Legal People

Hall, Render, Killian, Heath & Lyman is pleased to announce attorney Andrea Symbal has joined the firm’s Detroit office.

Symbal practices in the area of health care law with a focus on supply chain structure and operations.  She earned her B.S. in Business Management from the Walker L. Cisler College of Business at Northern Michigan University in 2001 and her law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law in 2010.

Symbal is admitted to practice in Michigan and is a member of the State Bar of Michigan; the Women’s Bar Association, Oakland County Region of the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan; and the American Health Lawyers Association.

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Michigan-based Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer, & Weiss PC has been honored with a spot on The National Law Journal’s 2015 Midsize Hot List. This is the first time that a Michigan firm has been on the list since 2011.

“We are honored to be recognized by one of the nation’s preeminent law journals as one of the country’s top 20 midsized law firms,” said Jaffe CEO Bill Sider. “This prestigious recognition is reflective of our outstanding attorneys and staff, strong client relationships and steadfast focus on delivering creativity and quality at every level of our operations.”

In addition to acknowledging Jaffe’s overall business operations, The National Law Journal referenced several specific areas in its summary:

—NLJ recognized Jaffe for the Firm’s ability to successfully represent its clients in complex and sophisticated matters, frequently against law firms that dwarf Jaffe in size. Specifically, NLJ praised Jaffe for its all-encompassing role in the highly complex $1.32 billion acquisition of Green Courte Partners by its longtime client Sun Communities.

—NLJ also highlighted how the firm leveraged its experience representing bond insurer National Public Finance Guarantee Corp. in Detroit’s bankruptcy to create a new municipal insolvency and reorganization practice, which then helped the city of Highland Park wipe out $13.3 million in bank debt.

—NLJ acknowledged Jaffe’s unique expertise in, and commitment to, its highly specialized impact investing/social enterprise practice. The firm has established itself as a national leader with respect to the L3C, social impact bonds, program related investments and benefit corporations. Jaffe’s depth of experience in the tax-exempt arena has brought together service providers, funders and entrepreneurs in a strategic effort to impact social issues and communities.

—NLJ also applauded Jaffe’s Women’s Caucus Group. The group is comprised of a collaborative team of attorneys and paralegals committed to building strong relationships among female professionals through continuing education and leadership development. With over 50 members, the Women Caucus Group represents all 28-practice areas within the firm.  Several members currently hold management positions within the Firm and leadership positions for national organizations.

Other specific areas recognized by NLJ included Jaffe’s significant role in Detroit’s M&A Deal of the Year Awards for the last four consecutive years, and the firm’s disciplined and long range approach to giving back to the community, which resulted in the deployment of close to 1,000 not-for-profit and pro bono hours in 2014.

“Our attorneys are trained to think like owners. That has been our differentiator since the Firm was founded nearly five decades ago. It is the reason we continue to receive great results for our clients,” said Sider.

“We embrace our profile as a midsize law firm who will remain laser focused on delivering expertise, dedicated and trusted counsel, and a can-do attitude. That commitment is, and will continue to be, our greatest competitive
advantage,” said Sider.

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Honigman, Miller, Schwartz, and Cohn LLP has announced it is joining with litigation firm, Schopf & Weiss LLP, establishing a Chicago presence as part of a strategic growth plan aimed at better serving clients and expanding its national reach. As part of the expansion, the firm also announced the addition of two partners to the Chicago office as the first step in rounding out the new location’s practice areas. Corporate partner René Ghadimi will join Honigman from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, while Paul Hastings LLP attorney Gregory A. Morris will come on board as a partner in its Intellectual Property Department.

“The combination with Schopf & Weiss, which has a stellar reputation for its litigation prowess, enables us to expand into Chicago to better serve our clients and bolster the firm’s talent base in key strategic areas,” said David Foltyn, chairman and chief executive officer of Honigman. “The addition of two experienced partners in René and Gregory is just the beginning of our growth in Chicago, and we look forward to building on a common culture that is as driven, innovative and ambitious as that of the clients we serve.”

Already Michigan’s largest law firm, Honigman now has more than 300 legal professionals in the Midwest and a growing national client base served by prominent practices in intellectual property, private equity, corporate and securities, real estate and litigation, among others.  It will be joined by 14 litigators from Schopf & Weiss, augmenting its deep bench of litigation talent and enabling Schopf & Weiss clients to benefit from the resources of a full-service law firm.

New Chicago office hire Ghadimi, who has 20-years of experience, will represent a wide variety of clients, including private equity firms, in highly complex U.S. and international financing transactions, while Morris’s practice will focus on patent litigation for a broad range of technologies. Morris will also help lead the firm’s Life Science Intellectual Property Litigation Practice, including Post-Grant Proceedings.  The Chicago office is located at 1 South Wacker Drive.

In addition, Honigman is pleased to announce that Evan J. Leibhan, a partner in the firm’s Corporate Department, became president of Kadima’s board of directors in a recent election. He has been on the board since 2011.

Kadima is a 30 year-old social service agency serving individuals with mental illness in Oakland County. It is a non-profit social service agency that provides services to individuals diagnosed with chronic and persistent mental illness and support to their families.  Kadima also provides public education and advocacy to enhance the quality of life for individuals and their families affected by psychiatric disabilities and to reduce the stigma so often associated with mental illness

Leibhan’s legal practice focuses primarily on representing private equity funds and their portfolio companies in business transactions, including acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, financings, growth equity and venture capital investments, and restructurings. He also advises clients on general corporate legal matters.

Leibhan earned his law degree from the Wayne State University Law School and a B.A. in general business administration and pre-law from Michigan State University.

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Attorney Hal Ostrow has joined Bloomfield Hills based Lipson, Neilson, Cole, Seltzer, & Garin PC in an Of Counsel position. Hal has formed dozens of companies and his experience in negotiation and dispute resolution is the foundation for much of the advice he offers start-ups and small businesses. He handles multiple facets of his clients’ affairs, serving as a close personal advisor.

Ostrow routinely provides counsel to software and design companies, and other business owners, on a broad spectrum of matters including formation, angel and venture capital funding, interaction with third parties, and mergers and acquisitions.

Ostrow serves as a board member and officer for a number of non-profit organizations including the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, the Michigan Israel Business Bridge, and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

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Dykema recently announced that 22 of its attorneys and 13 of its practice areas have been recognized in the 2015 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business guide.
Chambers USA recognized the following Dykema practices:

Nationwide—
Financial Services Regulation: Consumer Finance (Compliance & Litigation)
Product Liability & Mass Torts

Michigan—
Corporate/M&A
Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
Labor & Employment
Litigation: General Commercial
Real Estate

Chambers USA recognized the following local Dykema attorneys, as identified by jurisdiction and practice area:

• J. Michael Bernard—Corporate/M&A (Detroit).
• Robert A. Boonin—Labor & Employment (Detroit and Ann Arbor).
• Amy M. Christen—Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation (Bloomfield Hills).      
• James P. Feeney—Litigation (Bloomfield Hills and Los Angeles).
• Dennis M. Haffey—Litigation (Bloomfield Hills).
• Kyle R. Hauberg—Real Estate (Bloomfield Hills).
• Patrick F. Hickey—Labor & Employment; Litigation (Detroit).
• Margaret Adams Hunter—Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation (Bloomfield Hills).
• Jin-Kyu Koh—Corporate/M&A (Detroit).
• Cameron H. Piggott—Real Estate (Detroit).

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Maddin, Hauser, Roth, & Heller PC is pleased to announce the addition of Jonathan B. Frank, an experienced business and real estate litigator, as Of Counsel to the firm.

The announcement was made by the firm’s President and CEO, Steven D. Sallen.

Frank earned his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School and his B.A. from Stanford University. He has been selected by his peers for inclusion in the Michigan edition of Super Lawyers® from 2013-2015 and is a member of the Oakland County Circuit Court Committee and Oakland County ADR Committee.

Frank also serves on the board of directors of several charitable organizations, including the Detroit Police Athletic League, Detroit Urban Debate League and American Jewish Committee.

In addition, Three attorneys from Maddin Hauser have been selected for recognition in the legal research publication Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2015.  This is the fifth year in a row that Maddin Hauser
attorneys were chosen.

Firm shareholders Charles M. Lax, Gary M. Remer, and Marc S. Wise were honored in the Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation practice area. All three attorneys have earned repeat selections.

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Dickinson Wright PLLC is pleased to announce that attorney John P. Gonway has joined the firm’s Troy office as a Member.

Gonway specializes in real estate, mergers and acquisitions, commercial transactions and secured lending.  His experience includes the acquisition, financing, construction, development and leasing of all types of commercial real estate (with particular expertise in multi-family housing), as well as the representation of clients in all aspects of corporate law, commercial law, mergers and acquisitions and commercial transactions, including complex franchise acquisitions and private equity syndications.

Gonway is a member of the Real Property, Business Law, and Taxation Sections of the State Bar of Michigan and is a member of the Oakland County Bar Association.

He received his B.A. from Michigan State University’s James Madison College and his law degree from Wayne State University Law School.

In addition, Dickinson Wright PLLC is pleased to announce that attorney Aaron V. Burrell has been elected president of the D. Augustus Straker Bar Association. He will accept the position on June 11 at the Annual Trailblazers Awards
Dinner. His term officially begins on July 1.

The D. Augustus Straker Bar Association is a proactive organization of diverse attorneys, with a mission of promoting legal practice opportunities for minorities and women and to facilitate equal justice for all citizens in Metro Detroit.

Membership includes a racially diverse coalition of lawyers, judges, and other legal professionals. Burrell is an associate in the firm’s Detroit office. He focuses his practice in the areas of appellate, commercial & business litigation, labor & employment, and minority business enterprises.  Burrell is a member of the State Bar of Michigan’s Representative Assembly for the 3rd Judicial Circuit and is an Oakland County Bar Foundation Fellow. He is also a member of the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association, the Wolverine Bar Association, and the American Bar Association.

Burrell received his B.A. from the University of Michigan and his law degree from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School.

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The Katz Law Firm announces that Donald Katz has qualified for appointment and service as a mediator in accordance with the State Court Administrative Office rules.

In addition to his corporate practice, Katz will mediate civil litigation cases involving complex business transactions, shareholder and partnership disputes, and other commercial controversies.

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Mark C. Vanneste, a partner located in Secrest Wardle’s Troy office, has accepted a position as Revisor for AM Best’s Insurance Law Digest. Vanneste will be responsible for annually reviewing and summarizing insurance laws in Michigan for the publication.

AM Best Company is a global credit rating company serving the insurance industry.  The Insurance Law Digest is a resource providing a summary of insurance laws for each state and several Canadian Provinces.

Vanneste is a member of Secrest Wardle’s Motor Vehicle Litigation Practice Group and currently serves as co-chair.  Vanneste represents insurers, corporations, and individuals in a variety of no-fault first-party and third-party automobile negligence claims, including claims for uninsured/underinsured motorist benefits. He was named to the list of Michigan Rising Stars in Super Lawyers magazine for 2014.