LEGAL PEOPLE

Trott & Trott PC recently today that Matthew Levine has been selected to participate in the Anti-Defamation League's (ADL) Glass Leadership Institute, a nationally recognized yearlong young leadership development program. Offered in more than 20 ADL regions, the Glass Leadership Institute offers young professionals an opportunity to expand their knowledge about the nation's premier human relations organization. As part of this group, participants commit themselves to attend monthly sessions throughout the year, focusing on developing leadership skills and encouraging advocacy and networking. A litigation attorney with the firm, Levine graduated with a bachelor's degree in international relations from Michigan State University's James Madison College. He earned his law degree from Wayne State University Law School. In addition, Kim Rattet, partner with a practice focus on creditor consumer bankruptcy for Trott, was recently elected to the Consumer Bankruptcy Association (CBA) of Detroit's Board of Directors. First appointed to the board in November 2012, Rattet will serve a six-year term during which she will work with her fellow board members to promote excellence and civility in the practice of Consumer Bankruptcy law through continuing education, training and open discourse for the association. A member of Trott since 2002, Rattet previously served as a staff attorney and supervising attorney prior to her promotion to partner in 2012. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in biology from Eastern Connecticut State University and received her master's in forensic science from the University of New Haven. She earned her law degree from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School. * * * Founding Shareholders Robert Iwrey and Abby Pendleton of The Health Law Partners have been recognized as 2014 Top Lawyers by DBusiness magazine. Founding Partner Carey Kalmowitz made the announcement. Iwrey is receiving this honor for the fourth time. He is a practicing litigator and transactional attorney, focusing his practice in health care law, including licensure, staff privileges, contracts, physician practice issues, and health care investigation and audit defense. An alumnus of the University of Michigan and Wayne State University Law School, Iwrey has served for six years as an executive member of the Health Care Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan. He has been named as a Super Lawyer for Health Care Law in Michigan every year since 2010. Pendleton has been practicing exclusively in health care law for 17 years. She specializes in a number of areas including: RAC, Medicare and Medicaid audit defense and appeals; regulatory matters; compliance; reimbursement matters; fraud and abuse; overpayment reporting and refunding; and contract matters. Pendleton regularly speaks around the country and publishes articles on health care legal matters. Pendleton is an active member of the American Bar Association- Health Law Section, American Health Lawyers Association, Medical Group Management Association, the State Bar of Michigan- Health Law Section and the New York State Bar Association- Health Law Section. She earned her law degree from Wayne State University Law School. * * * Parker Ihrie has joined Southfield-based Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer, & Weiss PC as an associate in the firm's Real Estate and Finance Practice Groups. Jaffe CEO Bill Sider made the announcement. In addition to serving as a summer associate at Jaffe, Ihrie's experience includes a judicial internship with Michigan Supreme Chief Justice Court Robert P. Young Jr. His responsibilities during this time included analyzing applications for leave to appeal to the Michigan Supreme Court. Ihrie also served as a student assistant prosecutor for the cities of Eastpointe, St. Clair Shores, and Grosse Pointe Farms. In this role he tended, participated and performed plea negotiations for civil infractions and misdemeanors, and also attended and participated in arraignments, pretrial conferences and bench trials. Ihrie graduated from College of Charleston where he received his bachelor's degree in business administration with a concentration in finance. He continued his education at Wayne State University Law School. In addition, Joshua Borson has joined Jaffe as an associate in the firm's Corporate Practice Group. Jaffe CEO Bill Sider made the announcement. Prior to joining Jaffe as a summer associate, Borson served as a judicial intern for U.S. District Court Chief Judge Gerald E. Rosen, Eastern District of Michigan. During this internship, Borson performed legal research in drafting bench memoranda and drafted opinions, and assisted in updating a textbook co-authored by Rosen, "Federal Civil Trials and Evidence." Borson is a graduate Wayne State University Law School. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of Michigan. * * * Butzel Long attorney and shareholder David F. DuMouchel has been appointed by the United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, as a member of the Magistrate Judge Merit Selection Panel. He is one of 13 metro Detroit lawyers and community leaders to receive this appointment. Based in Butzel Long's Detroit office, DuMouchel chairs the firm's Corporate Compliance, Internal Investigations and Criminal Defense practice. DuMouchel's practice is limited to white collar criminal defense, professional licensure and criminal health care, criminal IRS investigations of both taxpayers and professionals, SEC enforcement of corporate executives, public corruption, as well as grand jury investigations, internal corporate investigations and compliance. Earlier this year, DuMouchel was appointed to serve as a voting member of the U.S. Sentencing Commission Practitioners Advisory Group. One person from each of the 11 federal circuits is appointed to this group. He is a recipient of the Leonard Gilman Award from the Federal Bar Association as the outstanding criminal law practitioner in the Eastern District of Michigan. He has been named by Best Lawyers as the "2010 Detroit Criminal Defense: White-Collar Lawyer of the Year." DuMouchel has been listed in each Best Lawyers edition for the last 30 years, up to and including the most recent. He also is listed in Chambers USA: America's Leading Business Lawyers, and in Michigan Super Lawyers. He is a frequent speaker on internal corporate investigations and federal criminal procedure matters. DuMouchel is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers; serves as a member of the Criminal Procedure Committee; and, is a Fellow of the International Society of Barristers. DuMouchel served as the first chairman of the State of Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission. * * * Three Wayne State University Law School alumnae--Teri L. Dennings, Karissa Holmes, and Ronda Tate--have been recognized as "Up & Coming Lawyers 2013" by Michigan Lawyers Weekly. Dennings, class of 2005, is with Miller Cohen PLC, where she focuses her practice on employment litigation, labor and civil rights. She has represented clients in state and federal court, as well as before administration agencies. She also has lectured and published articles on employment law. Holmes, class of 2008, is a commercial attorney with DTE Energy Co. where she negotiates, reviews, and drafts contracts and instructs contract drafting and legal concept training courses. She is involved in the community, serving as a board member of Detroit Young Professionals and an elected member of the Brush Park Citizens' District Council. Tate, class of 2006, is with Lewis & Munday PC's Litigation Group, where she specializes in employment and education law. She is skilled in negotiating business contracts and litigating distribution disputes and has worked on several appellate matters successfully. * * * The law firm of Miller Canfield announces the hiring of four local associates. Each passed the July 2013 Michigan Bar exam. The new associates are: Cassie Hare (Detroit office) - Hare joins the firm's nationally ranked Public Law Group. In 2013, she graduated from Michigan State University College of Law. She earned a bachelor's degree from Saginaw Valley State University. Jelani Karamoko (Detroit office) - Karamoko joins the firm's Public Law Group and works out of the Detroit office. He earned his law degree from Harvard Law School in 2013. He also graduated from Morehouse College in 2006. Thomas C.M. Turner (Detroit office) - Turner joins the firm's Financial Institutions and Transactions Group (FITG). He graduated from the University of Michigan Law School in 2013. He also earned a bachelor's degree from Kalamazoo College. James L. Woolard Jr. (Detroit office) - Woolard joins the International Dispute Resolution Section of the firm's Commercial Litigation Group. He earned his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 2013. Prior to law school, he was a Rome Prize Fellow at the American Academy in Rome, Italy, and a graduate fellow at Princeton University. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia. Woolard also sits on the Environmental Commission for the City of Ann Arbor. In addition, David M. Thoms, a principal at Miller Canfield (Troy and New York City offices), has been elected to a three-year term on the board of directors of the Federation of Alliances Françaises -USA, Inc. His term will expire in 2016. He was also elected as the board's vice president for a one-year term. The Federation of Alliances Françaises-USA is a cooperative organization dedicated to "the promotion of understanding the French language, literature, history and culture to the francophone and Francophile" This national organization supports more than 100 local chapters in the United States. Thoms has been a leader in the French-American community for years. His service includes being a longtime board member and current president of the Alliance Française de Grosse Pointe and a past president of the French Festival of Detroit and a current board member of the American Society of the French Academic Palms. He was awarded the Officier dans l'Ordre des Palmes Academiques by the French Government for his contributions to French culture and education. Earlier in 2013, he was elected to the board of directors for the French-American Foundation. He assists clients with their business, estate and succession planning matters as well as assisting non-profit and charitable organizations with policy, tax, compliance, governance and fundraising. Thoms earned his law degrees from University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and Wayne State University Law School. He also earned his bachelor's degree from Kalamazoo College and a master's degree in urban planning from Wayne State. Miller Canfield also announces that it has been "highly recommended" once again as a leading litigation firm in Michigan, according to Benchmark Litigation: The Definitive Guide to America's Leading Litigation Firms & Attorneys, published by Legal Media Group. The guide recognizes Miller Canfield "Local Litigation Stars," Thomas W. Cranmer (Commercial Litigation and White-Collar Crime); Donna J. Donati (Commercial Litigation); Michael W. Hartmann (Commercial Litigation); A. Michael Palizzi (Commercial Litigation); Clarence L. Pozza Jr. (Commercial Litigation and Securities); and Carl H. von Ende (Antitrust, Intellectual Property and Securities). In addition, Donati was recognized in the "Top 250 Women in Litigation" in The Definitive Guide to the Leading Female Litigation Attorneys in the U.S. Miller Canfield's Litigation and Trial practice includes more than 100 professionals providing business litigation and trial services. In 2012, Miller Canfield was honored in a national litigation report as an "Awesome Opponent" among an elite group of U.S. law firms known for their litigation prowess. "We are honored to continue to be named by in-house counsel and peers in top referral guides and surveys as one of the best litigation teams in Michigan and the U.S.," said Cranmer, co-leader of Miller Canfield's Commercial Litigation Group. * * * James A. Johnson of James A. Johnson, Esq has participated in the Practicing Law Institute's Seminar- 2013 Trial By Jury in New York City. His article "Persuasion In Opening Statement--Generating Interest In A Convincing Manner" is published in the course handbook. A trial lawyer, Johnson is an active member of the Michigan, Massachusetts, and Texas bars. * * * Secrest Wardle Partner Anthony A. Randazzo of was recently recognized among the 2013 class of Up & Coming Lawyers by Michigan Lawyers Weekly at a luncheon held at the Detroit Marriott in Troy. In the issue of Michigan Lawyers Weekly providing a profile of each honoree, Randazzo reflected upon who, outside of his family, had been an important mentor in his life. Randazzo recognized the current president of Secrest Wardle, Senior and Co-Managing Partner Bruce A. Truex, as his mentor. Randazzo indicated that Truex greatly impacted his legal career through the relentless work ethic he demonstrates as well as his example of steadfast dedication to his clients. Randazzo is an active member of the State Bar of Michigan. He has been selected to the 2011 and 2013 Super Lawyers® Michigan Rising Stars lists. Randazzo frequently acts as a mentor to the law clerks and younger lawyers of Secrest Wardle. He also routinely represents individuals on a pro bono basis. Randazzo attended De La Salle High School. He earned his B.A. from Oakland University in 2001, majoring in Political Science, with a minor in Psychology. He received his law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law in 2005. He has been admitted to the State Bar of Michigan since May of 2005 and is currently admitted to practice in the United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan. Randazzo has been with Secrest Wardle since 2006 and became a partner in 2009. * * * Gov. Rick Snyder recently announced the appointment of Michael Chupa, of Warren, to the Macomb County 37th District Court which serves the cities of Warren and Centerline. Chupa founded his own law firm, Chupa and Associates, in 1995 and has specialized in handling advanced real estate transactions, criminal defense, landlord-tenant cases, divorce, and general civil cases. He is also a volunteer attorney for the 41B District Drug Court. He previously served as a law clerk and staff attorney for the Warren City Attorney's Office where he worked on criminal prosecution cases, as well as supervising other clerks and staff attorneys, drafting ordinances, and preparing legal opinions and briefs. Before joining the legal profession, Chupa was an office manager and a construction worker. He is active in his community and serves on the YMCA board of directors, is co-founder of the Warren branch of the Police Athletic League, and is president of the charitable organization Help Ensure Addicts Live (H.E.A.L.). Chupa received a bachelor's degree from Wayne State University and a law degree from the Detroit College of Law. He will replace Judge Jennifer Faunce who was appointed to Macomb County Circuit Court. He will have to run for election in November 2014 for a full six-year term. Published: Mon, Dec 23, 2013