LEGAL PEOPLE

Community Legal Resources (CLR) recently named Jennifer M. Oertel, a partner with Southfield-based Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer, & Weiss PC as its Volunteer Lawyer of the Year. Jaffe CEO Richard Zussman made the announcement. Oertel was presented with the prestigious award at the organization's 13th annual Anniversary and Recognition Event, which recognizes the generous efforts of the attorneys who tirelessly donated thousands of volunteer hours to nonprofit organizations across the state. One of Oertel's significant accomplishments was helping CLR negotiate an agreement that allowed the non-profit organization to make important contributions to the City of Detroit's public planning efforts. Oertel currently serves as leader of the firm's Tax-Exempt Organizations Practice, specializing in all aspects of nonprofit organizations, corporate law and finance, with a focus on start-up and emerging growth companies, securities regulation, mergers and acquisitions and advising broker dealers and investment advisors. Also, Salvatore J. Vitale has joined Southfield-based Jaffe Raitt as an associate in the firm's Litigation Practice Group. Jaffe CEO Richard Zussman made the announcement. Most recently, Vitale served as a summer associate at the firm where he performed legal research, attended hearings and trials, and prepared motions, briefs, complaints and appeals. He also served as a student attorney at the Detroit Free Legal Aid Clinic, Inc. Vitale earned his Bachelor of Arts from Michigan State University and earned his law degree from Wayne State University Law School. * * * Honigman, Miller, Schwartz, and Cohn LLP is pleased to announce that Sheldon P. Winkelman, a partner in the firm's Real Estate Department and co-chair of its Affordable Housing Practice Group, recently participated in a webinar titled "Multi-Family Affordable Housing: Legal Considerations - Structuring Transactions and Financing Documents That Meet Complex Federal and State Rules." The webinar was hosted by Strafford Publications, Inc., a national provider of continuing legal education programs. Winkelman has more than 45 years of experience counseling clients on a wide variety of commercial real estate and financing transactions with a particular emphasis on government-assisted housing. He has represented a broad range of clients in acquisition, construction, financing, syndication, management, operation and disposition issues. Winkelman also counsels clients with regard to housing programs assisted by HUD, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Federal National Mortgage Association and other governmental, quasi-governmental and private agencies and institutions. He has been listed in the Best Lawyers in America from 1983 through 2012, in Michigan Super Lawyers from 2007 through 2011, and as a DBusiness Top Lawyer in 2010 and 2011. Winkelman is the chair of the Michigan Housing Council and has been a member of the prestigious American College of Real Estate Lawyers since 1986. Winkelman earned a B.A. from Wayne State University and his law degree from Wayne State University Law School. Additionally, David K. Page, partner at Honigman, Miller, Schwartz, and Cohn LLP, has been named chairman of the Children's Hospital of Michigan (CHM) Foundation Board of Trustees. The CHM Foundation was established in 2003 to make a significant and lasting, positive impact on children's health-both locally and around the world. Page was appointed to the CHM Foundation Board of Trustees in 2010 after serving on the Children's Hospital of Michigan Board for 38 years (chairing that Board for nine of those years). He succeeds John D. Baker, M.D., as chairman. "It's an honor to serve as chairman of the CHM Foundation Board of Trustees," Page said. "This is a particularly exciting time in the Foundation's history as we craft a new strategic plan to broaden the Foundation's scope, while further strengthening our charitable work with Children's Hospital." Page is a partner in Honigman's Corporate and Securities Department. His practice focuses on corporate transactions, including corporate governance, financing, acquisitions, sales and mergers, public offerings, and private placements. He is an active and committed community leader and serves as Honigman's Partner for Community Involvement. Currently, along with other nonprofit positions, he is the vice-chair of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, a trustee of the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan, the Council of Michigan Foundations, the Detroit Zoological Society, City Year and both The Jewish Fund and the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit (previously serving as president of each). * * * The law firm of Miller Canfield announces that Katrina P. Desmond has joined the firm as an associate in the Public Law Group in the Detroit office. She is a member of the American Bar Association and State Bar of Michigan. She is on the advisory board of Angels Place and a member of the Junior League of Birmingham. She earned her law degree from the University of Michigan Law School and her B.B.A. in Accountancy from the University of Notre Dame. Miller Canfield also announces that Noah P. Hood has joined the Detroit office as an associate in the Litigation and Trial Group. He served as an intern with the Office of Legal Counsel for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (Washington D.C.) where assisted with a variety of regulatory issues particularly involving state and federal procurement requirements for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds. He is a member of the American Bar Association, State Bar of Michigan and Wolverine Bar Association. Additionally, Kellen C. Kiley has joined Miller Canfield in the Troy office in the Real Estate Group. He practices real estate law with an emphasis on real estate finance and workouts and foreclosures. Prior to joining Miller Canfield, Kiley completed a two-year clerkship with U.S. District Court Judge Lawrence P. Zatkoff, Eastern District of Michigan, and previously interned for U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Bill Schuette. He earned his law degree from Michigan State University College of Law and his B.A. from Michigan State University, Eli Broad College of Business. * * * Southfield-based Collins, Einhorn, Farrell, & Ulanoff PC announced that attorney Brian E. Devilling has joined the firm's General and Professional Liability Practice Groups. Devilling focuses his practice on professional liability defense and business litigation. He has experience in litigating professional malpractice, transportation, construction, product liability, premises liability, breach of contract, fraud, employment and sales related disputes. Prior to joining Collins Einhorn, the Rochester resident practiced for eight years in Chicago, defending doctors, medical device manufacturers, transportation companies and consumer product manufacturers accused of negligence, malpractice and strict liability. Devilling also handled numerous business and commercial disputes involving sales, breach of contract, employment, fraud, and partnership issues. The Loyola University Chicago School of Law alum developed a practice concentrating on employment-related transactional and litigation issues with respect to non-competition agreements and restrictive covenants. Devilling has handled many jury trials, including medical malpractice, employment, premises liability and product liability cases. He served as an adjunct professor of Advocacy and head coach of the trial team at Loyola University Chicago from 2003-2010. * * * Plunkett Cooney attorney Hilary A. Ballentine was recently named an "Up & Coming Lawyer" by Michigan Lawyers Weekly (MLW). Ballentine, who concentrates her practice exclusively in the area of appellate law, was profiled with other legal standouts in a special "Up & Coming Lawyers" feature in the Nov. 21 edition of MLW. In addition, the 2011 honorees were saluted by the newspaper and by members of southeast Michigan's legal community during a recognition luncheon on Dec. 8 at the Troy Marriott Hotel. A member of the firm's Detroit office, Ballentine focuses her practice on claims related to Constitutional law, as well as general, municipal, construction, and medical liability, among other areas. She is admitted to practice in both state and federal courts, including the Michigan Court of Appeals, the Michigan Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. A graduate from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law in 2006. Ballentine earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan - Dearborn in 2003. * * * Barbara A. Bowman, a member of Bodman PLC practicing in the firm's Troy office, served as counsel to the trustee in connection with the issuance of $9.5 million in financial recovery bonds by the City of Ecorse that recently earned "Deal of the Year" honors from The Bond Buyer. The City of Ecorse transaction took top honors in the Small Issue category. The Bond Buyer's editorial team evaluated all candidates based on innovation, efforts by government issuers to accomplish their goals in challenging times, the deal's ability to serve as a model for other financings, and the public purpose for which the proceeds were used. The transaction involved a unique structure with city taxes being paid into a lockbox and used to satisfy judgment obligations of the city, with remaining amounts distributed back to the city by the trustee. The innovative lockbox mechanism provides bankruptcy protection of the pledged tax revenues, which helped the transaction secure an "A" rating from Standard & Poor's despite the city's distressed financial condition. Bowman is a member of Bodman's Municipal Law and Finance, Banking, and Business practice groups. She has acted as bond counsel and underwriter's counsel in numerous bond transactions at the state, local, and national levels. Her experience includes serving as bond counsel for regional wastewater treatment and other systems and representing the owners of a $230 million racetrack in Kansas City, Missouri in connection with bond financing for the facility. * * * Hansen IP Law PLLC, a firm specializing in patent, trademark, and copyright matters, recently announced the opening of a new office in Birmingham. The firm was founded in August 2009 and was previously based in Waterford. "Birmingham is a great place to do business and connect with companies seeking to protect and exploit their technologies," said firm owner Steve Hansen. "Our office is located just off of Old Woodward at 283 E. Frank Street and provides a great atmosphere in which to work and meet clients," Hansen said. Hansen IP Law PLLC is an intellectual property law firm that provides "Big Law" caliber services using a small firm platform. The firm represents clients throughout the United States and abroad. All firm clients are represented by an experienced intellectual property attorney with over a decade of "Big Law" experience, including as a partner in Los Angeles and Detroit firms. Hansen IP Law has substantial patent litigation experience in courts throughout the United States, which allows it to strategically strengthen its clients' intellectual property portfolios. For more information, call 248-504-4849 or visit www.hanseniplaw.com. * * * William R. Jansen, a partner with the law firm Warner Norcross & Judd LLP, has been named among the top litigators in Michigan in the fifth annual publication of Benchmark Litigation. Jansen, the partner in charge of the Southfield office, was recognized for his work in commercial litigation. He was acknowledged by peers as an "absolute star" who was among the "top 15 trial lawyers in the state." Jansen was one of four attorneys in the firm recognized by the publication. The law firm was also one of those "highly recommended" by Benchmark Litigation after interviews with clients, peers and competitors. * * * Foley & Lardner LLP recently announced that six attorneys in the firm's Detroit office have been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2012 guide. A total of 169 Foley attorneys from 17 offices were recognized, 14 of whom were listed for the first time. Judy A. O'Neill and Patrick Daugherty, partners in the Detroit office, have been included in the guide for at least 10 consecutive years. Detroit partner Chris E. Rossman has been named a Best Lawyer for 21 consecutive years. Foley Detroit office attorneys recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2012 guide include: * George W. Ash: Government Relations Practice. * John F. Birmingham Jr.: Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management, Litigation - Labor & Employment. * Patrick Daugherty: Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation. * Judy A. O'Neill: Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation - Bankruptcy. * Chris E. Rossman: Health Care Law. * John R. Trentacosta: Commercial Litigation. Foley & Lardner LLP is also pleased to announce that nine Detroit office attorneys have been named 2012 Top Lawyers in Metro Detroit by DBusiness magazine. The attorneys named Top Lawyers and their specialized practice areas, as classified by dBusiness magazine, are: * George W. Ash; Government Relations Law, Intellectual Property Law. * John F. Birmingham; Labor and Employment Law. * Daljit S. Doogal; Commercial Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions. * Judy A. O'Neill; Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights Law. * Chris E. Rossman; Health Care Law. * Thomas B. Spillane; Mergers and Acquisitions Law. * Marcus W. Sprow; Intellectual Property Law. * John R. Trentacosta; Business Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Commercial Law. * Ann Marie Uetz; Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights Law, Commercial Litigation. Foley & Lardner LLP also announced that seven Detroit office attorneys have been named 2011 Michigan Super Lawyers by Michigan Super Lawyers magazine. In addition, three attorneys from the firm's Detroit office have been named 2011 Michigan Rising Stars. The Detroit office attorneys named 2011 Michigan Super Lawyers and their primary practices, as classified by Thomson Reuters, are: * John F. Birmingham Jr., Employment & Labor . * Patrick Daugherty, Securities & Corporate Finance. * Judy A. O'Neill, Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights. * Chris E. Rossman, Health Care. * Thomas B. Spillane, Mergers & Acquisitions. * John R. Trentacosta, Business Litigation. * Ann Marie Uetz, Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights. The Detroit office attorneys named 2011 Michigan Rising Stars and their primary practices, as classified by Thomson Reuters, are: * Daljit S. Doogal, Mergers & Acquisitions. * Michael W. Groebe, Employment & Labor. * Marcus W. Sprow, Intellectual Property. Published: Mon, Dec 19, 2011