Potestivo & Associates PC is pleased to announce the promotion of Megan M. Johnson, effective October 25, 2019. Johnson has been promoted to the role of vice president, and in her new capacity she will oversee firm management and operations.
Johnson joined the firm in February 2004 as a junior foreclosure coordinator, and quickly moved up the ranks. During her time at the firm, she has served in various positions that have provided her with well-rounded experience and given her a firm understanding of the ins and outs of the real estate finance and credit industry. Among those positions are director of foreclosure operations, quality control/client relations manager, and director of business development.
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Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Michael Warren was just recently selected as Judge of the Decade for 2019 by the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP).
While inclusion with the International Association of Top Professionals is an honor in itself, only one man or one woman is chosen for this distinction. Warren will be presented with the Presidential Crystal Tower at the 2019 IAOTP's Annual Awards Gala being held in Las Vegas at the end of this year.
Warren is being recognized as "Judge of the Decade" for his nearly 30 years of service including as a practicing judge, his list of professional accomplishments, academic achievements, leadership abilities, and his contribution to society.
Warren's repertoire of prior roles include judicial clerk for Michigan Supreme Court Justice Dorothy Comstock Riley; partner at Honigman, Miller, Schwartz, & Cohn LLP; legal policy advisor for the State Board of Education where he helped lead to fundamental revisions of "The Revised School Code" and the adoption of significant education policies; executive director and counsel for The New Common School Foundation; member and secretary of the Michigan State Board of Education; sponsor and initial pilot judge of the Oakland County Circuit Court's groundbreaking e-filing system and paperless courtroom; and twice served as the presiding judge of the Civil/Criminal Division of the Oakland County Circuit Court. His areas of expertise include appellate work, litigation, corporations, securities and mergers, and education law.
Warren commenced his legal career after graduating from Wayne State University in 1989 with his bachelor's in Honors History. He earned his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 1992. He has served on the bench since 2002.
Throughout his career, Warren has received awards and has been recognized worldwide for his outstanding leadership and commitment to the profession. He received the Great Influence Award from the Michigan Council for the Social Studies and a Special Tribute from the Michigan Legislature. He has received awards from the NACCP, the Oakland County Bar Association, and the Women's Lawyers Association. He is a visiting professor of Constitutional Law at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, having taught Constitutional Law I, Constitutional Law II, and the Constitutional Law Seminar. He has written several Michigan Constitutional Law articles for the Wayne Law Review, is recognized as an authority on contempt of court, and presented on several legal and educational topics to the Michigan Academy of Sciences Arts and Letters.
For 2020, he is being considered for the Lifetime Achievement Award by the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) and to be featured in TIP (Top Industry Professionals) Magazine. For 2018, he was selected as Top Judge of the Year by the International Association of Top Professionals and was honored at their annual awards gala at the Plaza Hotel in NYC.
Aside from his legal career, Warren is also a sought-after lecturer, speaker, and published author, and serves on several non-profit boards. He is the co-creator (with his then 10-year-old daughter Leah) of Patriot Week. Patriot Week (Sept. 11-17) renews America's spirit by deepening the appreciation of the First Principles, Founding Fathers and other patriots, vital documents and speeches, and flags that make America the greatest nation in world history it has captured the imagination and support of citizens across the nation with participants and official recognition by the United States Senate and in over a dozen states. For additional information, visit www.patriotweek.org.
He was the chair of Oakland County's Bicentennial Committee, a broad based effort throughout 2020, to celebrate the heritage, present, and future of the county.
He is also the co-producer and co-host of the cable TV show "Patriot Lessons" (which can be viewed on-demand at www.patriotweek.org), and published a large number of guest commentaries regarding the law, education, and civics in several newspapers. He has written the book, "America's Survival Guide: How to Stop America's Impending Suicide by Reclaiming Our First Principles and History." For more about his book, visit AmericasSurvivalGuide.com. Warren is the former education chair of the Board of Directors for Cornerstone Schools, a set of charter schools in Detroit, and formerly served on the Board of Directors of The New Common School Foundation. He is the former president of the St. Ives Parish Council and served on the administration commission at the Parish, formerly served on the board for the Michigan Center for Civil education, and is a Trustee for the Michigan Council for Economics Education. He has twice helped draft Michigan's K-12 Social Studies Standards.
Looking back, Warren attributes his success to disciplined hard work; his passion for the law, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution; and the intense love and support of his family. Warren says he has been blessed, loves what he is doing and feels this is just the beginning. For the future he will continue to grow as a professional, fight for justice and America's freedom, and continue to improve lives anyway that he can.
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Dickinson Wright PLLC is pleased to announce that 53 of the firm's attorneys have been included in DBusiness Magazine 2020 "Top Lawyers."
Local Dickinson Wright lawyers in this year's list include:
DETROIT
Allison R. Bach, Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights Law
Richard M. Bolton, Mergers & Acquisitions Law
William T. Burgess, Banking & Financial Services Law
Aaron V. Burrell, Labor and Employment Law
James N. Candler Jr., Real Estate Law
David R. Deromedi, Labor and Employment Law
Phillip J. DeRosier, Appellate Law
K. Scott Hamilton, Appellate Law
Mark R. High, International Trade Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law
Steven G. Howell, Banking & Financial Services Law, Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights Law
W. Anthony Jenkins, Real Estate Law
Kenneth J. McIntyre, Litigation Antitrust
Russell A. McNair Jr., Real Estate Law
Sharon R. Newlon, Environmental Law
Francis R. Ortiz, Employee Benefits Law
James A. Plemmons, Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights Law
William P. Shield Jr., Banking & Financial Services Law
Theodore B. Sylwestrzak, Banking & Financial Services Law, Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights Law
Bruce C. Thelen, International Trade Law
L. Pahl Zinn, Antitrust Law, Litigation Antitrust
TROY
Christian S. Allen, Immigration Law
Maureen H. Burke, Land Use & Zoning
Charles F. Clippert, Litigation Construction
Margaret A. Coughlin, Energy Law
Stephen E. Dawson, Real Estate Law
Terence M. Donnelly, Public Finance Law
Deborah L. Grace, Employee Benefits Law
Roberta P. Granadier, Employee Benefits Law
Eric W. Gregory, Employee Benefits Law
Henry M. Grix, Trusts and Estates
Craig W. Hammond, Banking & Financial Services Law, Public Finance Law
Robert P. Hurlbert, White-Collar Criminal Defense
Michael R. Kramer, Banking & Financial Services Law
Monica J. Labe, Real Estate Law
Elise S. Levasseur, Immigration Law
Michael J. Lusardi, Real Estate Law
Anna M. Maiuri, Energy Law, Environmental Law
Kelly M. Martorano, Environmental Law
Cynthia A. Moore, Employee Benefits Law
Gregory W. Moore, Health Care Law
John H. Norris, Energy Law
Edward H. Pappas, Mediation
Daniel D. Quick, Litigation Commercial
Michael T. Raymond, Corporate Law
William L. Rosin, Mergers & Acquisitions Law
Robert L. Schwartz, Public Finance Law
Lynn Capp Sirich, Family Law
Joan Cripe Skrzyniarz, Trusts and Estates
Franklin M. Smith, Litigation Patents
Mark E. Wilson, Environmental Law, Health Care Law
Kathryn S. Wood, Labor and Employment Law
Paul M. Wyzgoski, Public Finance Law
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Maddin, Hauser, Roth, & Heller PC announced that it has been ranked in the 2020 U.S. News - Best Lawyers® "Best Law Firms" list regionally in 12 practice areas.
The announcement was made by the firm's president and CEO, Steven D. Sallen. "Maddin Hauser is honored to be ranked in the top tier again this year for so many of our firm's principal practice areas. This recognition is a testament to the ongoing dedication of our entire firm to provide clients with expert counsel and legal results," said Sallen.
The firm's Detroit metropolitan rankings are as follows:
Tier 1:
- Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Commercial Litigation
- Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
- Franchise Law
- Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants
- Litigation - Bankruptcy
- Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants
- Real Estate Law
- Trusts & Estates Law
Tier 2:
- Employment Law - Individuals
- Insurance Law
- Tax Law
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Howard & Howard has been named to the 2020 U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers® "Best Law Firms" list in the following local areas:
Metropolitan Tier 1
TROY
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation-Intellectual Property
- Litigation-Patent
- Patent Law
- Trademark Law
Metropolitan Tier 2
TROY
- Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Energy Law
- Labor Law-Management
- Real Estate Law
- Trusts & Estates Law
Metropolitan Tier 3
TROY
- Corporate Law
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Miller Canfield announces the appointment of Jennifer Sabourin to a two-year term as the program vice-chair for the American Employment Law Council (AELC), followed by a two-year term as program chair. The AELC is the nation's premier organization of high-level labor and employment attorneys practicing on the management side. Membership is by invitation only. Sabourin was also recently inducted as a Fellow in the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers on Nov. 9.
In addition, several local members of the Employment and Labor Group have earned notable recognition this year:
Elizabeth Boyda Baker was appointed this year to the New Members Division Committee of the Michigan Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
Michelle Crockett was elected to serve as Chair of the Michigan Community Resources Board of Directors and was honored with the Trailblazer Award by the D. Augustus Straker Bar Association.
Nhan Ho was appointed to the Editorial Board of the American Bar Association's Litigation News. She was also chosen to participate in the Young Lawyer Division Fellowship Program of the ABA Labor and Employment Law Section and was appointed as a Younger Lawyers' Division Fellow to the Equal Employment Opportunity Committee for a two-year term ending in August 2021.
Megan Norris continues to be ranked in Band 1 by Chambers & Partners, and she was recognized as the 2019 winner of the State Bar of Michigan Labor and Employment Law Council's Distinguished Service Award.
Julianne Cassin Sharp was selected to serve as chair of the Immigration Law Section of Michigan Defense Trial Counsel. She also is the chair of the Bylaws Committee for the Michigan Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA).
Kevin Wang was appointed to serve on the American Immigration Lawyers Association 2020 Annual Conference Committee and the Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
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Brian J. Hunter, managing partner of Fenner, Melstrom, & Dooling PLC, was elected global chair of Integra International on October 31 at the Global Board's annual meeting.
The meeting was held in Washington, D.C. as part of the Integra World Wide Conference 2019. Integra International operates under the guidance of its 16-member Global Board and the two-year term for the role of chair begins on January 1, 2020. The Global Board sets worldwide policy and direction for its 4500 members who shape the future of business and serve clients around the world.
"Taking on this leadership role with Integra International provides the opportunity to continually educate myself as well as our firm about global business and different cultures," said Hunter. "Integra International allows professionals to develop relationships with like-minded individuals. The opportunity to knowledge share and serve clients within this organization is exponential."
As managing partner of Fenner, Melstrom, & Dooling, Hunter is experienced in advising clients engaged in international business. More than a decade ago, the firmnoticed an increasing frequency of their client base, which consists of entrepreneurial and high-net worth clients doing business and investing in the global economy.
Integra International provides Fenner, Melstrom, & Dooling PLC's clients highly-experienced financial and tax resources in almost every major business center of the world. All member firms are local firms owned by successful partners who understand the unique culture and challenges of entrepreneurial businesses and high-net worth individuals. These firms share Fenner, Melstrom, & Dooling PLC's core values of providing proactive client services while adding value to clients through innovative solutions.
"At FMD, we encourage our team members to get involved with organizations at a leadership level," commented Hunter. "We highly value creating deep relationships with people and have found this type of involvement a great way to do so."
The team at Fenner, Melstrom, & Dooling PLC is focused on understanding the goals of the closely held businesses and high-net worth individuals they work with each day, and not just those related to finance, but business and personal goals. It is important to the firm that each team member develop strong relationships with his or her clients. This allows for great discussion of ideas that become strategies to reach those goals. It also creates accountability for both parties to keep on course.
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Patricia Nemeth, founder of Detroit-based management side labor and employment law firm Nemeth Law PC, has been named a Fellow by the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers.
For 27 years, Nemeth has led the management side labor and employment firm she founded as a solo practitioner in 1992. Nationally recognized, the firm exclusively represents management in the prevention, resolution and litigation of labor and employment disputes.
Nemeth is an arbitrator and a certified mediator for all types of civil litigation, including employment. Her areas of legal expertise include all aspects of traditional labor and employment litigation law, including complex employment investigations and analyses, discrimination/harassment, age, disability, sex, race, whistleblowers, wrongful discharge, union organizing activities and union issues, and multi-party lawsuits.
Nemeth earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan and a law degrees from Wayne State University School of Law. In April 2016, she received a Distinguished Alumni award from the Wayne State University School of Law at its annual Treasure of Detroit celebration, honoring those who have made significant contributions to the practice of law, as well as the growth and success of the law school.
In addition to being included on the U.S. News Best Lawyers® list since 2010, Nemeth is a multiple Michigan Super Lawyers and Leading Lawyers honoree, and in 2009 was named a "Leader in the Law" by Michigan Lawyers Weekly. She is also an ABA Foundation Fellow and a member of the Michigan, Illinois, Federal, and the United States Supreme Court bars.
Nemeth Law is also pleased to announce that Deborah Brouwer, a partner in the firm, has been named to the 2020 DBusiness Top Lawyers list. Brouwer was named in the appellate law category.
Brouwer appears frequently before the Michigan Court of Appeals and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Her labor and employment practice includes the defense of lawsuits against employers involving claims of race, age, religion, national origin, gender and disability discrimination, and harassment and retaliation, as well as FLSA, FMLA and non-competition suits. She also provides employer training and conducts discrimination and harassment investigations on behalf of employers. Brouwer has experience appearing before administrative agencies, including the EEOC, MDCR, MIOSHA, OSHA and the NLRB.
Brouwer is active in professional and community organizations. She is treasurer, Board of Directors, Michigan Defense Trial Counsel; member, State Bar of Michigan Appellate Section and Labor and Employment Law Section; member, American Bar Association, Litigation Section; member, DRI; chair of the Board of Directors of Assured Family Services; and vice president, Board of Trustees, Luella Hannan Memorial Foundation. Brouwer earned a law degree from the Wayne State University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree and Master of Arts degree, both from the University of Michigan.
In addition to the DBusiness Top Lawyers recognition, Brouwer has recently received several other honors. In October of this year, she was named a Crain's Detroit Business Notable Women in Law, and in September she was named a Michigan Super Lawyer in employment litigation defense. In September 2018, she was named a Woman in the Law honoree by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
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A. Vince Colella, a civil rights and personal injury attorney with Southfield-based Moss & Colella PC, has been named to the 2020 DBusiness Top Lawyers list. Colella was honored in the personal injury category.
Colella's practice is 100 percent focused on trial litigation. His experience includes automobile negligence, police brutality and misconduct, premises liability, trucking accidents, insurance disputes, sexual harassment, sexual assault, discrimination and wrongful death. In recent years, Colella has gained a reputation in particular for his litigation efforts in government liability, recreational accidents and civil rights cases. In October 2019, he filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the City of Detroit and two emergency medical personnel on behalf of the family of Maurice Freeman, a Detroit man who died May 5, 2018 after suffering a loss of oxygen leading to irreversible brain damage.
Colella has served as a member of the Executive Board of the Michigan Association for Justice (formerly known as the Michigan Trial Lawyers Association) and is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, the Oakland County Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. He is certified as a mediator and regularly serves as a case evaluator for the Oakland County Circuit Court Case Management Office.
In February, Colella was named to the Leaders in the Law class of 2019 by the trade publication Michigan Lawyers Weekly. Colella is also a multi-year Michigan Super Lawyer.
He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Michigan State University and a law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, where he established the A. Vincent Colella scholarship to support law students considering a career in civil rights.
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Seventy Butzel Long attorneys have been named Top Lawyers in metro Detroit 2020 by DBusiness magazine. The local attorneys and their practice areas are listed below:
BLOOMFIELD HILLS OFFICE
Stephen A. Bromberg, Litigation Real Estate
Jennifer E. Consiglio, Corporate Law
Carey A. DeWitt, Labor and Employment Law, Litigation Labor Employment Benefits
Damien DuMouchel, White-Collar Criminal Defense
Theodore R. Eppel, Legal Malpractice Law, Litigation Antitrust
Debra A. Geroux, Health Care Law
Amy L. Glenn, Trusts and Estates
Beth S. Gotthelf, Energy Law, Environmental Law
David W. Hipp, Banking & Financial Service Law
Robert A. Hudson, International Trade Law, Securities Law
Laura E. Johnson, Corporate Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law
Susan L. Johnson, Environmental Law
Thomas A. Kabel, Banking & Financial Service Law, Real Estate Law
Kaveh Kashef, Litigation Real Estate
Sheldon H. Klein, Antitrust Law, Litigation Antitrust
Bushra A. Malik, Immigration Law
Suzanne M. Miller, Tax Law
Max J. Newman, Bankruptcy and Creditor /Debtor Rights Law
Neil Patel, Corporate Law
Robert P. Perry, Trusts and Estates
Tom B. Radom, Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights Law
Joseph E. Richotte, Appellate Law
Craig S. Schwartz, Labor and Employment Law
Robert H. Schwartz, Health Care Law
Thomas L. Shaevsky, Employee Benefits Law
Thomas C. Simpson, Litigation Real Estate
Daniel B. Tukel, Labor and Employment Law
Roxana Zaha, Real Estate Law
DETROIT OFFICE
Geaneen M. Arends, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Real Estate Law
Linda J. Armstrong, Immigration Law
Frederick A. Berg Jr., Insurance Law
James C. Bruno, Arbitration, Commercial Law, International Trade Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Joshua J. Chinsky, White-Collar Criminal Defense
Maura Corrigan, Appellate Law
Michael C. Decker, Construction Law, Litigation Construction
David J. DeVine, Insurance Law, Litigation Commercial
George B. Donnini, White Collar Criminal Defense
Arthur Dudley II, Corporate Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law
David F. DuMouchel, Professional Malpractice Law, White-Collar Criminal Defense
Eric J. Flessland, Construction Law, Litigation Construction
Bernard J. Fuhs, Franchise Law, Trade Secrets
Michael R. Griffie, Labor and Employment Law
Cynthia J. Haffey, Litigation Commercial
Ziyad I. Hermiz, Franchise Law, Litigation Commercial
Justin G. Klimko, Corporate Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law
Phillip C. Korovesis, Trade Secrets
Mark R. Lezotte, Health Care Law, Nonprofit/Charities Law
Clara DeMatteis Mager, Immigration Law
Paul M. Mersino, Construction Law, Litigation Commercial , Trade Secrets
Brett J. Miller, Franchise Law, Labor and Employment Law
Donald B. Miller, Product Liability
Reginald A. Pacis, Immigration Law
James S. Rosenfeld, Labor and Employment Law, Litigation Labor Employment Benefits
George Schooff, Intellectual Property and Patent Law, Litigation Patents
Bruce L. Sendek, Litigation Antitrust , Litigation Commercial
Ivonne M. Soler, Family Law
Nicholas J. Stasevich, Commercial Law, Corporate Law, International Trade Law
Hannah E. Treppa, Labor and Employment Law
John C. Valenti, Product Liability
Kurtis T. Wilder, Appellate Law, Arbitration
James E. Wynne, Product Liability
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Attorney, civil mediator, and FINRA arbitrator Edmund J. Sikorski Jr. has earned an eDiscovery Executive Certificate from the Association of Certified E-Discovery Specialists (ACEDS).
The mission of ACEDS is to help professionals improve and certify their e-discovery knowledge and skill. Candidates who earn the eDiscovery Executive Certificate credential demonstrate the fundamentals necessary to understand the process to request and produce documents for legal purposes.
Sikorski is an FINRA arbitrator and civil mediator in Washtenaw County. He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan ADR Section Council and co-chairs the Washtenaw County Bar Association ADR Section. He is a member of the Washtenaw County commercial case evaluator panel and a member of the State Bar of Michigan ADR Section Skills Action Team and a current member of the ADR Council.
He concentrates his mediation practice in personal injury and malpractice, insured claims, organization conflicts, business, commercial, real estate, condominium and insurance, probate and trust, maritime, securities/brokerage, and discovery/e-discovery.
The recipient of the 2016 National Law Journal ADR Champion Trailblazer Award, Sikorski is a FINRA Dispute Resolution arbitrator, and previously was a Florida Supreme Court Circuit civil and appellate mediator.
His bar admissions and practice include the State Bar of Michigan, U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, U.S. Tax Court, and the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan.
Prior to being a mediator, he was an accomplished attorney for 40 years. His diverse clientele included a medical malpractice insurance carrier, condominium and commercial real estate developers, marina operators, estate planners, athletic associations, small businesses, insurance and annuity marketing organizations, foundations, coal and ore mining companies, and trucking industry related service and leasing operations; and served as real estate and finance counsel to developers.
Sikorski earned his law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, his B.A in psychology from the University of Tennessee, and a Certificate in International Law from the City of London College in England.
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Collins, Einhorn, Farrell PC is pleased to announce that attorney Zabbia N. Alholou has joined the firm's General & Automotive Liability practice group.
Alholou's practice focuses on first-and third-party automotive defense and other general liability matters. Her experience includes no-fault, provider law, family law, and lemon law. Prior to Collins Einhorn, she also served as discovery counsel and managed complex discovery matters for more than 200 cases pending in the State of California.
In 2009, Alholou graduated from the University of Detroit Mercy. She then went on to obtain her law degree from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School. During law school, she worked for Wayne County Corporation Counsel and Building Authority, assigned to various projects for Wayne County.
Alholou is a member of the Oakland County Bar Association, and the Michigan Muslim Bar Association.
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Varnum received 63 rankings, including 33 in Tier 1, spanning practice areas and markets in the latest edition of "Best Law Firms," published by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers®. The 2020 report was released Nov. 1.
Varnum's local "Best Law Firms" rankings for 2020 include the following:
DETROIT
- Tier 1: Litigation - Labor & Employment
- Tier 1: Litigation - Tax
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Bodman PLC is pleased to announce that Anne M. Yantus has joined the firm as pro bono counsel.
In this role, Yantus will coordinate all aspects of Bodman's pro bono program in conjunction with the firm's Pro Bono Committee. She will also manage the firm's relationships with numerous legal clinics and referring organizations.
Yantus is based in Bodman's Detroit office but will work with attorneys in all five of the firm's offices and manage programs on a firm-wide basis.
Before joining Bodman, Yantus was a professor of practice and director of the externship program at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. While at Detroit Mercy Law, she established four new legal clinics including the Federal Pro Se Legal Assistance Clinic.
She frequently lectures and writes on Michigan sentencing law. Before joining the faculty at Detroit Mercy Law, Yantus served as an assistant defender and managing attorney with the Michigan State Appellate Defender Office, where she specialized in plea and sentencing appeals for 30 years.
Yantus received her law degree from Wayne State University Law School and her undergraduate degree in French and Education from Wayne State University.
Published: Mon, Nov 25, 2019
