Whitman Breed Abbott & Morgan LLC

Full-Service Law Firm Based in Greenwich, CT

Kosnik,
B. Leigh

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B. Leigh Kosnik, Esq. is a graduate of Duke University and Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. Her early career focused on corporate and international finance beginning, in 1981, at the New York law firm of Mudge Rose Guthrie Alexander & Ferdon, then Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison and finally, with the London based international law firm, Linklaters, where she spent nine years. During her time with Linklaters, she worked in their London and New York offices and opened their Washington DC office. In 2007, she joined Roberts & Bates, P.C. in Stamford, Connecticut to begin a local focus on trusts and estates. After four years, she moved to Smith & Grant LLP to continue her practice with individual clients in the areas of trusts and estates.

Ms. Kosnik is admitted to practice law in Connecticut and New York and is a member of the bar associations of those states.

 

Grant,
Elizabeth M.

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Elizabeth Grant’s practice covers a broad range of estate planning, estate and trust administration, and probate matters. She is admitted to practice law in Connecticut and New York.

Ms. Grant is a member of the Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law Section of the American Bar Association, the Trusts and Estates Law Section of the New York State Bar Association, and the Estates and Probate Section of the Connecticut Bar Association. She is also a member and past President of the Greenwich Bar Association.

Ms. Grant served as a Director and past President of the Board of the Round Hill Association, Inc. of Greenwich. She also served on Boards of the Family Centers, Inc. of Greenwich, the Greenwich Chapter of the American Red Cross and the Round Hill Community Church of Greenwich.

She received her B.A. from Smith College and her J.D. from the Fordham University School of Law.

Professional & Community Affiliation

  • Greenwich Bar Association, Member and Past President
  • Connecticut Bar Association, Member
  • New York State Bar Association, Member
  • American Bar Association, Member

Honors & Recognition

The Best Lawyers in America in the field of Trusts and Estates, 2009 – 2020

Smith,
George L.

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George practices in all areas of estate and trust planning and administration, including advising individuals on the tax consequences associated with planning for the disposition of assets. In addition to representing individuals in their estate planning matters, he represents individuals, banks, and trust companies serving in fiduciary capacities. Mr. Smith also assists individuals in designing charitable giving plans.

He is admitted to practice law in Connecticut, New York, and Florida and is a member of the bar association in each of these states. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and an ex-officio member of the Executive Committee of the Estates and Probate Section of the Connecticut Bar Association. In addition, he is an Emeritus Professional Advisor of Fairfield County’s Community Foundation Professional Advisory Council.

Professional & Community Affiliation

  • Connecticut Bar Association, Member
  • New York State Bar Association, Member
  • Florida Bar Association, Member
  • American Bar Association, Member
  • Greenwich Bar Association, Past President
  • Executive Committee of the Estates and Probate Section of the Connecticut Bar Association, Ex-Officio Member
  • Lower Fairfield County Estate Planning Council, Member

Honors & Recognition

  • Fellow, American College of Trusts and Estates Counsel, 2001 – 2020
  • The Best Lawyers in America for Trusts & Estates Law, 2006-2020 (See Selection Process)
  • New England Super Lawyers for Estate Planning & Probate, 2006 – 2020 (See Selection Process)

Publications & Presentations

  • Speaker, Estate Administration, Greenwich Bar Association
  • Speaker, Connecticut Bar Association – Various Topics on Estate Planning & Administration
  • Speaker, Estate Planning, Stamford Regional Bar Association
  • Speaker, Will Awareness, Archdiocese of New York

Douglas,
Nick

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Nick is an associate in the Business Law and Intellectual Property Departments and has experience representing clients in the formation, structuring, and financing of business entities. Nick has an educational background in intellectual property law and focuses on developing his practice in the electronic and online entertainment industries.

Prior to joining Whitman Breed, Nick practiced at a firm in Stamford where he represented clients in both corporate transactions and commercial litigation.

Professional & Community Affiliation

  • Connecticut Bar Association (Committee on Cannabis Law 2019-2020)

Publications & Presentations

  • Author, “Non-Practicing Entities & Patent Reform,” 38 Pace L. Rev. 608 May 14, 2018.
  • Author, “Mechanical Timepieces & Intellectual Property Protection,” 8 Pace Intell. Prop. Sports & Ent. L.F. 29 May 1, 2017.

Nelson,
Andrew W.

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For more than 30 years, Drew has been providing legal and business advice to private equity and venture capital funds, other investors, U.S. and non-U.S. companies and individuals.  He has represented individuals and business entities in connection with business, financial and corporate law matters.  In particular, he has advised clients in connection with the financing, acquisition and sale of businesses, and has acted as a general corporate and commercial advisor.

Prior to joining the Firm, Drew advised clients on a wide range of business, finance and corporate law matters as a partner at Martin LLP (2009-2018), Sidley Austin LLP (2001-2009) and Morgan Lewis and Bockius LLP (1994-2001).  He was also associated with Lord, Day & Lord, Barrett Smith (1986-1994).

Professional & Community Affiliation

  • Association for Corporate Growth, Connecticut Chapter
  • XPX/Exit Planning Exchange, Fairfield County Chapter
  • Canadian Association of New York
  • American Bar Association
  • Connecticut Bar Association

Print Profile

Walsh,
Kevin A.

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Kevin is the head of the Firm’s Tax Department and is a member of the Business Law Department and the Trusts and Estates Department. He joined Whitman Breed in 1994 after spending 15 years at Hall, McNicol, Hamilton & Clark and Keck, Mahin & Cate in New York City. His practice includes tax and business law advice to corporations, partnerships and limited liability companies of all sizes regarding structural, operational and transactional matters, including acquisitions and divestitures, debt and equity financings, executive compensation, shareholder relations and succession planning.

In addition, complementary to his tax and business law practice, Kevin provides estate and tax planning, including preparation of wills, trusts and related documents. He also represents individual and institutional executors and trustees in the administration of estates and trusts in both Connecticut and New York.

Professional & Community Affiliation

  • American Bar Association
  • Connecticut Bar Association
  • Darien YMCA (Board Member, 1992-1998; President 1993-1995)
  • Family Centers, Inc., Board Member (since 1999; Executive Board since 2002)
  • Darien Land Trust (Trustee, 2008-2012)
  • Fairfield County Community Fund (Emeritus Professional Advisory Council Member since 2010)
  • Hospital for Special Surgery Wilson Society, Advisory Council (2015 to 2020)
  • Tokeneke Club Board of Governors (2016-present)

Honors & Recognition

  • Recipient, Helen Gratz Rockefeller Outstanding Volunteerism Award, Family Centers, Inc., 2004
  • Recipient, Lou Ferraro YMCA Excellence Award for service to the Greenwich YMCA, Greenwich YMCA, 2012
  • AV Preeminent Rating, Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™

Publications & Presentations

Speaker at “Tax-Exempt Organizations in New York,” regarding IRS Intermediary Sanction Rules, White Plains, NY, September, 2001

Speaker before the Stamford, CT Society of Investment Analysts on Fiduciary Responsibilities of Investment Advisors under ERISA, May, 2002