leader in her field.
She was the Founder and President of SMART, a national certification program for the responsible service of alcohol, and one of only three Independent TIPS Master Trainers in the U.S. She was the Executive Director of the Connecticut Licensed Beverage Association and served on the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Restaurant Association. She was the President of the Connecticut Hospitality Educational Foundation. She also founded SMART Bartending Program, a certification program teaching professional mixology.
Currently, she is an Adjunct Professor at the University of New Haven’s School of Hospitality teaching bar and beverage management. She has taught in private, academic, and military settings and has spoken at regional and national conventions on issues of Dram Shop and Liquor Liability.
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Dram Shop Defense - Expert Investigates Alcohol Service to Minor
A mother was killed when a drunk driver crashed into her vehicle. The crash was caused by a minor who had been served alcohol earlier in the evening at a local night club. Robson Forensic Dram Shop/Bar Operations expert, Elizabeth Trendowski, was retained to determine if the nightclub followed industry standard of care guidelines when they granted the minor entry into their establishment.
View Full Case
HERE
- Alcohol Toxicology - Experts Investigate Toxicology & Dram Shop Issues
A pedestrian sustained serious injuries when he was struck by an intoxicated driver. A blood specimen obtained from the driver approximately 30 minutes after the crash revealed a serum alcohol concentration of 0.176 g/dl. Robson Forensic experts in Toxicology and Liquor Liability were retained to determine: 1) the dose of alcohol consumed in the hours prior to the crash 2) if the driver’s alcohol concentration was consistent with the likelihood that she displayed visible signs of intoxication while patronizing the local social club 3) if the actions/inactions of the social club were reckless and breached the industry standard of care for the service of alcohol and contributed to the pedestrian’s injuries.
View Full Case
HERE
- Dram Shop Expert’s Opinion Supports $2.3 Million Settlement
Three teens injured in a drunken-driving accident settled their auto-negligence and dram shop claims for a combined $2.3 million.
View Full Verdicts \ Settlement
HERE
- Dave & Buster’s Agrees to $1.5 Million Settlement in DUI Case
A national restaurant chain has agreed to pay $1.5 million to the family of a 20-year-old Riverside man who was killed in a 2008 drunken-driving accident, according to court records.
The settlement came just as lawyers for Dave & Buster’s and the family of the plaintiff were getting ready to pick a jury during the initial phases of a trial in state Superior Court.
The plaintiff was killed in September 2008 while riding his bicycle after defendant, 25, of Riverside, struck him during a late-night accident.
View Full Our Work
HERE
- Dram Shop Claim Overcomes 7-Figure Setoff for Settlement
Alcohol liability case against a restaurant stemming from an automobile collision. Plaintiff claimed that the collision occurred because of intoxicated customer left the restaurant and drove the wrong way down the Highway, crashing head-on into the plaintiff’s car, killing the 12 year old passenger and injuring his father.
View Full Verdicts \ Settlement
HERE
- Elizabeth Trendowski Interviewed by News 12: Responsible Service of Alcohol
Watch Elizabeth Trendowski’s News 12 interview regarding the responsible service of alcohol.
View Full Video
HERE
- Settlement Reached in Fatal Car Crash Lawsuit: Plaintiffs Alleged
Dram shop expert helped the families of four people, killed in a car crash by an off-duty police officer, reach a settlement with the officer and the restaurant/bar that provided the officer alcohol while she allegedly was intoxicated.
View Full Verdicts \ Settlement
HERE
- Elizabeth Trendowski Interviewed by News 12: Rise in Female DUIs
Watch Elizabeth Trendowski’s News 12 interview regarding the rise in female DUI’s. (Low sound volume)
View Full Video
HERE
- Trendowski Finds New Career As Liquor-Liabiliy Expert
The new
area manager for Robson Forensic in Glastonbury is a dram shop [where liquor is served] liability expert who is retained
by legal counsel in cases where people get hurt by someone served too much alcohol or in cases where alcohol is
served to a minor.
View Full Article
HERE
- DON’T FAKE THE ID CHECKING: The challenge of checking ID’s properly
“May I see your ID please?” is the first question every liquor license establishment
should require of their staff. Twenty-one is the legal age to purchase alcohol in every
state in the U.S. While there are debates going on currently regarding lowering the
drinking age, the legal age remains twenty-one to purchase alcohol.
A person must show a valid ID to purchase alcohol. As a threshold matter, a valid ID is a
non-expired ID. Valid IDs to purchase alcohol are issued by the state or federal
government. These include drivers licenses, passports, green cards, state issued ID’s
military ID and possibly gun permits. The liquor licensee should check with their state
for the specific IDs allowable to purchase alcohol.
View Full Article
HERE
- The IDs Are Fake But The Problem Isn't
Many parent of teenagers remember their own days of drinking alcohol before they were of legal age. Some were able to get served at the local bar...
View Full Article
HERE
- Expand Alcohol Server Training
Most restaurants and bars don’t train their staff to detect when a patron is getting drunk. Public safety would be better served if Connecticut either made server training mandatory or created incentives that would motivate bars and restaurants to train personnel.
View Full Article
HERE
- Alcohol Impairment - Robson Forensic Experts
When alcohol is identified as a factor in an injury incident, it is
often assumed to be the only cause. Our experts determine if
alcohol played a causative or contributing role.
View Full Mailer
HERE