- Divorce
- Adoption
- Premarital Agreement
- Guardianship
- Child Abuse: FCSCT’s mission is to prevent child abuse, neglect, and victimization through home visiting, parenting education, counseling and advocacy.
- Wrongful DeathWe have tried numerous civil rights actions to successful verdicts, including claims of excessive force, false arrest, unlawful search and seizure, wrongful death, First Amendment retaliation, discrimination and Fourteenth Amendment equal protection claims.
- Theft
- Restraining OrderFor the last several years, the firm has been assisting battered women in obtaining Domestic Violence Restraining Orders in the Family Courts in the Hartford area. Since the inception of this program, UKS has helped many women gain legal protection from abusive partners and move forward with their lives without the fear and threat of harm. Most of these clients are referred by Greater Hartford Legal Aid. UKS attorneys have been honored by both Greater Hartford Legal Aid and the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence for their service in pro bono cases.
- Corporate LawWe are experienced in addressing a wide array of regulatory compliance, corporate governance, securities, business, and lending matters, and we provide a wide array of services ranging from representation to financial institutions in connection with supervisory concerns, such as supervisory actions and related compliance, and a variety of lending activities, and capital raising initiatives. We assist our clients in structuring solutions for capital and corporate needs through public and private offerings of equity and debt, along with the related facets of securities and regulatory compliance. Our representation also spans a variety of geographic and product market expansion activities of financial institutions, including de novo federal and state bank charters and holding company formations. The group also advises clients with respect to contractual matters, including those regarding third party vendors, IT, FinTech relationships and employment and compensation.
- Mergers and AcquisitionsWe assist clients with all aspects of mergers and acquisitions, including structuring, negotiating and documenting, as well as advising on antitrust, securities, tax, employment, environmental, and other matters. Our M&A attorneys pride themselves on having the necessary business sense to become integral members of our clients’ team in connection with such transactions, and many add accounting and/or business degrees with real-world experience. We are experienced representing companies of all sizes and maturities in connection with acquisitions and divestitures across numerous industries, including computer software/web technology, construction/engineering, distribution, financial services, healthcare/healthcare services/healthcare IT, manufacturing, technology, and utilities/telecom.
- Business DisputesWe handle significant business law matters for a wide range of clients and believe in a common sense, practical approach to legal issues and challenges facing businesses. We believe that our representation of clients is a partnership in which both parties work as a team, drawing on the strengths and capabilities of each.
- Business TransactionsThe firm provides legal services to U.S. financial institutions and businesses with regard to international trade, investment and finance, cross-border business transactions, international government relations, and immigration. We have the capability to handle transactions in multiple languages, including Spanish and French. Furthermore, our affiliation with Meritas Law Firms Worldwide enables us to address the multi-jurisdictional and multi-disciplinary issues attendant with doing business in the twenty-first century global economy.
- Limited Liability CompaniesWe work with businesses at all stages of their existence, from organization, to sale or initial public offering, and we organize such entities as Connecticut and foreign corporations, limited partnerships and limited liability companies. We regularly handle related matters, including negotiating and drafting of corporate, partnership and limited liability company agreements, joint venture, distribution and licensing agreements and employment and non-competition agreements.
- Trade Secrets
- Intellectual PropertyThe attorneys of our firm work in unison to provide guidance and support for the development, exploitation and protection of technology. We have represented clients in the internet, technology and software industries and the scope of its services encompasses copyright, trademark and patent advice as well as intellectual property licensing, acquisition, maintenance and litigation. We assist technology-driven enterprises coordinate and develop an integrated business strategy. This assistance extends to counseling regarding the internal and external business policies, strategies and goals as such relate to federal, state and local laws as well as the general market environment. We recognize the importance of supplying quick, reliable and innovative solutions to our clients in the highly competitive and changing technology industries, and our firm's interdependence allows it to provide such necessary responses.
- Antitrust
- Employment DiscriminationWe regularly represent clients before federal and state agencies that enforce employment discrimination laws, and are experienced in trial practice in both federal and state courts. These cases typically involve a detailed factual investigation of the circumstances surrounding the claim, preparation of a position statement for submission to the investigating agency, appearance of witnesses before a fact-finding conference at the agency, representation in mediation at the agency, and administrative trials. As noted, the Firm represents clients in the more traditional court-based litigation, state and federal, that may follow the filing of an administrative charge of discrimination.
- Employment ContractAcquisition of intellectual property by means of joint venture agreements, license agreements, purchase agreements, employment agreements and independent contractor agreements.
- Employment LitigationWe also provide in-depth knowledge and experience in preparing, negotiating and reviewing contracts of all forms (both standard industry form and customized versions), bid issues (preparation of bid forms, review of bid documents and bids themselves for compliance and resolution of bid disputes), contract interpretation, assistance with the change order process, mechanics' liens, environmental counseling, employment issues and assistance with selection of appropriate technical experts.
- Non-compete AgreementCommercial litigation encompasses a wide array of disciplines that require an in-depth knowledge of dispute resolution and trial experience. We represent clients in traditional contract disputes and in the more complex areas of breach of fiduciary duty, unfair trade practices, partnership break-ups, antitrust, fraud, civil theft, franchise, trademark and patent infringement, false advertising, breach of employment and non-compete agreements, vexatious litigation and tortious interference claims. We utilize our extensive litigation knowledge and, when required, supplement that knowledge with assistance from other practice groups.
- Sexual HarassmentCompliance with state and federal law. We provide seminars to our clients that include information on effective sexual harassment policies, recent interpretations of disability dis- crimination statutes, absence and leave policies, hiring and termination policies, and effective discipline practices.
- Construction LitigationAs construction counsel for our clients, we stay actively involved from the conceptual and contract forming stage through the conclusion of the project, working with our clients to promptly address, mitigate and/or resolve any legal issues or problems that may arise during each phase of the project. That work may include negotiation, mediation, litigation, arbitration, appeals and/or other dispute resolution alternatives. We have handled disputes from the simplest fee and/or liability claims to the most complex multi-phase and multi-party construction disputes. We also assist clients with lien and bond claims, in order to secure payment or clear title.
- Real Estate TransactionsWe routinely represent buyers, sellers and lenders in residential real estate transactions. Our experienced real estate attorneys and paralegals have handled all types of real estate closing matters, whether it is a first-time new home purchase, the sale of the family homestead, the purchase of a vacation home, or refinance of an existing home, our team can handle all aspects of your transaction. We recognize that each transaction is unique and important to the parties as one of their most important endeavors. Our team of attorneys and paralegals strive to make closings as smooth of a transaction as possible, answer your questions, and coordinate all of the aspects of your closing. Our attorneys can also serve as title agents, providing valuable advice on title issues, encumbrances, easements and specific types of purchases such as new construction, condominium or planned unit developments and multifamily properties. The firm also includes lawyers who can advise and answer questions related to your closing, such as estate planning, tax issues, shared access, or joint ownership agreements.
- Easement
- Land Use and ZoningThe Firm has extensive experience in municipal zoning and land use matters, including drafting and interpreting zoning and subdivision ordinances and regulations. We also work closely with municipal officials in the course of representation of private clients.
- Family Immigration
- Personal InjuryRecent cases before other appellate courts include preservation of a verdict for the defendants in a personal injury action arising from a motor vehicle accident between the defendants’ automobile and plaintiff ’s motorcycle, Rubel v. Wainwright
- Medical Malpractice, 263 Conn. 108 (2003); and a medical malpractice case involving questions of first impression related to informed consent and physician liability for breach of an implied contract to obtain a specific result, Janusauskas v. Fichman
- Auto Accidents
- Estate PlanningThe preparation of a will, trust and other estate documents are all too often left for another day. We have the knowledge and expertise to counsel and assist individuals and families in all aspects of estate planning, wealth management and preservation, as well as lifetime and testamentary gifts and dispositions. We have the sensitivity, pragmatism and flexibility to guide our clients through every aspect of trusts and estate law, to meet our clients needs and goals.
- Wills
- Trusts
- Power of Attorney
- Probate
- BankruptcyThe bulk purchase or sale of secured debt is a common transaction these days. In one matter, our client (who had purchased troubled debt) was a secured creditor in a Chapter 11 bankruptcy case where the validity and enforceability of its mortgage was being challenged in an adversary proceeding. In addition, the debtor-in-possession was attempting to “prime” our client’s mortgage with unfavorable DIP financing. In yet another related state court proceeding, we pursued the guaran- tors who responded with a number of lender liability defenses. We were able to defeat the priming lien motion, gain the upper hand in the adversary proceeding and, during jury selection in the state court action, were able to reach a global settlement that resulted in our client achieving a profitable recovery on this purchased troubled debt.
- ForeclosureWhether a matter involves any form of bankruptcy proceeding, including complex Chapter 11 cases, the enforcement of creditors’ rights and remedies in state court, the defense of lender liability claims, troubled debt restructures, real property foreclosures, land title disputes, realizations upon personal property collateral under Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code, or any combination of these proceedings, we have the knowledge and experience to protect our clients' interests and to assist our clients in achieving their business objectives. Senior secured debt, sub-debt or unsecured debt, we bring years of experience and good judgment to any matter.
- Tax LawIt is working intimately with our clients to identify their personal and business objectives and needs, to tailor our resources to meet their goals and to ensure that at the end of the day, the tax results are consistent with our clients’ business and personal desires. We have the experience and the track record to assist our clients in every phase of tax law. We work closely with all of the attorneys in the Firm in furtherance of our clients’ objectives and goals. Our commitment is to serve our clients on an integrated and multi-disciplinary basis...