Whitman Breed Abbott & Morgan LLC

Full-Service Law Firm Based in Greenwich, CT

March 2021 LOCAL STRENGTH | GLOBAL INSIGHT

March 2021

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Whitman Breed Partners have been named to Greenwich Magazine’s Top Lawyers in Fairfield County for 2021.

Jim Riley for Commercial Litigation, George Smith for Wills, Rod Saggese for Civil Litigation, and Luke Tashjian for Wills were named a Top Lawyer in Fairfield County for 2021.  Greenwich Magazine published its annual list in its March 2021 edition, recognizing approximately 300 attorneys practicing in Fairfield County in various legal practice areas, using an online peer-voting process and Internet research.

Whitman Breed Announces New Partners

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Whitman Breed Abbott & Morgan LLC is proud to announce that Katie O’Neill and Wyatt Jansen have both been named as partners in the firm. Katie joined Whitman Breed in 2012 and is a partner in the Business Law Department and Wyatt, who joined Whitman Breed in 2014, is a partner in the Litigation Department.

Katie represents clients in a wide variety of corporate transactions, including venture capital investments, mergers and acquisitions, loan originations and other financing activities. She also frequently represents small to mid-size companies in general corporate matters, including negotiating commercial contracts with vendors, suppliers, employees, and other service providers. Katie received a J.D., with honors, from Villanova University School of Law in 2011, and a BSBA in Finance from Villanova University in 2008.

Wyatt represents clients in complex business and trust, estate, and fiduciary litigation throughout Connecticut and New York. He frequently handles cases involving foreign law and first-impression legal issues and has trial experience in some of the largest corporate and trust disputes in Connecticut. Wyatt regularly writes and presents on legal issues, most recently on offshore trust litigation in domestic courts. He received a J.D., with honors, from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 2012, and a B.A. from New York University.

December 2020

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Rod Saggese was elected President of the Greenwich Old Timers Athletic Association. The Old Timers raise money for college scholarships and youth sports programs in Greenwich. Rod has been on the Board of Directors of the Old Timers since March, 2012.

October 2020

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Whitman Breed Partners and Associates have been named “Connecticut Super Lawyers®” for 2020. Connecticut selection information at http://www.superlawyers.com/connecticut/selection_details.html

Charles Pieterse (Trusts & Estates Litigation), Jim Riley (Business Litigation), George Smith (Estate Planning & Probate), Rod Saggese (General Litigation), Thomas O’Connor (Rising Star – Civil Litigation), Luke Tashjian (Rising Star – Estate Planning & Probate), Kathryn O’Neill (Rising Star – Business/Corporate), and Wyatt Jansen (Rising Star – Business Litigation and Trusts & Estates Litigation) were named Connecticut Super Lawyers.

September 2020

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The Firm represented the Greenwich Land Trust in its purchase from the Aquarion Water Company of 72 acres of unimproved real property in the Lake Avenue area of Greenwich.  The acquisition was first approved by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority and then closed between the parties.  For the transaction, the Land Trust entered a public/private partnership with the Town of Greenwich, with the Land Trust holding title to the property and the Town having a conservation easement over the property.  The Land Trust will now be able to conserve these 72 acres, protect critical habitat, enhance water quality, and preserve the community’s character.  Margaret Conboy and Tony Macleod worked on the transaction for the Firm.

The Firm is proud to announce that Michael Thomason has joined the Firm as an associate in the Litigation Department.  Michael represents clients in all aspects of litigation matters in state and federal court.  Prior to joining Whitman Breed, Michael was a judicial law clerk for United States Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish.  Before his clerkship, Michael was an associate attorney at a boutique litigation firm in Greenwich.

Luke Tashjian presented at the Connecticut Legal Conference on tax provisions in the CARES Act.

The Firm is proud to announce that Trevor Larrubia have joined the Firm as an associate in the Litigation Department.  Trevor represents clients in a broad range of complex commercial and business litigation matters as well as general civil litigation matters. Prior to joining Whitman Breed, Trevor served as a law clerk to the Honorable Lubbie Harper Jr., the Honorable Thomas A. Bishop, and the Honorable Stuart D. Bear of the Connecticut Appellate Court.

Smith & Grant LLP Joins the Whitman Breed Team

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August 31, 2020 – Whitman Breed Abbott & Morgan LLC is excited to welcome the attorneys and staff from the Greenwich-based firm of Smith & Grant LLP to our growing team.  Smith & Grant LLP was founded by attorneys George L. Smith and Elizabeth M. Grant and has provided a comprehensive array of trusts and estates services for over 15 years.

“We at Whitman Breed are very excited at the prospect of adding George and Libby, two of the pre-eminent estate planning lawyers in Fairfield County, to our team.  Their arrival will add significant depth and experience to our existing trusts and estates practice and enhance our trust and estates/fiduciary litigation capabilities,” expressed Whitman Breed Co-Managing Partner, Charlie Pieterse.

The union of Whitman Breed with Smith & Grant is a natural one as both firms are based in Greenwich, CT and often referred clients to each other.  Libby and several Whitman Breed attorneys have roots in town as residents, and George and Libby’s legal careers started at the same firm they’re now joining. “Libby and I and our team are delighted to join Whitman Breed Abbott & Morgan. We are coming full circle as we both started our Connecticut legal careers at Whitman & Ransom, the firm’s predecessor, and over the years have maintained close personal and professional relationships with many Whitman lawyers,” stated George. “We look forward to augmenting the firm’s highly regarded probate litigation practice as well as its general trusts and estates practice. Our clients will also benefit from the wide-range of legal services we will now be able to offer them.”

Kevin Walsh, Whitman Breed’s other Co-Managing Partner added:  “Having known George and Libby for years, their joining Whitman Breed represents a natural outgrowth of the two firms’ respective commitments to providing the highest quality legal services to their clients.  While the combined firm brings together highly talented lawyers – indeed the new firm will have four Fellows of the American College of Trust & Estate Counsel – it also allows for lawyers who very much like and respect each other to practice together in a stimulating and collegial manner.”