July 2019 LOCAL STRENGTH | GLOBAL INSIGHT

Margaret Conboy represented The Greenwich Land Trust in connection with a conservation easement.  Through the easement, The Greenwich Land Trust was given a 12-acre conservation easement on property located on John Street in Greenwich, CT.  The property will remain as protected open space, and is the largest easement donation to The Greenwich Land Trust since 2001.

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The Firm is proud to announce that Charlie Pieterse has been selected for inclusion in the 2019 Chambers High Net Worth (HNW) Guide.

The HNW Guide is a Chambers and Partners publication that covers private wealth management work and related areas around the world, featuring in-depth editorials about the leading professional advisers to wealthy individuals and families in each market.  Charlie, for the second year in a row, was recognized as a “leading individual” practitioner, one of twenty-seven attorneys in Connecticut so honored.  The qualities on which Chambers rankings are assessed include technical legal ability, professional conduct, client service, commercial astuteness, diligence, commitment, and other qualities most valued by clients.

Comments concerning Charlie in the 2018 and 2019 HNW Guides include: “He is truly one of the best people for this and is at the top of his class;” “I just think he is extremely bright and an extremely effective lawyer. He’s a good person to work with . . . his real strength is his willingness to work towards a solution. He’s very engaging, very polite and very collegial;” “He is very experienced at the technicalities and the procedural nuances – he is a thoughtful strategist.” “I had a big matter with him, and I was very impressed. He was very professional in his advocacy, a pleasure to deal with, and represented his client diligently and in a reasonable way. He was oriented toward getting a solution.”

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Rod Saggese was re-elected to serve as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Greenwich Emergency Medical Service. Known affectionately as GEMS, it is the non-profit organization that is the sole provider of pre-hospital emergency medical services to the Town of Greenwich.

Charles W. Pieterse and Wyatt R. Jansen presented “When Offshore Trust Disputes Wash Up Onshore” at the American Law Institute’s annual Representing Estate and Trust Beneficiaries and Fiduciaries conference. Together with their co-presenter, Richard LeVine of Withers Bergman LLP, Charlie and Wyatt discussed all aspects of domestic litigation concerning offshore trusts, including who uses offshore trusts, how offshore trust disputes end up in US courts, and the unique complications that arise in domestic litigation of offshore trust disputes. Their presentation materials are available here.

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On June 10, 2019, Charles W. Pieterse moderated a panel discussion at the Connecticut Bar Association’s 2019 Connecticut Legal Conference entitled “Conservatorship Litigation – A discussion of Strategic, Legal and Ethical Issues.”  Together with fellow panelists the Honorable David W. Hopper, Day Pitney LLP Partner Keith Bradoc “Brad” Gallant and Brody Wilkerson PC partner Heather J. Lange, the panel discussed issues practitioners are typically confronted with in these challenging matters, including (i) advising a client on the risks and benefits of commencing a conservatorship application, (ii)  what ethical obligations a lawyer has under Rule 1.14 to take protective measures when the client is impaired, (iii) how one addresses the “least restrictive means of intervention standard” in a contested proceeding and (iv) the import of recent court decisions.  Michael Battema prepared the presentation materials for the panel, a copy of which is available here.

Cyd Smith participated in the Greenwich Association of Realtors 2019 Attorney Panel at the Greenwich Water Club.  Watch a clip from her portion of the panel here:

A team from the Firm composed of Tom O’Connor, Wyatt Jansen, John Hendele, Eva Kliegman, Giovanni D’Amico, and Michael Battema participated in the Center for Children’s Advocacy Play for Kids event on March 7^th at Chelsea Piers in Stamford, Connecticut.   Play for Kids is a friendly athletic competition between teams of young professionals from throughout the NYC metro and Fairfield County area.  Play for Kids raises funds for the Center for Children’s Advocacy, an organization providing legal services to Connecticut’s most vulnerable children.  The Firm raised $1,200 for CCA by participating in the event.

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The Firm is proud to announce that Luke Tashjian was recently elected as a Fellow by The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC).

ACTEC is an organization of peer-elected lawyers and law professors who are skilled and experienced in the preparation of wills and trusts, estate planning, and probate procedure; and administration of trusts and estates of decedents, minors, and incompetents.  To become an ACTEC Fellow an attorney must first be nominated by an existing Fellow, undergo a substantial application process, and then be voted on by the ACTEC Fellows in the states in which the Lawyer has practiced in the past ten years (i.e. Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts for Luke). After being approved by the Fellows in the states, the attorney is voted on by the ACTEC Board of Regents at a national level.  Lawyers and law professors are elected to be Fellows based on their outstanding reputation, exceptional skill, and substantial contributions to the field by establishing a history of lecturing, writing, teaching, and participating in bar leadership and legislative activities. ACTEC is the premiere estate planners’ organization in the United States, comprised of leading trusts and estates lawyers in all 50 states.

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The Firm successfully opposed an application for a variance to construct an apartment building on West Putnam Avenue. Jim Fulton took the lead in representing the opposition group against the project and request for the variance to accommodate it.  The Greenwich Planning and Zoning Board of Appeals denied the application.

 

The Firm is proud to announce that Drew Nelson has joined the Firm as a Partner in the Corporate Department and Eva Kliegman has joined the Firm as an Associate in the Trusts and Estates Department.

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).

Eva represents clients in all estate planning matters, including gift, estate and generation-skipping transfer tax planning; the preparation of wills, trusts and related documents; estate settlement; and trust administration. Prior to joining the Firm, Eva practiced at Green & Sklarz in New Haven.

Whitman Breed Partners and Associates have been named “Connecticut Super Lawyers®” for 2018. Connecticut selection information at http://www.superlawyers.com/connecticut/selection_details.html

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

Charles Pieterse was also selected as a Top 50 Super Lawyer for the State of Connecticut.

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Luke Tashjian served as a moderator for a Connecticut Tax Update with Commissioner Scott Jackson that was held by the Fairfield County Bar Association and Connecticut Society of CPAs

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The Firm successfully defended the owner of a commercial property in a subcontractor’s lien foreclosure action based on work done through a prime contractor that the owner had already paid, but then went out of business.  The subcontractor argued that the “lienable fund” rule did not apply because of the owner’s alleged bad faith in first paying the prime contractor, then cancelling the check to pay the subcontractor at the prime contractor’s request, only to cancel it again to pay the owner of the prime contractor’s receivables after a demand was made by one of its creditors.   The court ruled in favor of the owner, holding its actions in making payment as it did were reasonable and proper under the circumstances.  John Shaban and Mike Battema handled the matter.

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Luke Tashjian served as a moderator for a panel discussion held by the Federal Tax Institute of New England on Tax Ethics.

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The Firm is proud to announce that John Hendele has joined the Firm as Counsel in the Litigation Department. John has represented a variety of corporate and individual clients in litigation and enforcement actions in state and federal courts throughout the county.  Prior to joining the Firm, John was an associate in the New York offices of Winston & Strawn LLP and Buckley Sandler LLP.

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Luke Tashjian presented at the Probate Section of the Connecticut Bar Association on Civil Tax Non-Compliance for Decedent’s Estates.