Legal People

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

Mullen concentrates her practice in business and corporate law. She first joined the firm as a summer associate in 2017. Prior to joining Howard & Howard,  Mullen worked as an appellate intern at the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office and as a law clerk at a mid-sized West Michigan firm.

Mullen received her law degree from Michigan State University College of Law in 2018. She also received an M.B.A. from Michigan State University in 2018 and a B.A. from the University of Michigan in 2013. Mullen is licensed to practice in the State of Michigan.

In addition, Howard & Howard has been named to the 2019 U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” list in the following areas:

Metropolitan Tier 1
Ann Arbor
  • Litigation – Intellectual Property
Troy
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Energy Law
  • Litigation – Intellectual Property
  • Litigation – Patent
  • Patent Law
  • Trademark Law

Metropolitan Tier 2
Ann Arbor
  • Commercial Litigation
Troy
  • Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
  • Labor Law - Management
  • Trusts & Estates Law

Metropolitan Tier 3
Troy
  • Corporate Law

•            •            •

Bodman PLC has again been named a “highly recommended” Michigan law firm for business litigation by the internationally-recognized peer and client review journal Benchmark Litigation 2019.

Benchmark also recognizes individual litigation attorneys as “State Litigation Stars,” “Future Stars,” or as members of its “Under 40 Hot List” of up and coming litigation stars. Bodman attorneys listed in at least one of these categories include Justin P. Bagdady, Sarah L. Cylkowski, Michelle Thurber Czapski, Nathan D. Dupes, George G. Kemsley, Dennis J. Levasseur, Rebecca D’Arcy O’Reilly, Thomas J. Rheaume Jr., Joseph J. Shannon, Thomas J. Tallerico, and Thomas Van Dusen. Overall, Bodman has more attorneys listed in Benchmark 2019 that any other Michigan law firm.

Bodman’s Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution Practice Group attorneys appear before state and federal courts, and also non-judicial forums such as national and international arbitral panels. The group’s expertise spans many industries including accounting, banking and financial services, automotive, insurance, healthcare, manufacturing, real estate and zoning, and construction, among others.

•            •            •

Wolfson Bolton PLLC is pleased to announce that Rachel Walton has joined the firm as an associate attorney.

Walton is a 2018 graduate of the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law.  She earned her Bachelor of Science in Finance from Oakland University.
Prior to joining Wolfson Bolton, she clerked for Oakland County 52nd District Court Judge Joseph G. Fabrizio. She previously worked as an underwriting associate in middle market and private banking for Comerica Bank. Walton is a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute and is involved with Attorneys For Animals.

•            •            •

For the 9th consecutive year, Plunkett Cooney has been ranked as one of the “Best Law Firms” in the nation by U.S. News and Best Lawyers® for 2019.

Four of the firm’s offices received tier-one ratings in multiple practice areas. Receiving a tier designation reflects the high level of respect a firm has earned among other leading lawyers and clients in the same communities and the same practice areas for its scope of practice, understanding of business and needs, expertise, responsiveness, integrity, cost-effectiveness, civility and client reference.

Using a tiered rather than a ranked system, Plunkett Cooney was recognized in the following first- and second-tier metropolitan categories:

Metro Detroit
  —Appellate Practice
  —Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
  —Insurance Law
  —Labor Law - Management
  —Litigation – Construction
  —Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law
  —Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
  —Workers’ Compensation Law - Employers

Kalamazoo
  —Banking and Finance Law

Lansing
  —Litigation – Municipal

•            •            •

Secrest Wardle is proud to announce that four of the firm’s attorneys have been named to the “2019 Top Lawyers in Metro Detroit” list by DBusiness magazine. All four attorneys recognized practice out of Secrest Wardle’s headquarters in Troy.  The recognized attorneys include:

• Thomas J. Azoni, a senior partner at Secrest Wardle. He is a member of the firm’s Construction, General Negligence, Motor Vehicle Litigation, Premises Liability, and Trucking/Commercial Vehicle Litigation Practice Groups. He serves as chair of the General Negligence Practice Group. Azoni has been listed in the Food and Beverage Law and Insurance Law categories.

• Derk W. Beckerleg, an executive partner and managing partner of Secrest Wardle’s Municipal Law Practice Group.  Beckerleg is a member of the Governmental Litigation and Real Estate Practice Groups, of which he also serves as chair. Beckerleg has been listed in the Land Use & Zoning and Municipal Law categories.

• Daniel P. Makarski, a senior partner and member of Secrest Wardle’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Practice Group.  Makarski serves as chair of the Group. He has been listed in the Arbitration and Mediation categories.

• Mark E. Morley, a senior partner and co-managing partner of Secrest Wardle. He is a member of the firm’s Alternative Dispute Resolution, Employment, Insurance Coverage, Malpractice/Professional Liability, Motor Vehicle Litigation, Product Liability, and Trucking/Commercial Vehicle Litigation Practice Groups. He serves as chair of the firm’s Malpractice/Professional Liability Practice Group. Morley has been listed in the Insurance Law category.

•            •            •

Attorneys Courtney Q. Moore and Kayleigh B. Long have joined Hirzel Law PLC in Farmington.

Moore joined Hirzel Law, PLC in October of 2018. Moore focuses her practice on community association law and real estate law. She graduated from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and was admitted to the State Bar of Michigan in 2015. Before joining Hirzel Law PLC, Moore sharpened her trial skills as a Wayne County assistant prosecuting attorney where she independently tried dozens of felony cases. After leaving the Prosecutor’s Office, Moore refined her civil litigation skills a few mid-sized litigation firms before joining Hirzel Law PLC.

Long joined Hirzel Law, PLC as a law clerk before passing the Michigan Bar exam in October 2018.  As an attorney, Long focuses her practice in the areas of appellate law, community association law and civil litigation.

Long obtained her law degree from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in May 2018.