UKS Welcomes New Shareholders!

Updike, Kelly & Spellacy, P.C. congratulates associates Valerie M. Ferdon and Jonathan L. Canestri for being voted in as Shareholders of UKS effective January 1, 2023.

Attorney Ferdon joined UKS as a Summer Associate in 2014 and received her J.D., with honors in 2015, from the University of Connecticut School of Law. She earned her B.A. in political science, cum laude, from Providence College.  Attorney Ferdon is a member of the Employment Practices Group and the Litigation Practice Group.  She counsels employers through all stages of the employment relationship and defends clients in employment law claims in federal and state court and before government agencies.  Attorney Ferdon serves as a member of the UKS Diversity & Inclusion Committee and the firm’s Recruitment Committee.  Attorney Ferdon is a member of the Hartford County Bar Association and the Connecticut Bar Association.  She has served as a Justice of the Peace for the Town of West Hartford since 2019.  Attorney Ferdon can be reached at vferdon@uks.com or at (860) 548-2607.

Attorney Canestri received his LL.M. in Taxation from Boston University School of Law, his J.D., cum laude, from Quinnipiac University School of Law and his B.S., summa cum laude, in Finance from Quinnipiac University School of Business.  Attorney Canestri is a member of the Firm’s Business, Tax and Estate Planning Practice Groups.  Attorney Canestri has experience in all aspects of federal and state individual income and corporate income tax matters. Attorney Canestri represents businesses in general corporate matters including asset and stock sales and purchases.  He also represents individual clients and families in estate planning matters, including the preparation of wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, durable powers of attorney, durable health care directives, living wills and special needs trusts.  He is a member of the New Haven County Bar Association, the Connecticut Bar Association and the American Bar Association.  Attorney Canestri can be reached at jcanestri@uks.com or at (860) 548-2648.

We are proud of the accomplishments of Attorney Ferdon and Attorney Canestri and are excited about their future with the firm.