News & Events

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 ...

On Saturday May 20, 2023, UKS participated in Connecticut Foodshare’s 2023 Walk Against Hunger by walking in Hartford to raise awareness and money to fight hunger in our communities.  UKS’ contributions were made directly to the Friendship Service Center in New Britain.  The Walk Against Hunger raised a grand total of $278,631!  (Pictured - Patty Keefe, Roxanne O’Sullivan, Alison Sjoberg, Rick Dighello, Stefan Sjoberg, Andy O’Sullivan and Donna McKiernan) ...

On May 21, 2023, Attorney Stefan Sjoberg , an associate at Updike, Kelly & Spellacy, P.C. addressed the audience at the Graduate Commencement Ceremony of Western New England University. Members of the school’s administration invited Attorney Sjoberg to speak and welcome the graduates into the Alumni Association. Attorney Sjoberg is an adjunct faculty professor at WNEU and serves as Immediate Past-President of the Board of Directors of the Law Alumni Association. Attorney Sjoberg practices i ...

May 16, 2023 Clean Slate Law Memo On January 1, 2023, Public Act No. 21-32, known as the Clean Slate Law, became effective in Connecticut.  While most of the headlines and stories related to the Clean Slate Law have focused on the erasure of certain criminal records, the law has far-reaching implications and new prohibitions for the state’s private employers and businesses. As the nickname suggests, the Clean Slate Law does and will erase a significant number of criminal records in Connecticu ...

  UKS Shareholder Patricia D. Anderson attended the Spring Executive Management Meeting of The New Hampshire and Vermont Bankers Association at the Omni Washington Resort in Bretton Woods, NH on May 11th through May 12th. This event brought together the CEOs and CFOs of most of the banks in New Hampshire and Vermont. Updike, Kelly & Spellacy, P.C. was a sponsor of the Spring Executive Management Meeting. Patricia D. Anderson is a Shareholder in UKS’ Hartford office, practicing in the area ...

UKS shareholder Michael Botelho and associate Liza Fabbri attended the Connecticut Association of Independent School’s Spring Leadership Conference for Heads of School & School Leaders on May 4-5.  Updike Kelly & Spellacy, P.C. is proud to be a CAIS Sustaining Partner. Attorney Botelho is Chairman of the firm’s Public Finance Practice Group and represents municipal issuers, purchasers, borrowers, underwriters and trustees in various tax-exempt finance transactions. Mr. Botelho has chair ...