Whitman Breed Abbott & Morgan LLC

Full-Service Law Firm Based in Greenwich, CT

Whitman Breed Announces Jevera Kaye Hennessey Joins the Firm LOCAL STRENGTH | GLOBAL INSIGHT

Whitman Breed Announces Jevera Kaye Hennessey Joins the Firm

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Whitman Breed Abbott & Morgan LLC is excited to welcome Jevera Kaye Hennessey from Kaye and Hennessey, LLC in Greenwich. Jevera is joining the firm as a partner in its Trusts & Estates Department.

“It is a privilege to welcome our friend and former colleague to the firm. Jevera’s deep knowledge of the law and her well known commitment to client service and professionalism will enhance the firm’s ability to provide legal services to our clients, whether in the context of planning, estate and trust administration or probate litigation,” expressed Whitman Breed Co-Managing Partner, Charlie Pieterse.

“Years ago, I worked at the predecessor firm to WBAM, along with many of the same attorneys that I will now have the pleasure of working with again,” said Jevera. “We have since collaborated on many projects, which speaks to the wonderful relationship we’ve maintained. I am excited to serve my clients at my new firm, and to offer them the broad legal service platform available at WBAM.”

December 2021

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Drew Nelson, Kevin Walsh and Nick Douglas represented a Connecticut based family-owned manufacturer and seller of promotional products in connection with the negotiation and sale of the company to a national industry leader in custom fabricated promotional and specialty products for different industries.

The Firm successfully defended the validity of a significant gift to a charitable trust in an appeal before the Connecticut Supreme Court.  The gift, which was challenged by a relative of the donor, was intended to – and now will – benefit quadriplegics and their caregivers.  It is believed to be among the largest individual charitable donations in Connecticut history.   The appeal followed a trial victory on the Complex Litigation Docket of the Superior Court.  On behalf of family trustees, the appeal was argued by Whitman Breed partner Charles Pieterse with assistance from partner Wyatt Jansen and associate Trevor Larrubia.  The Firm worked closely on the appeal with co-counsel at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, including lead trial counsel Lynn Neuner, Laura Twomey, Joshua Polster, and Sara Ricciardi.

Drew Nelson and Nick Douglas represented a Connecticut based developer of an online investment research platform designed to offer content to assist in investment research distribution, management and consumption in connection with the negotiation and sale of the company to a world-wide provider of virtual solutions for financial communications.

November 2021

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Whitman Breed Partners and Associates have been named “Connecticut Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars” for 2021. 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 – Tax), Kathryn O’Neill (Rising Star – Business/Corporate), and Wyatt Jansen (Rising Star – Business Litigation and Trusts & Estates Litigation) were named Connecticut Super Lawyers and Rising Stars.

Drew Nelson and Nick Douglas represented an institutional investor in connection with the negotiation of a note and warrant investment in a boatyard to finance future growth and working capital needs.

Drew Nelson, Luke Tashjian and Nick Douglas represented a Connecticut based family-owned pest control company servicing the Connecticut and New York area in connection with the negotiation and sale of the company to a national pest control company with over 330 locations. The acquisition was part of the acquirer’s strategy to expand its pest control business within the greater New York City area.

Whitman Breed Attorneys Recognized as 2022 Best Lawyers in America

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Whitman Breed is pleased to announce that five of our attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 28th Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©.

Libby Grant, Charlie Pieterse, Jim Riley, George Smith, and Luke Tashjian were each named to this year’s “Best Lawyer” list in their respective areas of practice: Libby for “Trust & Estates”, Charlie for “Litigation – Trusts and Estates”, Jim for “Commercial Litigation”, George for “Trusts and Estates”, and Luke for “Trusts and Estates, Tax Law”.

Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. The methodology is designed to capture the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographic area and legal practice area.

Chambers High Net Worth Recognizes Whitman Breed’s Charles Pieterse and George Smith

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Whitman Breed partners Charles Pieterse and George Smith have been recognized by the Chambers 2021 High Net Worth Guide as leading private wealth lawyers in Connecticut.

Charlie is the top-ranked lawyer in Band 1 of Chambers’ Private Wealth Disputes category in Connecticut. Chambers describes Charlie as being “widely regarded as a leading trust and estate litigator,” with sources saying “If you need a probate litigator, go to Charlie.”

George is among lawyers ranked in Chambers’ Private Wealth Law category for his work “advis[ing] affluent individuals on an array of matters including estate and trust planning and administration.” Sources described George as “very clever and pragmatic” and “remarkably detailed.” George and a group of lawyers and staff joined Whitman Breed from Smith & Grant LLP last year.

Chambers and Partners is an independent research company operating across 200 jurisdictions delivering detailed rankings and insight into the world’s leading lawyers. Whitman Breed congratulates and applauds Charlie and George on their hard work and recognition by the Chambers 2021 High Net Worth Guide.

Whitman Breed Announces the Retirement of Lee Selby

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After 51 years of serving the legal community, Whitman Breed has announced the retirement of Lee Selby.

Lee joined Whitman Breed last year, as part of the merger with Smith & Grant LLP. Lee has practiced in Greenwich throughout his career, having been a member of Whitman Breed and its predecessor firms for 26 years before becoming a founding partner in 1995 of what is now Fogarty, Cohen, Russo & Nemiroff. Following his stepping down from active partnership duties in 2016, Lee joined Smith & Grant LLP in the capacity of Counsel.

Lee is a Fellow of the American College of Trusts and Estates Counsel and has served on the Ethics Committee and the Executive Committee of the Estates and Probate Section of the Connecticut Bar Association. He served on numerous local Town boards including the Retirement System of the Town of Greenwich, United Way of Greenwich (of which he served as President), the Greenwich Foundation for Community Gifts (of which he served as Chairman), and Stamford Center for the Arts.
It is never easy to bid farewell and we will miss working with Lee on a daily basis. The firm wishes Lee well in all his future endeavors and congratulates him on a full and successful career.