LEGAL PEOPLE

Dickinson Wright PLLC is pleased to announce that several of its attorneys have been honored in the Michigan Super Lawyers 2014 Top 100 Lawyers list. 

Timothy H. Howlett has been named to Michigan Super Lawyers 2014 Top 100 Lawyers list.  He a Member in the firm’s Detroit office and he is the firm’s Labor & Employment Practice Leader. He specializes in employment litigation and counseling on a broad spectrum of labor and employment issues. He also counsels high-level executives on employment contracts and separation agreements. He received his B.A. from Kalamazoo College and his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School.

William P. Shield Jr. has been named to Michigan Super Lawyers 2014 Top 100 Lawyers list.  He is a member in the firm’s Detroit office. He focuses his practice on the areas of banking & finance, including bank and syndicated lending, corporate finance and regulation of financial institutions. He has experience in the arrangement and syndication of senior credit facilities, including acquisition and other corporate financings, and asset based and other secured lending, including general asset based lending and oil and gas, aircraft and other specialized collateral transactions. He is counsel to agent banks, banks and other financial institutions, corporations and sponsors in numerous other leveraged finance and investment grade finance transactions and other commercial lending transactions, including international corporate finance transactions, restructurings and other refinancings, secured and unsecured credits, acquisition and spin off financings, general working capital facilities, and start up and joint venture financings. He received his B.S.E.E. from the University of Michigan Engineering School and his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School.

Anna M. Maiuri, has been named to Michigan Super Lawyers 2014 Top 50 Women Lawyers in Michigan list.  She is a Member in Dickinson Wright’s Troy office. She practices in the areas of environmental, energy and regulatory law with particular expertise serving the automotive industry both domestically and internationally.  Maiuri has experience in helping corporations, business owners and operators assess environmental liabilities when purchasing, selling or leasing assets both across the country and around the world. She also regularly assists client in negotiations with regulators concerning violation notices, administrative consent orders and various permits, including air and waste-water treatment permit applications.  She received her B.A. from Wayne State University and her law degree from Wayne State University Law School.

Kathleen A. Lang has been named to the Top 25 Women Lawyers in Michigan and the Top 50 Women Lawyers in Michigan Lists by Michigan Super Lawyers 2014.  She is a Member in Dickinson Wright’s Detroit office and is the Director of Strategic Development for the firm. She focuses her practice on automotive, class action, commercial and business litigation, environmental, gaming, intellectual property litigation, and product liability and personal injury. She is a frequent lecturer and author on civil litigation topics and litigation skill, and is involved in leadership roles in many state and national bar organizations, and trial lawyer honorary societies. She received a B.A. from Michigan State University and a law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law.

Daniel D. Quick has been named among the Top 50 Business Lawyers in Michigan and the Top 100 Lawyers in Michigan by Michigan Super Lawyers 2014.  He is a Member in the firm’s Troy office and is the firm’s Practice Department Manager for Commercial Litigation, Antitrust & Trade Regulation, ADR and Sports & Entertainment. Quick is a litigation attorney with a focus in the areas of commercial litigation (including shareholder disputes, trade secrets and non-compete cases) and copyright, entertainment, and intellectual property. He holds leadership positions in the American Bar Association, the State Bar of Michigan, the Federal Bar Association, the Oakland County Bar Association and the Oakland County Bar Foundation. Quick received his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School.

Monica J. Labe, a Member of the firm, has been named to the Top 100 Lawyers in Michigan, the Top 25 Women Business Lawyers in Michigan, and the Top 50 Women Lawyers in Michigan by Michigan Super Lawyers 2014.  She is a member of the firm’s Management Group and prior to that position; she was the Practice Department Manager for the Real Estate, Environmental and Energy practice groups. Her practice focuses on commercial real estate where she has experience representing large multi-national corporations, developers, real estate investment companies, and lenders in the acquisition, development, leasing, financing, construction and disposition of office, retail, industrial, mixed-use and entertainment projects throughout Michigan and the U.S. Labe is a published author and speaker and she was elected as a fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers. In addition to the recognition from Michigan Super Lawyers, Labe is a recognized leader in her field by Chambers USA, Best Lawyers in America, DBusiness Top Lawyers and was named a 2012 “Women in the Law” honoree by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.  She received her B. A. from the University of Michigan and her law degree from Northwestern University School of Law.

Henry M. Grix has been named among the Top 5 Consumer Lawyers in Michigan, the Top 50 Consumer Lawyers in Michigan and the Top 100 Lawyers in Michigan by Michigan Super Lawyers 2014.  He is a member in the firm’s Troy office. His practice focuses on the areas of estate planning and administration, nonprofit organizations and taxation. He assists clients with the development and implementation of enforceable estate plans for the management and transfer of assets during life and at death in ways that avoid unnecessary taxation, preserve privacy and protect loved ones. Grix received a B.A. and a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School.

•            •            •

Twenty-six of Howard & Howard’s attorneys were recently named to Michigan Super Lawyers® and Michigan Rising Stars 2014 as a result of a survey by Law & Politics Media Inc. 

The Howard & Howard attorneys and the practice areas under which they are listed in Michigan Super Lawyers 2014 are as follows:

• Mark A. Davis – President & CEO, Real Estate.

• Joseph J. DeVito, Mergers & Acquisitions.

• Mary C. Dirkes, Business Litigation.

• Robert E. Graziani, Insurance Coverage.

• Lisa S. Gretchko, Creditor/Debtor Rights (Recognized among the Top 50 Women Lawyers in Michigan, the Top 100 Lawyers in Michigan and the Top 25 Women Business Lawyers in Michigan).

• Sam J. Haidle, Intellectual Property.

• Michael V. Kell, PI – Products:Defense.

• David M. LaPrairie, Intellectual Property.

• Patrick M. McCarthy, Business Litigation (Recognized among the Top 100 Lawyers in Michigan and the Top 50 Business Lawyers in Michigan).

• Gerald E. McGlynn III, Intellectual Property.

• Richard M. Miettinen, Mergers & Acquisitions.

• Mark W. Peyser, Business Litigation.

• Brad A. Rayle, Employee Litigation: Defense.

• Jeffrey A. Sadowski, Intellectual Property Litigation.

• Michael F. Wais, Business Litigation.

• John A. Wise, Business/Corporate.

• Timothy M. Wittebort, Real Estate.

The Howard & Howard attorneys and the practice areas under which they are listed in Michigan Rising Stars 2014 are as follows:

• Michael M. Bell, Banking.

• Brandon J. Booth, Business/Corporate.

• Melinda B. Buurma, Intellectual Property.

• Stephen P. Dunn, Business Litigation.

• Trent K. English, Intellectual Property.

• Michael O. Fawaz, Business Litigation.

• Jeffrey A. Hoover, Mergers & Acquisitions.

• Kristopher K. Hulliberger, Intellectual Property Litigation.

• R. Saleha Mohamedulla, Intellectual Property.

•            •            •

Kemp Klein Law Firm announces that 11 of its attorneys are listed among Michigan’s Super Lawyers.

The Kemp Klein attorneys listed in Michigan Super Lawyers 2014 are:

• William B. Acker for Estate & Probate.­

• Joseph P. Buttiglieri for Estate & Trust Litigation.

• Ralph A. Castelli Jr. for Business/Corporate.

• Alan A. May for Estate & Probate.

• Raymond L. Morrow for Business Litigation.

• Brian H. Rolfe for Business Litigation.

• Stuart Sinai for Securities & Corporate Finance.

• Amy A. Stawski for Family Law

• Thomas V. Trainer for Elder Law.

• Michael J. Weikert for Franchise/Dealership.

• Robert Feldstein (president of Robert Z. Feldstein PC), who is Of Counsel to Kemp Klein Law, Firm, is listed for Family Law.

The Kemp Klein attorneys listed as 2014 Michigan Rising Stars are:

• Gloria M. Chon for Business/Corporate.

• Jeremy R. Cnudde for Mergers & Acquisitions.

In addition, Kemp Klein celebrates William B. Acker, Joseph P. Buttiglieri, Ralph A. Castelli Jr., Brian R. Jenney, Alan A. May, and Patricia M. Paruch, as well as Of Counsel attorney Robert Z. Feldstein, president of Robert Z. Feldstein PC, for being selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2015.

William B. Acker is an expert in business and taxation matters and is selected by his peers for inclusion in the fields of Litigation & Controversy – Litigation and Controversy – Tax; Real Estate; Tax Law; and Trusts and Estates.

Joseph P. Buttiglieri concentrates his practice in the areas of probate litigation and administration, conservatorships, guardianships, wrongful death distributions, and family law. He is recognized by his peers in the field of Litigation – Trusts & Estates.

Ralph A. Castelli Jr. is the CEO of Kemp Klein Law Firm and has recently concluded 20 continuous years as the mayor of the City of Pleasant Ridge. He is recognized by his peers in the field of Corporate Law.

Brian R. Jenney helps families and individuals with elder law and special needs issues as well as estate planning and administration. Jenney handles guardianships and conservatorships, and is recognized by his peers in the field in Elder Law.

Alan A. May has written and lectured extensively on guardianships and conservatorships. May is recognized by his peers in the fields of Litigation – Trusts & Estates and also Trusts and Estates.

Patricia M. Paruch has a 25-year history of service to southeast Michigan communities. She served as mayor of the City of Royal Oak, City Commissioner, and as a member of the Royal Oak Planning Commission. Paruch has been selected by her peers for inclusion in the field of Environmental Law.

Robert Z. Feldstein is president of Robert Z. Feldstein PC and is Of Counsel to Kemp Klein Law Firm. Feldstein is selected by his peers for inclusion in the field of Family Law. He has been honored by his inclusion in Best Lawyers in America for over twenty consecutive years.

•            •            •

Honigman, Miller, Schwartz, and Cohn LLP is pleased to announce that Mitchell R. Meisner has been appointed vice chair of the International Investments in Real Estate Committee of the Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section of the American Bar Association. The term of his appointment is from September 1, 2014 to August 31, 2015. The committee focuses on foreign investment issues in U.S. real estate and U.S. real estate investment and development in foreign countries.

Meisner is a partner in Honigman’s Real Estate Department and is located in the firm’s Detroit office. He counsels clients on various aspects of real estate development and finance, including tax increment, New Markets Tax Credit and other credit assisted financings. He represents lenders and borrowers on large project and multi-state real estate financings, as well. Meisner has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in American and DBusiness’ Top Lawyers since 2010 and in Michigan Super Lawyers since 2007.

He earned a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School. He earned a Ph.D. in comparative politics – China from the University of Chicago and a B.A. in political science from Amherst College.

•            •            •

Eleven lawyers from Pepper Hamilton LLP have been named by Michigan Super Lawyers magazine as top attorneys in the state for 2014. All are resident in the firm’s Detroit office.

Pepper Hamilton lawyers named to the 2014 Michigan Super Lawyers list are:

Vicki R. Harding

Robert S. Hertzberg

Kay Standridge Kress

Robert C. Ludolph

Matthew J. Lund

Michael B. Staebler

James D. VandeWyngearde

Thomas P. Wilczak

Pepper Hamilton lawyers named to the 2014 Michigan Rising Stars list are:

Andrea E. Hayden

Deborah Kovsky-Apap

Michael A. Temple

•            •            •

Fifty-five Butzel Long attorneys have been named to the 2014 Michigan Super Lawyers list.

The Butzel Long attorneys included in the 2014 Michigan Super Lawyers list are:

Bloomfield Hills office

Stephen A. Bromberg, Real Estate.

Carey A. DeWitt, Employment & Labor.

Gordon W. Didier, Business/Corp.

Edward D. Gold, Family Law.

Beth S. Gotthelf (Top 50 Women Michigan Super Lawyers), Environmental.

D. Stewart Green, Real Estate.

Robin Luce Herrmann, Media and Advertising, Business Litigation.

Susan L. Johnson, Environmental.

Thomas A. Kabel, Real Estate.

Sheldon H. Klein, Antitrust Lit.

Daniel P. Malone, Business Litigation.

Max J. Newman, Bankruptcy: Business.

Thomas B. Radom, Creditor Debtor Rights.

Richard E. Rassel, Business Litigation.

Dennis B. Schultz, Construction Lit.

Craig S. Schwartz, Employment & Labor.

Robert H. Schwartz, Health Care, Business/Corporate.

David W. Sommerfeld, Estate Planning & Probate, Tax, Closely Held Business.

Ronald P. Strote (Top 50 100 Michigan Super Lawyers), Construction Litigation/Alternative Dispute Resolution.

Daniel B. Tukel (Top 100 Michigan Super Lawyers), Employment Litigation: Defense.

Detroit office

James C. Bruno, Business/Corp.

Clfford J. DeVine, Business Litigation.

George B. Donnini, Criminal Defense: White Collar.

Arthur Dudley II, Mergers & Acquisitions.

David F. DuMouchel (Top 50 Michigan Super Lawyers), Criminal Defense: White Collar.

Bernard J. Fuhs, Business Litigation.

Cynthia J. Haffey (Top 50 Women Michigan Super Lawyers), Business Litigation.

John P. Hancock Jr., Employment & Labor.

Robert A. Hudson, Business/Corp.

Justin G. Klimko (president and managing shareholder), Mergers & Acquisitions.

Phillip C. Korovesis, Business Litigation.

Michael J. Lavoie, Business Litigation.

Mark R. Lezotte, Health Care, Business/Corporate, Nonprofit Organizations.

Clara D. Mager, Immigration: Business.

Donald B. Miller, Employment Litigation: Defense.

Reginald A. Pacis, Immigration: Business.

James S. Rosenfeld, Employment & Labor.

Bruce L. Sendek, Business Litigation.

Louis Theros, Employment Litigation: Defense.

James E. Wynne, Business Litigation.

2014 Rising Stars

Michael C. Decker, Business Litigation/Corporate.

David J. DeVine, Business Litigation, Construction Litigation, Real Estate.

Jennifer A. Dukarski, Intellectual Property Litigation; Business/Corporate, Intellectual Property.

Ziyad I. Hermiz, Business Litigation; General Litigation.

Shanta S.W. McMullan, Employment & Labor.

Paul M. Mersino, Business Litigation; Civil Litigation and Construction Litigation.

Robert M. Nemzin, Estate Planning & Probate, Business/Corporate, Tax.

Elissa Noujaim Pinto, Immigration, International.

Joseph E. Richotte, Criminal Defense: White Collar, Business Litigation.

Roxana G. Zaha, Real Estate.

•            •            •

Super Lawyers magazine has recognized 28 attorneys at Southfield-based Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer & Weiss PC. Jaffe CEO William Sider made the announcement.

The publication included the following Jaffe attorneys in its 2014 Michigan Super Lawyer listing:

Joel M. Alam – Securities & Corporate Finance.

Peter M. Alter – Business Litigation.

Christopher A. Andreoff – Criminal Defense.

Christopher R. Cataldo – Business Litigation.

Mark G. Cooper – Business Litigation.

Thomas E. Coughlin – Bankruptcy.

Paul R. Hage – Bankruptcy.

Jeffrey G. Heuer – Business Litigation.

Michael F. Jacobson – Business Litigation.

Ira J. Jaffe – Business/Corporate.

Shirley A. Kaigler – Estate & Probate.

Michael S. Khoury – Information Technology/Outsourcing.

Mark L. Kowalsky – Securities Litigation.

Mark P. Krysinski – Real Estate.

Elizabeth L. Luckenbach – Estate & Trust Litigation.

A’Jene Maxwell – Real Estate.

Judith Greenstone Miller – Bankruptcy.

Brian S. Raznick – Real Estate.

Louis P. Rochkind – Creditor Debtor Rights.

Mark D. Rubenfire – Real Estate.

Brian G. Shannon – Appellate.

Aaron H. Sherbin – Estate & Probate.

William E. Sider – Tax.

Peter Sugar – Securities & Corporate Finance.

Scott R. Torpey – Aviation.

Arthur A. Weiss – Tax.

Jay L. Welford – Bankruptcy.

Richard A. Zussman – Real Estate.

•            •            •

The law firm of Gandelot & Associates becomes Gandelot Hartmann effective immediately.

Jon B. Gandelot, principal, will remain with the firm and Amy B. Hartmann, who has been with the firm for almost six years, becomes a shareholder. Hartmann has more than 27 years of experience in numerous areas of the law, with a focus on estate planning.

In addition, Nancy A. Nihem has joined the firm as an associate. She has been an attorney for 21 years, with experience in bankruptcy and will concentrate her practice in the areas of probate, estate and trust administration.

Gandelot Hartmann will continue to serve individuals and business owners in estate and charitable planning, trust administration and succession planning.

Their offices will remain at 18720 Mack Avenue at Kerby Road in Grosse Pointe Farms.

•            •            •

Dykema recently announced 93 of the firm’s lawyers, in multiple practice areas and markets, have been recognized in the 2015 Best Lawyers in America guide.

The local Dykema attorneys named Best Lawyers’ 2015 “Lawyers of the Year” are:

Robert J. Franzinger – Litigation – Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy), Detroit.

Alan M. Greene – Litigation – Land Use and Zoning, Detroit.

Dennis M. Haffey – Litigation – Banking and Finance, Detroit.

Mark A. Metz – Securities Regulation, Detroit.

The Dykema attorneys listed in the 2015 Best Lawyers in America guide, identified by market and the practice areas for which they have been recognized, are:

Bloomfield Hills

Maria B. Abrahamsen – Health Care Law.

Bowden V. Brown – Public Finance Law.

Brendan J. Cahill – Mergers and Acquisitions Law.

Eric Thomas Carver – Litigation –Trust and Estates, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates.

Amy M. Christen – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law.

Michael G. Cumming – Trusts and Estates.

Robert L. Duty – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management.

James M. Elsworth – Trusts and Estates.

James P. Feeney – Arbitration, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants.

Adam M. Fishkind – Real Estate Law.

Fred J. Fresard – Product Liability Litigation – Defendants.

Alan M. Greene – Land Use and Zoning Law, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning, Litigation – Real Estate.

Dennis M. Haffey – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation –Mergers and Acquisitions, Litigation – Securities, Litigation – Trusts and Estates.

Kyle R. Hauberg – Real Estate Law.

Margaret Adams Hunter – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law.

Howard B. Iwrey – Antitrust Law, Litigation – Antitrust.

Joel D. Kellman – Litigation – Real Estate, Real Estate Law.

Joanne R. Lax – Health Care Law.

Gerald T. Lievois – Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law.

D. Richard McDonald – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation.

Mark A. Metz – Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation.

James D. Obermanns – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law.

Marilyn A. Peters – Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Environmental, Litigation – Securities.

Rex E. Schlaybaugh Jr. – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law.

Brittany M. Schultz – Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants.

Sheryl L. Toby – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy.

Stephen L. Tupper – Information Technology Law.

Detroit

Susan Artinian – Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants.

J. Michael Bernard – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law.

Thomas S. Bishoff – Commercial Litigation.

Robert A. Boonin – Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment.

Michael P. Cooney – Product Liability Litigation – Defendants.

Samuel C. Damren – Commercial Litigation, Mediation.

John A. Entenman (retired) – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management.

Sherrie L. Farrell – Commercial Litigation.

Robert J. Franzinger – Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Environmental, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy).

Grant P. Gilezan – Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental.

Steven E. Grob – Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Tax Law.

Mark E. Hauck – Commercial Litigation.

James F. Hermon – Litigation – Labor and Employment.

Patrick F. Hickey – Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Construction, Litigation – ERISA, Litigation – Labor and Employment.

Kathryn J. Humphrey – Product Liability Litigation – Defendants.

Mark D. Jacobs  – Environmental Law.

Benjamin W. Jeffers – Litigation – Insurance.

Peter M. Kellett – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Antitrust, Litigation – Securities, Mediation, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants.

Jin-Kyu Koh – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law.

Cameron H. Piggott – Litigation – Real Estate, Real Estate Law.

Carl Rashid Jr. – Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, Litigation – Real Estate, Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Real Estate Law, Tax Law.

Thomas M. Schehr – Commercial Litigation.

Thomas S. Vaughn – Corporate Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law.

In addition, Dykema, announced the addition of Nicholas J. Wittner to its Product Liability practice as Of Counsel in the firm’s Bloomfield Hills office. Prior to joining Dykema, Wittner served as assistant general counsel for Nissan North America, where he was head of the Legal Department’s Product Group. He also previously served as executive attorney at General Motors.

Wittner, who currently teaches product liability law and practice as well as international civil litigation as a Professor of Law in Residence at the Michigan State University College of Law, has more than 30 years of experience managing product liability litigation, product-related class actions, and safety and environmental regulatory compliance matters. In addition, he has experience counseling clients in product liability prevention.

Wittner is a member of the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, as well as the American Law Institute, where he was deeply involved in the development of the Third Restatement of Product Liability. He  has held several leadership positions with the American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Litigation, including co-chair of the ABA’s Products Liability Committee. He was also the chair of the Product Liability Advisory Council, and co-chaired numerous programs for the ABA, ALI, the Product Liability Institute for Corporate Counsel and the American Conference Institute.

He received a B.A. from Michigan State University and a law degree from Wayne State University Law School.