Howard & Howard
Howard & Howard Attorneys PLLC is pleased to announce that J. Patrick Howe has joined the firm. He will practice out of the firm’s Royal Oak Office.
Howe concentrates his practice in the areas of real estate (zoning, special land use permitting, leasing, buy/sell transactions), commercial transactions (asset/stock acquisitions, mergers, reorganizations), business law (entity selection and formation, tax registration), and hospitality law (local and national liquor licensing, purchase/sale of hospitality businesses, liquor law violations, multi-unit ownership transfers, management/concession agreements, special event permitting, and general counsel regarding the Michigan Liquor Control Code).
Howe has experience representing a wide range of hospitality clients based both in Michigan and throughout the United States. He regularly advocates before local governmental units for various licensing, zoning, site plan, land use and variance approvals, and represents clients before the Michigan Liquor Control Commission in connection with licensing matters and violation hearings. Howe assists liquor licensed restaurants, hotels, resorts, golf courses, bars and clubs with the acquisition or sale of assets, stock, membership interests, and liquor licenses, all of which must be uniquely structured due to the role that the Michigan Liquor Control Commission has in such transactions. He has experience working on projects throughout the state of Michigan, and has developed an expertise in coordinating developments through the City of Detroit approval processes. On a national level, Howe serves as coordinating counsel for multi-unit hospitality clients to oversee the development and licensing of new projects across the United States.
In addition to his hospitality practice, Howe also counsels a range of businesses on real estate matters, commercial transactions, and business formation. He serves as general counsel to various small businesses and entrepreneurs advising on start-up and general corporate matters.
Howe earned his law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law in 2005, his Master of Urban Planning from Wayne State University in 2009, and his B.A., from the University of Michigan in 2002.
Howe is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, Oakland County Bar Association and the American Bar Association. He is also an active member of the Urban Land Institute, serving as co-chair of the Urban Land Institute - Detroit Young Leaders Group. Prior to joining Howard & Howard, Howe was a partner at Carlin, Edwards, Brown, & Howe PLLC, and started his legal career at Plunkett Cooney PC.
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Bowman and Brooke LLP
Bowman and Brooke LLP, a national corporate trial firm with a Detroit area office for more than 20 years, is proud to announce the following news: The firm was named Product Liability Group of the Year in 2010 by Law360; and local Managing Partner Larry Mann was recently spotlighted as one of Michigan’s Leaders in the Law.
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Wayne County Treasurers Office
Wayne County Treasurer Raymond J. Wojtowicz, has named retired Wayne County Probate Court Judge David J. Szymanski as the new Wayne County chief deputy treasurer.
He will be in charge of managing the staff and daily operations of the office as well as advising the treasurer in relation to policy decisions.
Prior to joining the Wayne County Treasurer’s Office, Szymanski was elected to the Wayne County Probate Court in 1990. Szymanski served as a probate judge for nearly 20 years and was chief judge pro tempore for the majority of that time until his recent retirement in December 2010.
“I have been privileged to serve the public as a judge for twenty years and look forward to being able to continue to serve in this challenging new capacity,” Szymanski commented. “While the treasurer is charged with collecting taxes to fund essential government services, Treasurer Wojtowicz is committed to doing all he can to help keep people in their homes. I am excited to be part of that noble effort.”
Before his tenure as a Wayne County Probate Court judge, Szymanski worked his way through school on assembly lines at Detroit’s Russell Industrial Center and as a laborer for the Wayne County Road Commission. In addition he taught high school in rural Indiana and at Detroit’s Northeastern High School. While attending Wayne State Law School night sessions, Szymanski served as a clerk/judicial assistant to District Court Judge Gus Cifelli. He also served eight years as a general practice litigation attorney representing clients including the Detroit Police Officers Association, the Fraternal Order of Police, General Motors, Continental Insurance and private citizens in cases involving civil, criminal, and probate matters.
Szymanski is a member of the State Bar of Michigan and the Florida Bar as well as being admitted to practice in federal courts. He has lectured and provided countless hours of training to law enforcement officers and attorneys. Szymanski was the president of the Southeastern Michigan Probate Judges.
Szymanski attended Detroit Austin High School before graduating from the University of Notre Dame with an English major and minors in U.S. History and English. He earned his law degree from Wayne State University Law School.
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Jackson Lewis
Jackson Lewis LLP recently announced that Emily M. Petroski and Marlo Roebuck were recently chosen for partnership in the firm’s Detroit office. They were among 19 Jackson Lewis attorneys across the country named new partners.
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Jaffe Raitt Heue & Weiss, P.C.
Ché B. Peterson, an associate with Southfield-based Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer, & Weiss PC, was recently appointed to the board of directors for the ‘field Zone, a Southfield nonprofit youth center. Jaffe CEO Richard Zussman made the announcement.
The youth center serves as a fun, safe, drug and violence free environment where teens are welcome to hang out and become involved with a variety of positive activities.
Located on the campus of the Southfield Civic Center, directly below the Southfield Pavilion, the ‘field Zone has numerous recreational resources available such as baseball diamonds, volleyball and tennis courts and a public pool. Emphasizing leadership, recreation, creativity, community involvement, academics, technology, arts and music to inspire area youth, the ‘field Zone serves as a type of ‘hub’ for community activity. Middle school and high school students attending City of Southfield and Lathrup Village schools are allowed to attend.
Peterson is a member of the firm's real estate practice group. He earned his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science degrees from Michigan State University and is a graduate of the Michigan State University College of Law. Peterson is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, Federal Bar Association Eastern District of Michigan and the American Bar Association.
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Sommers Schwartz PC
Andy Dragovic has joined Southfield-based Sommers Schwartz PC as an associate attorney in the firm’s Personal Injury Litigation Department.
Dragovic graduated from Michigan State University with a B.S. in Psychology and earned his law degrees from Wayne State University Law School and George Washington University Law School. Dragovic will handle Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice and Auto Negligence cases.
Also, Krista M. Taylor has joined the firm as an associate in the Business Litigation Department.
Taylor graduated from Albion College, with a Bachelor of Arts, and from Wayne State University Law School. Taylor has experience representing entities in complex commercial business litigation, contract litigation, tort litigation, intellectual property litigation, various aspects of business, intellectual property and consumer protection litigation.
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Giarmarco, Mullins, & Horton, P.C.
The law firm of Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton, P.C. is pleased to announce that the following people have been elected shareholders of the firm effective Jan. 1, 2011:
Celeste M. Wolfe is in the firm’s litigation department where she concentrates her practice in family law and litigation. Wolfe has handled general civil litigation cases including general negligence, premises liability, negligent hiring/supervision, insurance coverage disputes, nuisance claims, false imprisonment, assault and battery, respondent superior and declaratory actions. Wolfe’s experience includes representing clients from a suit’s inception through appeal including facilitation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution. Wolfe has tried numerous cases as lead counsel, resulting in favorable jury verdicts for her clients.
Wolfe is a mediator for Wayne County which places her in the position to evaluate the monetary value of cases presented. She is active in the Oakland County Bar Association and a member of the State Bar of Michigan, Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, and Macomb County Bar Association.
Wolfe was admitted to practice in Michigan and the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan in 2000 and to the U.S. Court of Appeals, 6th Circuit in 2001. She earned her law degree from Wayne State University Law School and B.A. from Michigan State University.
Kenneth B. Chapie practices in the area of general litigation with a focus on municipal law and business and liability claims. He has represented clients at all levels of the litigation process including through trial and appeals. Chapie has represented municipalities and school districts through their insurance carriers on a wide range of issues including employment disputes, discrimination claims, civil rights actions, education law matters, police liability claims, and general liability claims. In addition, he has served as assistant prosecutor for Redford Township and the Charter Township of Brownstown, representing those Townships through the phases of the criminal process, including through trial and appeals.
Chapie graduated from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and earned his undergraduate degree from James Madison College of Michigan State University. He is admitted to practice in the state of Michigan, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals. He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan and the American Bar Association.
John A. Anderson is a member of or Business Practice Group. He has experience as a business lawyer representing both middle-market clients and entrepreneurs, while a main focus of his practice is in health care law, primarily on the provider side. Anderson represents numerous health care providers ranging from large single and multi-specialty groups to small groups and individual physicians. He also represents diagnostic providers, physical therapy providers, and home health care agencies. Anderson’s practice areas include all matters of business transactional and litigation matters, with an emphasis on health care law and the full spectrum of health care service provider issues including compliance matters, fraud and abuse, third-party audits, billing and reimbursement, entity formation, contract negotiations, physician self-referral/Stark, Anti-kickback, licensing and litigation.
Anderson is a member of the American Health Lawyers Association, and is active in the Health Care Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan. He is also a member of the Business Law Section of the Michigan State Bar. Anderson is admitted to practice in the State of Michigan, the U.S. District Court for Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan, the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Additionally, the firm is also pleased to announce that James Y. Rayis has joined the firm.
Rayis practices in the areas of corporate and business law, international corporate transactions and trade, government contracts and procurement law, as well as international human rights law. He is admitted to practice in Michigan, Washington, D.C., Georgia, and Colorado.
Rayis has experience in global licensing and distribution, foreign investment and expansion, and other business transactions including joint ventures and foreign mergers and acquisitions. He provides advice and counsel on trade matters, corporate liability and responsibility and on issues involving corrupt practices laws. He represents companies worldwide in their procurement work with U.S. and foreign government contracts and projects, including on reconstruction projects in Iraq. He has been a partner at major firms in Detroit and Atlanta, Georgia working also in Washington, D.C.
Rayis served as the director of the Global Justice Project Iraq, working to improve and strengthen judicial and legal practice independence of Iraqi law and structures, including working closely with the Iraqi Supreme Court. Rayis was VP and general counsel for Omnivest International, Inc. in Denver, where he organized, guided and directed the legal function for a globally operating venture capital and financial investment firm based in Taipei, Taiwan.
He is a member of the American Bar Association (chair 2002-2006, Middle East Committee, International Law and Practice Section); State Bar of Georgia (chair, 2002-2004, International Law Section; chair 988-1990, Younger Lawyers Section, International Law Committee); and the Association International des Jeunes Avocats (North American Presidential delegate; Executive Board member, 1994-2000). He is admitted to practice in the U.S. Court of International Trade, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (jurisdiction over international trade, government contracts, patents, trademarks) and the Eleventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
He earned his law degree from the University of Georgia and his B.A. from Michigan State University, majoring in Economics with a French minor.
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Warner, Norcross, & Judd LLP
The law firm of Warner, Norcross, & Judd LLP has welcomed Nazli G. Sater to its Southfield office.
Sater, who joins the law firm as a partner, concentrates her practice in the Family Law/Divorce Practice Group. She has experience in family law, including child custody and support, pre- and post-nuptial agreements, property division and related areas.
Prior to joining Warner Norcross, she was a partner in the litigation department of Hyman Lippit PC where she concentrated her practice in divorce and family law.
Sater is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association, and the Oakland County Bar Association. She serves on the Family Law Advisory Board of the Institute of Continuing Legal Education. She has also served as a guest lecturer on a variety of topics related to family law and divorce issues.
Sater earned her bachelor of arts from Wayne State University and her law degree from Wayne State University Law School.
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Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy, & Sadler PLC
Randal Cole, a member of Dawda Mann PLC, has been elected to a two-year position on the Heidelberg Project’s board of directors.
The Heidelberg Project is a Detroit-based community organization designed to improve lives and neighborhoods through art.
Cole accepted the position to help the Heidelberg Project prepare for the many events associated with the celebration of its 25-year anniversary as well as Tyree Guyton’s upcoming exhibit with the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.
“I’m excited to join Heidelberg in this milestone year, and I look forward to helping the board of directors to further the organization’s mission of promoting art, education, community and tourism for the City of Detroit,” Cole said. “It’s a great time to join as preparations begin to design and construct a new Cultural Village. The Heidelberg Project is a wonderful organization and I am pleased to be a part of it.”
Cole’s practice is concentrated in labor and employment law, including employment defense litigation. He has represented clients before the National Labor Relations Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Michigan Department of Civil Rights and the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency. Cole has lectured for civil groups in metro Detroit on employment-related issues and has authored several articles on the Family Medical Leave Act and the Michigan Department of Civil Rights Problem Resolution Procedure.
Cole earned his law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law in 1996 and his B.A. from Kalamazoo College, in 1991,. Cole is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, Labor and Employment Law Section, and has served as vice-chairman and chairman of the Oakland County Bar Association Employment and Labor Law Committee.
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Frasco, Caponigro, Wineman, & Scheible PLLC
The law firm of Frasco, Caponigro, Wineman, & Scheible PLLC (FCWS) has made two significant moves with its growing legal staff by naming Christian Hauser a partner of the firm, and hiring Roy Luttmann as a partner to establish a new Estate Planning practice at the firm. The announcement was made by John Caponigro, managing partner of the Bloomfield Hills-based firm established 30 years ago.
Hauser joined FCW&S in November, 2005. Before joining the firm, he was a partner with the law firm of Thomas M. Keranen & Associates PC in Bloomfield Hills.
Hauser’s areas of practice include construction law, contract interpretation, civil litigation, commercial transactions, business law and sports and entertainment law. He is licensed to practice throughout the state of Michigan, as well as in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims in Washington, D.C. An attorney since 1998 as well as a licensed builder in the state of Michigan, he earned his undergraduate degree from Aquinas College and his law degree from the University of Detroit School of Law. He regularly lectures to both organizations and clients regarding current legal trends in their respective fields. Hauser was named a “Michigan Rising Star” by Michigan Super Lawyers magazine in 2009 and 2010.
Hauser is active in the local running and fitness community, having completed 13 marathons (including three Boston Marathons) and dozens of half-marathons.
Luttmann joined FCWS in Jan. 2011 and previously was an equity partner and member of the board at the law firm of Giarmarco, Mullins, & Horton. Before his 12 years at
Giarmarco, Mullins, & Horton, he was an attorney at Boothman, Hebert, and Eller from 1994 to 1998, and at Kitch, Drutchas, Saurbier, & Kenny from 1988 to 1994. He was named by Super Lawyers magazine as one of Michigan’s “Super Lawyers” in 2009 and 2010. He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan in both its Probate and Estate Planning Section and Taxation Section.
Luttmann was born in Guatemala and speaks fluent Spanish.
He is frequently used by the media, and as a guest speaker, on the topics of personal-estate and business-succession planning. He earned his undergraduate degree from Michigan State University and his law degree from Detroit College of Law. He also is a graduate of Oakland University’s School of Business Administration Certified Financial Planning program.
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Plunkett Cooney
Plunkett Cooney recently named insurance coverage attorney Elaine M. Pohl as its newest shareholder.
An attorney in the firm’s Bloomfield Hills office, Pohl focuses her practice in the areas of insurance coverage, liquor licensing and general litigation matters. Her clients include insurance companies involved in complex policy coverage disputes with policyholders and other insurance providers. Pohl represents insurance clients in disputes involving construction defects, product liability, personal and advertising injury and workers’ compensation coverage.
In addition to her insurance coverage practice, Pohl has experience representing hospitality industry clients with respect to liquor licensing issues. She is also an accomplished advocate in the area of administrative law.
A graduate of Indiana University School of Law, Pohl is active in several professional organizations. She serves as a steering committee member for the Hospitality Practice Group of ALFA International, a global network of independent business law firms. She is also an active member of the American Bar Association, the DRI – The Voice of the Defense Bar – and the State Bar of Michigan for which she serves as a member of the Alcohol Beverage Practice Group and chair-elect of the Insurance and Indemnity Law Section.
