Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP
For the second consecutive year, Honigman, Miller, Schwartz, and Cohn LLP was named the largest law firm (by number of lawyers) in the city of Detroit in the June 17 issue of the National Law Journal (NLJ) as part of its “NLJ 250 Regional Market Report.” This report was generated from an NLJ survey of the top 250 law firms in the country.
In addition, for the first time, Michigan Lawyers Weekly named Honigman the largest law firm in Michigan in its recently published “Michigan’s Largest Law Firms 2013
Directory.” Firms are ranked by the number of Michigan-licensed attorneys working in a Michigan office as of January 1, 2013.
Honigman has been located in the First National Building in downtown Detroit for more than 60 years and is committed to keeping its headquarters in Detroit. Today,
Honigman operates an international practice from its offices in Detroit, Bloomfield Hills, Lansing, Ann Arbor, and Kalamazoo with more than 240 attorneys and 325 staff. The firm’s attorneys practice in more than 50 different areas of business law and consistently receive high ratings from their peers and clients, both nationally and in Michigan.
Honigman is ranked the number one law firm in Michigan for the key practice areas of Corporate/M&A, Litigation, and Real Estate by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2013. The Labor and Employment, Employee Benefits, and Banking and Finance practices were recognized as leading practices in Michigan.
The firm also received a national and metropolitan tier 1 ranking for Venture Capital and First Amendment practices in U.S. News Media Group and Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” for 2012 and is the only Michigan law firm ranked nationally for these practices. In total, 24 of Honigman’s practice areas were ranked in the top three Tiers in these national rankings.
Honigman takes great pride in the firm’s commitment to the communities where its attorneys and staff work and live. Its attorneys and staff give generously of their time, talent and resources, and we are proud that its efforts have had a direct and positive impact locally, and throughout Michigan.
With its headquarters in Detroit and an office in Oakland County, Honigman continues to be integrally involved in organizations that have contributed to the vitality and resurgence of the city and the region, including the Riverfront Conservancy, the Detroit Institute of Art, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Downtown Detroit Partnership, Karmanos Cancer Institute, United Way for Southeastern Michigan, the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce, Detroit and Oakland County HAVEN, The Community House, and numerous other business and cultural initiatives.
In Lansing, among the organizations that the firm supports are the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, the Wharton Center, the Lansing Symphony Orchestra and the Sparrow Hospital Foundation. In Ann Arbor, Honigman supports SPARK (the local development organization), the Ann Arbor Chamber of Commerce, the University Musical Society and the University of Michigan Museum of Art. Kalamazoo organizations that are supported by the firm, its attorneys and staff include Southwest Michigan First (the local development organization), the Kalamazoo County Chamber of Commerce, the Kalamazoo Institute of the Arts, the Kalamazoo Nature Center and the Borgess Medical Center Foundation.
Honigman is particularly well known for fostering the nonprofit, charitable and cultural organizations in its service areas. Each year, the firm supports more than 100 charitable events and programs that address a wide spectrum of need. Honigman is proud to be named among the “101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For,” the Detroit Free Press “Top Workplaces,” and the “50 Best Law Firms for Women.” For more information about Honigman visit www.honigman.com.
Additionally, Honigman is pleased to announce that six attorneys have been elected to serve four-year terms on the firm’s board of directors. Five of the attorneys have previously served on the board and David N. Parsigian is new to the board.
Newly-elected board member
David N. Parsigian is the office managing partner of Honigman’s Ann Arbor office, a partner in the firm’s Corporate Department and leader of its Venture Capital Practice Group. He focuses his practice on finance, corporate and securities law and represents financial and strategic venture and growth equity investors. He also represents technology companies from inception through acquisition or initial public offering, venture capital finance, private placements, joint ventures, technology licensing, strategic alliances and mergers and acquisitions. Parsigian earned a law degree, with honors, from the University of Texas at Austin School of Law and a B.S.M.E. from the University of Michigan.
Re-elected board members
Kenneth T. Brooks is the office managing partner of Honigman’s Lansing office and is a partner in the firm’s Litigation Department. He concentrates his practice on general commercial law and litigation, including insurance coverage, product liability, administrative law, environmental, real estate, commercial contracts, business matters and divorce litigation. Brooks earned his law degree from Michigan State University College of Law and a B.A. from Central Michigan University.
Donald J. Kunz is a partner and chair of Honigman’s Corporate Department. His practice includes advising corporate clients, both publicly and privately held, on business issues, including transactional, financial, operational and planning matters. Kunz earned a law degree from Harvard Law School and a B.S.E. in industrial and operations engineering from the University of Michigan.
Lawrence D. McLaughlin is a partner and chair of Honigman’s Real Estate Department. He represents developers of commercial, industrial and residential real estate and advises clients regarding acquisitions, land use, entitlements, development incentives, entity formation, joint ventures, financing, construction, leasing, taxation, sales, workouts and restructuring. McLaughlin earned his law degree from Wayne State University Law School and a B.S.M.E. from General Motors Institute.
Alex L. Parrish is a partner in Honigman’s Corporate Department. He focuses his practice on advising companies on a wide array of transactional matters, including capital formation, acquisitions, joint ventures, and the issuance, sale and regulation of securities, as well as general corporate matters. Parrish earned a law degree from Harvard Law School and a B.A. from Howard University.
Alan S. Schwartz is a partner in Honigman’s Corporate Department and serves the firm as vice chair. A former chair of the firm, he serves as general counsel to a number of the area’s most prominent family businesses and other private companies. He advises corporate clients on general business matters, corporate governance and succession planning and counsels clients on acquisitions and dispositions. He also serves as general counsel to The Detroit Institute of Arts. Schwartz earned his law degree from Harvard Law School and a B.A. rom the University of Michigan.
Other members of the board who currently serve until June 30, 2015 are Joseph Aviv, Patrick T. Duerr, David Foltyn (firm chairman and chief executive officer), Denise J. Lewis, Joshua F. Opperer, Julie E. Robertson, and Phillip D. Torrence.
Additionally, Mark D. Kleinlein and Christopher D. Rowlett have joined Honigman as partners in the firm. Kleinlein is a member of Honigman’s Insurance Department and Rowlett is a member of the firm’s Labor and Employment Department. Both will be located in Honigman’s Detroit office.
Kleinlein brings experience to Honigman from an 18-year career as an attorney, an insurance broker and an insurance company executive. He has served global clients. He also has experience dealing with insurers and reinsurers located in England, Germany, France and Switzerland.
Kleinlein, who is admitted to practice in Michigan, earned his law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and an MBA in risk management and insurance from the University of Wisconsin. He also earned a B.A. in political science and pre-law from Michigan State University.
He joins Honigman from Aon in Dallas, Texas.
Rowlett has experience in wage and hour class actions involving the Fair Labor Standards Act. He also has experience in labor and employment matters related to non-compete and trade secret disputes, ADA actions, employment contract disputes and arbitration agreements.
He earned his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School and a B.S. in aerospace engineering from the University of Michigan. He is admitted to practice in California and his admission to the State Bar of Michigan is pending.
Rowlett joins Honigman from McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP in San Diego.
Additionally, Honigman is pleased to announce that David K. Page, a partner in the firm’s Corporate Department, has been recognized by his undergraduate alma mater with the Dartmouth College Class of 1955 Award for his outstanding community service. He has served on more than 35 community and nonprofit boards throughout his career.
Page’s legal practice at Honigman 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. Page is also the chairman of the board of Meadowbrook Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE: MIG), a company with nearly $3 billion in assets based in Southfield.
His personal list of volunteer work with charitable organizations is extensive. Currently, along with leadership roles at many area nonprofit organizations, he is the chair of the Children’s Hospital of Michigan Foundation board of trustees, the vice chair of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, and a trustee or board member for the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, the Detroit Zoological Society, City Year Detroit and both The Jewish Fund and the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit (previously serving as president of each).
Page has received recognition from a number of other organizations for his community service, including Wetsman Young Leadership Award, Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit; ORT Man of the Year Award, American ORT Federation; Winning Ways Award for Community Leadership, Wayne County Executive Edward H. McNamara; Learned Hand Human Relations Award, American Jewish Committee; and the Fred M. Butzel Award for Distinguished Community Service, Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit.
He earned a B.A. from Dartmouth College and his law degree from Harvard Law School. In addition, he was a Fulbright Scholar at the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Furthermore, Honigman is pleased to announce that Kathryn A. Katz, an attorney in the firm’s Trusts and Estates Practice Group, has been elected to the board of directors for JARC, a nonprofit organizations serving people with disabilities.
At Honigman, Katz counsels individuals on various aspects of estate and wealth transfer planning, including the preparation of wills and trusts, and the formation and operation of private foundations and public charities.
Katz earned her law degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and a B.A. in history and political science from the University of Wisconsin.
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Bodman PLC
Steven J. Fishman, chair of the Workplace Law Group at Detroit-based law firm Bodman PLC, conducted a social media workshop at the Society for Human Resource Management’s (SHRM) annual conference and exposition in Chicago, Illinois on Sunday, June 16.
Fishman addressed an audience of senior-level human resources professionals with strategies for monitoring and controlling employee use of social media and developing effective policies to manage its use. His presentation also covered applicable laws, possible employer exposure, and proprietary information protection, all related to employee misuse of social media.
Fishman is frequently sought after by trade and employer groups, chambers of commerce, and individual employers for his more than forty years of experience in labor and employment law, and his presentation skills.
Fishman serves as the special labor and employment counsel for the Michigan Chamber of Commerce and on the Chamber’s board of directors. He appears in The Best Lawyers in America 2013 under Labor and Employment Law, Labor Law - Management, and Litigation-Labor & Employment. He is a member of the Federal Bar Association, Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association, Oakland County Bar Association, State Bar of Michigan (Labor Law Section), Illinois Bar Association, and State Bar of Indiana.
Potestivo & Associates P.C.
Potestivo & Associates P.C. is pleased to announce the hiring of Human Resource Director Candice L. Hope. Hope joined the Human Resources Department on Monday, July 1. She will oversee daily functions in the Human Resources Department and respond to other operational responsibilities as necessary.
Hope earned a B.A. in Business Administration and a Masters in Human Resource Management from Central Michigan University. She also earned her Human Resource Specialist Certification from the Michigan State University School of Labor and Industrial Relations.
Hope has had experience in the Human Resource field over the last 13 years, and she most recently concluded her role as the human resource manager of a natural gas manufacturing company in Michigan. In addition to being well-versed in Human Resource operating systems, Hope is a member of numerous professional Human Resource organizations and societies, such as the Society for Human Resource Management, Human Resources Association of Greater Detroit, and the American Society of Employers.
Brian Potestivo, president-managing attorney, stated, “Candice possesses the positive attitude and leadership skills necessary to maintain a strong and effective Human Resources Department.”
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Vercruysse Murray, and Calzone, P.C.
William E. Altman, Debra Auerbach Clephane, and Susan Hartmus Hiser have been named directors of Vercruysse, Murray, & Calzone PC, joining Gregory V. Murray and Robert M. Vercruysse on the Board. Former director David B. Calzone has retired from the firm effective June 30.
Altman advises and defends employers in Labor and Employment matters, with a particular emphasis on ERISA compliance and litigation defense. He was named a “Super Lawyer” by Corporate Counsel in Employment and Labor matters and is an Editor of the Michigan Employment Law Newsletter.
Altman served as a law clerk to U.S. District Judge Robert E. DeMascio, Eastern District of Michigan, and graduated first in his class from The Detroit College of Law.
Clephane was named a “Super Lawyer” and “Best Lawyer” in Immigration Law. Clephane has experience handling immigration matters and counseling employers in I-9 compliance actions. She meets with management and professional organizations on strategic planning immigration issues related to establishing new U.S. enterprises and conducts on-site employer training for human resource personnel.
Clephane was elected to the Council of the International Law Section, State Bar of Michigan and co-chairs its Employment and Immigration Committee. She is also chair of the Customs & Border Protection Committee, Michigan Chapter, American Immigration Lawyers Association. Clephane is a graduate of the Wayne State University Law School.
Hiser was named a “Super Lawyer” by Corporate Counsel in Employment Litigation. She counsels and defends employers in litigation on various employment matters, such as FMLA, ADA, workplace investigations, discrimination and harassment.
Hiser has been elected as a Fellow of The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, serves on the governing Council of the State Bar of Michigan’s Labor and Employment Law Section and was management co-chair of the ABA Employment Rights & Responsibilities’ Workplace Investigations Committee from 2008-2013. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School.
