Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is being honored by the Consumer Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan for her decisive actions on multiple consumer issues facing Michigan including: out-of-state racketeers illegal vehicle loans, clergy abuse investigation, crackdown on illegal robo-calls, and price-fixing complaints.
The Frank J. Kelley Consumer Advocacy Award, named for the state's long-serving attorney general, is given by the State Bar's Consumer Law Section Council to individuals for extraordinary consumer advocacy.
The award will be presented at the section's Annual Meeting on Sept. 25 at 1 p.m. on the 9th Floor Room 911 of the Cooley Law Center Building - WMU Cooley Lansing Campus, 300 S. Capitol Avenue. Nessel is expected to make a short speech after the award presentation, followed by a panel discussion on student loan litigation.
The Kelley award is presented in alternate years to attorneys or recipients often chosen from the fields of journalism or education. In 2018, Ted Roelofs was honored by the State Bar of Michigan for his reporting on the pitfalls of reverse mortgages marketed to seniors.
Nessel, the current attorney general for the State of Michigan, honed her skills with the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office before starting her practice as a defender of constitutional rights and the rights of indigent defendants. She is regarded as a premier litigator of LGBTQ issues, having challenged Michigan's bans on adoption and marriage for same-sex couples with DeBoer v. Snyder; the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.
Nessel founded the Fair Michigan Foundation and, with the Wayne County prosecutor, created the Fair Michigan Justice Project to prosecute hate crimes. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Wayne State University Law School.
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Detroit-based management side labor and employment law firm Nemeth Law PC is pleased to announce that it has been named one of Metropolitan Detroit's 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For®. This is the eighteenth time Nemeth Law has received the award. All award winners will be honored at an event on Tuesday, Oct. 22, at The Henry in Dearborn.
Patricia Nemeth, founder of Nemeth Law PC, says the 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For® recognition reinforces the firm's longstanding commitment to its employees.
"The 101 Best and Brightest award continues to be a favorite. As attorneys working with employers on human resource matters, it is important that we put best practices in place in our own firm first and always aim to be an employer of choice," Nemeth said.
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Dinsmore & Shohl LLP has added Matthew D. Epstein to its Troy office and will practice out of the intellectual property department. Epstein joins Dinsmore from LeClairRyan, where he worked as a patent attorney preparing and prosecuting both domestic and foreign patent applications in electro-mechanical and optical technical areas.
Epstein is a member of the Intellectual Property Owner's Association as well as Michigan's Pro Bono Patent Project. He received his law degree from Michigan State University College of Law.
In addition, Dinsmore & Shohl LLP is pleased to announce John D. Mackewich has been named to the 2020 Leadership Detroit class. The class showcases 70 leaders across Southeast Michigan who aim to create awareness and bring positive change to their communities.
At Dinsmore, Mackewich represents domestic and international companies and individuals in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, corporate transactions, debt and equity financing, franchising, business structures and relationships, securities and venture capital. He has experience with public company securities compliance, including SEC periodic reporting, proxy materials, registration issues, public disclosure issues and corporate governance.
Mackewich earned his law degree from the University of Toledo College of Law. He has been a Michigan Super Lawyers Rising Star for the past three years.
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Dickinson Wright PLLC is pleased to announce that Andrew MacLeod has been named president of the Association for Corporate Growth - Detroit Chapter.
MacLeod is a member in the firm's Detroit office. He focuses his practice on private equity, mergers & acquisitions, corporate law and taxation. He is counsel to private equity firms in the acquisition, divestiture and financing of portfolio companies and also serves as outside general counsel to portfolio companies in relation to their ongoing legal affairs and "add-on" acquisitions. He also serves as counsel to various publicly and privately owned companies in numerous merger and acquisition transactions, including LBO's, MBO's, recapitalization and divestiture transactions.
MacLeod is a member of the State Bar of Michigan and the Metropolitan Detroit Bar Association. Before being named president, he served as co-chair of the Programming Committee for ACG Detroit. He is recognized as a leader in his field by Chambers USA, Best Lawyers in America, and The Legal 500.
MacLeod received his B.A. from the University of Michigan and his law degrees Wayne State University Law School.
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Maddin, Hauser, Roth, & Heller PC is pleased to announce that 14 of its attorneys have been selected to the 2019 Michigan Super Lawyers® list.
The following is a list of the Maddin Hauser attorneys named to the 2019 Michigan Super Lawyers® (name, title, practice area and years selected):
Earle I. Erman, shareholder; Bankruptcy: Business (2006-2019)
David E. Hart, shareholder, Executive Committee member and co-chair of Financial Services and Real Property Litigation Group; Business Litigation (2007-2019)
Mark R. Hauser, firm co-founder, CFO and Executive Committee member; Real Estate (2007-2019)
Harvey R. Heller, shareholder, Executive Committee member and chairman of Defense and Insurance Coverage Practice Group; Professional Liability: Defense (2006-2019)
Kathleen H. Klaus, shareholder; Professional Liability: Defense (2013-2019)
Charles M. Lax, shareholder; Employee Benefits (2006-2019)
Richard F. Roth, shareholder; Business and Corporate (2007-2013, 2015-2019)
Steven D. Sallen, president, CEO, Executive Committee member, and co-chairman of Real Estate Practice Group; Real Estate (2010-2013, 2019)
Julie Beth Teicher, shareholder; Bankruptcy: Business (2010-2019)
Stewart C.W. Weiner, shareholder; Family Law (2017-2019)
Steven M. Wolock, shareholder; Professional Liability: Defense (2007-2019)
Additionally, three attorneys were named to the 2019 Michigan Rising Stars List:
Kaitlin A. Brown, shareholder; Employment and Labor (2014-2019)
R.J. Cronkhite, shareholder; Business Litigation (2014-2019)
James M. Reid IV, shareholder, Executive Committee member, and co-chairman of Corporate/Employment Practice Group; Employment and Labor (2015-2019)
In addition, Maddin Hauser and two of its attorneys have been recognized in Chambers USA in the area of Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation.
The announcement was made by firm President and CEO Steven D. Sallen.
Chambers USA stated that Maddin Hauser is known for retaining "a strong reputation in the market for handling matters relating to various types of medical plans, qualified retirement plans and executive compensation arrangements," for routinely counseling "on related tax implications, corporate transactions and estate planning matters," and specializing "in assisting clients with the design, installation and termination of qualified retirement plans."
Shareholders Charles M. Lax, first ranked in 2009, and Marc S. Wise, first ranked in 2013, were recognized by Chambers USA in the Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation practice area for the following:
-Lax has been noted by Chambers USA as being "considered a leading light in the state's employee benefits legal market" and being "particularly well-versed in retirement plan issues, while also advising on related tax and corporate law matters."
-Wise has been noted by Chambers USA as being "a respected employee benefits lawyer who offers notable expertise in health and welfare benefit plans" and for acting "for a broad spectrum of major corporates and emerging businesses."
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The Michigan Supreme Court has appointed Michael V. Goetz to the position of grievance administrator for the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission (AGC). Goetz will oversee the prosecutorial and educational functions of the AGC. The appointment is effective September 23.
Goetz received a bachelor's degree from Michigan State University in 1983 and a law degree from Detroit College of Law in 1988. He most recently worked in the Michigan Office of the Attorney General, serving as senior assistant attorney general in the Criminal Division's Drug Interdiction Unit for six years. In addition to more than 30 years of experience in prosecution at the state and county levels, Goetz also currently serves his community as an emergency medical technician-firefighter for the Orion Township Fire Department.
The Attorney Grievance Commission is the investigative and prosecutorial arm of the Michigan Supreme Court for allegations of attorney misconduct. The AGC has jurisdiction over all attorneys licensed to practice law by the State Bar of Michigan and attorneys otherwise permitted to practice law in the state of Michigan. The AGC strives to maintain and promote the integrity of the Bar and to protect the public, the courts, and the legal profession.
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Jennifer Lord, a Royal Oak civil and employment rights attorney, will be a featured speaker at the AI Now 2019 Symposium scheduled for October 2 at NYU Skirball Center in New York City.
Themed as "The Growing Pushback Against Harmful AI," the symposium will feature leading attorneys, organizers, scholars and tech workers who've engaged creative strategies to combat exploitative AI systems. The speakers will discuss their experiences with faulty, discriminatory and biased AI systems in a wide range of human contexts and settings, including automated allocation of social services, policing and border control and worker surveillance and exploitation.
Lord's presentation will examine the harm inflicted on the more than 40,000 Michigan residents who were falsely accused of benefits fraud by a flawed, AI-based administrative program. The highly automated system, which was installed to reduce headcount and increase accuracy and efficiency, rendered serious accusations and assessed huge fines and penalties without human input or oversight.
Lord, a partner with Pitt, McGehee, Palmer, & Rivers in Royal Oak, has served as lead counsel for the thousands of falsely accused claimants in a class action lawsuit filed against the State of Michigan.
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Michigan Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth T. Clement has received the 2019 "Harold V. Froehlich Award for Judicial Courage" from the American Judges Association (AJA). The award honors a judge or justice who makes impartial judgments based on the rule of law. Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Bridget M. McCormack, who nominated Justice Clement back in March, also presented the award to her during the AJA Annual Conference.
In her nomination letter, McCormack cited Clement's "unparalleled courage" while serving on the Michigan Supreme Court. She also noted that Clement has exemplified what it means to have an "independent judiciary that is free from political pressure" and that her achievements have "set the bar high" for judges in Michigan and across the nation.
"Justice Clement has been courageous in her independence and fearless in making decisions that follow the law and our state constitution," said McCormack. "In the face of intense pressure, Justice Clement consistently stood her ground and did not waver. This award will memorialize her bravery and make her example one for colleagues nationwide to follow."
Since its inception in 2013, the Froehlich Award annually recognizes the highest level of judicial courage in the service of justice. The award was named for former Wisconsin state legislator and congressman, Harold Froehlich, who later served as circuit court judge in Wisconsin until his retirement in 2011.
The American Judges Association's aim is to promote and improve the effective administration of justice; to maintain the status and independence of the judiciary; to provide a forum for the continuing education of its members and the general public; and for the exchange of new ideas among all judges.
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Brooks Kushman is pleased to announce shareholder Linda Mettes has been appointed chief diversity officer of the firm. In her role, Mettes will be responsible for overseeing and the strategic planning of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in both the Detroit and Los Angeles offices. She will focus her efforts on expanding Brooks Kushman`s involvement in DEI associations, pipeline initiatives, and community outreach programs, in addition to hiring, mentoring, and promoting diverse professionals - so that Brooks Kushman can continue to be a leader in the DEI space.
Mettes will succeed Sangeeta Shah, who served as the chief diversity officer since 2011 and was appointed as CEO of the firm in January 2019.
Since joining Brooks Kushman in 2013, Mettes has been actively involved with the firm's DEI efforts. Internally, she has worked alongside practice group leaders to set diversity, mentoring, and recruiting standards, and has been dedicated to supporting and guiding litigation associates in the firm. She is also heavily involved with many national organizations, including as a fellow and city lead with the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD), as a part of the Women's Leadership Network with the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, and as a part of the Women in IP Committee with the Intellectual Property Owner's Association (IPO).
According to Mettes, meaningful progress towards a more diverse, equitable and inclusive legal industry is possible with a shift in mindset. "Diversity can no longer be looked at as a numbers game in our profession. To make meaningful progress and help people reach their full potential, we must foster an inclusive culture in our organizations and our community at large. I believe that it is important for Brooks Kushman to serve as an agent for change, and I look forward to working with the firm to further our diversity initiatives and make a difference in my community."
With Mettes as the new chief diversity officer, Brooks Kushman will expand ongoing diversity initiatives and continue community outreach and volunteering with local non-profit organizations. The firm currently supports organizations such as Detroit Cristo Rey, Alternatives for Girls, TutorMate, the Girl Scouts of Southeast Michigan, and more.
The firm will also continue its involvement in the legal community through partnerships and relationships with key local, national, and international organizations, including the Corporate Counsel Women of Color (CCWC), the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD), diversity and women focused bar associations, and ChIPs. The firm is also proud to continue its relationships with organizations like the Intellectual Property Owner's Association (IPO) and the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) to support their women-focused committees and events.
Mettes is a registered patent attorney and focuses her practice on intellectual property litigation, as well as inter partes reviews. She has handled cases in federal courts across the country in a wide array of technologies, including mechanical, electrical, chemical and pharmaceutical, and was named by Michigan Lawyers Weekly as a 2018 "Women in the Law." With nearly 25 years of experience, Mettes has deposed over 100 witnesses and briefed and/or argued over 100 motions and appeals. She is also heavily involved with LCLD, and has served as an LCLD fellow and is the current city lead for Detroit.
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Twenty-two Howard & Howard attorneys were recently named to Michigan Super Lawyers® and Michigan Rising Stars 2019.
The Howard & Howard attorneys and the practice areas under which they are listed in Michigan Super Lawyers 2019 are as follows:
Mark A. Davis - president & CEO, Real Estate
Joseph J. DeVito, Mergers & Acquisitions
Lisa S. Gretchko, Creditor/Debtor Rights (Recognized among the Top 50 Women Lawyers in Michigan)
Andrew (Jake) Grove, Intellectual Property Litigation
Sam Haidle, Intellectual Property
David M. LaPrairie, Intellectual Property
Miles T. Macik, Business Litigation
Patrick M. McCarthy, Business Litigation
Gerald E. McGlynn III, Intellectual Property
Richard M. Miettinen, Mergers & Acquisitions
Mark W. Peyser, Business Litigation
Jeffrey A. Sadowski, Intellectual Property Litigation
Thomas H. Walters, Business Litigation
Timothy M. Wittebort, Business/Corporate
The Howard & Howard attorneys and the practice areas under which they are listed in Michigan Rising Stars 2019 are as follows:
Aaron J. Beresh, Health Care
Brandon J. Booth, Business/Corporate
Stephen P. Dunn, Business Litigation
Michael O. Fawaz, Business Litigation
Jeffrey A. Hoover, Mergers & Acquisitions
Mark C. Vanneste, Business Litigation
Brandon J. Wilson, Business Litigation
Jacob P. Woolbright, Intellectual Property
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Jelani Jefferson Exum, Leslie E. Scott, and Stephen Wilks have joined the faculty at University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. The three professors bring unique skill sets, interests, and expertise ranging from commercial law to criminal defense to sentencing law.
Exum joins Detroit Mercy Law as the Philip J. McElroy Professor of Law. She is a nationally recognized expert in sentencing law and procedure, and a member of the editorial board of the Federal Sentencing Reporter. Exum teaches Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Sentencing, and Race and American Law. Her scholarship on federal sentencing has been featured on prominent sentencing blogs, and her research includes analyses of comparative criminal law and procedure and the impact of race on criminal justice.
Previously, Exum was a professor and associate dean for diversity and inclusion at the University of Toledo College of Law, an associate professor at the University of Kansas School of Law and a visiting associate professor at the University of Michigan Law School. Exum, who earned her law degree from Harvard Law School and her B.A. from Harvard College, began her career as a law clerk to U.S. Court of Appeals Judge James L. Dennis, Fifth Circuit, and U.S. District Court Judge Eldon E. Fallon, Eastern District of Louisiana.
"I am excited to be a part of an institution that has such a rich history of educating lawyers who are service-minded. It is very important to me to teach future attorneys who will be seekers of justice within their communities," Exum said.
Scott became an assistant professor at Detroit Mercy Law after nearly seven years as a criminal defense attorney with the Federal Public Defender's Office for the Western District of New York. In this role, she gained extensive litigation experience and won countless victories for her clients. Previously, Scott served as a judicial clerk for U.S. District Court Judge Victoria A. Roberts, Eastern District of Michigan, and the senior judges of the D.C. Court of Appeals. Her expertise and research interests lie at the intersection of race, mental illness and criminal justice.
Scott currently serves on the ACLU of Michigan's Lawyer's Committee, where she assists the ACLU's legal department to identify cases and issues to pursue. Scott earned her B.A. from the University of Michigan and law degree from American University, Washington College of Law.
"I'm excited to join the faculty of Detroit Mercy Law because I believe in the school's mission of providing hands-on, experiential instruction. A well-rounded legal education best prepares students to effectively interact with clients, attorneys, and judges, and to zealously advocate in the courtroom," said Scott. "I'm also thrilled to be back in my hometown of Detroit, with its rich history and culture, and thriving, diverse legal community."
Wilks joins Detroit Mercy Law as an associate professor following a two-year visiting professorship at Case Western Reserve University School of Law and tenure-track appointments at Lincoln Memorial University School of Law and Valparaiso University Law School. He teaches business associations, secured transactions, payment systems, sales and contracts. Wilks' cross-disciplinary scholarship has appeared in the Supreme Court of Canada Law Review, the Harvard Journal of Racial and Ethnic Justice, the Cornell International Law Journal and other flagship journals.
His work explores the intersection of governance, regulation and social justice issues emerging within transactional spaces. Prior to becoming a law professor, Wilks practiced law and gained his initial teaching experience in Canada. He earned a B.A. and law degree from Queen's University; an M.S.W. from the University of Toronto; and an LL.M and Ph.D. from York University's Osgoode Hall Law School.
"I am happy to be on the faculty at Detroit Mercy Law, where I will have the rare chance to combine my Canadian legal training with American teaching and research experience in ways that align with the institution's mission," said Wilks.
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Three Warner, Norcross, & Judd LLP team members have been selected to participate in leadership programs in Southeast Michigan.
The team members are:
Thomas Komjathy, director of operations for Warner in Southeast Michigan, will participate in Leadership Detroit
Nina Lucido, an associate who focuses her practice on estate settlement, trust administration, family business and succession planning, will participate in Leadership Macomb.
Wyatt Istvan-Mitchell, senior counsel with the firm who specializes in complex patent preparation, prosecution and opinion work in the chemical and mechanical arts, will participate in Leadership Oakland.
Select business professionals and community and government leaders are chosen each year to take part in the nine-month Leadership Macomb, Detroit and Oakland programs. The programs give emerging leaders opportunities to learn about and explore key issues that impact Macomb, Detroit, and Oakland counties in Southeast Michigan.
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Butzel Long attorneys Bernard (Bernie) J. Fuhs and Ziyad Hermiz co-authored an article that appears in the September 16, 2019 Law 360 newsletter and Expert Analysis section. The article is titled, "Mich. Bill Adds to States' Trend of Limiting Noncompetes."
Fuhs, vice president and a member of the firm's Board of Directors, is a nationally recognized expert on non-compete and trade secret matters, having litigated and/or counseled clients on such matters in all 50 states and has presented to many national and local business and/or legal organizations regarding the same.
Fuhs serves as co-chair of Butzel Long's Diversity & Recruiting Committee and chair of the firm's Franchise Specialty Team. He also is a member of the firm's Non-Compete and Trade Secret Specialty Team.
Fuhs is a graduate of the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law.
Hermiz concentrates his practice in the area of business litigation and has significant experience in non-compete and trade secret matters, civil RICO claims, and franchisor/franchisee disputes. He was named as a 2020 Top Lawyer by DBusiness Magazine in in the areas of Commercial Litigation and Franchise Law and a Michigan Super Lawyer Rising Star in the area of Business Litigation from 2012-2019.
Hermiz is currently a member of Butzel Long's Diversity & Recruiting Committee. He is also a member of Butzel Long's Non-Compete and Trade Secret Specialty Team. He also previously served as vice president of the Chaldean American Bar Association.
Hermiz is a graduate of the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law.
