Maddin, Hauser, Roth, & Heller PC is pleased to announce that shareholder James M. Reid IV has been elected Labor and Employment Law Section Council for the State Bar of Michigan.
The announcement was made by the firm's President and CEO, Steven D. Sallen.
In this role, Reid will attend monthly council meetings, plan educational and networking events, participate in a diversity luncheon series, and serve on the Membership Growth and Communication/Newsletter committee.
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 participates in frequent speaking engagements including Michigan HR Day, Michigan Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) and related non-profit chapters, national webcasts, podcasts, and conferences on topics including best employee handbook practices and strategies for franchisees and other non-union companies to comply with the National Labor Relations Act and respond to union activity. He served on the panel for the Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE) to discuss important LGBT legal updates, and has written several articles regarding strategies to update employee handbooks and challenge unemployment benefit claims.
Joining Maddin Hauser in 2004 as a summer associate, Reid received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science-Prelaw from Michigan State University in 2002 and law degree from Wayne State University Law School in 2005.
In addition to his new appointment with the State Bar of Michigan, Reid is a member of its Labor and Employment Law Section e-News Committee. He serves as the director of Resource Partners at the Michigan Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) and, previously, chaired the Oakland County Bar Association's Employment Law Committee.
Reid was named to the 2015 and 2016 Michigan Super Lawyers® Rising Stars list, an exclusive list recognizing no more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in the state. He is admitted to practice before the federal and state courts of Michigan.
Maddin Hauser is also pleased to announce that associate Kaitlin A. Brown has been recognized among Michigan Lawyers Weekly's, Up and Coming Lawyers for 2016.
The announcement was made by the firm's President and CEO, Steven D. Sallen.
Brown is an associate attorney in the firm's Corporate and Employment practice group. She specializes in employment law, representing employers by responding to various types of claims including wrongful termination, workplace discrimination, harassment, and wage and hour claims. She also advises clients in regard to employment contracts, employee handbooks and severance agreements.
Brown's experiences range from administrative proceedings to complex litigation. Previously serving at the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, she worked in the Reconsideration Unit evaluating and recommending decisions on appeals of administrative decisions. Brown has also litigated complex insurance, contract and constitutional law cases.
Brown's community involvement includes both volunteering and organizing orientation programs to encourage other attorneys to volunteer at Project H.E.L.P. (Homeless Encounter Legal Protection) in downtown Detroit and at Common Ground's Legal Clinic in Pontiac. She serves as chair of Shir Shalom's Food, Fun and Fireworks community event and as president of Washington & Lee University's Detroit Alumni Chapter, through which she organizes social events for alumni and interviews local applicants to her alma mater. Brown has served on multiple committees of the Women's Bar Association including pro bono, membership and award nominating committees. She is a member of the New Lawyers Advisory Board for the Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE) and recently moderated their online video, Negotiating Early Resolution of Employment Law Cases.
In 2005, Brown earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Studio Art from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. She also received her law degree from Washington and Lee University School of Law in 2011. Brown has been recognized by Michigan Super Lawyers® as a Rising Star from 2014 to 2016 and received a Pro Bono Accomplishment Award from The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. Brown is admitted to practice law in the States of Michigan and Indiana, and in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
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Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy, & Sadler PLC has been recognized by U.S. News Best Lawyers® as a Tier 1 "Best Law Firms" in metro Detroit for 2017. Managing Member Ed Dawda made the announcement.
Dawda Mann has been recognized by "Best Law Firms" in the practice areas of Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Corporate Law, Environmental Law, Litigation-Environmental, Litigation-Real Estate and Real Estate Law.
"Best Law Firms has been recognizing highly acclaimed law firms in their distinct practice area for many years, and we are honored to be included on the list for 2017," said Dawda. "With a submission process that relies heavily on peer and client feedback, we appreciate the hard work our team puts in every day to provide great results in the best interest of our clients, resulting in being held in such high esteem by our colleagues in the metro Detroit area."
This is the eighth consecutive time that Dawda Mann has been named one of the "Best Law Firms" in metro Detroit.
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Dickinson Wright PLLC is pleased to announce that the firm's litigation practices and its attorneys were recognized in the 2017 edition of Benchmark Litigation.
Benchmark Litigation recognized Dickinson Wright's litigation practices in Michigan and Arizona as "Highly Recommended."
Also recognized in the Benchmark Litigation 2017 Edition are the following Michigan Dickinson Wright attorneys:
Lawrence Campbell - Local Litigation Star
Kathleen Lang - Local Litigation Star
Thomas McNeill - Local Litigation Star
Edward Pappas - Local Litigation Star
Michelle Alamo - Future Star
Geoffrey Fields - Future Star
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For the seventh consecutive year, Plunkett Cooney has been ranked as one of the 2017 "Best Law Firms" in the nation by U.S. News and Best Lawyers®. Four of the firm's offices received tier-one ratings in multiple practice areas.
Using a tiered rather than a ranked system, Plunkett Cooney was recognized in the following first-tier categories:
Metro Detroit
- Appellate Practice
- Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Construction Law
- Employment Law - Management
- Insurance Law
- Labor Law - Management
- Litigation - Construction
- Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
- Personal Injury Litigation Plaintiffs
- Workers' Compensation Law - Employers
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xz, MAHLE Industries Inc. director, general counsel, and corporate secretary, was honored with Western Michigan University Cooley Law School's Integrity Award on Nov. 10 during the law school's Integrity in our Communities Speaker Series. The award is presented to legal professionals who demonstrate the highest integrity in their profession.
Strong Marks spoke to WMU-Cooley law students, faculty, and staff about the importance of authenticity, values, and preserving reputations both professionally and personally, and praised WMU-Cooley Law School for instilling ethics throughout its curriculum.
"It's important to be authentic because it will help you live your purpose in life and teach you that no one can define your purpose or what your moral values are," said Strong Marks. "You have to be a master of what you are doing and it's okay to disagree and stand out based upon what you believe to be right."
Strong Marks has more than 18 years of experience developed in a law firm and in-house practice with a client base comprised of privately held and publicly traded corporations. Prior to joining MAHLE Industries, Strong Marks worked for Handleman Company, a $1.2 billion international music distribution company. In her role, she became the first African-American general counsel of a publicly traded company in the state of Michigan. She has also served as general counsel and corporate secretary at Behr America, Inc.
Strong Marks has been honored as a Michigan Chronicle Woman of Excellence, D. Augustus Straker Bar Association Trailblazer, Michigan Lawyers Weekly Up and Coming Lawyer, Crain's Business 40 Under 40, State Bar of Michigan Citizen Lawyer, and Who's Who in Black Detroit. She attended The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.
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Butzel Long recently received the Pro Bono Law Firm of the Year "Laddy" Award from the Legal Aid and Defender Association Inc. (LAD). The Legal Aid and Defender Association is the largest provider of legal services to low- and moderate-income people in Michigan and one of the largest in the nation. The firm was honored for the work it did on a comprehensive reorganization it did on LAD's structure and services.
Throughout its more than 160 years, Butzel Long has a long history of public service, particularly assisting clients who could otherwise not afford legal representation. Providing quality pro bono legal services is a priority for Butzel Long. The firm's lawyers, from the newest associate to members of the Board of Directors, use their expertise and training to make a difference each year, providing thousands of hours to those in need through a wide range of programs and relationships.
Butzel Long and LAD have a longstanding tradition of matching firm attorneys with clients who could otherwise not afford legal representation. Dozens of Butzel Long attorneys have participated in the annual Detroit Legal Services Pro Bono Clinic.
Butzel Long attorneys and shareholders Arthur Dudley II and Mark R. Lezotte accepted the award on behalf of the firm. Dudley is vice chair of the Board of the Southeastern Michigan Administrative Services Group, the parent company of LADA and two other Legal Aid nonprofit corporations. Lezotte co-chairs Butzel Long's Pro Bono Committee. Butzel Long attorney and shareholder Thomas L. Shaevsky, along with Lezotte, was integral in the pro bono work the firm did for LAD on reorganizing their structure and services.
"Butzel Long is honored to receive LAD's recognition," said Dudley. "We are proud of the firm's dedication to pro bono work and truly appreciate the services LAD provides to our community."
Dudley, who practices in Butzel Long's Detroit and New York offices, has in nearly all aspects of corporate law. He has practiced law for more than 35 years. He specializes in mergers and acquisitions, securities law, representation of emerging growth companies and general corporate representation.
Lezotte, who practices in Butzel Long's Detroit office, has experience in corporate, health care, tax, and exempt organization matters, including corporate and nonprofit governance, business transactions, tax-exempt issues, hospital-physician ventures, and regulatory investigations. He also has served in leadership roles on many other civic and nonprofit boards.
Shaevsky practices in the area of employee benefits in Butzel Long's Bloomfield Hills office. He advises large multinational corporations, physicians and other professional practices, hospitals and other nonprofit employers, as well as individuals, on compliance and planning issues pertaining to a wide range of retirement, pension, and welfare plan issues. His experience includes counseling on fiduciary duty compliance, prohibited transaction avoidance and correction, reporting and disclosure issues, mergers and acquisitions due diligence, QDROs, as well as COBRA, HIPAA, and other benefits issues.
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Dinsmore & Shohl LLP welcomes Jason M. Renner to the firm's Detroit office. Renner will practice out of the Litigation Department. His current practice is primarily focused on the defense of extra-contractual and liability insurance coverage matters, as well as property and general liability claims.
Prior to joining Dinsmore, Renner practiced with Collins, Einhorn, Farrell PC, where he specialized in defending professional liability claims against attorneys, insurance agents, and certified public accountants. Renner also previously practiced as in-house counsel for Farmers Insurance Exchange at Cory, Knigh,t & Bennett.
Renner is a Fellow with the Oakland County Bar Foundation, and was named a "Rising Star" by Super Lawyers Magazine in 2015.
Renner earned his law degree from the Florida State University College of Law and received his B.A. from the University of Nebraska.
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Katherine A. Stefanou has joined the Southfield office of Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer, & Weiss PC as an associate in the firm's litigation practice group. Jaffe CEO William Sider made the announcement.
Stefanou will concentrate her practice on complex commercial litigation, specializing in matters involving shareholders disputes, breach of fiduciary duty claims, as well as other business law issues.
Prior to joining Jaffe, Stefanou was an associate attorney at a law firm in New York where she focused her practice on large-scale and complex litigation focused on violations of the federal securities laws.
Stafanou earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan and graduated from Brooklyn Law School. She was recently honored as a Super Lawyers New York Metro "Rising Star."
Published: Mon, Nov 21, 2016
