Legal People

R. Christopher Cataldo, partner at Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer, & Weiss, spoke at the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants (MICPA) Anti-Fraud Issues or Litigation & Business Valuation or Mergers & Acquisitions Conference. Jaffe CEO William Sider made the announcement.

The conference took place at the Michigan State University Management Education Center in Troy on Tuesday, May 23. Cataldo spoke at the Nite Owl session titled “Shareholder and Member Oppression Litigation-The Role of Business Valuation and the Determination of Fair Value.” The MICPA conference featured CPAs and specialists in fraud detection and prevention, litigation support, business valuation, and mergers and acquisitions.

A practitioner of litigation and privacy & datasecurity, Cataldo specializes in complex commercial litigation matters, including shareholder and partnership disputes, trade secret and copyright litigation, non-competition agreements, commercial transactions and general contract disputes. Cataldo also regularly provides advice and representation to a variety of public and privately held corporations and businesses, as well as individuals. He has extensive experience in federal and state courts, as well as arbitration and mediation proceedings.

Cataldo earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and his law degree from Wayne State University Law School.

•            •            •

Southfield law firm Maddin, Hauser, Roth, & Heller PC is pleased to announce that the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit has honored shareholder John E. Jacobs with the William Davidson Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Jewish Federation serves the needs of people at every age and stage of life in the Jewish community of Metropolitan Detroit, in Israel and around the world. Several years ago, it established its lifetime achievement award to pay tribute to those individuals who have demonstrated a deep and lasting commitment to service to the Jewish community. The award honors men and women who have shown a sincere dedication to Jewish life, as demonstrated by the longevity of their work, the range of their service and the leadership roles they have assumed.

The announcement of Jacobs’ award was made by firm President and CEO Steven D. Sallen.

Jacobs specializes in real estate and other commercial transactions, including the purchase and sale of companies, residential mortgage banking, and finance. He also represents the Michigan Mortgage Lender’s Association. Jacobs has negotiated and drafted several laws in the State of Michigan and has lectured at professional seminars on real estate, consumer law, and residential mortgage lending. He also taught Consumer Credit Regulation at Wayne State University Law School and he has been the president of three non-profit organizations.

Jacobs has been selected by his peers for inclusion in the annual edition of Best Lawyers in America® since 2009 in the areas of corporate law and real estate law. He has also been named as a Top Lawyer by DBusiness Magazine.

•            •            •

Plunkett Cooney recently added more horse power to its growing motor vehicle liability practice with the addition of attorney Scott Malott.

Malott is a member of the firm’s Transportation Law Practice group, which is focused on the defense of litigation involving first- and third-party auto and trucking liability claims. A member of Plunkett Cooney’s Bloomfield Hills office, Malott has particular expertise in investigating and defending questionable claims submitted to insurance providers, including those exhibiting one or more indicators of potential fraud, as identified by the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

In addition, Malott employs an aggressive motion practice to resolve claims prior to trial. As panel counsel for several leading insurance providers, he has successfully defended numerous cases involving Personal Injury Protection (PIP) claims, including cases involving alleged catastrophic injuries. His practice also includes expertise in the areas of premises liability and property claims related to theft and damage.

A 2011 graduate of Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, Malott also earned his bachelor of business administration degree in 2004 from Western Michigan University’s Haworth College of Business.
Admitted to practice in Michigan’s state and federal courts, Malott is a member of the Oakland County Bar Association, the State Bar of Michigan, and the American Inns of Court.

•            •            •

The Oakland County Bar Foundation (OCBF) presented its 18th Annual Signature Event on April 28 at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills. The evening included drinks, a strolling dinner, and networking opportunities with colleagues. Numerous Oakland County Circuit Court judges, as well as Michigan Supreme Court justices and Michigan Court of Appeals judges made an appearance. The OCBF partners with the Oakland County Bar Association in a collaborative effort to improve access to the legal system for law professionals and the citizens of Oakland County.

Secrest Wardle acted as a Bronze sponsor of the Signature Event. Representing Secrest Wardle, from the firm’s Troy location, were Derk Beckerleg, executive partner and managing partner of the Municipal Law Practice Group, and Executive Partner Margaret Scott.

The Signature Event recognizes the efforts of the OCBF and serves as the Foundation’s only fundraising event. Proceeds from the Signature Event allow the Foundation to fund the programs of many worthy organizations such as Lakeshore Legal Aid, University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, Beaumont Foundation, HAVEN, RESTORE Foundation and the Oakland County Bar Association, among others.

•            •            •

Dickinson Wright PLLC is pleased to announce that the firm has been recognized for its intellectual property expertise and three attorneys in Michigan were named 2017 IP Stars by Managing Intellectual Property.

In Michigan, the firm’s Patent Filing and Prosecution practice received a “Highly Recommended” rating and the Trademark practice received a “Recommended” rating. In addition to the firm’s rankings, attorneys
John S. Artz, William H. Honaker, and Daniel D. Quick were selected to the 2017 IP Stars.

John S. Artz is a member in the firm’s Troy office and is ranked as an IP Star for Patent and Trademark. He has been lead counsel for many companies in intellectual property and commercial litigation matters.

He is co-chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property Litigation practice and focuses on patent, trade secret, trademark and copyright litigation. He also actively counsels clients on patent and trademark prosecution as well as clearance matters.

Artz is a past president of the Michigan Intellectual Property Law Association and is currently co-chair of the Intellectual Property Section of the Federal Bar Association for the Eastern District of Michigan.

William H. Honaker is a member in the firm’s Troy office and is ranked as an IP Star for Patent and Trademark. He has knowledge and expertise in all aspects of patent, trademark, trade secret and copyright matters including litigation in a broad range of technologies/industries.

He evaluates patents, trademarks, and copyrights on behalf of clients along with advising clients on the protection of inventions, trademarks and copyrightable subject matter.

Honaker is the former chairman of the State Bar of Michigan’s Intellectual Property Law Section and is a member of the American Intellectual Property Law Association and the International Trademark Association.

Daniel D. Quick is the Practice Department manager for the firm’s Commercial Litigation, Antitrust & Trade Regulation, and Alternative Dispute Resolution Practice Groups and is a member in the firm’s Troy office.

He is ranked as an IP Star for Trademark. He served as lead counsel for Universal Music Group and related entities and associated artists in copyright litigation, commercial disputes and defamation actions in several states. He also served as lead counsel in a variety of other copyright, trade secret and patent litigation matters.

Quick is the former chair of the American Bar Association’s Intellectual Property Litigation Committee and is currently the chair of the Intellectual Property Subcommittee of the Commercial & Business Litigation Committee.

•            •            •

The law firm of Dean & Fulkerson is pleased to announce that Thomas P. Christy has joined the firm as a shareholder in its Troy office. He was previously a shareholder at Garan Lucow Miller in its Troy office.

Christy’s practice focuses on representing closely held businesses and financial institutions. He has represented clients in courts throughout Michigan and Ohio in cases including contract disputes, business tort cases, shareholder/partner disputes, real estate litigation, and property tax appeals. He also has experience in litigation affecting mortgage servicers. In addition, Christy has represented clients in a wide variety of transactions, including business formation, contract negotiation, mergers and acquisitions, and real estate agreements and development.

Christy earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Michigan, and his law degree at the University of Cincinnati.

•            •            •

Professor Khaled Beydoun is the recipient of the 2017 James T. Barnes Sr. Memorial Faculty Scholar Award at University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. This award, named in honor of alumnus James T. Barnes Sr. of the class of 1940, recognizes a faculty member’s outstanding scholarship, teaching excellence, and public service.

Beydoun is a prolific scholar who works tirelessly to make his scholarship accessible to those adversely impacted by our country’s policies towards immigrant and Muslim communities. He has gained an international audience through frequent media commentary and his social media feeds.

Beydoun teaches U.S. Constitutional Law, Civil Rights, and Torts at Detroit Mercy Law. He previously served on the UCLA School of Law faculty, and currently serves as affiliated faculty with the UC-Berkeley Islamophobia Research & Documentation Project. Beydoun has experience as an attorney, working within the realm of civil rights, criminal defense, and international law practice.

This academic year Beydoun had three articles published: “Reverse Passing,” UCLA Law; “Between Islamophobia, Indigence, and Erasure Poor and Muslim in ‘War on Terror’ America,” California Law Review; and “Islamophobia: Toward A Legal Definition and Framework,” Columbia Law Review Online; and two additional articles have been accepted for publication by the Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review and the Michigan Journal of Race and Law.

Beydoun had 27 speaking engagements this year, from law school presentations at Harvard Law (twice), Duke Law, Iowa Law, USC Law, and Berkeley Law to community talks in Toronto, Washington, D.C., the Bay Area, and Detroit.

A native of Detroit, Beydoun earned his B.A. from the University of Michigan and his law degrees from UCLA School of Law and the University of Toronto Faculty of Law.

•            •            •

Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Shalina D. Kumar is the recipient of this year’s Michigan Association for Justice Judicial Excellence Award. MAJ Past-President Ven Johnson presented Kumar with the award at the organization’s 72nd Annual Banquet May 13 in Detroit. 

Kumar, appointed by Governor Jennifer Granholm to the Oakland County Circuit Court in 2007 and elected to retain the position in 2008 and 2014, said the award was “one of the largest honors” of her career.

She serves in the general civil and criminal division, as well as the Oakland County Adult Treatment Court. Prior to taking the bench, Kumar had trial experience as an associate with Weiner & Cox PLC specializing in complex civil litigation, medical malpractice, and wrongful death actions.

Kumar graduated from the University of Detroit-Mercy School of Law and from the University of Michigan with a B.A. in psychology. She is chairperson of the Oakland County Criminal Assignment Committee, the bench liaison to the Oakland County Bar Association Circuit Court Committee, and a member of the Michigan Judges Association Executive Committee. Kumar is also a member of the State Bar of Michigan, Federal Bar Association, Oakland County Bar Association, and the Michigan Association for Justice.