Whitman Breed Abbott & Morgan LLC

Full-Service Law Firm Based in Greenwich, CT

Biography

Rod is a Partner in the Firm’s Litigation Department and practices in the areas of commercial litigation, general civil litigation and intellectual property litigation. He has represented clients from a variety of industries in a broad range of litigation matters before trial and appellate courts on the state and federal level, as well as before administrative bodies.

Rod’s commercial and general litigation experience includes: commercial disputes based in breach of contract, business torts and fraud; partnership disputes and internal business disputes; construction disputes and mechanic’s liens; commercial and residential landlord-tenant disputes; fiduciary litigation involving corporate officers, trustees and executors; real estate disputes and contested issues involving real property and title claims; plaintiff’s personal injury matters; and employment disputes, including enforcement and defense of restrictive covenants in employment and severance agreements.

Rod’s intellectual property litigation experience includes disputes concerning trademark infringement, unfair competition, copyright infringement, misappropriation of trade secrets, defamation and license agreement disputes. Rod also handles trademark opposition and cancellation proceedings before the Patent and Trademark Office Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.

From his work in the employment area, Rod also has experience drafting and negotiating employment-related agreements, including employment, separation, severance and restrictive covenant agreements.  In similar vein, from his work in the construction area, Rod also has experience drafting and negotiating construction contracts for property owners, contractors and architects.  Rod also provides antitrust counseling to various trade associations, including associations involved in the building materials, distribution, environmental, print and forest and paper products industries.

Prior to joining the firm in 2004, Rod was associated with the international law firm of White & Case LLP, where he worked in the Intellectual Property Group of the Litigation Department in New York City. Thereafter, Rod was associated with Entwistle & Cappucci LLP, where he worked in the Commercial Litigation Department in its New York City office.

Rod grew up in Greenwich and resides there now with his wife and children.

Professional & Community Affiliation

  • Fairfield County Bar Association (President, 2016-17; Executive Committee, 2013-2018; Board of Directors, 2010-2018; Member of Bar since 2006)
  • Greenwich Bar Association (President, 2009-2010; Executive Committee, 2004-2010; Member of Bar since 2004)
  • Connecticut Council of Bar Presidents (Member, 2009-2010, 2016-2017)
  • Connecticut Bar Association (Member since 2000)
  • Greenwich Emergency Medical Service, Inc. (“GEMS”) (Chairman of the Board, 2022; Executive Committee, 2018-2021; Board of Directors since 2014)
  • The Old Timers Athletic Association of Greenwich (President, 2021-2022; Executive Committee, 2015-2022; Board of Directors since 2012)
  • Greenwich Point Conservancy (Board of Directors since 2015; Advisory Board 2012-2014)
  • Greenwich Chamber of Commerce (Board of Directors since 2017)
  • Silver Shield Association Education Fund (Board of Directors since 2017)
  • Town of Greenwich Community and Police Partnership, East Side Sector (Member since 2008)
  • Harpoon Club (Member since 2020)

Honors & Recognition

Sample Reported Decisions

  • SR Holdings I, LLC v. Cannavo, 2018 WL 2727390 (Conn. Super. May 15, 2018).
  • Altenergy Cyber, LLC v. Blackridge Tech. Holdings, Inc., 2017 WL 4653054 (Conn. Super. Sept. 5, 2017).
  • Carpets Plus, Inc. v. New Rochelle Carpet, Inc., 90 Mass. App. Ct. 1103 (2016).
  • Benedetto v. Dietze & Assocs. LLC, 159 Conn. App. 874 (2015).
  • Law Offices of Frank N. Peluso, P.C. v. Estate of Zanette, 2014 WL 1345246 (Conn. Super. March 11, 2014).
  • Benedetto v. Dietze & Assocs. LLC, 2014 WL 1814284 (Conn. Super. Apr. 10, 2014).
  • Lee v. AIG Casualty Co., 919 F. Supp. 2d 219 (D. Conn. 2013).
  • Caires v. Bueti Development Corp., 2012 WL 3007487 (Conn. Super. June 21, 2012).
  • Stuart v. Snyder, 125 Conn. App. 506 (2010), cert. denied, 300 Conn. 921 (2011).
  • Wells Fargo Bank v. Treglia, 2011 WL 3672037 (Conn. Super. July 25, 2011).
  • Gatto v. Town of Greenwich Planning & Zoning Comm’n, 2008 WL 5650849 (Conn. Super. Nov. 19, 2008).
  • Harmon v. Pearson, 2007 WL 1321680 (Conn. Super. April 24, 2007).
  • Bridgeport Capital Services, Inc. v. Ruby Tuesday, Inc., 6 Misc.3d 50, 790 N.Y.S.2d 809 (Sup. Ct. App. Term 2004).
  • Discovery Communications, Inc. v. Animal Planet, Inc., 172 F. Supp. 2d 1282 (C.D. Cal. 2001).