LEGAL PEOPLE

Howard & Howard Attorneys PLLC is pleased to announce that Miles T. Macik and R. Saleha Mohamedulla have become shareholders in the firm. They both practice out of the firm's Royal Oak Office. Macik focuses his practice on a wide range of litigation matters, including but not limited to: automotive and supply chain disputes, business ownership/oppression disputes, and sales representative commission disputes. Prior to joining Howard & Howard, Macik represented clients in litigation matters in the state and federal courts of Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, Oklahoma, California, Maryland, Florida and Massachusetts. He is a former professional football player with the Detroit Lions and has experience as a small business/franchise owner. Macik received his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1996 and his law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law in 2001. He is admitted to practice in the State of Michigan and before the United States District Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan, the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and the United States Supreme Court. Mohamedulla concentrates her practice in intellectual property law, focusing primarily on patent prosecution and patent infringement litigation in chemical and mechanical technologies. Prior to joining Howard & Howard, Mohamedulla was in corporate practice at The Dow Chemical Company, where she was patent counsel for its films technology. As patent counsel, she prepared and prosecuted patent applications, advised business groups on global intellectual property development, prepared transactional business arrangements and managed outside counsel. Mohamedulla previously acquired invaluable insight into the patenting process as a patent examiner in the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Specifically, she gained an inside perspective of issues considered by patent examiners when determining the patentability of an invention. While at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Mohamedulla examined patent applications in the chemical and semiconductor processing arts, including integrated circuits, chips, photoresists, photolithography and other chemical processes. After graduating law school, Mohamedulla practiced as an associate at a general practice law firm in Washington, D.C. In this role, she prosecuted patent applications relating to liquid crystal technology and electrical and mechanical devices for LG Display Co., Ltd. and LG Chem Ltd. She also prepared non-infringement, invalidity and product clearance opinions. Mohamedulla received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Michigan State University in 1999. In 2004, she received her law degree from George Mason University School of Law in Arlington, Virginia. Mohamedulla is admitted to the state bars of Michigan, the District of Columbia and Virginia. She is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. In addition, Finance Monthly recently named Howard & Howard's Joseph J. DeVito one of the recipients of the 'Deal Maker of the Year Award' for 2013, which was published in a special awards edition of the magazine. Now in its third year, the Finance Monthly Deal Maker Awards have quickly garnered a reputation as an industry standard for recognizing M&A expertise in corporate, private equity, investment banking and legal fields. DeVito concentrates his practice on business and financial transactions and real estate matters, including: mergers, acquisitions and reorganizations of business entities; complex commercial and real estate lending and restructuring transactions; international business transactions; real estate sale and leasing transactions; securities law and private placements and healthcare related corporate matters. DeVito formerly served as assistant general counsel responsible for mergers and acquisitions for ThyssenKrupp in North America, and has also served as interim general counsel for corporate clients in the automotive, technology and service industries, and in such capacity has advised members of management on all aspects of corporate, financial and real estate transactions (both domestic and international) and securities issues. His experience includes negotiation and consummation of mergers and acquisitions, formation of new subsidiaries and joint ventures including certified Minority Business Enterprises, negotiation and drafting licensing, e-commerce and other I.P. related agreements, negotiation and drafting of real estate purchase and leasing agreements and various aspects of securities transactions and regulatory compliance. DeVito's former firms include Dinsmore & Shohl (Cincinnati) and Butzel Long (Bloomfield Hills). DeVito is the former assistant editor of the Michigan International Lawyer, and has authored various articles for the Michigan Business Law Journal. He is a frequent lecturer at ICLE and industry group seminars on various topics, such as mergers and acquisitions, corporate and real estate financing related matters. DeVito is a graduate of Wayne State University Law School and Michigan State University, James Madison College. He is an alumnus of The Hague Academy of Private International Law. DeVito is admitted to practice in Michigan and Illinois, and is admitted but inactive in Ohio. He is also admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of International Trade located in New York. DeVito splits his time between the firm's Royal Oak and Chicago Offices. * * * Secrest Wardle Executive Partner Caroline Grech-Clapper recently attended "Breakfast with Senator Stabenow" sponsored by the Women Officials Network. Grech-Clapper is currently serving as a director on the WON Foundation Board. Grech-Clapper is an executive partner and member of Secrest Wardle's Employment, Family Law and Premises Liability Practice Groups. Her primary focus is defending business owners in the areas of Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Employment Policy Handbooks, and Whistleblower Protection Act/Retaliation Claims. WON was established in 1997 and is dedicated to encouraging women to become involved in public policy through elected and appointed office. WON provides networking opportunities for women officials and presents training to inspire and empower current and future policy makers. To learn more about WON, visit www.womenofficialsnetwork.org. * * * Lavinia S. Biasell, a shareholder at Maddin, Hauser, Wartell, Roth, & Heller PC in Southfield, has been appointed to serve on the State Bar of Michigan District I Character and Fitness Committee. Her two-year renewable term begins January 1, 2014. The committee investigates the character and fitness of candidates for admission to the State Bar. Biasell concentrates her practice in the areas of title insurance coverage and commercial and real estate litigation. She received her bachelor's degree from Michigan State University's James Madison College, and her law degree from Michigan State University College of Law. She is admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan. In addition to this new appointment, Biasell, who was named a Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2012 and 2013, is a member of the Michigan, Oakland County, and American Bar Associations, as well as Michigan State University - Detroit College of Law Alumni Association. Biasell serves on the board of Life Remodeled, which is a nonprofit organization that builds homes for underprivileged families, and is the co-chair of the Bench Bar Culinary Challenge Community which organizes an annual summer event to raise money for local women's and children's charities. Published: Mon, Dec 30, 2013