News & Events

On October 11, 2023, UKS attorneys attended the Connecticut Italian American Bar Association’s (“CIABA”) Honorable Richard M. Marano Heritage & Awards Dinner. It was the 30th anniversary of the association. The Honorable Anne C. Dranginis (Ret.) was the Keynote speaker and spoke on Diversity and Inclusion. Attorney Ernest J. Mattei (Ret.) received the 2023 Italian American Legal Achievement Award. And the Hon. Lubbie Harper, Jr. received special recognition as the Preeminent Director for E ...

Recently, UKS associate Kaydeen Maitland attended Hartford Healthcare's reception welcoming Andrew Holness, the Prime Minister of Jamaica and other dignitaries from Jamaica. This event was to reaffirm the partnership between Hartford Healthcare and Jamaica. ...

Last summer, Governor Ned Lamont signed Senate Bill No. 6, An Act Concerning Personal Data Privacy and Online Monitoring (the “Act”) [1] which went in effect July 1, 2023. Applicability The Act applies to individuals or entities that conduct business or produce products or services that are targeted to residents of Connecticut and, during the preceding calendar year, the individual or entity either: controlled or processed the personal data of not less than 100,000 consumers (excluding pers ...

On June 30, 2023, the United States Supreme Court addressed whether a public accommodation law which compelled an artist to create custom designs that were contrary to their personal and/or religious beliefs violated the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment.[1] In a 6-3 decision delivered by Justice Gorsuch, the Court held that the First Amendment prohibited Colorado from requiring that a website designer create expressive designs which advocated content for which the designer disagreed.[2] ...

On July 26, 2023, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) adopted rules requiring public companies to disclose material cybersecurity incidents within a certain timeframe and to disclose material information regarding their cybersecurity risk management, strategy, and governance on an annual basis in their annual reports on Form 10-K. As a result, many companies will likely increase focus on enhancing cybersecurity capabilities as they plan to address and comply with these new disclos ...

On June 29, 2023, the United States Supreme Court addressed the following issue: (1) whether the race-based admissions programs at Harvard College (“Harvard”) and the University of North Carolina (“UNC” and together with Harvard, the “Respondents”) violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment (“Equal Protection Clause”) and/or Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964[1] (“Title VI”).[2] In a 6-3 decision delivered by Chief Justice Roberts, the Court determined that the Respond ...

Matthew Warden, Olivia Benson, and Emily McCarthy appointed to Executive Committee of the Young Lawyer’s Section of the Connecticut Bar Association Updike, Kelly & Spellacy, P.C. is pleased to announce that two of its associates were recently appointed as chairs, and one of its associates was recently appointed as a director, of the Executive Committee of the Young Lawyer’s Section of the Connecticut Bar Association. Matthew Warden was appointed Director of Diversity and Inclusion. Attorne ...

On June 30, 2023, Updike, Kelly & Spellacy Associate Attorney Matthew Warden and summer associates Theyjasvi Ashok, Michael Francomano, Renee Varga and Gillian Wilson, visited Covenant Preparatory School. Covenant Preparatory School, located in Hartford, provides middle school students from underserved communities with the necessary foundation to successfully pursue higher education. As part of Covenant Preparatory School’s summer session, the students are exposed to experiential learning op ...

Michael Francomano is a rising 3L at Boston College Law School where he is the head chairperson of the Law School Association’s Sports Committee. Prior to law school he earned his bachelor’s degree in history at the University of Connecticut while finishing in the top 15% of his class. Michael previously worked in Boston at a toxic torts litigation firm and is excited to join UKS to return to Connecticut and expand on his knowledge and exposure of all areas of the law. Renee Varga is a rising 3L ...

On May 17th, Read to Grow, an early literacy organization whose mission is to promote language and reading skills for children beginning at birth, honored UKS with its annual Literacy Champion Award. UKS was recognized for its more than 20 years supporting the nonprofit in its efforts to bring books to all children in Connecticut and support families taking an active role in their children’s reading development. (UKS attorneys pictured – Christopher Brigham, Valerie Ferdon, Jennifer Groves, Kay ...