Legal People

Butzel Long attorney and shareholder Ira E. Hoffman served as a moderator on a cybersecurity panel during Automation Alley’s Integr8(TM) Summit on Nov. 9 at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center in Detroit.

The global conference was focused on the eight technologies currently disrupting the manufacturing industry.

Hoffman focuses his practice on government contracts, international law, commercial litigation and cybersecurity law and policy. He has more than 30 years’ experience in international contracting, and his cybersecurity practice focuses on liability for security breaches, M&A due diligence, government investigations, and strategies for mitigating cyber risk. Recently, Hoffman was appointed to the CyberUSA Advisory Board.

In addition, Beth S. Gotthelf, attorney, shareholder and director of Innovation and External Relations at Butzel Long, was a featured panelist during a Michigan Association of Environmental Professionals (MAEP) professional development program on Nov. 9 in Howell.
The topic for the program was “Continuing the Conversation on Vapor Intrusion.”

Gotthelf is co-chair of Butzel’s Energy and Sustainability Practice Team as well as chair of the Birmingham Brownfield Redevelopment Authority.

She also is an executive-in-residence with the Macomb-OU INCubator, serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the
Better Business Bureau and is the president of the Michigan Israel Business Bridge, a bi-national chamber of commerce.

She has been very active in bar associations, including in the State Bar of Michigan, Environmental Law Section, where she served as past chair and the American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Natural Resources, Energy and Environmental Law.

Gotthelf was selected as one of 20 influential leaders by Michigan Lawyers Weekly - Women in Law (2010).  She also was named to the Best Lawyers in America, Environmental Law, 2013-2018.

She was named in Michigan Super Lawyers (2006-17) and as one of the “Top 50 Female Michigan Super Lawyers” (2006-2014, 2017).  Gotthelf is listed in DBusiness Top Lawyers in Metro Detroit, Environmental Law, 2011-2017.

Gotthelf has received several awards and special recognitions, including as an emerging leader by the Detroit Regional Chamber (2003); the National Association of Metal Finishers (2002); Corp! Magazine as one of “Michigan’s 95 Most Powerful Women” (2002); Corp! Magazine’s “Top 10 Business Attorneys for Southeast Michigan” (1999); and Crain’s Detroit Business’ 40 Under 40 in 1994. 

She is a graduate of the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and Oakland University. In 2009, Gotthelf received an Oakland University Distinguished Alumni Award. 

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Foster Swift attorney Alicia W. Birach has been named an Up and Coming Lawyer for 2017 by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.

A Central Michigan University and Wayne State University Law School graduate, Birach is a member of the Employer Services Practice Group and practices out of Foster Swift’s Southfield office. She has experience representing insurance carriers, third party administrators and employers against workers’ compensation claims. Additionally, she is also experienced in counseling employers on labor and employment issues.

This year’s Up and Coming Lawyers ceremony luncheon will take place at the Detroit Marriott in Troy on December 7. With Birach receiving this award marks the third year in a row that a Foster Swift attorney has been named an Up and Coming Lawyer. Current Foster Swift attorneys Alexander Ayar and Jonathan Schwartz each received the same honor in 2016 and 2015 respectively.

In addition, Foster Swift was included in the 2018 U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” list as a Tier 1 Law firm in 25 practice areas. Foster Swift’s Lansing office was awarded 20 Tier 1 ranked practice areas, with three more Tier 1 rankings going to their Grand Rapids office and two for the Southfield office.

To be considered for inclusion on the list, law firms must have at least one lawyer who is included in Best Lawyers in that particular practice area and metro area—Foster Swift had 46 lawyers named Best Lawyers for 2018.

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Dinsmore & Shohl LLP has earned top honors in the latest edition of U.S. News - Best Lawyers 2018 “Best Law Firms” rankings.

Dinsmore received six tier 1 national listings for Commercial Litigation, Corporate, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants, Mining Law, Natural Resources Law and Public Finance Law. The firm also received 118 first-tier metropolitan listings.

Dinsmore’s Detroit office received a Metropolitan Tier 1 ranking for Patent Law, and a Tier 2 ranking for Litigation – Intellectual Property.

To compile the “Best Law Firms” rankings, researchers conducted surveys and reviewed information provided by firms during the application process. A firm also must have at least one attorney named to Best Lawyers in America© to be considered in the “Best Law Firms” list, and Dinsmore has 191 attorneys in the 2018 edition of Best Lawyers in America©. Dinsmore also has 26 attorneys named “Best Lawyers 2018 Lawyer of the Year.”

Dinsmore received 22 national rankings and 195 metropolitan rankings in the 2018 “Best Law Firms” list. The 2018 rankings are based on the highest number of participating firms and highest number of client ballots on record.

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Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy, & Sadler PLC announced that member John Mucha spoke at the Michigan Defense Trial Counsel (MDTC) Winter Meeting. Managing Member Ed Dawda made the announcement.

The MDTC Winter Meeting took place on November 10 at the Sheraton Detroit Novi Hotel in Novi. This year’s theme was “Law Practice, The Next Generation: Navigating Emerging Trends Changing the Practice of Law.”

Mucha joined a panel of three other attorneys to discuss ways to overcome the disconnect between younger and more seasoned attorneys, and what both groups can learn from each other to improve the ways they practice.

Mucha concentrates his practice in the areas of general civil litigation and land use matters, including commercial, construction, real property, tort and non-compete matters. His litigation experience includes breach of a wide variety of contract disputes and claims involving the sale and leasing of real property. Mucha also represents employers and executives in matters concerning confidentiality agreements and non-compete issues.

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U.S. News & World Report, in association with The Best Lawyers in America, has named Bodman PLC to its 2018 “Best Law Firms” list in multiple practice areas both in the local southeast Michigan market and nationally. 

Bodman PLC has been ranked in the 2018 U.S. News - Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” list nationally in four practice areas and regionally in 38 practice areas.

U.S. News ranked Bodman as a leader in the following areas:

Nationally: 
• Banking and Finance Law
• Bankruptcy & Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Corporate Law
• Environmental Law

Detroit Market: 
• Banking and Finance Law
• Bankruptcy & Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Commercial Litigation
• Corporate Law
• Environmental Law
• Health Care Law
• Litigation-Banking & Finance
• Litigation-Bankruptcy
• Litigation-Environmental
• Litigation- Intellectual Property
• Litigation-Trusts & Estates
• Non-Profit/Charities Law
• Real Estate Law
• Trusts & Estates Law

Troy Market:
• Banking and Finance Law
• Commercial Litigation
• Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• Employment Law-Management
• Labor Law-Management
• Litigation-Banking & Finance
• Litigation-Real Estate
• Litigation-Trusts & Estates
• Municipal Law
• Real Estate Law
• Securities/Capital Markets Law

In addition, Detroit-based business publication DBusiness Magazine has named 65 Bodman attorneys to its 2018 “Top Lawyers” list.
Bodman attorneys were recognized in 32 different practice areas.  The listed Bodman lawyers appear below by practice area.

—Appellate Law
Thomas P. Bruetsch
James J. Walsh

—Arbitration
Thomas J. Tallerico

—Banking and Financial Services Law
David C. Bosman
Barbara A. Bowman
Daniel J. Canine
Robert J. Diehl, Jr
Scott P. Gyorke
Kathleen O’Callaghan Hickey
Joseph J. Kochanek
Larry R. Shulman
Wendy L. Zabriskie

—Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights Law
Marc M. Bakst
Robert J. Diehl, Jr.
Ralph E. McDowell
Jaimee L. Witten

—Commercial Law
Courtland W. Anderson
Gene P. Bowen
Mark W. Peters
David C. Stone

—Construction Law
Harvey W. Berman

—Copyright Law
Susan M. Kornfield
Michael J. Serra

—Corporate Law
Gene P. Bowen
Timothy R. Damschroder
Forrest O. Dillon
Carrie Leahy
David C. Stone

—Employee Benefits Law
Rebecca D’Arcy O’Reilly
Charles M. Russman
David B. Walters

—Environmental Law
Fredrick J. Dindoffer
Nathan D. Dupes

—Food and Beverage Law
G. Christopher Bernard

—Franchise Law
Courtland W. Anderson

—Health Care Law
Brandon M. Dalziel
E. William S. Shipman

—Information Technology Law
Andrew J. Schuster

—Insurance Law
Michelle Thurber Czapski

—Labor and Employment Law
John C. Cashen
Aaron D. Graves
Christopher P. Mazzoli
Karen L. Piper
Maureen Rouse-Ayoub

—Land Use and Zoning
Sandra Sorini-Elser

—Legal Malpractice Law
George G. Kemsley

—Litigation-Banking and Finance
J. Adam Behrendt
Thomas P. Bruetsch
Joseph J. Shannon   
Thomas J. Tallerico   

—Litigation-Commercial
Dennis J. Levasseur
Jeffrey G. Raphelson
Joseph J. Shannon
Thomas J. Tallerico

—Litigation-Insurance
Michelle Thurber Czapski
Jason R. Gourley
Thomas Van Dusen

—Litigation-Intellectual Property
Susan M. Kornfield

—Litigation-Real Estate
Michelle Thurber Czapski
Jason R. Gourley
Thomas Van Dusen

—Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Gene P. Bowen
Timothy R. Damschroder
Laurence B. Deitch
Forrest O. Dillon

—Municipal Law
Barbara A. Bowman
Dennis J. Levasseur

—Nonprofit/Charities Law
Celeste E. Arduino
Christopher J. Dine
Joseph J. Kochanek

—Public Finance Law
Carl F. Stafford

—Real Estate Law
Timothy P. Bliss
Gregory J. Gamalski
Nicholas P. Scavone
Sandra Sorini Elser
Andrew Z. Spilkin

—Securities Law
Barbara A. Bowman
Mark W. Peters

—Tax Law
Michael M. Antovski
Jerrold M. Bigelman
Anthony P. Cracchiolo
Andrew H. Curoe
Christopher J. Dine

—Trade Secrets
Susan M. Kornfield

—Trusts and Estates
Anthony P. Cracchiolo
Andrew H. Curoe
David M. Hempstead
David P. Larsen
Marguerite Munson Lentz

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Lori K. Smith has joined the family practice group at the Birmingham law firm of Lippitt, O’Keefe, Gornbein PLLC.

Smith has experience in all aspects of family law, including divorce, child custody, child- and spousal-support and termination of parental rights, as well as changes in domicile and modifications to child-custody and support agreements.

A member of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan, she has received the Super Lawyers Rising Star Award in each of the past five years and has been named to the National Academy of Family Law Attorneys Top 10 Under 40 list in Michigan for the past four years.

Smith is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, serves as a director of the Macomb County Bar Association and is the president of the Macomb County Bar Foundation.

Smith serves on the advisory board of the Capuchin Soup Kitchen’s Jefferson House; is treasurer of the Friends of Macomb County Veteran’s Treatment Court; and serves as an Ambassador for CARE of Southeastern Michigan. Prior to joining Lippitt, O’Keefe, Gornbein, Smith had worked at the American Divorce Association for Men (ADAM).

She is a graduate of Western Michigan University Cooley Law School where she attended classes on the school’s Lansing and Auburn Hills campuses. She also earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Walsh College in Troy.

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Michelle R.E. Donovan, a partner at Plunkett Cooney was recently appointed to the position of Macomb County public administrator.
Public administrators (PAs) are appointed pursuant to Michigan Act 194 of 1947, specifically MCL 720.201. Michigan State Public Administrator and Assistant Attorney General Michael Moody appointed Donovan to the position.

“This is a great opportunity to engage in public service and to give back to my community,” said Donovan, who is a resident of New Baltimore in Macomb County. “I’m grateful for this appointment, and I look forward to applying my probate and real estate law experience to benefit Macomb County residents.”

A graduate of Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, Donovan has experience in all facets of probate law, including trust and estate administration, guardianship and conservatorships.

In addition, her practice also focuses on all aspects of real estate and general civil litigation, which complement her duties as a public administrator.

As public administrator, she will serve in a number of court appointed positions, including personal representative of decedents’ estates, guardian and conservator of mentally incapacitated individuals and other special fiduciary positions as determined necessary by the Macomb County Probate Court.

Donovan was appointed to the American Indian Law Committee of the State Bar of Michigan. In addition, she is a member of the Macomb County Bar Association, Macomb County Probate Bar Association, Wayne County Probate Bar Association and the Italian American Bar Association.

Admitted to practice in the state and federal courts in Michigan, Donovan is also admitted to practice in the U.S. Supreme Court. She received her undergraduate degree in 1991 from the University of Detroit.

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Southfield law firm, Maddin, Hauser, Roth, & Heller PC announced that 10 of its attorneys have been recognized in DBusiness Magazine’s list of 2018 Top Lawyers.

The recipients and respective categories in which they were honored include:

• Jonathan B. Frank, of counsel; Litigation-Intellectual Property

• David E. Hart, shareholder, Executive Committee member and co-chair of Consumer Finance/Regulatory Compliance and Real Property Litigation Group; Litigation-Real Estate

• Mark R. Hauser, firm 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; Legal Malpractice Law

• Evan H. Kaploe, shareholder; Tax Law

• Robert D. Kaplow, shareholder; Trusts and Estates

• Charles M. Lax, shareholder; Employee Benefits Law

• James M. Reid IV, shareholder; Labor and Employment Law

• David M. Saperstein, shareholder; Legal Malpractice Law

• Steven M. Wolock, shareholder; Legal Malpractice Law

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Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer, & Weiss PC recently hired Nicole Meisner as an associate to further strengthen the firm’s electronic payments practice.

In her new position, Meisner counsels and advises a wide range of financial institutions and service companies on the complex and rapidly changing electronic payments business.

She concentrates her practice on payments compliance and contractual issues involving money transmitters, payment facilitators, mobile application payment providers, independent sales organizations, sponsorship and licensing agreements, and agent bank and association contracts.

Before joining Jaffe, Meisner practiced in Florida, where she focused her practice on anti-money laundering and financial services compliance, money transmission compliance and regulatory enforcement matters.

Meisner earned a law degree from Nova Southeastern University, a Master of Business Administration degree for Financial Services Professionals from the University of Tennessee at Martin, and a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from Florida Atlantic University.

She is a certified Financial Crime Specialist through the Association of Certified Financial Crime Specialists (ACFCS) and participates in a number of industry-related organizations, including the Money Services Business Association (MSBA). She was named to the Florida Super Lawyers Rising Stars list in 2016 and 2017.

In addition, Jaffe Raitt has been ranked in the 2018 U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” list. The honored firms, ranked in tiers, are listed on a national and/or metropolitan scale. In the 2018 list, Jaffe was named nationally in one practice area and locally in 24 practice areas, including:

National Tier 3
• Corporate Law

Metropolitan Tier 1
Detroit
• Corporate Law
• Immigration Law
• Information Technology Law
• Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Real Estate Law
• Tax Law
• Trusts and Estates Law

Metropolitan Tier 2
Detroit
• Appellate Practice
• Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law
• Commercial Litigation
• Criminal Defense: White Collar
• Insurance Law
• Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Litigation – Construction
• Litigation – Environmental
• Litigation – Real Estate
• Public Finance Law
• Securities/Capital Markets Law

Metropolitan Tier 3
Detroit
• Banking and Finance Law
• Litigation – Banking and Finance
• Securities Regulation

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Dykema recently announced the addition of Robert C. Shrosbree to its Corporate Finance practice group as a member in the firm’s Detroit office. Shrosbree, who was previously an associate at Dykema from 1987-1991 after graduating from law school, returns to the firm after spending the past decade in-house at General Motors as its executive director, lead counsel federal oversight and acting corporate secretary.

In his role with General Motors, Shrosbree supervised the legal staff’s Securities and Transactions Practice Group and advised the Board of Directors and executive officers on corporate and securities law matters. In addition to serving as GM’s acting corporate secretary, he also oversaw the legal staffs of GM’s Finance Company and its Asset Management Company. Shrosbree was the lead attorney on all of the parent company’s securities transactions, including a $23 billion initial public offering; a $26 billion bond exchange transaction; and multiple billion dollar bond offerings and commercial financing transactions.

Prior to his time with GM, Shrosbree also served as assistant general counsel at Consumers Energy—leading the Legal Department’s Securities Group—and was previously a vice president in the corporate section of Comerica Incorporated’s Legal Department.
Shrosbree earned a law degree from the Ohio State University, Moritz College of Law and a B.B.A. from the University of Michigan, Ross School of Business Administration.