Wachler & Associates PC
Jennifer Colagiovanni presented, “MICs, MACs, RACs and ZPICs: Latest Developments, Emerging Legal Issues and Successful Appeal Strategies for Home Care and Hospice Providers,” at the Ohio Council for Homecare & Hospice in Columbus, OH.
Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs) are government contractors paid on a contingency basis to recover Medicare overpayments to health care providers and to identify underpayments. The program has been expanded to include Medicaid RACs as well.
Medicaid Integrity Program contractors (MICs) perform audit activities in relation to the Medicaid program. Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) process Medicare claims and also conduct medical review audits. Zone Program Integrity Contractors (ZPICs) are fraud investigators who also conduct pre-payment and post-payment audits for Medicare.
Colagiovanni is an attorney at Wachler & Associates PC. A significant portion of Colagiovanni’s practice is focused on representing physicians and other health care providers and suppliers in the defense of RAC, Medicare, Medicaid and third party payor audits. Colagiovanni has experience defending audits involving complex medical necessity denials as well as statistical sampling and extrapolation.
Amy K. Fehn presented, “Implementing Compliance Programs for Accountable Care Organizations,” at a fraud and compliance event for the AHLA/HCCA in Baltimore, MD. An accountable care organization (ACO) is a type of payment and delivery reform model that seeks to tie provider reimbursements to quality metrics and reductions in the total cost of care for an assigned population of patients. ACOs are a central component of the Affordable Care Act and are linked closely with Medicare reimbursement under that act.
Fehn has represented physicians and health care organizations in health care regulatory and corporate matters as well as the defense of Medicare Audits and other third-party audits for the past 14 years. Prior to graduating from law school, she served as a registered nurse in the coronary care unit, and later worked as a clinical systems analyst for the hospital’s information systems.
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Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP
In the 2012 Michigan Super Lawyers, Honigman, Miller, Schwartz, and Cohn LLP leads all Michigan law firms for the second year in the total number of Super Lawyers and “Rising Stars” with 75 Super Lawyers and 46 “Rising Stars.”
In addition, Super Lawyers named Honigman Partner Joseph Aviv to its list of the state’s “Top 10” attorneys and designated four of the firm’s attorneys among its “Top 50 Women.”
Below is a list of the local Honigman attorneys named 2012 Michigan Super Lawyers and “Rising Stars,” the practice area(s) for which they have been recognized and the city where their office is located:
Top 10
• Joseph Aviv – Business Litigation (Bloomfield Hills).
Top 100
• Norman C. Ankers – Business Litigation (Detroit).
• David Foltyn – Business/Corporate (Detroit).
• Michael A. Indenbaum – Tax (Detroit).
• Robert M. Jackson – Business Litigation (Detroit).
• Donald J. Kunz – Securities & Corporate Finance (Detroit).
• Lawrence D. McLaughlin – Real Estate (Detroit).
• Linda S. Ross – Health Care (Detroit) (also on list of top 50 women).
• William D. Sargent – Employment & Labor (Detroit).
• I.W. Winsten – Business Litigation (Detroit).
Top 50 Women.
• Judy B. Calton – Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights (Detroit).
• Denise J. Lewis – Real Estate (Detroit).
• Julie E. Robertson – Insurance Coverage (Detroit).
Additional local Honigman attorneys recognized as “Super Lawyers.”
• Joel S. Adelman – Real Estate (Detroit).
• Richard A. Barr – Environmental (Detroit).
• Donald F. Baty Jr. – Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights (Detroit).
• Norman H. Beitner – Securities & Corporate Finance (Detroit).
• Maurice S. Binkow – Real Estate (Detroit).
• Laura A. Brodeur-McGeorge – Employment Litigation: Defense (Detroit).
• Richard J. Burstein – Real Estate (Bloomfield Hills).
• William M. Cassetta – Insurance Coverage (Detroit).
• Roger Cook – Tax (Detroit).
• Gregory J. DeMars – Real Estate (Detroit).
• Andrew S. Doctoroff – Business Litigation (Detroit).
• Michael D. DuBay – Business/Corporate (Detroit).
• Patrick T. Duerr – Securities & Corporate Finance (Detroit).
• David A. Ettinger – Antitrust Litigation (Detroit).
• Cameron J. Evans – Employment & Labor (Detroit).
• Herschel P. Fink – First Amendment/Media/Advertising (Detroit).
• Carol A. Friend – Immigration (Detroit).
• Lynn A. Gandhi – Tax (Detroit).
• Kenneth C. Gold – Environmental (Detroit).
• Margaret E. Greene – Construction/Surety (Detroit).
• Andrew (Jake) M. Grove – Intellectual Property Litigation (Bloomfield Hills).
• Raymond W. Henney – Securities Litigation (Detroit).
• Carl W. Herstein – Real Estate (Detroit).
• Karl A. Hochkammer – Information Technology/Outsourcing (Detroit).
• William O. Hochkammer – Insurance Coverage (Detroit).
• Ann T. Hollenbeck – Health Care (Detroit).
• S. Lee Johnson – Environmental (Detroit).
• John P. Kanan – Securities & Corporate Finance (Detroit).
• Anessa Owen Kramer – Intellectual Property (Bloomfield Hills).
• Joel M. Krugel – Real Estate (Bloomfield Hills).
• Howard N. Luckoff – Real Estate (Bloomfield Hills).
• Stewart L. Mandell – Tax (Detroit).
• Kenneth R. Marcus – Health Care (Detroit).
• Jeffrey H. Miro – Corporate Governance & Compliance (Bloomfield Hills).
• Cyril Moscow – Securities & Corporate Finance (Detroit).
• Steven C. Nadeau – Environmental (Detroit).
• Charles N. Nida – Estate Planning & Probate (Bloomfield Hills).
• Joshua F. Opperer – Mergers & Acquisitions (Detroit).
• J. Adam Rothstein – Real Estate (Bloomfield Hills).
• E. Todd Sable – Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights (Detroit).
• Alan S. Schwartz – Business/Corporate (Detroit).
• Michael B. Shapiro – Tax (Detroit).
• Richard S. Soble – Tax (Bloomfield Hills).
• Samuel T. Stahl – Mergers & Acquisitions (Detroit).
• Mark A. Stern – Business Litigation (Detroit).
• Stuart H. Teger – Construction Litigation (Detroit).
• Linda A. Wasserman – Estate Planning & Probate (Bloomfield Hills).
• Sheldon P. Winkelman – Real Estate (Detroit).
• Jeffrey L. Woolstrum – Environmental (Detroit).
• Richard E. Zuckerman – Criminal Defense: White Collar (Detroit).
Honigman “Rising Stars”
• Jason R. Abel – Business Litigation (Detroit).
• Daniel N. Adams – Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights (Detroit).
• Thomas J. Appledorn – Intellectual Property (Bloomfield Hills).
• Michael S. Ben – Corporate Governance & Compliance (Detroit).
• Jennifer L. Benedict – Health Care (Detroit).
• Jonathan D. Block – Real Estate (Bloomfield Hills).
• Meghan N. Covino – Immigration (Detroit).
• Sean F. Crotty – Employment & Labor (Detroit).
• Alexander G. Domenicucci – Tax (Detroit).
• Jacob D. Drouillard – Mergers & Acquisitions (Detroit).
• Seth A. Drucker – Business/Corporate (Detroit).
• Angela Epolito Sprecher – Health Care (Detroit).
• Thomas W. Forster II – Real Estate (Bloomfield Hills).
• Scott D. Geromette – Insurance Coverage (Detroit).
• Nicholas B. Gorga – Business Litigation (Detroit).
• Michael P. Hindelang – Business Litigation (Detroit).
• David J. Jacob – Real Estate (Bloomfield Hills).
• Adam Jahnke – Real Estate (Detroit).
• Adam K. Keith – Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights (Detroit).
• Matthew Keuten – Health Care (Detroit).
• Vincent Kuebler – Real Estate (Bloomfield Hills).
• Jeffrey H. Kuras – Banking (Detroit).
• Evan J. Leibhan – Business/Corporate (Detroit).
• Daniel W. Linna Jr. – Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights (Detroit).
• Tara E. Mahoney – Employment & Labor (Detroit).
• Mary K. Mansfield – Estate Planning & Probate (Bloomfield Hills).
• Megan Conlon McCulloch – Environmental (Detroit).
• Roger P. Meyers – Business Litigation (Detroit).
• Arthur T. O’Reilly – Business Litigation (Detroit).
• Justin R. Peruski – Business/Corporate (Detroit).
• Jill S. Schloff – Real Estate (Bloomfield Hills).
• Joseph R. Sgroi – Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights (Detroit).
• Tricia A. Sherick – Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights (Detroit).
• Aaron M. Silver – Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights (Detroit).
• Emily J. (Zelenock) Tait – Intellectual Property Litigation (Bloomfield Hills).
• Brian D. Wassom – Intellectual Property Litigation (Bloomfield Hills).
Additionally, Honigman is pleased to announce that its partners, Lawrence D. McLaughlin and Richard J. Burstein, have been named in the International Who’s Who of Real Estate Lawyers for 2012.
McLaughlin, who was also named in the International Who’s Who in 2011, is the chair of Honigman’s Real Estate Department. His legal practice focuses on representing developers of commercial, industrial and residential real estate. McLaughlin has more than 30 years of experience in acquisitions, land use, entitlements, development incentives, partnerships and joint ventures, financing, construction, leasing, taxation, sales, workouts and restructuring.
He has been recognized by Chambers USA, America’s Leading Lawyers for Business for the past nine years and as a “star” in Michigan real estate for six consecutive years. He also has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America for more than 20 years and by Michigan Super Lawyers for eight years. In addition, McLaughlin was named one of 25 “Leaders in the Law” for 2011 by Michigan Lawyers Weekly. McLaughlin is also a member of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers and serves on its board of governors and program committee.
McLaughlin earned his law degree from Wayne State University Law School. He also earned a B.S.M.E. from General Motors Institute.
Burstein, a partner in the Real Estate Department, has more than 40 years of experience representing and counseling national and regional commercial real estate developers in transactions, investments and the development of office complexes and industrial parks, urban redevelopment projects, regional and community shopping centers and multi-family residential developments throughout the United States.
He has been recognized in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business for the past nine years. Burstein also has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America for the past 17 years and by Michigan Super Lawyers for the past five years. He also is a member of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers.
Burstein earned his law degree from Wayne State University Law School and a B.A. in economics from the University of Michigan.
Honigman is also pleased to announce that Mara A. McNeill, a partner in the firm’s Corporate and Securities Department, has been appointed to the board of directors for Common Ground located in Oakland County. The organization provides services to individuals and families in crisis, victims of crime, persons with mental illness, people trying to cope with critical situations and runaway and homeless youths.
McNeill represents clients in mergers and acquisitions, buyouts, recapitalizations, joint ventures, senior and mezzanine financings, work-outs, and restructurings. She also advises clients regarding corporate governance and regulatory matters.
She earned her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center, a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School, and a B.S. in Operations Research from the U.S. Air Force Academy.
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Miller Canfield
Miller Canfield announces that Laura M. Bassett, an associate in the Detroit office, has been elected to a three-year term on the board of directors of the Michigan Women in Finance.
At Miller Canfield, Bassett advises public entities on a range of financing and related legal matters, including economic development initiatives, municipal infrastructure finance and school finance. She has experience assisting financially distressed municipalities and school districts to make informed decisions to achieve their objectives.
She earned her law degree from Wayne State University Law School, her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, and her B.A. from Kalamazoo College.
Additionally, Top U.S. and Polish business and government leaders met last week at the New York Stock Exchange to discuss how to broaden the economic partnership between the two countries during the first-ever U.S.-Poland Economic Forum, organized by the U.S. and Polish governments and the U.S.-Poland Business Council. Miller Canfield principal Richard A. Walawender, director of the firm’s corporate and international practices and member of the U.S.-Poland Business Council, participated as a speaker and panelist at the forum.
Walawender specifically discussed the challenges and opportunities for both U.S. and Polish companies in light of today’s global economic conditions. “Given the high debt levels in Poland and in Europe generally, governmental funding will not be available for important sectors such as infrastructure development, healthcare, environmental and gas development. However, this presents a great opportunity in Poland and Europe for private U.S. investment in these sectors,” he said.
On the growing trend of Polish companies investing and establishing operations in the U.S., Walawender added that “Polish companies have enjoyed a large domestic market in Poland and a larger market in Europe, but they’re realizing that a global footprint is increasingly required for companies to compete in the global market.
“Currently Poland depends on Russia for its natural gas supply, so the country has a great interest in becoming independent,” said Walawender. “I expect Poland to amend the regulations to be more definitive and clear in order to attract foreign investors and resources.”
Walawender is based in Miller Canfield’s Detroit office but spends much of his time working in and overseeing the corporate practice in the firm’s offices in NY, Chicago, Poland and Mexico. He has been the lead attorney on numerous multinational M&A transactions for U.S., Canadian, European, Asian, Mexican, and other non-U.S. clients. He co-founded the firm’s Polish offices in 1991.
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Giarmarco, Mullins, & Horton, P.C.
Gilbert Gugni has been named a Top 100 Michigan Super Lawyers 2012. Gugni is a managing director of Giarmarco, Mullins, & Horton PC and chair of the Family Law Practice Section. He has more than 30 years of litigation experience, and presently concentrates his practice entirely to Family Law.
His experience includes handling complex divorce litigation in Oakland, Macomb, Wayne, Livingston, Lapeer, Washtenaw and St. Clair counties. He is involved in all aspects of Family Law, including cases involving high assets and custody disputes. Gil is also actively involved as a Family Law mediator and arbitrator.
Gugni has been recognized as Best Lawyer in America, peer review rating by Martindale-Hubbell in 2010, 2011, 2012 & 2013. He was also recognized as “Top Lawyer” by dbusiness and Super Lawyer 2010, 2011 & 2012.
Gugni is one of the lawyers who received the highest point totals in the Michigan nomination, research and blue ribbon review process.
Additionally, William H. Horton has been named a Top 100 Michigan Super Lawyers 2012. Horton is a managing director of Giarmarco, Mullins, & Horton and chair of the Business Litigation Section.
Horton has been trying lawsuits for more than 25 years. He primarily practices in the areas of business and commercial disputes, employment law, and real estate cases. Many cases are related to the automobile industry.
Horton is certified as a Civil Trial Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, the foremost national organization to certify trial skills.
In business litigation, he has tried numerous shareholder disputes, misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of non-competition agreements, and other competitive disputes. He represents clients’ licensure, protection and litigation surrounding a number of software and intellectual property developments. Prior to practicing law, he was involved in software development.
Horton has been recognized as Best Lawyer in America, peer review rating by Martindale-Hubbell in 2010, 2011, 2012 & 2013, as “Top Lawyer “ by dbusiness and Super Lawyer 2010, 2011 & 2012.
Horton is one of the lawyers who received the highest point totals in the Michigan nomination, research and blue ribbon review process.
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Governor’s Task Force Summit on Child Abuse and Neglect
Oakland County Probate Court Chief Judge Linda Hallmark served as chairperson of the 17th Annual Governor’s Task Force Summit on Child Abuse and Neglect. This year’s topic was Kids in Court – Child Testimony and the Latest Research on Forensic Interviewing.
The Annual Summit brings together attorneys, judges, DHS Administrators and community leaders to improve the welfare of Michigan’s children. Hallmark has served as a member of the Governor’s Task Force since 1993.
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Frank Haron Weiner PLC
The law firm of Frank Haron Weiner PLC is pleased to announce that six of its attorneys have been recognized by the 2012 Michigan Super Lawyers magazine as standouts in their respective fields.
FHW members Sidney L. Frank, David L. Haron, and J. Laevin Weiner were all recognized as top attorneys in the area of Business Litigation. Haron has been included as a Michigan Super Lawyer annually since 2007, and Frank and Weiner were also both named as 2011 Super Lawyers.
FHW associates Mercedes Varasteh Dordeski, Maro E. Bush, and Louis C. Szura were included as Rising Stars, which recognizes attorneys who are 40 or under or who have been practicing for 10 years or less. Dordeski and Bush were both named as Rising Stars in the Health Care practice area, while Szura was included in Business Litigation. Dordeski was also included as a Health Care Rising Star in 2010 and 2011.
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Butzel Long
Butzel Long attorney Danielle J. Hessell received the Wayne Pro Bono Spirit Annual Award during the Legal Aid & Defender Association (LADA) Annual Awards Reception and Fundraiser on Oct. 25.
Hessell is being recognized for her pro bono work, which includes a First Amendment litigation, a Section 1983 prisoner’s rights matter, participation in the Federal Bar Association’s Ask a Lawyer program, and her involvement with Butzel Long’s annual Pro Bono Clinic held in conjunction with the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association’s Access to Justice Program.
Based in Butzel Long’s Bloomfield Hills office, Hessell concentrates her practice in commercial and business litigation. She has experience in the areas of automotive supplier disputes, construction litigation, administrative compliance issues, consumer protection and collections matters, and real property litigation. She is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, the American Bar Association, the Federal Bar Association, and the Oakland County Bar Association.
Hessell is a graduate of Michigan State University College of Law (2005), and of Central Michigan University (B.S., 2002).
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Wallace H. Parker Preservation of Justice Award
Oakland County Circuit Judge Michael Warren was recently honored with the H. Wallace Parker Preservation of Justice Award from the Northern Oakland County Branch NAACP at the group’s 92nd Annual Freedom Fund Dinner in Pontiac.
The award states that it was presented to Warren for “Acknowledging with gratitude, his efforts to renew the spirit of America, encourage Michigan’s citizens of all ages to exhibit pride in patriotism and learn about our country’s historical and constitutional foundations, and further, that as a constitutional constructionist, ensure that the Oakland County Court system ardently upholds the Constitution of the United States of America, ensuring that all people receive equal justice under the law.”
“I am very much humbled to receive this wonderful Preservation of Justice Award,” reflected Warren. “It inspires me to work even harder to defend the Constitution, ensure equal justice under the law and to educate our students and citizens about the need to understand and protect our liberties.”
Warren was appointed to the Oakland County Circuit Court in 2002 by Governor John Engler and currently serves in a leadership position as the presiding judge of the Civil/Criminal Division of the court. He also serves on the Diversity Committee on the Oakland County Bar Association.
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