Legal People

Plunkett Cooney

Plunkett Cooney continues the expansion of its insurance coverage, medical litigation and estate planning practice with the addition of attorneys Stephanie A. Martin, Eric T. Ramar, and L. Damon Whitmore.

An associate attorney of Plunkett Cooney’s Bloomfield Hills office, Martin focuses her practice primarily in the area of insurance coverage, representing major property and casualty insurance companies in coverage disputes involving environmental contamination, construction defect and high-exposure product liability claims. She is licensed to practice in Michigan, New York, and New Jersey.

Martin received her law degree from The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law in Washington, D.C. in 2013. She received her undergraduate degree from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York in 2008.

Ramar, who is an associate attorney of the firm’s Detroit office, concentrates his practice primarily in the area of medical malpractice liability. He represents physicians, dentists, hospitals, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, and other healthcare providers in medical malpractice actions throughout Michigan. He also represents healthcare providers in state licensing and regulatory matters.

A former judicial intern for the U.S. District Court Judge Sean Cox, Eastern District of Michigan, Ramar received his law degree from the University of Toledo College of Law in 2013. He received his undergraduate degree from Michigan State University in 2010.

Whitmore, who has more than 24-years of legal experience, rounds out the list of new Plunkett Cooney attorneys. He focuses his practice in the areas of taxation, estate planning, probate and trust administration. A senior attorney at the firm, Whitmore represents clients in contested probate and trust proceedings, as well as guardianships and conservatorship proceedings throughout the state. He is experienced in preparing estate, gift and charitable tax returns, and he represents clients through all stages of audit and settlement compromise before the IRS.

In addition, prior to his legal career, Whitmore served in the U.S. Navy as a cryptologic officer, and he is fluent in Russian. Admitted to practice before state and federal courts in Michigan, Whitmore completed the ICLE Estate Probate and Estate Planning Program and has lectured for the National Business Institute on the topics of estate planning and tax exempt entities. He received his law degree from Wayne State University Law School in 1994 and his undergraduate degree from Western Michigan University in 1984.

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Howard & Howard Attorneys PLLC

Howard & Howard Attorneys PLLC is pleased to announce that Megan J. Parpart has joined the firm. She will practice out of the firm’s Royal Oak office.

Parpart concentrates her practice in the areas of tax law, business transactions, and general corporate matters. Prior to joining Howard & Howard, she was a consultant at a Big 4 public accounting firm where she focused her practice on corporate and pass-through entity taxation as well as large, multinational mergers and acquisitions. She has advised clients in the automotive, manufacturing, and healthcare industries and has experience advising foreign companies on U.S. tax issues.

Parpart also serves as a legal advisor and active member of her family’s second-generation family-owned automotive manufacturing business. She is qualified to address the multitude of business, legal, and tax challenges that come with running a multi-generational, privately-held company.

Parpart earned her law degree from Michigan State University College of Law in 2015. She earned her B.S.B.A. from Southeast Missouri State University in 2011. She is actively involved in the Michigan Women’s Tax Association, Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, and State Bar of Michigan’s Business Law and Taxation Sections. Parpart is licensed to practice in the state of Michigan.

In addition, Howard & Howard has been recognized by the M&A Advisor-sponsored 2018 International M&A Awards as transactional legal counsel to CEC Controls Company (Warren, Mich.) during its acquisition by an affiliate of the John C. Wood Group. (United Kingdom)

Howard & Howard will receive the Professional Services (B-to-B) Deal of the Year Advisors Award at the M&A Advisor’s 10th Annual International M&A Awards ceremony on June 18 at the Princeton Club in New York City.

An independent judging panel of industry experts evaluated nominations from more than 250 deals from around the world – ranging from $10 million to tens of billions.

Established in 1966, CEC is a designer and supplier of industrial process control systems with automotive industry clients including Ford, GM and Fiat Chrysler.

Wood Group is a global provider of automation and control products and services related to manufacturing and process solutions and intelligent operations. The company started in Scotland as a ship repair business in 1912.

The Howard & Howard deal team, which included Joseph J. DeVito, Jeffrey A. Hoover, Joseph P. Michniacki, Jane S. Hahn and others, advised CEC throughout the Wood Group transaction opposite Jones Day. 
“We’re very proud of our entire deal team of attorneys involved in this unique, international M&A transaction,” said DeVito, chairman of Howard & Howard’s Transactional and Mergers & Acquisitions Group. “Joe Michniacki worked tirelessly and demonstrated superior negotiating skill and drafting prowess in bringing home this deal for the client. We truly appreciate this honor and will continue to strive for optimal outcomes on behalf of our clients.”

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Honigman

Honigman is pleased to announce that Carl Herstein, partner in the firm’s Real Estate department, has been elected president of the Michigan Supreme Court Historical Society’s Board of Directors. Herstein was chosen to serve as the 2018-2019 president of the Board of Directors during the Society’s 2018 Annual Luncheon, which took place on April 19.

“I’m honored to serve my colleagues and friends in the Michigan Supreme Court Historical Society,” said Herstein. “The Society’s work is crucial to the development and understanding of Michigan’s role in legal history and I’m proud to lead this wonderful organization in the coming year.”

Herstein joined the Michigan Supreme Court Historical Society in 2000 and has been a member of the Society’s Board of Directors since 2004. He previously served as vice president of the Board of Directors from 2015 until 2018, and was secretary of the Board of Directors from 2006 until 2015.

The Michigan Supreme Court Historical Society was founded in 1988 by (then) Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Dorothy Comstock Riley. The Society collects, preserves and displays documents, records and memorabilia relating to the Michigan Supreme Court and the other Courts of Michigan, promotes the study of the history of Michigan’s courts and seeks to increase public awareness of Michigan’s legal heritage.

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Kerr Russell

Kerr Russell kicks off summer 2018 welcoming new talent on board. On May 14, summer associates Brandi Dobbs, Olivia Hankinson, and Robert Kuhn, along with IT network administrator Rodney Wasmuth began their employment.

Dobbs’ undergraduate degree is from the University of Toledo, and she is attending The University of Michigan Law School.

Hankinson earned her undergraduate degree at Michigan State University and is attending the University of Michigan Law School.

Kuhn completed his undergraduate education at the University of Michigan and is attending law school there as well.

Wasmuth is a veteran of the United States Navy.

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Butzel Long

Butzel Long Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Michelle A. Brown was recently named to Crain’s Detroit Business’ “Notable Women in Finance 2018.” She is among 45 women to receive this recognition.

Brown participates in building a culture that is team-oriented, committed to professional excellence and ensures a high-level of client service. She develops strategic and financial analysis of key performance metrics for presentation to the firm’s Finance Committee and Board of Directors.

Brown also serves as a key advisor and strategic partner to the Finance Committee, Board of Directors and other firm leaders regarding business planning, profitability, growth targets and revenue goals.
She leads the development of annual operating and capital budgets and manages the budgeting and forecasting process. 

Brown also monitors all laws and regulations regarding corporate taxes, current trends and best practices in accounting and financial reporting. She communicates the impact of new developments and regulations and makes appropriate recommendations.

She is a member of the Association of Legal Administrators (National and Detroit Chapters)

Brown earned a Master of Business Administration in 2000 from Walsh College of Accountancy and Business Administration.  She also earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Administration from the University of Michigan School of Management in Dearborn in 1992.

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Oakland County Circuit Court

Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Michael Warren recently addressed the Michigan Association of Law Libraries at their Annual Conference in Waterford about Patriot Week’s National Library Initiative. The Michigan Association of Law Libraries is a chapter of the American Association of Law Libraries which seeks to promote and enhance the value of law libraries to the legal and public community.

Warren explained that Patriot Week’s National Library Initiative provides an opportunity for Americans to increase and enhance their knowledge about the history surrounding the birth of our country. The Initiative focuses on increasing awareness on the history of the Founding Fathers and other historical figures, America’s founding First Principles, key documents and symbols of this country. The National Library Initiative furthers this mission by funding the purchase of history and civics books, and includes displays about Patriot Week at participating libraries. To learn more about this initiative and find participating libraries at www.patriotweek.org/ initiatives.

Patriot Week is a grassroots effort that seeks to renew the spirit of America and reinvigorate the idea of civic duty. Patriot Week is held from September 11th to September 17th every year. The two anchor dates represent historical events that have had a monumental impact on America, the 11th being the day of the terrorist attacks and the 17th which is the anniversary of the signing of the Constitution.

During the presentation, Warren used excerpts and concepts from his book, “America’s Survival Guide, How to Stop America’s Impending Suicide by Reclaiming Our First Principles and History” to provide insight on how our Constitution is the living embodiment of the America’s founding First Principles. In addition, the book explains that by adhering to the Constitution we can uphold the rule of law and protect our unalienable rights. To learn more about the book, visit ?www.americassurvivalguide.com.

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Reiter & Walsh ABC Law Centers

Jesse Reiter, owner of Reiter & Walsh ABC Law Centers, has donated more than $20,000 to be divided equally across six unique programs at Michigan Medicine in an effort to aid those making strides in disability treatment, care, and research. The programs include The Harbaugh Fund, The Child & Family Life Program, The Ataxia Research Fund, The Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Annual Fund, the Reach Out and Read program, and neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) research conducted by Dr. John Barks.

“Kids with disabilities need all of our help. I can’t think of a better way to support children with health needs than to give to the outstanding programs housed within Michigan Medicine,” remarked Reiter.

The Harbaugh Fund provides VR boxes to children at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, which can be used with various smartphone apps to give children an ‘escape’ from the stressors of the hospital environment.
The Ataxia Research Fund provides Michigan Medicine with the means to research treatment strategies for ataxia disorders that are currently largely untreatable. Meanwhile, the Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Fund supports the physical medicine and rehabilitation department.

Dr. John Barks has dedicated his life to the study of neonatal neurology. Barks continues to research HIE and the impact of various factors on neonatal brain injury. His work will lead the way in medical treatment and care of neonatal brain injuries.

Reiter & Walsh ABC Law Centers is thrilled to aid these programs and their advancement. The firm will continue to support the University of Michigan’s medical school and their commitment to disability care, treatment, and research for years to come.

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Sommers Schwartz

Sommers Schwartz PC is pleased and proud to announce that Judith A. Susskind and Dina M. Zalewski have joined the practice.

Over the course of a career spanning more than 30 years, Susskind has successfully represented clients and families in a wide variety of medical malpractice lawsuits, obtaining numerous favorable outcomes for injuries caused by the negligence of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers.

A recognized leader among Michigan’s trial lawyers, she is an executive board member and past president of the Michigan Association for Justice (previously known as the Michigan Trial Lawyers Association), has been inducted into the prestigious, invitation-only American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), and was honored by Michigan Lawyers Weekly as a “Lawyer of the Year” in 2004.

Thomson Reuters named Susskind to the Michigan Super Lawyers list each year since 2006, and in 2015 and 2017, Best Lawyers named her the metropolitan Detroit “Lawyer of the Year” for medical malpractice. She is also active in the Oakland County Bar Association, is a fellow of the Oakland County Bar Foundation, and currently serves on the State Bar of Michigan’s Judicial Qualifications Committee.
Susskind joins Sommers Schwartz as a shareholder.

Zalewski is an associate at the firm, focusing on personal injury and medical malpractice matters.

After she was admitted to the State Bar of Michigan, Zalewski opened her own practice. She later joined a noted civil litigation firm where she helped to obtain several significant outcomes for clients harmed as the result of physician and hospital negligence, spinal cord and brain injuries, motor vehicle accidents, dog bites, premises liability, slip and fall injuries, and wrongful death.

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Williams, Williams, ­Rattner, & Plunkett PC

Williams, Williams, Rattner, & Plunkett PC in Birmingham is pleased to announce that Susan A. Babcock has been elected to partner.

Babcock serves as outside general counsel to businesses, providing advice in corporate, litigation, employment, real estate, estate planning, contract, commercial transactions, and other matters.