Hall, Render, Killian, Heath, & Lyman is pleased to announce attorney Kelly Blumline has joined the firm's Troy office.
Blumline focuses her practice on real estate and business transactions. She earned her undergraduate degree from Calvin College in 2003 and received her law degree from the Wayne State University Law School in 2012.
Blumline is admitted to practice in Michigan and is a member of the State Bar of Michigan; Women's Bar Association, Oakland County Region of Women Lawyers Association of Michigan; and American Health Lawyers Association.
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Demorest Law Firm PLLC is pleased to announce that Mark S. Demorest has been named a member of The Academy of Hospitality Industry Attorneys (AHIA). Demorest is the founder and managing member of Demorest Law Firm, and is a business and real estate lawyer, handling both transactions and litigation.
"We are proud of this recognition of our experience and expertise in representing clients in the hospitality industry. We have been working for many years with owners and managers of hotels, restaurants and golf courses. Our membership in the Association of Hospitality Industry Attorneys will help us to continue to provide outstanding legal services to the hospitality industry," said Demorest.
The AHIA was formed by a group of attorneys from across the United States who represent clients engaged in the hotel, restaurant, hospitality, travel, meeting, convention, tourism and related industries.
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Bodman PLC is pleased to announce that 48 of its attorneys have been listed in the 2016 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
Local Bodman attorneys listed for 2016, including their practice specialties are:
Detroit office
Marc M. Bakst (Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization; Litigation-Bankruptcy).
Jerrold M. Bigelman (Trusts and Estates).
Jay Barnett Colvin (Trusts and Estates).
Andrew H. Curoe (Trusts and Estates).
Herold "Mac" Deason (Corporate).
Laurence B. Deitch (Corporate).
Robert J. Diehl Jr. (Banking and Finance; Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization; Litigation-Banking and Finance; Litigation-Bet-the-Company; Litigation-Bankruptcy).
Fredrick J. Dindoffer (Environmental; Litigation-Environmental).
Christopher J. Dine (Non-Profit/Charities).
Stephen I. Greenhalgh (Banking and Finance).
David M. Hempstead (Trusts and Estates).
Kathleen O'Callaghan Hickey (Banking and Finance).
R. Craig Hupp (Environmental; Litigation-Environmental).
George G. Kemsley (Litigation-Commercial).
Joseph J. Kochanek (Banking and Finance).
David P. Larsen (Litigation-Trusts and Estates; Trusts and Estates).
Marguerite Munson Lentz (Trusts and Estates).
Dennis J. Levasseur (Litigation-Banking and Finance; Litigation-Intellectual Property).
Edwin J. Lukas (Corporate; M&A).
Ralph E. McDowell (Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Litigation-Bankruptcy; Litigation- Bet-the-Company).
Erik S. Prater (Banking and Finance).
Jeffrey G. Raphelson (Litigation-Commercial).
Damali A. Sahu (Banking and Finance).
Nicholas P. Scavone Jr. (Banking and Finance; Real Estate).
Joseph J. Shannon (Commercial Litigation).
E. William S. Shipman (Health Care).
Larry R. Shulman (Banking and Finance).
Brian R. Trumbauer (Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Litigation-Bankruptcy).
Troy office
J. Adam Behrendt (Litigation-Banking and Finance).
Barbara A. Bowman (Banking and Finance; Municipal; Securities/Capital Markets).
John C. Cashen (Employment-Management; Labor-Management).
Steven J. Fishman (Labor-Management).
David W. Hipp (Real Estate).
Michael B. Lewiston (Commercial Litigation; Litigation-Real Estate; Litigation-Trusts and Estates).
Gary D. Reeves (Litigation-Construction).
Andrew Z. Spilkin (Real Estate).
Thomas J. Tallerico (Commercial Litigation).
Thomas Van Dusen (Commercial Litigation; Litigation-Trusts and Estates).
David B. Walters (Employee Benefits-ERISA).
Wendy L. Zabriskie (Banking and Finance).
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Barris, Sott, Denn, & Driker is pleased to announce that Best Lawyers In America® has named Morley Witus as the Appellate "Lawyer of the Year" in Detroit for 2016.
Witus is anadvocate and counselor with experience in business disputes in courts and tribunals across Michigan. Witus has handled appeals involving contract, real estate, probate, securities, automotive, bankruptcy, municipal, insurance, legal malpractice, intellectual property, and employment law, as well as trials and arbitrations in these areas.
Witus earned a bachelor's degree and a law degree from the University of Michigan. He also earned a master's degree in political philosophy from York University. Witus is past president of the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association and the Jewish Foundation of Washtenaw County. He serves on the firm's Executive Committee.
In addition, Barris, Sott, Denn, & Driker is proud to announce that twelve of its members were selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® for 2016. Those attorneys are Eugene Driker, William G. Barris, Sharon M. Woods, Stephen E. Glazek, Robert E. Kass, Daniel M. Share, Morley Witus, James S. Fontichiaro, Daniel J. LaCombe, C. David Bargamian, Todd R. Mendel, and Dennis M. Barnes.
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Bowman and Brooke is proud to announce that John Black has joined the Detroit office of Bowman and Brooke as an associate.
Black, a dual citizen of the United States and Canada, attended the University of Western Ontario Faculty of Law. More recently, He worked as an articling student at McCarthy Tétrault in Alberta, Canada where he researched legal issues and drafted memoranda for a variety of litigation, employment and workers' compensation matters.
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Dickinson Wright PLLC is pleased to announce that attorney Sherry O'Neal Taylor has been appointed to the Pro Bono Initiative of the Committee on Justice Initiatives for the State Bar of Michigan. Her appointment is effective on October 1, 2015. The State Bar of Michigan's Pro Bono Initiative encourages and coordinates free or discounted fees for civil legal services.
Taylor is a member in the firm's Detroit office and serves as the firm's pro bono coordinator. She focuses her practice on labor & employment litigation, commercial & business litigation, school law and insurance & ERISA litigation. She has represented clients in federal and state court with respect to unlawful discrimination, retaliation, harassment, wrongful discharge, FLSA, defamation, breach of contract and ERISA claims.
As Dickinson Wright's pro bono coordinator, Taylor is the liaison between the firm and several organizations in our efforts to serve our communities through pro bono service. She is also the co-chair of the Pro Bono Committee for the Federal Bar Association. Taylor is a member of the American Bar Association, the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association, the State Bar of Michigan, the Wolverine Bar Association and the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan. She received her B.S. from Wayne State University and her law degree from Wayne State University Law School.
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Laurence S. Schultz, a longtime shareholder of and currently Of Counsel to Driggers, Schultz, & Herbst PC in Troy, has been named the recipient of the 10th Annual Stephen H. Schulman Outstanding Business Lawyer Award by the State Bar of Michigan Business Law Section.
Schultz was a founding shareholder of Driggers, Schultz, & Herbst in Troy in 1981 and has served in leadership roles both for the State Bar of Michigan Business Law Section and for other professional associations and organizations. He has specialized in securities law, with specific emphasis on securities litigation and investor arbitration, for more than 25 years.
During a long career as a member of the Business Law Section, Schultz served as section chair in 1978 and as a council member for several years. He personally worked with Prof. Stephen Schulman and knew the former Wayne State University Law School professor well on a professional level.
"I worked on section matters and participated in arbitrations with Professor Schulman. He was an outstanding lawyer and a brilliant teacher. He was very giving of his time for students and colleagues," Schultz said. "It is really a privilege to receive this award in Steve's name and to be mentioned with the other wonderful lawyers who are past Schulman recipients. They have made many important contributions to business law practice in Michigan."
Schultz was elected president of the Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association (PIABA) in 2007, and served as a director for the association from 2002-2008. In December 2007, on behalf of PIABA, Schultz submitted a statement to the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on the Constitution, in support of proposed legislation to make mandatory arbitration optional for brokerage customers.
He represented investors with securities claims in federal and state courts as well as in numerous arbitrations before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the New York Stock Exchange and the American Arbitration Association. He was a contributing author to the first and second editions of "Securities Law Manual for Michigan Practitioners" and authored several other articles in such publications as the Michigan Business Law Journal and the PIABA Bar Journal.
Schultz has been quoted on securities matters in publications, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and USA Today. Schultz was a member of the People to People Corporate and Securities Law Delegation to China in 1988, comprised of a group of American securities lawyers who, as guests of the Chinese government, made presentations for Chinese officials organizing their securities industry.
"The Section is a great resource. It brings together the most experienced business lawyers in our state who keep the business law in Michigan, efficient and up-to-date, working cooperatively with the government officials and the business community," Schultz said. "It provides members of the bar with a very rewarding opportunity for professional development."
Schultz will be introduced at the Schulman Award Ceremony, which immediately precedes the Section's Annual Meeting on Friday, Sept. 25, in Grand Rapids, by Hugh Makens, who was one of four recipients the first year the Schulman Award was given back in 2006.
During his career Schultz has also served as chair of the Michigan Securities Law Advisory Committee. He has lectured for the Institute of Continuing Legal Education, the State Bar of Michigan, and the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association concerning securities regulation and arbitration. Schultz is listed in Who's Who in American Law and in Marquis Who's Who.
The Outstanding Business Lawyer Award was named after Schulman, who taught several business law courses during a lengthy tenure at Wayne State University Law School in Detroit. Schulman received the Donald H. Gordon Award for Excellence in Teaching and was chosen by the student body as the school's Professor of the Year several times. Schulman was also instrumental in the drafting of much of Michigan's corporate law that is still in place today.
The Business Law Section established the Stephen H. Schulman Outstanding Business Lawyer Award in 2006, to be presented annually. The award honors Michigan business lawyers who consistently exemplify the characteristics the Business Law Section seeks to foster and facilitate: the highest quality of professionalism, the highest quality of practice, and an unwavering dedication to service, ethical conduct, and collegiality within the practice of law.
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Foster Swift is pleased to announce that Julie I. Fershtman, a shareholder in the firm's Farmington Hills office, has been recognized in two Michigan Super Lawyers 2015 "Top Lists." Fershtman was ranked among the Top 25 Women Business Lawyers in Michigan as well as the Top 50 Women Lawyers in Michigan.
Fershtman concentrates on her law practice in the areas of general insurance defense, insurance coverage, business litigation, premises liability, and sporting and recreational liability. In addition, she is considered one of the nation's leading practitioners in equine law.
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The law firm of Couzens Lansky, located in Farmington Hills, is pleased to announce that Dawn T. Yeaton, an associate of the firm, has been named to the Michigan Super Lawyers Rising Stars list for 2015.
Yeaton's primary practice areas include corporate law and real estate law, with experience in sales, acquisitions, financing, leasing and litigation.
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Maddin, Hauser, Roth, & Heller PC announced that 12 of its attorneys have been recognized in DBusiness Magazine's list of 2016 Top Lawyers.
The recipients and respective categories in which they were honored include:
Jonathan B. Frank, Of Counsel; Mediation.
Mark R. Hauser, co-founder, CFO and Executive Committee Member; Real Estate Law.
Harvey R. Heller, shareholder, Executive Committee member and chairman of Defense and Insurance Coverage Practice Group; Professional Malpractice Law, Insurance Law.
John E. Jacobs, shareholder; Corporate Law, Real Estate Law.
Robert D. Kaplow, shareholder; Trusts and Estates, Tax Law.
Kathleen H. Klaus, shareholder; Professional Malpractice Law.
Charles M. Lax, shareholder; Employee Benefits Law, Tax Law.
Michael W. Maddin, co-founder, president emeritus and Executive Committee member; Real Estate Law.
Richard J. Maddin, Of Counsel; Land Use & Zoning, Real Estate Law.
Richard F. Roth, shareholder; Real Estate Law.
Steven D. Sallen, president, CEO, and Executive Committee member, and co-chairman of Real Estate Practice Group; Real Estate Law.
Steven M. Wolock, shareholder; Legal/Professional Malpractice Law.
In addition, James M. Reid IV, a shareholder at Maddin, Hauser, Roth, & Heller PC, has been appointed as chair of the Oakland County Bar Association's (OCBA) Employment Law Committee.
The announcement was made by the firm's President and CEO Steven D. Sallen.
In this role, Reid will lead monthly committee meetings to review and address issues, respond to developments in the law, and discuss significant activities concerning the labor and employment law practice area. The OCBA Employment Law Committee will be responsible for organizing at least two Employment Law Seminars and preparing articles for inclusion in Laches Magazine.
The OCBA's committees are focused on keeping its members informed of significant developments in their areas of practice and shaping Bar Association policy on issues of professional concern.
A member of Maddin Hauser's Corporate/Employment and Franchise and Distribution Practice Groups, Reid works with employers on employment issues including counseling and advising human resource professionals and business owners. He develops and improves employment policies and contracts, handbooks, employment agreements, non-compete agreements, non-disclosure agreements, unconditional release forms, and separation agreements, as well as assists employers with federal and state wage and hour audits.
Reid also provides legal advice and counsel to employers in litigation, arbitration, and administrative law proceedings, including before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Michigan Department of Civil Rights, state and federal Departments of Labor, and the Unemployment Insurance Agency.
In addition to this new appointment, Reid serves as Resource Partner Program co-director for the Michigan Council of the Society for Human Resource Management (MISHRM), and frequently presents at local and national conferences, webcasts and podcasts regarding best employee handbook practices, strategies for franchisees and other non-union companies to comply with the National Labor Relations Act, and responses to union activity. He has authored several articles regarding strategies to update employee handbooks and challenge unemployment benefit claims.
Reid was recognized as a 2015 Michigan Super Lawyers® Rising Star and is admitted to practice before the federal and state courts of Michigan.
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Twenty-six of Howard & Howard's attorneys were recently named to Michigan Super Lawyers® and Michigan Rising Stars 2015 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 2015 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.
- Sam J. Haidle, Intellectual Property.
- Michael V. Kell, IP Products: Defense.
- David M. LaPrairie, Intellectual Property.
- Patrick M. McCarthy, Business Litigation.
- 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.
- Timothy M. Wittebort, Real Estate.
The Howard & Howard attorneys and the practice areas under which they are listed in Michigan Rising Stars 2015 are as follows:
- Michael M. Bell, Banking.
- Brandon J. Booth, Business/Corporate.
- Melinda B. Buurma, Intellectual Property.
- Stephen P. Dunn, Business Litigation.
- Paul T. Engel, Intellectual Property.
- Michael O. Fawaz, Business Litigation.
- Jeffrey A. Hoover, Mergers & Acquisitions.
- Kristopher K. Hulliberger, Intellectual Property Litigation.
- Vincent C. Ilagan, Intellectual Property.
- R. Saleha Mohamedulla, Intellectual Property.
- Evonne Xu, International.
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MGM Grand Detroit has appointed Louis Theros as vice president and general counsel. The twenty-six year law veteran will report directly to Steve Zanella, president and chief operating officer.
As a member of MGM Grand Detroit's executive committee and the company's internal legal counsel, Theros is responsible for ensuring that business practices, policies and dealings of MGM Grand Detroit meet regulatory requirements. The position brings Theros in-house with a company that he previously represented as outside council.
"This role provides the unique opportunity to work internally with an organization that I have represented for almost sixteen years," said Theros. "I look forward to working in such an exciting industry with a great team."
Prior to joining MGM Grand Detroit, Theros served as vice president and as a member of the board of directors at Detroit-based Butzel Long, following over twenty years at Dickinson Wright PLLC. In private practice Theros specialized in the areas of employment litigation, labor, advising and counseling clients on statutory employment compliance and gaming law. Numerous prestigious and professional organizations have recognized him throughout his career, including being named a Fellow of The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers.
Theros is a graduate of Vanderbilt University School of Law and earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan. Outside of his professional career, Theros is a member of the Grosse Pointe Farms City Council and is vice president of the Michigan Ice Hawks Hockey Association.
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Scott R. Kocienski has joined Kerr Russell as an attorney. Kocienski practices in the areas of business and tax law. Kocienski is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Kocienski received his law degrees from Michigan State University College of Law and Wayne State University Law School. He earned Bachelor's from Western Michigan University.
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Brian McKeen, managing partner of McKeen & Associates of Detroit, (www.mckeenassociates.com) has been chosen as faculty for an upcoming American Association for Justice (AAJ) seminar September 25 and 26, at AAJ headquarters in Washington, D.C.
The seminar, "Decision Making and Errors in the Emergency Room," features five top medical negligence attorneys and an emergency medicine physician. This is the AAJ's first seminar on this topic, designed for attorneys to build a solid understanding of emergency medicine decision making; differential diagnosis; proving causation; and deposition techniques for Emergency Room cases.
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The shareholders of Plunkett Cooney have elected their colleague, attorney Dennis G. Cowan, as the firm's new president and chief executive officer.
Cowan, a business and government affairs attorney in the firm's Bloomfield Hills office, will begin his three-year term on Jan. 1, 2016. He will succeed Plunkett Cooney's longtime President & CEO Henry B. Cooney who has served in the role since 1998.
"I'm honored that my partners have placed their confidence in me to lead the firm," said Cowan, who previously served in firm management as Business Law Department Leader. "Today's legal environment is a challenging one, and I look forward to continuing the firm's strategic focus on obtaining the right result for our clients in every engagement we undertake."
The election of Cowan as the firm's new managing partner is part of a firm succession plan. Cooney, who is required by firm governance rules to step down from leadership at age 65, would not be eligible to complete another three-year term had he run for reelection. Cooney will remain a partner of the firm and will transition his role with the firm over the next year.
Cowan is a member of the firm's Real Estate/Transactional and Governmental Affairs practice groups, where he specializes in assisting clients with real estate projects that involve approvals at the local, county and state levels. He also has extensive expertise representing clients before county and state boards and the Michigan Attorney General's office.
Cowan's practice has been wide ranging and includes such noteworthy accomplishments as representing foundation clients in the Detroit bankruptcy "Grand Bargain" transaction, serving the City of Pontiac as lead counsel while under the supervision of a state-appointed emergency financial manager, and successfully completing numerous multi-million-dollar development projects in the metropolitan Detroit region.
Cowan also has the distinction of having previously served 14 years as an elected member of the Royal Oak City Commission, including four two-year terms as Mayor from 1993 to 2001. In addition, he has been appointed by former Michigan Gov. John Engler and Gov. Rick Snyder to several state boards and committees.
A 1984 graduate of the Detroit College of Law, Cowan said Plunkett Cooney's three-state footprint provides the firm with a distinctive service advantage.
"Our depth and breadth of experience in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio gives us the ability to assign matters to attorneys who have extensive knowledge of the local courts and industries," Cowan said. "Whether in the boardroom or the courtroom, our Plunkett Cooney team delivers value to clients by helping them achieve their strategic objectives."
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Eleven attorneys from Williams, Williams, Rattner, & Plunkett PC in Birmingham have been selected for inclusion in Thomson Reuters' list of "Michigan SuperLawyers 2015."
Salvatore A. Barbatano is Of Counsel and his law practice focuses on bankruptcy law and commercial litigation on behalf of both debtors and creditors; Robert S. Bick is a partner whose law practice focuses on corporate law, mergers & acquisitions law, corporate governance and business planning; James P. Cunningham is a partner whose law practice focuses on family law; Sidney L. Frank is Of Counsel and his law practice focuses on business litigation, corporate law and construction and surety law; Robert B. Labe is a partner whose law practice focuses on business law, estate planning, estate and trust administration and tax law; David E. Plunkett is a partner whose law practice focuses on commercial litigation; Thomas G. Plunkett is a partner whose law practice focuses on commercial litigation, estate and trust administration and family law; Richard D. Rattner is partner whose law practice focuses on real estate, land use, zoning and corporate law; Richard E. Rassel III is a partner whose practice focuses on commercial litigation, real estate and business/corporate law; R. Jamison Williams Jr. is a partner whose practice focuses on corporate law, mergers & acquisitions law, and business and estate planning; and C. Kim Shierk is a partner whose law practice focuses on residential and commercial real estate development with an emphasis on condominium law as well as other forms of community property development.
In addition, Michael W. Benoit, Susan A. Babcock, and May A. Saad have been selected for inclusion in Thomson Reuters' list of "Michigan Rising Stars 2015." Benoit is a partner whose law practice focuses on real estate, banking and business / corporate law. Babcock is Of Counsel and her law practice focuses on commercial litigation. Saad is an associate whose law practice focuses on commercial litigation, corporate and real estate transactions, immigration and international law, and family law.
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The Law Offices of Jermaine A. Wyrick PLLC is pleased to announce that attorney Jermaine A. Wyrick was selected to the Fair Housing Center of Metropolitan Detroit Board of Directors.
Fair Housing Centers' Boards of Directors consists of 60 private, non-profit, citizens based metropolitan fair housing centers that exist in the United States which are consistently composed of a highly dedicated group of creative and resourceful individuals who are willing to accept responsibility for addressing a very difficult task.
Faced with massive, but often subtle, practices of unlawful discrimination in the housing market, continuing patters of racial and ethnic segregation in neighborhoods and communities, significant gaps in the provision of fair housing services to victims of unlawful discrimination, a pervasive myth that unlawful housing discrimination is no longer a problem in the United States, and absolutely no single secure and consistent source of funding for local, private, fair housing efforts, Fair Housing Center Board members plunge ahead, seeking to assure that fair housing laws are enforced and that equality of housing opportunity becomes a reality.
Wyrick has practiced law since 1997. His commitment to helping people is reflected by his chosen areas of practice which include Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, Police Misconduct, and Probate Law.
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Thirty of the Detroit area's top women lawyers, as selected by Michigan Lawyers Weekly, cast their ballots and selected Wayne State University Law School 1994 alumna Dana Nessel as the 2015 Woman of the Year.
Nessel put in four years of hard work on the Michigan case of DeBoer v. Snyder which helped pave the way for same-sex marriage to be legalized nationally with the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark decision June 26.
Nessel with co-counsel Wayne Law Adjunct Professor Kenneth Mogill, Wayne Law Distinguished Professor Robert Sedler, and attorney Carole Stanyar originally filed the suit in federal district court on behalf of lesbian couple April DeBoer and Jayne Rowse of Hazel Park, challenging Michigan's ban on adoption by same-sex couples. The suit was amended to challenge the state's ban on same-sex marriage. DeBoer and Rowse sought the right to marry legally so they could have joint custody of their adopted children.
U.S. District Court Judge Bernard Friedman ruled for Nessel's clients in March 2014, the case was appealed and then made its way to the Supreme Court, where it was part of the headline- and history-making decision that changed the law in Michigan and every other state in the nation, giving same-sex couples the same right to legally wed as opposite-sex couples.
Nessel, a former Wayne County assistant prosecutor, practices with Nessel & Kessel Law in Detroit. She entered private practice in 2005 and since then has defended hundreds of criminal cases. She also takes on civil rights actions, family law matters and general tort litigation.
Nessel received the Woman of the Year award at Michigan Lawyers Weekly's annual Women in the Law event Thursday, Sept. 10, at the Detroit Marriott Troy.
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The Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association (DMBA) recently announced that Darlene Trudell will serve as executive director of the organization. She replaces outgoing Executive Director Mitzy Sharp Futro who is leaving the organization after six years at the helm.
Trudell recently served as a facilitator on behalf of the UAW-GM Center for Human Resources dealing with the critical issue of student literacy and growing our future workforce in Michigan. She also served as Executive Vice President for The Engineering Society of Detroit. Through her company, Trudell Leadership Consultants LLC, she helped clients grow their organizations and ensure their sustainability through innovative nonprofit management, board governance, strategic planning, membership engagement, and public relations.
Trudell is a board member of the City of Southfield Zoning Board of Appeals and the Skyline Club; she is past chairwoman of the Michigan Society of Association Executives; and a member of the American Society of Association Executives, Michigan Society of Association Executives, Project Management Institute, and the Michigan Society of Planning Officials. She also served as executive director for the Building Owners and Managers Association of Metropolitan Detroit and vice president of Corporate Relations for the American Academy of Medical Administrators. Trudell was awarded the Michigan Society of Association Executives Gavel Award for helping to develop their Diamond Awards Program and received the MSAE Key Award for outstanding Board service.
Trudell received her B.S. from Wayne State University and her M.S.A. from Central Michigan University. She is a Certified Association Executive through the American Society of Association Executives.
The DMBA also welcomes three new members to its Board of Directors. Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Edward Ewell, attorney Jenice Mitchell Ford of Clark Hill in Detroit, and attorney Joanne Geha Swanson of Kerr Russell in Detroit have joined the Board of Directors for the 2015-2016 term.
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Honigman, Miller, Schwartz, and Cohn LLP is pleased to announce that Michael S. Ben, a partner in the firm's Corporate Department, is featured in a DBusiness article entitled "Legal Eagles," which highlights six attorneys under the age of 40.
Ben is a corporate attorney and leader of Honigman's Securities and Corporate Governance Practice Group. He has represented publicly traded companies for 14 years in all aspects, including capital markets and M&A transactions, SEC and exchange reporting requirements, corporate governance best practices, executive compensation and general corporate matters. His clients have primarily been small and mid-cap companies across numerous industries.
Ben is a member of the board of directors and membership chair of the Society of Corporate Secretaries and Governance Professionals Detroit Chapter. He also serves on the board of trustees for the Children's Hospital of Michigan. Ben has been recognized by Michigan Super Lawyers since 2009. He earned a law degree from Harvard Law School and a B.A. from the University of Michigan.
In addition, Honigman is pleased to announce that two experienced associates have joined the firm.
Jamie Ling joins Honigman's Corporate Department and its Information and Technology Transactions practice. She will be located in the firm's Detroit office.
She comes to Honigman from the Toyota Technical Center in Ann Arbor, where she drafted and negotiated a variety of agreements and contracts.
Ling earned a law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School and a A.B. in English from Amherst College in Massachusetts. She is admitted to practice in Michigan and Minnesota.
Matthew E. Radler joins Honigman's Labor and Employment Department and its Wage and Hour Matter practice. He will be located in the firm's Detroit office.
He joins Honigman from Bernabei & Wachtel PLLC in Washington, D.C.
Radler earned a law degree from Geroge Washington University Law School and a B.S. in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. He is admitted to practice in Virginia and Washington, D.C. and is anticipating admission to the State Bar of Michigan.
The firm is also pleased to announce that seven associates have joined Honigman, all of whom were summer associates at the firm in 2014 and are anticipating admission to the State Bar of Michigan.
Bryan Coe joins Honigman's Real Estate Department and will be located in the firm's Detroit office. He earned a law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School and a B.A. in social work from Wayne State University.
Raechel T.X. Conyers joins Honigman's Litigation Department and will be located in the firm's Detroit office. She earned a law degree from Washington University Law School in St. Louis, Missouri and a B.S. in criminal justice and criminology from Loyola University in Chicago.
Allison Drutchas joins Honigman's Corporate Department and will be located in the firm's Detroit office. She earned a law degree from Yale Law School and a B.A. from Davidson College in North Carolina.
Nicholas J. Jones joins Honigman's Corporate Department and will be located in the firm's Detroit office. He earned a law degree from Wayne State University Law School and a B.A. in biology and business at Kalamazoo College.
Dr. Kimberly M. Lovett joins Honigman's Intellectual Property Department, as well as its IP Litigation and Health Care practices. She will be located in the firm's Bloomfield Hills office. Lovett earned a law degree from Stanford Law School and an M.D. from the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University. She received a B.S. in chemistry and biochemistry from the University of California.
Jared S. Pickman joins Honigman's Corporate Department and will be located in the firm's Detroit office. He earned a law degree from the University of Illinois College of Law and a B.A. in history from the University of Michigan.
Mario A. Talerico joins Honigman's Corporate Department and will be located in the firm's Detroit office. He earned a law degree from Michigan State University College of Law and a B.A. in political science/public law from Western Michigan University.
Published: Mon, Sep 21, 2015
