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November,
2011 |
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Whitman Breed Partners have been named “ New England
Super Lawyers” for 2011. |
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Terry
Coates (Estate Planning & Probate), Tony Macleod (Energy & Natural Resources), Charles
Pieterse (Business Litigation) and Rod Saggese (Rising Star, General Litigation) were named
New England Super Lawyers |
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July,
2011 |
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The Firm is pleased to announce that Lawrence S. Mannix has joined the Firm as a partner
in the Trusts & Estates Department. |
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Lawrence comes to the Firm with over 20 years of experience, most of it with the firm of Hawthorne Ackerly & Dorrance, in New Canaan, CT, where he was previously a partner. |
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April,
2011 |
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The Firm achieved early dismissal of a breach of contract action brought in Connecticut against an Ohio-based software company. The court found the contract at issue to be a"click-wrap" license agreement to which plaintiff assented on-line when installing the software. A forum selection clause in that agreement called for all claims to be brought in Ohio. The court found this clause to be enforceable and dismissed the action based on improper venue. |
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April,
2011 |
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Terry Coates has been selected as a Fellow of The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. ACTEC is a national organization of approximately 2,600 lawyers selected to membership by demonstrating the highest level of integrity, commitment to the profession, competence, and experience as trust and estate counselors. |
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March,
2011 |
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The Firm prevailed on an appeal of a summary judgment in favor of a client who was sued by beneficiaries of an estate and a trust for which he was the fiduciary's attorney. The beneficiaries brought a tort action claiming the attorney assisted with the fiduciary's unlawful conversion of assets. The Connecticut Appellate Court affirmed the trial court's decision that the relevant statute of limitations had lapsed and was not tolled by the doctrines of continuing course of conduct or fraudulent concealment. The Connecticut Supreme Court denied the beneficiaries' petition for certification for appeal from the Appellate Court. Stuart v. Snyder, 125 Conn. App. 506 (2010), cert. denied, 300 Conn. 921 (2011). |
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March,
2011 |
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The Firm prevailed on an appeal of a summary judgment in favor of a client who was sued for defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The Connecticut Appellate Court affirmed the trial court's decision that plaintiff failed to establish actual malice to overcome the qualified privilege from defamation claims for statements made to the police in connection with a criminal investigation. Mara v. Otto, 127 Conn. App. 404 (2011). |
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December,
2010 |
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CalPERS announced that it moved management of its $1.9 billion real estate portfolio to GI Partners. The Firm represented the indivdual brought in to lead the management of this portfolio and become a co-investor with GI Partners in that portfolio. |
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November,
2010 |
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John Shaban was elected to the Connecticut General Assembly for the 135th District (Weston, Easton and Redding). John will be sworn in on January 5, 2011, and then will serve a two-year term in the Assembly. |
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October,
2010 |
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Tom O'Connor has appointed Law Day Co-Chair of the
Greenwich Bar Association. |
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August,
2010 |
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Jack Sousa has been named a member of the Board of Directors of At Home in Greenwich, Inc., which is an aging-in-place nonprofit organization that offers its Greenwich resident members preferred access to social and cultural activities, household and maintenance services, and transportation and shopping assistance, as well as health care services and assisted living at home through partnerships with proven providers of services. |
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August,
2010 |
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The Firm is pleased to announce that Thomas O'Connor has joined the Firm as an associate
in the Litigation Department and Jack Sousa has joined the Firm as an associate in the Business Law Department. |
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Tom joins the Firm from Winston & Strawn LLP, where he was an associate in its New York City office. Jack joins the Firm from Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP, where he was an associate in its New York City office. |
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June,
2010 |
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Rod Saggese has been elected to the Board of Directors for the Fairfield County Bar Association. |
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May,
2010 |
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John Shaban has been officially endorsed as the Republican Candidate for State Representative for Connecticut's 135th District at the May 11, 2010 Convention of delegates from Weston, Easton and Redding. The general election will be held in November. |
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March,
2010 |
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Tony Macleod represented The Avon Water Co. in its application to the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control for an increase in water rates. Based on a 10% return on equity, the highest retrun on equity awarded to a water company in the last two years, Avon received a 14.52% increase in rates on March 31, 2010. The proceeding also involved an innovative rate base true-up mechanism to address disparity between capital structure and rate base in a manner acceptable to both the company and its regulatory agency. DPUC Docket 09-10-08, Application of The Avon Water Co. to Increase Rates. |
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March,
2010 |
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Tony Macleod represented ISO New England Inc. ("ISO"), the independent system operator of the electric power grid serving the New England region, as an intervenor before the Connecticut Siting Council in a proceeding initiated by the Connecticut Light & Power Co. for approval of the Connecticut portion of an interstate project, known as the Greater Springfield Reliability Project (the "GSRP"), involving high voltage transmission upgrades to the electric system in western Massachusetts and north central Connecticut. The Connecticut portion of the GSRP, which ISO supported in preference to a competing generation proposal, was approved on March 16, 2010. Connecticut Siting Council Docket 370, CL&P Application for Certificates of Environmental Compatability and Public Need for Connecticut Valley Electric Transmission Projects. |
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January,
2010 |
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The Business Law Department, led by Harry Peden III, represented Consumer Financial Services, LLC ("CFS") and its principals in Atlanta Equity Fund, LP's acquistion of CFS. Southport, Connecticut-based CFS is a leading provider of delinquent secured accounts receivable resolution services, providing both secured commercial lenders and original equipment manufacturers nationwide with a variety of highly tailored debtor identification, account negotiation, and collateral recovery services in connection with delinquent account debtors located throughout North America. The transaction was structured as an asset purchase with the seller obtaining an interest in the continuing company. The Firm provided a range of advice and services to the seller and its members in connection with the sale, covering employment, consulting, membership, and tax issues, as well as the negotiation and documentation of the sale of the business. |
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December,
2009 |
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The Firm represented claimants in an arbitration against a charter jet broker on claims of breach of contract, negligence and breach of fiduciary duty. The arbitrator awarded claimants compensatory damages and attorneys' fees. This award was confirmed by a decision of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, which awarded claimants additional attorneys' fees incurred in connection with the application to confirm the award and respondents' cross motion to vacate. Loeb v. Blue Star Jets, LLC, 2009 WL 4906538 (S.D.N.Y. Dec. 17, 2009). |
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October,
2009 |
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Margaret Conboy has been named Chairwoman of the Greenwich Service Unit of the Salvation Army. |
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September,
2009 |
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Rod
Saggese has been elected President of the
Greenwich Bar Association. |
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August,
2009 |
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The
Firm successfully negotiated a tax certiorari
settlement for an office park in excess
of 750,000 square feet in Westchester County,
New York, with an overall thirty percent
reduction in taxes and a tax refund in excess
of $800,000. |
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July,
2009 |
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The
Firm obtained dismissal of all claims, which incuded breach of contract and related claims, brought by a purchaser of residential property against a relocation company. Schiff v. Van Wyk, 2009 WL 2450755 (Conn. Super. July 6, 2009). |
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June,
2009 |
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The
Firm successfully represented a commercial
real estate developer in two separate lawsuits,
both of which derived from the collapse
of a large commercial development. One lawsuit
was a foreclosure action by a bridge financier
on a loan in excess of $20 million, the
other lawsuit was the foreclosure of a six-figure
mechanic's lien. Over the plaintiffs' objections,
the Firm consolidated the actions and transferred
the matters into the complex litigation
docket. The Firm then effected a settlement
that transferred the property, released
the liens and relieved the client of significant
personal liability. |
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June,
2009 |
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The
Business Law Department represents many
nonprofit corporations and foundations.
In particular, the Firm's attorneys work
with "homeowner association" entities,
including tax districts. Recently, Harry
Peden III advised members of an historcially
significant waterfront association with
regard to expanding and updating use and
other property restrictions for homeowners
in the community, a measure designed to
maintain the quality of life and ultimately
the value of properties within the association. |
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June,
2009 |
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The
Firm was recently engaged to represent a
national commercial office portfolio valued
in excess of $250,000,000 in connection
with its lease and lease restructure transactions. |
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March,
2009 |
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The
Firm represented an individual whose medical
insurance company refused to cover his preferred
treatment for prostate cancer. The firm
filed an ERISA lawsuit in federal court
to press for coverage of the treatment.
The insurance company immediately requested
settlement discussions, and the matter was
resolved out of court with reimbursement
to the client of a majority of his out-of-pocket
expenses for the cancer treatment. |
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February,
2009 |
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Whitman Breed Partners have been named “ Connecticut
Super Lawyers” for 2009. |
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Super
Lawyers, limited to five percent of Connecticut
attorneys, are selected through peer nominations
and independent research and evaluation
by Law & Politics. Terry Coates (Estate
Planning/Trusts) and Charles Pieterse (Business
Litigation) were again named Super Lawyers
as they were in 2006, 2007 and 2008. |
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January,
2009 |
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The Business Law Department, led by Tony Macleod, represented a Delaware corporation in a private placement under Section 4(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, involving the issuance and sale of shares of convertible preferred stock and warrants to purchase common stock. The transaction also included amendments to various corporate documents, a shareholders agreement and executive employment agreements. |
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November,
2008 |
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The
Firm prevailed on claims brought by the purchaser of residential property against the seller for fraud, breach of contract and related claims. The Firm obtained an award for the client that included compensatory damages and attorneys' fees. Failla v. Kripki, 2008 WL 5216298 (Conn. Super. Nov. 10, 2008). |
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November,
2008 |
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Whitman Breed Partners have been named “ New England
Super Lawyers” for 2008. |
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Terry
Coates (Estate Planning/Trusts) and Charles
Pieterse (Business Litigation) were named
New England Super Lawyers in the same year
that they were also named Connecticut Super
Lawyers. |
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September,
2008 |
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Rod
Saggese has been elected Vice President
of the Greenwich Bar Association. |
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June,
2008 |
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The
Firm represented a large Greenwich developer
in a commercial loan transaction related
to the redevelopment of a parcel of land
in the Byram area of Greenwich from commercial
use to residential condominiums. The Firm
also represents the developer in the ongoing
formation and development of the same residential
condominium complex, which includes a marina
and boardwalk. |
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June,
2008 |
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Kevin
A. Walsh, a member of the Board of Directors
of Family Centers, Inc., represented Family
Centers on a pro bono basis in
connection with the merger of HealthCare
Connections, Inc. into Family Centers effective
July 1, 2008. Family Centers is a
non-profit organization headquartered in
Greenwich, CT offering education and human
services to children, adults and families
living in Lower Fairfield County. HealthCare
Connections, a nonprofit organization based
in Stamford, CT, maintains four programs
– the School Based Health Centers,
Stamford CARES, Care to Care and the TLC
Health Center at Kids in Crisis –
which will remain intact. HealthCare
Connections was represented on a pro
bono basis by David Salm from Oracle
Corp. |
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March,
2008 |
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The
Firm, led by Tony Macleod, successfully defended sellers of a payphone business against claims, arising out of the contract of sale, for damages and injunctive relief at the Connecticut state trial and appellate court levels.
After trial, the Superior Court denied all of the plaintiff's claims and found that he had not tendered funds that would entitle him to a reduced payoff provision in the promissory note provided as part of the purchase price. The plaintiff was therefore found to not be entitled to damages or a judgment that he was no longer liable to defendants for further payments under the note. The Appellate Court affirmed this holding in a decision released March 11, 2008, thus enabling payment to the defendants of the balance due on the note plus accrued interest.
Curcio v. Bax, 106 Conn. App. 307
(2008). |
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February,
2008 |
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Whitman Breed Partners have been named “ Connecticut
Super Lawyers” for 2008. |
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Super
Lawyers, limited to five percent of Connecticut
attorneys, are selected through peer nominations
and independent research and evaluation
by Law & Politics. Terry Coates (Estate
Planning/Trusts) and Charles Pieterse (Business
Litigation) were again named Super Lawyers
as they were in 2006 and 2007. |
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February,
2008 |
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John
Shaban was appointed Chairman of the Redding
Water Pollution Control Commission, which
is currently overseeing the construction
of a $12 million, 245,000 gallons per day
plant being constructed as part of the Georgetown
Wire Mill Redevelopment project headed by
Greenwich developer Stephen Soler. |
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January,
2008 |
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The Firm is pleased to announce that Rod Saggese
has been named a partner in the Litigation
Department of the Firm. |
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Rod joined
the firm in 2004 as an associate, and he
practices in the areas of commercial litigation,
general civil litigation and intellectual
property. |
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January,
2008 |
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The Firm represented a seller in a purchase
and sale transaction of a $30 million residential
property in Greenwich, which to that date
was the highest priced sale of a single
parcel of residential property in Greenwich. |
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September,
2007 |
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Rod
Saggese has been elected Treasurer of the
Greenwich Bar Association. |
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September,
2007 |
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WHITMAN BREED HAS MOVED TO NEW OFFICES IN GREENWICH !
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Please note that our Greenwich office
is now located at 500 West Putnam Avenue.
Whitman Breed has moved to newer and larger
offices with more convenient client access.
Please click for
directions.
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The Firm represented the owners of Public Energy Solutions
(“PES”) in a sale of PES to Comverge,
Inc., a public company involved in energy
conservation and load management businesses.
Kevin Walsh was assisted by Katherine
Dowd in closing the $13.4 million transaction,
which also provides for further cash payments
and stock distributions if future revenue
and earnings targets are met.
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Whitman Breed Partners have been named “ Connecticut
Super Lawyers” for 2007. |
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Super Lawyers,
limited to five percent of Connecticut
attorneys, are selected through peer nominations
and independent research and evaluation
by Law & Politics. Terry Coates (Estate
Planning/Trusts) and Charles Pieterse
(Business Litigation), both of whom were
also Super Lawyers in 2006, have repeated
as Connecticut Super Lawyers for 2007,
as listed in Connecticut Magazine.
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