Firm News
Wiggin and Dana Announces Partner Promotions for 2020
Wiggin and Dana is pleased to announce the election of three new Partners effective January 1, 2020. Our newest Partners are:
Toby Bannon is a Partner in the firm’s Corporate Department and is a member of the Life Sciences Practice Group. Toby previously served as Research and Development Counsel at a large market capitalization biotechnology company focusing on rare and devastating diseases. In that role, Toby acted as legal counsel for the business’ global Research, Development, and Medical Affairs organizations, providing advice and counsel, strategic guidance, and legal document drafting and negotiation. He was responsible for a wide array of research initiatives including investigator-initiated research, sponsored research, and collaborative research arrangements and supported all phases of development with timelines at the forefront of industry standards. Toby also provided similar legal direction and service to Medical Affairs initiatives including post-marketing commitments, registry studies, health outcomes research, and medical education initiatives. Earlier in his legal career, Toby was an Associate at Wiggin and Dana. During this time at the firm, Toby’s experience was primarily focused on business transactions for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies, including intellectual property transfers, licensing, research, collaboration, clinical trial, commercialization, supply, and distribution agreements.
James Greifzu is a Partner in the firm’s Corporate Department. James represents corporate and individual clients in connection with mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, commercial agreements, and other complex corporate transactions and related corporate governance matters. He advises clients across multiple industries, including manufacturing, retail, pharmaceutical, biotech, medical cannabis, and several services sectors. James has experience representing acquirers, issuers, and financial advisors in private and public offerings of equity securities in connection with merger and acquisition transactions. Before joining the firm, James was an associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP’s Financial Institutions Group in New York, where he counseled private equity groups, banks, specialty finance firms, insurance companies, and other private and publicly-held regulated financial institutions on mergers, acquisitions, recapitalizations, dispositions of assets and securities, and corporate governance.
Matthew Smith is a Partner in the firm’s Private Client Services Department. Matt advises clients on estate planning, estate and trust administration, and probate litigation. His estate planning practice focuses on assisting individuals and families with practical estate, gift, and tax planning, including the preparation of wills and trusts. Before joining the firm, Matt was a litigation associate for Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP. Matt is a member of the Estates and Probate Section of the Connecticut Bar Association, the Trusts and Estates Section of the New York State Bar Association, and the Fairfield County Bar Association.
