Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP
HONIGMAN, MILLER, SCHWARTZ, AND COHN LLP is pleased to announce that BRIAN D. WASSOM, a partner in its Intellectual Property Litigation Practice Group and leader of the firm's Social, Mobile and Emerging Media Industry Group, has been named one of Oakland County Executive Brooks Patterson's "Elite 40 Under 40 Class of 2014." The award honors people under 40 who excel in their industry and show dynamic leadership.
Wassom was recognized in particular for the national reputation he has developed as a thought leader on the legal ramifications of augmented reality and the technology of digitizing the physical world. This emerging industry, which is projected to be worth over $1 billion by 2018, has been recently popularized by the Iron Man films and by digital eyewear such as Google Glass. Wassom speaks regularly to business, legal and educational audiences around the country on such topics as augmented reality, social media, intellectual property and related issues. He is also a prolific writer on these topics--including on his blog at Wassom.com.
He is co-chair of the Social Media Committee for the Eastern Michigan Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, and secretary of the industry group AugmentedReality.Org. His forthcoming book "Augmented Reality Law, Privacy and Ethics" will be published by Elsevier in late 2014.
Wassom earned his law degree at Case Western Reserve University School of Law. He also earned a B.A. in Political Science and International Studies from Wayne State University.
In addition, JOSHUA M. MUNRO has joined Honigman as an attorney in its Corporate Department and is located in the firm's Detroit office.
Munro most recently served as a law clerk in the Enforcement and Financial Crime Division of the Financial Conduct Authority which is the regulatory body policing the financial market in the United Kingdom. During his clerkship, Munro also earned an LL.M. in international business law from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
He earned a law degree from the University of Notre Dame Law School and a B.A. in English from the University of Michigan. Munro will be applying for admittance to the State Bar of Michigan.
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Miller Canfield
The law firm of MILLER CANFIELD announces that THOMAS W. CRANMER, a principal and co-leader of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Group (Troy, Mich. office), has been named one of Michigan Lawyers Weekly's "Leaders in the Law" for 2014.
This distinct honor was awarded to only 30 Michigan lawyers, not only for professional success, but also for striking a balance that includes giving back to the legal profession. The 2014 class of "Leaders in the Law" will be honored during a luncheon on March 20.
"I am extremely honored to be recognized in such a prestigious group of lawyers and judges," said Cranmer.
A former president of the State Bar of Michigan, Cranmer is a trial lawyer who concentrates his practice in civil and criminal litigation. With more than 35 years of courtroom experience, his practice focuses on white-collar criminal defense, complex commercial litigation and "bet-the-company" litigation.
He has been listed in the Top 10 Attorneys in every edition of Michigan Super Lawyers, and he has been the highest or second highest rated attorney out of more than 42,000 Michigan attorneys for the past six years in a row.
He received his law degree (1975) from Ohio Northern University and his B.A. (1972) from the University of Michigan.
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Kaufman, Payton & Chapa PC
KAUFMAN, PAYTON, & CHAPA PC is pleased to announce associate attorney ANGELO C. TESTA is the most recent addition to the firm's litigation team in its Farmington Hills office. Testa focuses on a variety of complex commercial litigation including appellate practice and procedure.
Testa attended the University of Michigan where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. He subsequently received his law degree from Michigan State University College of Law. While pursuing his law degree, Testa served an internship with the Michigan Court of Appeals. He was admitted to the State Bar of Michigan in 2013.
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Warner, Norcross, & Judd LLP
The law firm of WARNER, NORCROSS, & JUDD LLP has elected two partners from Southfield to serve on its Management Committee.
HOMAYUNE A. GHAUSSI and WILLIAM R. JANSEN will each serve three-year terms on the law firm's 10-member Management Committee. The committee, which is chaired by Managing Partner Douglas E. Wagner, is responsible for the strategic vision and the day-to-day operations of Warner Norcross.
Ghaussi has developed a diverse litigation practice with experience working on warranty and supply chain disputes with auto suppliers and working on foreclosure issues with financial institutions.
He is recognized by Michigan Super Lawyers and as an "Up and Coming Lawyer" by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
Jansen concentrates his practice on commercial litigation, business law and corporate law, regularly counseling national and international companies on commercial, contractual and compliance issues.
The partner in charge of the firm's Southfield office, Jansen is recognized by Best Lawyers in America, Michigan Super Lawyers and Benchmark Litigation. He has also been recognized as a "Leader in the Law" by Michigan Lawyers Weekly and as a "Top Lawyer" by DBusiness. This is his third term on the Management Committee.
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Collins, Einhorn, Farrell
Southfield-based COLLINS, EINHORN, FARRELL (www.ceflawyers.com) announced attorney STEPHANIE C. KARATSINIDES has joined the firm's asbestos and toxic tort defense litigation group. Karatsinides will focus her practice on defense of toxic tort and asbestos matters brought in Michigan courts.
Karatsinides graduated from George Mason University School of Law. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Brigham Young University.
Prior to entering private practice, Karatsinides worked as an attorney advisor at the national appellate level in the Social Security Administration's Office of Disability Adjudication and Review. During law school, she served as a legal intern at Walton & Adams PC and evaluated a claims involving contract, property, and employment disputes. She also completed an internship for District of Columbia Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan.
Karatsinides is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, Virginia State Bar, and Oakland County Bar Association.
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Howard & Howard Attorneys PLLC
HOWARD & HOWARD ATTORNEYS PLLC is pleased to announce that HENRY P. LEE has been named a 2014 "Leader in the Law" by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
Lee is chair of the Estate Planning Section of the Business and Corporate Group of Howard & Howard. He focuses his practice on business law, estate planning, and tax law.
Lee brings a business background to his practice of law. Prior to joining Howard & Howard, he ran his own law firm, and has also owned and operated an international business and developed commercial and residential real estate. In addition, Lee is active within the charitable community and has served as a director and officer of various charities. His business experience and philanthropic background assists him with looking at legal issues from both the perspective of an attorney as well as a client in order to properly meet the goals and expectations of his clients.
In recent years, Lee has been named to Michigan Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers in America and the Leading Lawyers Network. He has also been named a "Top Lawyer" by DBusiness magazine as part of a peer review survey. Additionally, the Detroit Institute of Arts appointed Lee to the Tannahill Estate Planning Council.
He is a former chair of the Estates & Trusts Committee of the Taxation Section of the State Bar of Michigan, and chaired the Summer Tax Conference for the Tax Section of the State Bar of Michigan. He is also the former chair of the Oakland County Bar Association Tax Committee. Lee has served as a member of the Tax Council of the State Bar of Michigan's Tax Section and as a member of the American Law Institute-American Bar Association Faculty (ALI-ABA) where he has made audio, video and in-person presentations.
He has taught numerous courses for the Michigan Institute for Continuing Legal Education as well as the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants, the Oakland County Bar Association, and other professional groups on Estate and Gifting Taxation, Income Taxation, Partnership Taxation, Trust Planning, Charitable Planning, and Corporate Business Succession Planning.
Lee is a member of the Financial and Estate Planning Council of Metropolitan Detroit (FEPCMD) and serves as a Board Member for the Birmingham Community House and ChildSafe, an organization devoted to assisting abused children, mentoring, foster care and adoption. He is a past president of Hebrew Free Loan (HFL), which is part of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit and continues to serve as a director. Lee is a member of the oversight committee for Howard & Howard's Community Reinvestment Fund, the firm's charitable foundation. He participates in the Attorney/Financial Advisors Network for the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan. In 2013, the Community House acknowledged him as a Pillar of Vibrancy for his communal services.
Lee received his B.A. from the University of Michigan and law degrees from Indiana University and New York University.
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Foster, Swift, Collins, & Smith, PC
FOSTER, SWIFT, COLLINS, & SMITH PC is pleased to announce the arrival of SETH A. DRUCKER as a shareholder in the firm's Farmington Hills office as a member of the Commercial Litigation Practice Group. Before joining Foster Swift, he was a partner at Honigman, Miller, Schwartz, and Cohn LLP.
Prior to his career in law, Drucker worked as an automotive engineer for over a decade for corporations such as United Technologies Automotive, The Ford Motor Company and General Motors Corporation. His experience in the automotive industry has led him to focus his practice on representing manufacturing and technology companies, including automotive suppliers and OEMs, in transactional and litigation matters. In addition, Drucker also has experience representing secured and unsecured creditors and commercial landlords in restructuring matters.
He is a graduate of the Michigan State University College of Electrical Engineering and Wayne State University School of Business Administration. He received his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School.
Drucker serves as the 2014 chair of the Michigan State University Eli Broad Executive Forum of Detroit. He is also a member of the State Bar of Michigan, American Bar Association, American Bankruptcy Institute, Michigan State University Alumni Association, and Society of Automotive Engineers.
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Giarmarco, Mullins, & Horton, P.C.
ELIZABETH (LIZA) A. FAVARO, a member of the Business Litigation Group of GIARMARCO, MULLINS, & HORTON P.C. (www.gmhlaw.com), will be a presenter at the Michigan Association of Broadcasters' Great Lakes Broadcasting Conference in Lansing on March 12.
The program, titled "What I Wish I Had Known!," is geared toward educating journalists about navigating the legal system, particularly in light of all of the information that is now publicly available via the internet. Favaro's presentation is part of the important work she does as a member of the State Bar of Michigan's Law & Media Committee.
Prior to becoming a lawyer, Favaro was an award-winning television reporter.
Published: Mon, Mar 10, 2014
