Bodman LLP
Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business has again named Bodman one of Michigan’s top business law firms.
Bodman is the only firm in Michigan to achieve the highest possible rating in the Banking & Finance category for 2010. Bodman has earned the highest Chambers rating for Banking & Finance for eight consecutive years. Chambers also ranked Bodman among Michigan’s top firms in Corporate/M&A, Commercial Litigation, Real Estate and Labor & Employment.
Chambers also recognizes individual lawyers who have been identified by their clients and peers as leaders in their areas of specialty. Bodman attorneys included in the individual rankings (by area of specialty) are:
• Banking & Finance: Scott P. Gyorke, Kathleen O’Callaghan Hickey, Joseph J. Kochanek, Larry R. Shulman, and Wendy L. Zabriskie.
• Banking & Finance-Bankruptcy: Robert J. Diehl Jr. and Ralph E. McDowell.
• Commercial Litigation: Dennis J. Levasseur and Joseph J. Shannon.
• Corporate / M&A: Timothy R. Damschroder, Laurence B. Deitch, and F. Thomas Lewand.
• Labor & Employment: Karen L. Piper.
• Real Estate: David W. Hipp, Nicholas P. Scavone Jr., and Andrew Z. Spilkin.
—————
Cooley Law School
FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III has appointed Cooley Law School Associate Professor Alan Gershel to the Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Advisory Policy Board (APB).
Gershel will represent the prosecutorial sector of the criminal justice community. The APB addresses issues concerning the operation of the programs managed by the FBI’s CJIS division on behalf of the criminal justice community, including fingerprint identification, law enforcement online, the national crime information center, uniform crime reporting, law enforcement national data exchange and the national instant criminal background check system
Gershel joined Cooley’s faculty in 2008 after serving the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan, in Detroit for nearly 30 years. He was the chief of the criminal division at the time of
his departure.
—————
Hall Render
Hall Render is once again ranked second largest health law firm in the country, according to Modern Healthcare Magazine. The publication released the rankings of “Largest Healthcare Law Firms” in its May 31st issue. The ranking is based on the number of attorneys at Hall Render who are members of the American Health Lawyers Association. Hall Render employs more than 140 attorneys who represent health organizations from coast to coast.
Also, Hall Render is pleased to announce that Melissa Markey conducted a presentation at this year’s AHLA Annual Meeting & In-House Counsel Program. The In-House Counsel Program took place Sunday, June 27, and addressed the unique issues faced by in-house counsel.
Markey is licensed to practice as an attorney in Texas and Michigan. Markey primarily represents health care providers and exempt organizations. She has a particular interest in human subject research and technology law, including electronic health records, software licensing, data rights management and e-commerce issues, as well as emergency legal preparedness, HIPAA, patient care issues, and compliance. She represents several health information exchange organizations and is active in policy discussions related to the privacy and security implications of HIE.
Markey has presented and authored publications both within Michigan and nationally, including articles on emergency preparedness and response law, HIPAA Privacy and HIPAA Security, the clinical-technology interface, electronic medical records, health information exchange issues and clinical research issues.
Markey is a Michigan licensed and Nationally Registered Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic with many years of field experience.
—————
Miller Canfield
Miller Canfield recently received Graphic Design USA magazine’s “American Web Design Award” for its website, www.millercanfield.com.
The award celebrates the power of a well-designed site to attract audiences, communicate information, generate engagement and response, and market products and services.
Miller Canfield’s website was designed by Firmseek.
Additionally, Miller Canfield is pleased to announce that Midwest Real Estate News magazine ranked the firm’s real estate practice as the top Michigan-based law firm. Miller Canfield was also ranked second in the Midwest on its list of 2010 Best of the Best Real Estate Law Firms in the Midwest. In addition, Miller Canfield’s real estate practice was recognized by Chambers USA 2010 as one of the top real estate firms in Michigan. Chambers USA ranks the leading firms and lawyers in an extensive range of practice areas throughout America.
Midwest Real Estate News reported that Miller Canfield completed real estate transactions in the Midwest involving commercial, industrial, shopping centers, land, office buildings and multi-family matters.
According to Ron Hodess, Miller Canfield’s Real Estate Practice Group Leader, “Our real estate transactions are diverse in type and location. The majority of our deals were located across the U.S., Canada, Mexico and internationally.”
Also, Miller Canfield principal Irene Bruce Hathaway (Detroit office) has been selected as a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America (LCA) for her effectiveness and accomplishment in litigation and trial work.
In more than 25 years of practice as a litigator, she has handled more than 100 trials, dozens of arbitrations and more than 200 appeals or applications of leave to appeal and has been involved in a variety of cases involving numerous industries from manufacturing to health care to software sales. Her history includes commercial litigation, catastrophic tort cases, insurance coverage, wrongful discharge and civil rights, and slander and libel.
She earned her law degree from Michigan State University Law School and B.A. from the University of Michigan.
—————
Dykema
Dykema announces that Howard B. Iwrey, a Dykema antitrust and trade regulation attorney with more than 23 years experience, recently spoke at the Spring Meeting of the Legal Issues Council of the Original Equipment Suppliers Association (OESA) on “Current Federal Antitrust Enforcement Trends and the Implications of the Proposed Revisions to the Horizontal Merger Guidelines.”
Formed in August 1998, OESA provides a forum for automotive suppliers to address issues of common concern, serving as a resource for industry information and analysis, promoting the interests of the OE supplier community and serving as a voice and positive change agent for the industry.
Iwrey represents companies from a broad range of industries including health care, technology, defense, automotive, commercial finance, sports, art publishing, utilities, retail, consumer appliances, electronics and brokerage services. Iwrey is the leader of the firm’s Antitrust and Trade Regulation and Securities Litigation practice groups and is a member of the firm’s E-Discovery Group. From his office in Bloomfield Hills, he also represents clients in securities and franchising law matters.
In addition, Dykema announces that Joseph A. Ritok was included among the “100 Most Powerful Employment Attorneys in America for 2010” by Human Resource Executive magazine and Lawdragon.
Ritok was also recently recognized by Chambers USA as one of the leading employment attorneys in Michigan. His practice focuses on union-management relations and the defense of employment matters before federal and state agencies and courts throughout the United States. He is a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers.
Ritok earned his A.B. from the University of North Carolina and Chapel Hill and his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School.
Dykema also announces that two of its local “Super Lawyers” have been included in the July 2010 Corporate Counsel edition. They are:
• Mark G. Malven – Information Technology/Outsourcing.
• Ronald L. Rose – Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights.
In addition, Dykema attorney Joanne R. Lax, member of the firm’s Health Care practice group, has been re-appointed as a vice chair of the American Health Lawyers Association (AHLA) Long-Term Care, Senior Housing, In-Home Care and Rehabilitation Practice Group for the 2010-2011 year.
The LTC-SIR Practice Group provides an educational and networking forum for attorneys who represent providers across the entire spectrum of long term care services, including skilled nursing facilities, assisted living, senior housing, home health, hospice, and long term care pharmacy.
Lax was also re-appointed to the AHLA Diversity Council for the 2010-2011 year.
Lax represents health care providers (particularly hospitals and long-term care facilities) regarding state and federal regulatory compliance, administrative regulatory litigation, patient rights, biomedical ethics, mental health treatment delivery, privacy, risk management, and contract negotiation.
In addition to the American Health Lawyers Association, Lax is the chair of the Health Care Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan for the 2009-2010 year, and a member of the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (where she is a former member of the Core Legal Committee), and a member of Aging Services of Michigan (formerly the Michigan Association of Homes and Services for the Aging). She is a regular speaker for these organizations, and also presents for the American Hospital Association, American Optometric Association, Michigan Department of Community Health - Office of Recipient Rights, Michigan Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Michigan Alliance of Healthcare Access Professionals, and the Michigan Health Information Management Association.
A member of Dykema’s Bloomfield Hills office with 32 years of legal experience, Lax obtained her A.B. from the University of Michigan and her law degree from the University of Michigan Law School.
—————
Butzel Long
Butzel Long attorney and shareholder Reginald A. Pacis was named chair of the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s (AILA) National Customs Border Protection Liaison Committee during the Annual Conference June 30-July 3 in Maryland. Previously, Pacis was vice chair of the committee. AILA is the national association of more than 11,000 attorneys and law professors who practice and teach immigration law.
Pacis has been an active member of AILA for many years. He served two consecutive terms from 2003 to 2004 and 2004 to 2005 as chairperson of the Michigan Chapter of AILA and was a member of the AILA National Board of Governors for those terms. He previously served as Secretary (2001 to 2003) and membership chairperson of the Michigan Chapter of AILA (1998 to 2003).
Pacis has served as a member of the AILA National liaison committee dealing with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, a division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security presiding over inspections and security of the U.S. border. He previously served as chairperson of the Michigan AILA Committee and as a liaison with the Michigan Customs and Border Protection Agency. Pacis currently serves on the Liaison Committee as vice chairperson.
Based in Butzel Long’s Detroit office, Pacis concentrates his practice in immigration law and has handled a variety of immigration matters including H-1B specialty occupation cases, L-1 Intracompany transfers, Labor Certification matters, Immigrant Visa Petitions/ Adjustment of Status applications and interviews, TN Free trade cases, H-1B Department of Labor Investigations, I-9 employer verification compliance, and U.S. Port of Entry airport and land port interviews.
Pacis is a member of the American Bar Association and the Samahang Pilipino Ng Oakland Filipino organization.
Pacis earned his law degree from the Detroit College of Law at Michigan State University in 1996 and his B.A. from James Madison College at Michigan State University in 1992. He joined the State Bar of Michigan in 1997.
Additionally, Butzel Long attorneys W. Patrick Dreisig, Richard Shapack and David Sommerfeld were recognized as a 2010 FIVE STAR Wealth Manager as a result of a survey completed by Crescendo Business Services and HOUR Detroit magazine. A listing of 2010 FIVE STAR Wealth Managers appeared in the June 2010 edition of HOUR Detroit magazine.
Dreisig is a shareholder practicing in Butzel Long’s Bloomfield Hills office, where he is co-chair of the firm’s Global Automotive Industry Group and a member of the firm’s Business Law Practice.
Dreisig focuses his practice in general business law and transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, recapitalizations, debt and equity finance transactions, venture capital transactions, supply agreements, intellectual property development and licensing transactions, customer and supplier workouts, entity selection and formation, corporate governance and business succession.
Shapack is Of Counsel to Butzel Long, practicing in the firm’s Bloomfield Hills office. His practice is concentrated in business law, tax, real estate and estate planning with special emphasis on business and tax planning.
He is a Fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel, a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and has been certified (since 1983) by the Florida Bar as a Board Certified Tax Lawyer. In 2006, he was named in the first listing of Michigan Super Lawyers and has been named again in each subsequent year.
Sommerfeld is a shareholder based in Butzel Long’s Bloomfield Hills office practicing in the areas of estate planning, probate, and trust administration. He also has experience in the areas of income tax, estate and gift tax, and related tax and financial matters. He serves as manager of the firm’s Probate, Trust and Estate Planning Practice. He is a Certified Public Accountant as well as an attorney. Sommerfeld is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and is listed in The Best Lawyers in America, Who’s Who in American Law, and Michigan Super Lawyers.
—————
O’Reilly Rancilio P.C.
Charles E. Turnbull was officially sworn in as the new president of the Macomb County Bar Association (MCBA) on June 3. Turnbull will serve as the 82nd president of MCBA.
Turnbull is a shareholder and member of the Board of Directors with O’Reilly Rancilio PC. He has served as a member of the Macomb County Bar Association Board of Directors since 1999 and the MCBA Real Property Committee since 2001. Turnbull also serves as a trustee and has been a member of the Board of Directors the Macomb County Bar Foundation since 2004.
Additionally, O’Reilly Rancillio PC attorney Clark Andrews participated in the 12th Annual Summer Educational Conference, on June 25-26, through the Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys and the Public Corporation Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan. Andrews presented the topic “The Smoking Ban,” which covered Michigan’s new no smoking rules which took effect on May 1 of this year.
Attorney Craig S. Schoenherr served on the planning committee for the American Bankruptcy Institute’s 2010 Detroit Consumer Bankruptcy Conference. Topics of the conference include
Supreme Court and lower court case law updates, good faith in bankruptcy, exemptions, tax laws, means testing, debtor remedies, claims, legal writing and oral argument and mortgage loan modification. The discussions will be followed by a judge’s panel.
Schoenherr specializes in creditors’ rights, bankruptcy law, collections and commercial litigation.
To view the November 11, 2010 Conference Agenda and registration information, visit the following link: http://www.abiworld.org/Detroit10/.
—————
Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co. L.P.A.
Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co. L.P.A. congratulates David A. Wolfe, an associate in the Consumer Collections, Legal Action Recovery Group of the WWR Detroit office, on his re-election to the State Bar of Michigan Representative Assembly.
Wolfe will begin a second three-year term as a member of the Representative Assembly (RA). The RA is the final policy-making body of the State Bar that meets to discuss and vote on proposed court rule changes and pending legislation affecting the profession.
Wolfe earned his BA in Economics from Wayne State University in 1995 and his law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law in 1999.
A member of the State Bar of Michigan, American and Oregon Bar Associations, Wolfe is licensed in Michigan and Oregon. He is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court (Eastern & Western Districts of Michigan).
—————
Barris, Sott, Denn& Driker PLLC
Barris, Sott, Denn, & Driker PLLC is pleased to announce that Dennis M. Barnes, a member, was elected to the State Bar of Michigan’s Board of Commissioners for District H (Wayne, Monroe, and Lenawee Counties) and Eric S. Rosenthal, a member, was elected to the State Bar’s Representative Assembly for the 3rd Circuit (Wayne County).
Barnes and Rosenthal both have a sophisticated business litigation practice. They have each lent their skills and energy to many court, State Bar and community activities in the past, and they both care deeply about the practice of our profession here in Michigan.
—————
Bowman and Brooke LLP
Bowman and Brooke LLP, a national trial firm routinely defending house-hold name clients in high stakes product liability litigation, is pleased to announce The Legal 500, an appraisal of law firm capabilities, has for the third year in a row named Bowman and Brooke number one in the country for Product Liability and Mass Tort Defense in Automotive/Transport. Individually, Detroit-based Thomas Branigan and Fred Fresard were named to the list and recommended by clients.
––––––––––––––––––––
Subscribe to the Legal News!
http://legalnews.com/Home/Subscription
Full access to public notices, articles, columns, archives, statistics, calendar and more
Day Pass Only $4.95!
One-County $80/year
Three-County & Full Pass also available
