Diserio Martin O'Connor & Castiglioni LLP

DMOC Attorney, Barbara Koteen, Presents at NBI Seminar: Estate Administration Procedures: Why Each Step Is Important

Mon, 20 May 2013 -0400

On June 13, 2013, Barbara S. Koteen, a partner in the Trusts and Estates Department at Diserio Martin O’Connor & Castiglioni LLP, will participate in a seminar entitled “Estate Administration Procedures: Why Each Step Is Important.” The seminar is in Cromwell, Connecticut and provides step by step instruction on how to administer an estate in a Connecticut Probate Court. You will learn what questions to ask your client, what documents need to be filed with the probate court, how to prepare the estate tax return and how to handle some common issues that are litigated in probate court.

The seminar is pending approval for 6.5 hours of CLE credit, and is presented by the National Business Institute.

When: Tuesday, June 13, 2013, 8:00 a.m to 4:40 p.m.

Where: Crowne Plaza, 100 Berlin Road, Cromwell, CT 06416

For additional information and registration, click Estate Administration Procedures: Why Each Step Is Important

DMOC Represents Starwood in Acquisition and Closing of Blue Back Square

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 -0400

William A. Durkin III, Charles J. Spiess and Robert Murray represented affiliates of Starwood Capital Group and Starwood Retail Partners in the acquisition and closing of Blue Back Square, a Class A mixed-use development in West Hartford, Connecticut. The project was acquired from a partnership of Atlanta-based Ronus Properties, LLC, Street-Works, LLC of White Plains, NY and JDA Development of West Hartford, which completed the center in 2008. Blue Back Square features approximately 450,000 square feet of high quality office, medical, residential and retail space. The retail component features several national retail chains including Crate & Barrel, Cheesecake Factory, Barnes & Noble and REI.

ICANN Opens New Trademark Clearinghouse

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 -0400

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is responsible for managing the domain name system. The Trademark Clearinghouse opened on March 26, 2013 (http://trademark-clearinghouse.com/). Historically, generic top level domain names (“gTLDs”) have been limited to .com, .org, and the like. In the coming months and years, ICANN will be launching hundreds of additional gTLDs for registration of new domain names. With this new market for registration of domain names with new gTLDs comes great risk for trademark owners that others will register their mark in the context of these new gTLDs. ICANN has therefore developed a new system for trademark holders to register their marks in a new Trademark Clearinghouse, which will provide trademark holders many benefits to protect their valuable intellectual property and have advance warnings, early opportunities to protect their marks from registration by others, and the ability to participate in new dispute resolution programs.

The Clearinghouse allows brand owners to submit their trademark data into one centralized database, prior to and during the launch of new gTLDs. The Clearinghouse opened on March 26, 2013. After verification, the trademark holder gains rights during the pre-registration period of multiple TLDs (the "Sunrise period"). Trademark holders will also have the option to be notified when someone registers a domain name that matches their record in the Clearinghouse.

While trademark holders with multiple marks and portfolios can take advantage of an Advanced Fee Structure (which provides volume discounts), the basic fee structure for registration of one mark is 150 USD per year; 435 USD for 3 years; or 725 USD for 5 years. The fee includes:

Registration of the trademark record
Verification of the trademark record
Sunrise services
Trademark claims services
Linking up to 10 domain name labels to the registration
No extra fees for opting in or out of Sunrise services or Trademark Claims notifications.

The ICANN Trademark Clearinghouse Guidelines may be found here:

http://www.trademark-clearinghouse.com/sites/default/files/files/downloads/TMCH%20guidelines%20v1.1_0.pdf

The fee structure for registration may be found here:

http://trademark-clearinghouse.com/content/new-fee-structure

DMOC can assist you in protecting your valuable intellectual property through the Trademark Clearinghouse.

For more information about domain names and intellectual property, please contact:

Matthew C. Wagner

Chair of the Intellectual Property Department

mwagner [at] dmoc [dot] com

203-358-0800

DMOC Partners Richard E. Castiglioni and Jonathan J. Kelson Successfully Negotiate Substantial Tax Reduction for Owners of 400 Unit Recreational Condominium

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 -0400

Richard Castiglioni and Jonathan Kelson recently negotiated a substantial tax reduction in a tax appeal for a 400 unit recreational condominium located in Norwalk, Connecticut. The settlement and stipulated judgment, dealing with four tax years, resulted in reductions in taxes due of 33% and 40% for the unit owners. The aggregate settlement, resulting in tax credits for future taxes, was in excess of $1,000,000. The stipulated judgment further established a methodology that should result in the same percentage reductions to future tax assessments as well.

ICANN Implements Expired Registration Recovery Policy

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 -0500

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has announced implementation of the Expired Registration Recovery Policy ("ERRP").

The new ERRP includes the following major initiatives:

Registrars will be required to notify registered name holders of the expiration of their registrations at least two times: approximately one month and one week prior to the expiration date.
All gTLD registries must offer a Redemption Grace Period of 30 days immediately following deletion, during which the registrant will be able to revive the registration.
Registrars must make renewal fees available at the time of registration of a domain name, so registrants may understand the total fee structure and not merely special promotions.
Resolution of the domain name must be interrupted for a period of time after expiration, but before deletion, to help make the registrant aware of the expiration of its domain name registration; and registrar parking pages must include or point to renewal instructions.

Registrars must comply with the Expired Registration Recovery Policy no later than August 31, 2013.

A link to the ERRP can be found here: http://www.icann.org/en/resources/registrars/consensus-policies/errp

For more information about domain names and intellectual property, please contact:

Matthew C. Wagner

Chair of the Intellectual Property Department

mwagner [at] dmoc [dot] com

203-358-0800

Richard E. Castiglioni Nominated to Connecticut Bar Foundation

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 -0500

Richard E. Castiglioni was recently invited to become a James W. Cooper Fellow of the Connecticut Bar Foundation. James W. Cooper Fellows nominate outstanding Connecticut lawyers, judges and teachers of the law to become members. The Fellows support activities and programs that further the rule of law and assist in efforts to improve the administration of Justice in Connecticut. James W. Cooper Fellows are working on several projects, including: Oral History of Connecticut Women in the Legal Profession, High School Essay Contest, Connecticut Innocence Fund, Truancy Intervention Projects in New Britain and New Haven, Mentoring Program for New Attorneys, History of Legal Aid in Connecticut. The Fellows were actively involved in the planning and execution of three symposia in 2012: "Our History, Our Future: Celebrating Attorneys of Color in Connecticut" which was held on April 13, 2012 at Quinnipiac University of Law, Eighth John A. Speziale ADR Symposium "ADR in Hard Times: Can Alternative Dispute Resolution Maintain Access to Justice When Resources are Limited" which was held on October 19, 2012 at Quinnipiac University School of Law, and a symposium in honor of Judge Mark R. Kravitz on "The Vanishing Trial" which was held on December 4, 2012 at the New Haven Lawn Club.

Firm Wins Connecticut Appellate Court Appeal Involving Title to Westport Property

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 -0500

Richard E. Castiglioni and Jonathan J. Kelson successfully appealed a decision rendered by the Housing Court transferring title to a property in Westport, Connecticut. Mr. Castiglioni and Mr. Kelson were brought into the case to file the Appeal of the transfer order. They successfully argued that the Housing Court overstepped its bounds and lacked the authority to transfer title to the premises because the issue of title was not properly before the Housing Court. The decision resulted in the restoration of title in their client.

DMOC Partner Recognized by American Lawyer Media as Top Rated Lawyer in Labor and Employment

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 -0500

DMOC Partner, Richard E. Castiglioni, was selected as a 2013 Top Rated Lawyer in Labor and Employment by American Lawyer Media, a leading provider of news and information to the legal industry. Further, Mr. Castiglioni was recognized by Martindale-Hubbell for consistently maintaining their highest peer review rating of "AV" for the last 20 years. The AV rating is the highest possible peer review rating in legal ability and ethical standards issued by the nationally recognized Martindale-Hubbell rating service.

Charles J. Spiess, Partner and Chair of DMOC's Corporate Department, Closes on Acquisition and Financing of Properties and Franchise Agreement with Marriott International Corporation

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 -0500

Charles J. Spiess, Partner and Chair of DMOC's Corporate Department, represented a developer in connection with the acquisition and financing with a regional bank of multiple retail and commercial properties in the City of Stamford, Connecticut and entering into a new franchise agreement with the Marriott International Corporation.

DMOC Names Two New Partners

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 -0500

DMOC is pleased to announce that Jonathan J. Kelson and Barbara S. Koteen have become partners of the firm, effective January 1, 2013.

Jonathan J. Kelson practices in the areas of commercial and general civil litigation and intellectual property. Mr. Kelson represents individuals and business entities in state and federal courts in a variety of matters, including insurance coverage and defense, employment litigation, real estate and title litigation, contract and business disputes, unfair trade practice matters, and creditor’s rights. Mr. Kelson received his J.D., cum laude, from Syracuse University College of Law and his B.A. in English from Union College.

Barbara S. Koteen focuses her practice primarily in the areas of estate planning, elder law, and probate and trust law. Mrs. Koteen provides clients with advice on estate and disability planning, estate administration and tax issues. She also assists client with long term care planning. Mrs. Koteen received her J.D., cum laude, from Pace University School of Law and her B.A. in Economics from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Diserio Martin O'Connor & Castiglioni LLP is a full-service law firm providing corporate and individual clients with a wide range of services in the areas of litigation, corporate law, intellectual property, real estate and trusts & estate planning and administration.