Hall, Render, Killian, Heath & Lyman, P.C.
Hall, Render, Killian, Heath, & Lyman is pleased to announce attorney Rob Welch has joined the firm's Michigan office.
Welch practices health care law with a focus on general corporate matters and contracting. Welch's experience includes defense of catastrophic medical malpractice claims, defense of correctional health care professionals from 42 U.S.C. §1983 "Deliberate Indifference" claims, the defense of licensed health care professionals and professional organizations before the State of Michigan's Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs and audit defense before private insurers as well as state and federal regulatory and compliance agencies.
He received his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Western Michigan University and his law degree from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School.
Welch is admitted to practice in Michigan and is a member of the American Health Lawyers Association, the Health Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan, and the Oakland County Bar Association.
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Brooks Kushman P.C.
Brooks Kushman attorneys Jonathan D. Nikkila and Rachel A. Smith have been appointed as Michigan Intellectual Property Law Association (MIPLA) officers for the 2016-2017 term. Nikkila will serve as president and Smith will serve as second vice-president.
As president, Nikkila will be responsible for acting as the official representative of the association. In he will provide leadership and strategic vision to the organization to aid in its growth and importance, offer guidance to the organization's standing committees and preside over all meetings of the membership, as well as the Board.
As second vice-president, Smith will plan the annual judge's golf outing of more than 150 attendees which entails organizing invitations and selecting a charitable organization to partner with as recipient of the event's proceeds. This role is also considered for future leadership positions as part of the organization's succession planning model.
Together as MIPLA leaders, Smith and Nikkila will oversee programs that promote the organization's mission and core values such as law school outreach programs and liaisons, community outreach, coordinating networking events, organizing CLE credit luncheons and other on-going educational opportunities for members.
Brooks Kushman also announces that it has been listed as a gold-standard patent firm in Intellectual Asset Management's (IAM) annual Patent 1000 guide for the third consecutive year. Of six Michigan firms listed in the directory, Brooks Kushman is the only firm listed as a gold-standard patent firm.
In addition to the firm's recognition, President Mark A. Cantor and Shareholders William G. Abbatt, John E. Nemazi, Sangeeta G. Shah, and Frank Angileri were also recognized as patent leaders in Michigan. Cantor and Angileri are both recognized for their intellectual property litigation experience, while Abbatt, Nemazi and Shah are each recognized for their experience in patent prosecution. Nemazi, Shah and Angileri's practices also include post-grant proceedings before the U.S. Patent Trial and Appeal Board.
"We are proud to be listed as Michigan's only gold-standard firm for the third consecutive year," said Cantor. "This honor is a direct reflection of our incredible team of patent prosecution and IP litigation attorneys and the exceptional work of our staff."
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Secrest Wardle
The Third Circuit Court and the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association presented Law Day 2016 Detroit on May 12. Approximately 300 high school students from 15 Detroit schools participated in the event, which educates young men and women about the opportunities available in the legal profession and court system. Students spent time with judges and attorney mentors, and participated in group exercises and oral arguments.
Secrest Wardle sponsored a scholarship for the event. Secrest Wardle attorneys Justin Grimske, Alexander Baum, and Daniel Rizzo, all located in the firm's Troy office, served as volunteers.
Secrest Wardle is also a long-time supporter of the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America's (CCFA) Michigan Chapter which presented its 9th Annual Spring into Style Fashion Event at the Townsend Hotel in Birmingham on May 5. The occasion was attended by more than 350 guests. Fashions from select Somerset and Birmingham fashion boutiques were on display, presented by RGA Model Management. A silent auction and an ultimate raffle were featured. Proceeds provide funding for CCFA's mission to support research, raise awareness, and provide education and support to IBD patients.
Secrest Wardle Senior Partner and Co-Managing Partner Mark Morley's daughter, Laura Zuidema, attended the function and served on the Benefit Committee. Morley's son-in-law, Chris Zuidema, of Ernst & Young, serves as a member of the organization's Board of Directors.
Secrest Wardle is a law firm specializing in defense litigation and counsel for insurance, municipal, and commercial clients headquartered in Troy with additional offices in Grand Rapids and Lansing.
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Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP
David M. Nafziger joins Honigman, Miller, Schwartz, and Cohn LLP as a partner in its Intellectual Property Department's Patent Practice Group. He will be located in the firm's Bloomfield Hills office. He is one of six IP attorneys to join the firm this year and one of 15 since January 2015. Honigman has been committed to strengthening its IP practice and now counts nearly 90 professionals on its IP team.
Nafziger has been a patent attorney for nearly eight years focusing on the preparation and prosecution of applications, and preparation of patentability and infringement opinions. He has represented large automotive clients, aerospace electronic systems manufacturers and leading software corporations. Before becoming an attorney, Nafziger worked as an electrical engineer for a major aerospace company in its laser product development group. He is admitted to practice in Ohio and before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. His application to practice in Michigan is currently pending. Nafziger joins Honigman from the Troy office of Cantor Colburn LLP.
He earned a law degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Law and a B.S. in electrical engineering from Purdue University.
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Young & Associates
Farmington Hills-based Young & Associates has hired Giles Rhodenhiser and Laura Ellis Bieniek to join its professional legal staff. Young & Associates founder Rodger D. Young made the announcement.
Rhodenhiser and Bieniek will represent both plaintiffs and defendants in actions across the country, executing day-to-day responsibilities for a variety of multi-million dollar cases focused on complex business litigation in areas ranging from automotive and antitrust to complex contract and intellectual property.
Prior to joining Young & Associates, Rhodenhiser was a law clerk for North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge Chris Dillon. He graduated from the University of North Carolina Law School at Chapel Hill.
Bieniek comes to the Young & Associates team from her position as a litigation attorney for the national law firm Sedwick LLP in San Francisco where she represented corporate clients in commercial cases and served as a member of the trial team for California's largest public utility company in a $1 billion complex tort litigation matter.
She attended the London School of Economics, ultimately received her B.A. in Economics from Colby College, and graduated from the University of Michigan Law School.
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Maddin, Hauser, Roth, & Heller P.C.
Maddin, Hauser, Roth, & Heller PC is pleased to announce that Evan H. Kaploe has joined the firm as a shareholder and will work in the firm's Tax Practice Group.
The announcement was made by the firm's President and CEO, Steven D. Sallen.
Kaploe works with businesses and their owners to solve difficult tax issues ranging from tax compliance to tax planning and litigation. He also works with corporations, partnerships and limited liability companies in structuring business reorganizations, combinations, and separations.
Kaploe's previous experience working at the Internal Revenue Service provided him with a unique perspective on how to tackle challenging tax problems facing businesses and their owners in today's economic climate. He not only understands the intricacies of the Code and Regulations, but also has personal experience working on the inside with IRS counsel, revenue agents, officers, and appeals officers.
Kaploe received his law degrees from Northwestern University Law School and Michigan State University College of Law, and his Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Michigan.
A member of the State Bar of Michigan, Kaploe served as the Tax Section chair of its Practice and Procedure Committee in 2015. He is also a member of the Oakland County Bar Association, previously serving as its Tax Section chair, vice-chair and on the Judicial Committee. He is a member of the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association Inns of Court, American Bar Association (Tax Section), Chicago Bar Association, Illinois Bar Association, and the Detroit Economic Club (Young Leaders). Kaploe is also admitted to practice law in Illinois.
Kaploe was awarded the Bronze Star Award from the Department of Treasury and has been named as a Michigan Super Lawyers® Rising Star since 2014.
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Collins, Einhorn, Farrell
Collins, Einhorn, Farrell PC is pleased to announce that attorney Joshua N. Brekken has joined the firm's Professional Liability practice group. While Brekken's focus will be on the defense of professional liability claims, his experience spans several areas including civil and business litigation, employment law, family law, and municipal law. Brekken has litigated for individuals and businesses in contract and owner/member disputes, non-compete and other employment agreements, discrimination and other employment claims defense, loans/debt and business management, garnishment, and landlord/tenant disputes.
Brekken graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Nevada in 2008, and received his law degree from Hamline University School of Law in 2012. He had been practicing law in the state of Minnesota until his recent move to Michigan. While residing in Minnesota, Brekken volunteered his time at the Refuge Network/Family Pathways, a group that assists in representing individuals in family law cases who cannot afford private representation. His contributions were recognized by the Minnesota State Bar Association when they named him a "North Star Lawyer," a distinction given to attorneys who provide over fifty hours of pro-bono work. Brekken was also active in the local community as a volunteer in the Friends Make a Difference Mentoring Program, where he worked with at-risk middle school and high school students.
Brekken is licensed with the State Bar of Michigan, the Minnesota State Courts, and the U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota. Brekken is a member of the Oakland County Bar Association.
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Erman, Teicher, Zucker & Freedman, P.C.
The law firm of Erman, Teicher, Zucker, & Freedman PC in Southfield is pleased to announce that Dianne S. Ruhlandt and David M. Eisenberg have become shareholders of the firm.
Ruhlandt's practice focuses on bankruptcy and insolvency related matters, commercial litigation and post-judgment collections.
Eisenberg's practice concentrates on business related insolvency, workout, commercial litigation and collection matters.
Published: Mon, Jun 13, 2016
