Jeff White Appointed to the Connecticut District Export Council by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce

Manufacturing Industry Team Chair Jeffrey J. White has been appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to serve on the Connecticut District Export Council (DEC) during the 2020-2022 term.

The International Trade Administration Commercial Service offices in the USA works closely with 61 DECs made up of nearly 1,500 business and trade experts from across the country who volunteer to help U.S. companies develop solid export strategies. Appointment to the DEC is based upon an individual’s international trade leadership in the local community, ability to influence the local environment for exporting, knowledge of day-to-day international operations, interest in export development, and willingness and ability to devote time to Council activities. Read more in the press release.

Robinson+Cole Elects New Partner and Counsel

Robinson+Cole is pleased to announce the election of Taylor A. Shea as partner and the promotion of Nathaniel T. Arden, Jonathan H. Schaefer, Cara C. Vecchione, and Anna Jinhua Wang to counsel, effective January 1, 2020. Read more in the press release.

Britt-Marie Cole-Johnson Elected to Board of YWCA Hartford Region

Labor, Employment, Benefits + Immigration Group lawyer Britt-Marie K. Cole-Johnson has been elected to YWCA Hartford Region's Board of Directors for a two-year term beginning January 2020. Britt-Marie has been actively involved with YWCA Hartford Region for more than nine years and previously served as chair of its Board of Directors from 2015 to 2016. She also held a number of leadership positions during her prior board terms, including chair of the Governance Committee, chair of the Nominating Committee, and event co-chair of the 19th Annual “In the Company of Women” Luncheon. Read more in the press release and in the Connecticut Law Tribune.

Robinson+Cole Ranked in BTI Client Service A-Team 2020: Survey of Law Firm Client Service Performance

Robinson+Cole received standout rankings in investing in client relationships and in client-facing communication in the BTI Client Service A-Team 2020: Survey of Law Firm Client Service Performance. A standout ranking recognizes law firms who stand out for their performance. These firms rank higher than almost half of the market – placing them in a distinct group clients see as providing superior levels of client service. Read more in the press release.

Robinson+Cole Receives the Diana Kleefeld Pro Bono Award from Connecticut Appleseed

Robinson+Cole was presented with the Diana Kleefeld Pro Bono Award by Connecticut Appleseed for its work on a special education research project, and other pro bono efforts, during the organization’s “Good Apple” Awards in Hartford, Connecticut on November 11, 2019. Robinson+Cole lawyer Christine E. Bromberg served as co-chair of the annual event.

A group of R+C lawyers, including Gregory J. Bennici, Emily C. Deans, Peter K. Knight, Rachel V. Kushel, and paralegal Albina Yaikbaeva, recently assisted Connecticut Appleseed in a research project that examined how school districts are dealing with rising special education costs. R+C lawyer Ryan V. Leichsenring was also included in the firm’s pro bono recognition for his role in the spin-off of an existing Connecticut Appleseed program, Connecting through Literacy: Incarcerated parents, their Children, and Caregivers (CLICC), to a new public charity. Read more and view a photo in the press release.

Robinson+Cole Lawyers Named to CCADV’s First 100 Plus Class of 2019

Robinson+Cole lawyers Dan A. Brody, Kathryn N. Mullin, Je'Quana S. Orr, and Evan J. Seeman have been named to the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV) First 100 Plus Class of 2019 during the organization’s 9th Annual Breakfast & Awards Ceremony on November 15, 2019 at the Hartford Marriott Downtown in Hartford, Connecticut.

The First 100 Plus Class of 2019 is comprised of leaders working to improve the lives of domestic violence survivors and their families in Connecticut. While each person is varied in his or her background and profession, each one has contributed to making a difference either statewide or within his or her local community. Read more and view a photo in the press release.

Chris Kehoe Honored by Real Estate Bar Association for Massachusetts

Real Estate + Development Group lawyer E. Christopher Kehoe was presented with the Richard B. Johnson Award by the Real Estate Bar Association for Massachusetts (REBA) during the 2019 REBA Annual Meeting & Conference on November 4, 2019.

Established in 1977, the Richard B. Johnson Award is REBA's highest honor. An award for lifetime achievement, it recognizes the recipient's outstanding and selfless contributions to advancing the practice of real estate law. Read more and view a photo in the press release. 

Jeff White Recognized for Innovative Leadership of Manufacturing Industry Team

Manufacturing Industry Team Chair Jeffrey J. White is among those recognized in the 2019 New England Trailblazers list. Published in a special supplement developed by the business arm of Law.com and the Connecticut Law Tribune, the inaugural list recognizes professionals in New England who have “moved the needle in the legal industry” by being true agents of change. Read more in the press release.

Kate Dion Honored by Western New England University School of Law

Business Litigation Group lawyer Kathleen E. Dion was presented with the Ascending Alumni Award and the Distinguished Law Review Alumni Award from Western New England University (WNE) School of Law during the Annual Alumni Recognition Reception in Springfield, Massachusetts on October 4, 2019. The Ascending Alumni Award spotlights the achievements of new alumni who graduated with the past 10 years from the School of Law. Honorees have shown leadership in their chosen field and/or in the community, and they stand out from their peers in the drive and potential they have shown. The Distinguished Law Review Alumni Award is presented annually to a Law Review alumnus/na in recognition of outstanding professional accomplishments and/or contributions to the Western New England University School of Law. Read more and view photos in the press release.

Robinson+Cole Receives 33 First-Tier Metropolitan Rankings and Four National Rankings in Latest U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms”

Robinson+Cole received 33 first-tier metropolitan rankings and four national rankings in the 2020 Edition of U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms.” The national rankings are in the areas of Information Technology Law, Labor Law - Management , Land Use & Zoning Law and Real Estate Law. Law firms included in the publication are recognized for professional excellence with consistently impressive ratings from clients and peers. Read more in the press release.

Joey Lee Miranda Featured as Hofstra University’s “Alum of the Month”

Environmental, Energy + Telecommunications Group lawyer Joey Lee Miranda was recently interviewed for Hofstra University’s “Alum of the Month” feature. The "Alum of the Month" feature on the University’s Alumni Affairs web site showcases alumni who are doing interesting and exciting things, or who have made exceptional contributions to their chosen field of profession. In the January 2020 spotlight, Joey Lee discusses how she came to work in the legal profession, what a typical day is like as an energy partner at R+C, what advice she would give to Hofstra students, and more. Read the full profile here.

Mitch Lampert and Anna Wang Participate in Nasdaq Closing Bell Ringing Ceremony

Capital Markets + Securities Chair Mitchell L. Lampert and Counsel Anna Jinhua Wang joined R+C client, GrowGeneration, for the iconic closing bell ringing ceremony at Nasdaq MarketSite in Times Square, New York on December 30, 2019. Mitch and Anna joined GrowGeneration CEO & Co-founder, Darren Lampert; President & Co-founder, Michael Salaman and others to ring the closing bell signifying the end of the trading session on the NASDAQ Stock Exchange. The ceremony celebrated GrowGeneration's listing on Nasdaq. Robinson+Cole has represented GrowGeneration, the largest hydroponic equipment supplier in the country, since its inception in 2014. See a photo from the closing bell ringing ceremony on the firm’s LinkedIn page.

Linn Freedman Honored by RWU Law with Classroom Dedication

Data Privacy + Cybersecurity Team lawyer Linn F. Freedman was honored by Roger Williams University School of Law (RWU Law) with a classroom dedication on November 1, 2019. Seminar Room 279 in Bristol was named the Linn Foster Freedman Esq. Classroom in recognition of Linn’s longtime commitment to RWU Law as a member of the board of directors and a philanthropist. She is one of just four lawyers to receive a classroom dedication. In a recent article published by the Law School titled, “Among the Trailblazers,” RWU Law School Dean Michael J. Yelnosky acknowledges that he is thrilled to name the classroom in Linn’s honor and that he hopes “students will draw some inspiration from her work and appreciate all that she has done for our law school.” Former Rhode Island Attorney General Arlene Violet also commented that the dedication recognizes “a competent, ethical lawyer who is a credit to her profession…"

Linn Freedman Recognized as a Go-To Thought Leader by National Law Review

Data Privacy + Cybersecurity Team chair Linn F. Freedman was recognized as a 2019 National Law Review (NLR) Go-To Thought Leader for her comprehensive analysis of breaking news in cybersecurity, providing NLR readers with updates on ransomware attacks, industry guidance and practical tips to protect organizations and personal privacy via the Data Privacy + Cybersecurity Insider blog, which she serves as editor of. The National Law Review’s “Go-To Thought Leadership Awards” recognized 75 exceptional authors in 35 legal practice areas ranging from Art Law to Whistleblower Rights. Award recipients were selected from a pool of over 100,000 legal news articles published by NLR in 2019. View more information on the awards here.

Kathryn Rattigan Quoted in Legaltech News Article on Cyber Risks in the Legalized Cannabis Industry

Data Privacy + Cybersecurity Team lawyer Kathryn M. Rattigan was quoted in the article " Up in Smoke? Burgeoning Legalized Cannabis Industry Faces Unique Cyber Risks" published in Legaltech News on November 21, 2019. The article covers how the legalized cannabis industry’s storage of personally identifiable information and reliance on seed-to-sale tracking makes it particularly susceptible to cybersecurity threats. “Just because there’s more physical cash than electronic transactions, doesn’t necessarily make these companies less of a target for hackers,” she said. “Most of the point-of-sale systems automatically report to the state’s compliance tracking system, which might include the individual’s name, birth date and contact information based on the scanning of a driver’s license or state-issued ID card.” Read the article.

Shant Chalian Quoted in Fortune Article on WeWork Fairness Lawsuit

Business Transactions Group lawyer Shant H. Chalian was quoted in the article “WeWork’s Legal Floodgates May Have Just Opened,” published in Fortune on November 19, 2019. The article covers the November 4, 2019 lawsuit filed by a former employee of WeWork against the co-working startup’s co-founder and former CEO Adam Neumann, SoftBank, and members of WeWork’s board of directors, accusing them of “using their control of The We Company to benefit themselves to the detriment of the company’s minority shareholders.” The lawsuit claims that SoftBank’s $9.5 billion buyout of WeWork, which left employees’ stock options “decimated” and millions of dollars lost by its venture capital investors, is subject to the “entire fairness standard.” Mr. Chalian commented that the “burden of proof is on the company to show that what they did was fair” and noted that “that one possible defense against the entire fairness standard could be that the company in question found itself in a ‘distressed situation’ —” Read the full article. 

Lisa Thompson Invited to Join the Boston Bar Foundation's Society of Fellows Committee

Health Law Group member Melissa (Lisa) Thompson has been invited to join the Boston Bar Foundation (BBF) Society of Fellows Committee. The Committee is tasked with advising on membership initiatives and recruiting new members. Its focus in the coming year will be the Drive for 5 Campaign, an ambitious $5 million endowment effort designed to create a permanent base of support for the BBF. The Society of Fellows is a group of nearly 400 individuals who are dedicated to furthering the mission and work of the BBF. Members are invited to attend social and networking events throughout the year, and are publicly recognized for their generous commitment to the community.

The Foundation is the charitable arm of the Boston Bar Association (BBA), the hub of the legal profession in Boston, which works to advance the highest standards of excellence for the legal profession, promote and facilitate access to justice, and serve the community at large by supporting the public interest activities and pro bono work of the BBA. 
 

Megan Baroni Among the “100 Women Who Inspire Us” Recognized by ABA Section of Litigation

Environmental, Energy + Telecommunications Group lawyer Megan E. Baroni was among the “100 Women Who Inspire Us” recognized during the 2019 Women in Litigation Joint CLE Conference held in Chicago, Illinois from November 13-15, 2019. Presented by the American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Litigation, the conference commenced the Section’s year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, which guarantees and protects women’s constitutional right to vote. The event highlighted women successfully leading in the courtroom, in the judiciary, and in their profession. Megan is co-chair of the Section's Environmental & Energy Litigation Committee. 

Virginia Trunkes Authors Construction Executive Article on Modular Construction

Construction Group lawyer Virginia K. Trunkes authored the article “Who’s Minding the Modules?,” published by Construction Executive on October 31, 2019. The piece focuses on the various approaches taken towards regulating modular construction, “the process by which buildings are made of individual sections (modules) constructed in an offsite facility and later assembled at the project site.” Read the full article.

Matthew McElroy Featured in New York Real Estate Journal’s 2019 Ones to Watch Spotlight

Real Estate + Development Group lawyer Matthew S. McElroy was among those selected by the New York Real Estate Journal to be featured in the publication’s semi-annual “Ones to Watch” spotlight, which recognizes the “emerging talents of individuals in the commercial real estate industry.” In the Q&A feature, Matthew shares what he considers to be his greatest success in the past 12 months, what he attributes to his success, and what his favorite thing to do was as a kid. See the spotlight.

Dan Brody Profiled in Connecticut Law Tribune Article

Business Litigation Group lawyer Dan A. Brody was profiled in the article “Youngest-Ever President Elected to CT Asian Pacific American Bar” published in the Connecticut Law Tribune on November 4, 2019. The piece covers Dan’s path to becoming a lawyer and what lead him to practice at Robinson+Cole as well as his ascent to Connecticut Asian Pacific American Bar Association (CAPABA) President and what he hopes to accomplish during his term. Read the article.

Linn Freedman Recognized by Lexology as a Legal Influencer

Data Privacy + Cybersecurity Team Chair Linn F. Freedman was recognized by Lexology as a “Legal Influencer” in the area of Telecommunications, Media And Technology for the third quarter of 2019. Linn received the distinction for her content contributions to Lexology via the Data Privacy + Cybersecurity Insider blog, which she serves as editor of. She was also named a Legal Influencer for the second quarter of 2019. The Lexology Legal Influencers recognizes the thought leaders that consistently provide Lexology subscribers with useful, insightful legal analysis within a particular work area and region. Winners are announced at the end of each calendar quarter and are selected through Lexology's bespoke process which considers the number of reads and the “LexScore” of each article read in the quarter.

Joe Barra Article on Climate Change Published in High Profile Magazine

Construction Group lawyer Joseph A. Barra authored the article “Climate Change and the New Normal,” published in High Profile magazine on October 21, 2019. The article covers how climate change is “rapidly becoming a lightning rod of legal exposure for the design community” and explores the impact this phenomenon is having on the way engineers practice as well as the standards by which they are judged. Read the full article.

Steve Boyajian Quoted in Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly Article on Small Business Reorganization Act

Bankruptcy + Reorganizations Group lawyer Steven J. Boyajian was quoted extensively in the article "New bankruptcy subchapter offers relief to small businesses" published in Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly on October 24, 2019. The article focuses on the recent enactment of the Small Business Reorganization Act (SBRA) of 2019, which adds a number of new provisions to Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code. Taking effect on February 19, 2020, the SBRA provides streamlined procedures for the chapter 11 reorganization of “small business debtors,” defined as generally as businesses with debts of not more than $2,725,625. Steve said that he "saw the SBRA as a positive development in the sense that the majority of businesses that file for bankruptcy are not large enterprises and the new law essentially writes out of the statute the 'absolute priority rule,' which often proves to be an insurmountable hurdle for small businesses." Read the article.