Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer recently announced the following appointments:
• Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs
Anessa Kramer is a partner and board member at Honigman LLP. She is a member of the board of directors of The Jewish Fund, The Roeper School, and the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit. Kramer earned a Bachelor of Arts from Michigan State University and a lawdegree from The George Washington University Law School. Kramer is appointed for a term commencing September 4, 2020 and expiring September 1, 2023. She succeeds Joshua Davis whose term expired September 1, 2020.
The Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs serves to encourage, develop, and facilitate an enriched environment of creative and cultural activity in Michigan. The council envisions a Michigan where every citizen celebrates the state's cultural treasures and arts and cultural experiences are accessible to all its citizens.
• Autism Council
Martin S. Baum is an attorney and president of Martin S. Baum PC. He earned a lawdegree from the University of Michigan Law School. Baum is appointed to represent individuals who have ASD or have a family member with ASD, and he will serve for a term commencing October 1, 2020 and expiring September 30, 2024. He succeeds Stacie Rulison whose term expires September 30, 2020.
The Autism Council is charged with overseeing Michigan's Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) State Plan. The council will implement, monitor, and update the Michigan ASD State Plan which will provide for comprehensive, lifespan supports to individuals with ASD and their families through access to information and resources, coordination of services, and implementation of evidence-based practices.
These appointments are not subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.
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State Court Administrator Emeritus Milton Mack Jr., has been appointed to serve on a national task force to assist state courts in more effectively responding to the needs of court-involved individuals with serious mental illness. The 40-member group includes four state supreme court chief justices, four state court administrators, and wide range of experts from across the nation.
Since spring of last year, Mack has co-chaired (with Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul Reiber) a national advisory committee funded by the State Justice Institute to improve the justice system response to mental illness and co-occurring disorders, and this new task force is a direct result of that work. Key challenges faced by the task force include:
- Jails are the largest providers of mental health services in the nation and 44 percent of jail inmates have been told they have a mental health disorder.
- An estimated 70 percent of justice-involved youths suffer from a mental health disorder.
- People with mental illness are 16 times more likely to be killed than other civilians when approached or stopped by law enforcement.
In the report of the advisory committee, "The Future is Now: Decriminalization of Mental Illness," their reform plan is based on these key principles:
- A community-by-community approach with statewide leadership.
- Use of the Sequential Intercept Model to promote early access to treatment.
- Development of best practices, research, and data.
- Education and training for judges and court personnel.
- Building on the important work already done to address the opioid epidemic.
A probate court judge for two decades, Mack is the former state court administrator, chair of the governor's Mental Health Diversion Council, and has long been an advocate for mental health reform, promoting early intervention and treatment instead of incarceration.
Mack will be joined on the task force by Washtenaw County Sheriff Jerry Clayton and Kent Batty, who previously served as the court administrator for the Washtenaw County trial courts and Third Judicial Circuit Court. Michigan has more members than any other state.
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During a virtual ceremony on Sept. 3, Ret. Brigadier General Michael C.H. McDaniel, associate dean and professor at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, joined 18 Michigan attorneys as they were inducted into the Michigan Lawyers Weekly Hall of Fame Class of 2020.
The award recognizes Michigan legal leaders over the age of 60, or who have practiced for 30 years or more, for their successful careers and valuable contributions to the community.
"It's not only an honor to be recognized and inducted into the Michigan Lawyers Weekly Hall of Fame, it is also a highlight of my legal career," said McDaniel. "I have been blessed to be able to serve our nation, the state of Michigan, and my local community. It is important for us as attorneys to place societal needs at the forefront of our careers and to make a difference, not only for our clients, but for the communities we serve."
McDaniel, who teaches Constitutional Law and developed WMU-Cooley's Homeland and National Security Law LL.M. program, joined the law school's faculty in 2010.
McDaniel served at the Pentagon as deputy assistant secretary for Homeland Defense Strategy, Prevention and Mission Assurance, where he supervised the Department of Defense Critical Infrastructure Protection Program and Global Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection Policy. He also served six years as homeland security adviser for former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm and served as assistant adjutant general for Homeland Security with the Michigan National Guard. McDaniel served as an assistant attorney general for almost 20 years, including as the assistant attorney general for litigation in the executive division of the Michigan Department of Attorney General for Attorneys General Frank J. Kelley and Jennifer Granholm.
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Justin Gingerich and Steve Van Beek have been named co-leaders of the Credit Union Industry Group at Royal Oak-based law firm Howard & Howard. The announcement was made by firm President and CEO Mark A. Davis.
Gingerich has an M&A track record in the credit union industry, having played a key role in more than 25 announced credit union-bank acquisitions over the past four years. In 2019, Gingerich led the largest acquisition of a bank by a credit union to date (MIDFLORIDA Credit Union's acquisition of $730 million Community Bank & Trust of Florida) as well as a first-of-its-kind transaction where a credit union acquired the assets and liabilities of a converted federal mutual holding company (Corporate America Family Credit Union's acquisition of Ben Franklin Financial, the holding company for Ben Franklin Bank of Illinois).
Van Beek has experience providing compliance and legal assistance to credit unions throughout the country. He helps credit unions manage risks through his in-depth knowledge and understanding of regulations and guidance issued by the National Credit Union Administration, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and other federal agencies. He is also a frequent, nationwide speaker on topics related to credit union compliance. In an earlier position, Van Beek served as vice president of regulatory compliance at the National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions (NAFCU).
In addition to M&A and regulatory compliance matters, Howard & Howard's Credit Union Industry Group also provides services related to employment matters; membership agreements; vendor contracts and disputes; trademarks; business and commercial loan documentation; and defense of class action litigation.
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Richard S. Victor, founding partner at the Law Offices of Richard S. Victor PLLC in Bloomfield Hills, has been named the 2020 recipient of the Michigan State University Alumni Association Professional Achievement Award.
This award is presented annually to an alumnus for their "Sustained and Extraordinary Professional Achievement," which is recognized by the law school over the course of the recipient's career.
Victor has practiced family law for 45 years and is the founder/executive director of the national nonprofit Grandparents Rights Organization and the co-founder of the state and national SMILE parent education program. He was the recipient of the law school's National Alumni of the Year Award in 2000, and also has received the Lifetime Achievement Award, Family Law Section, State Bar of Michigan, and the Champion of Justice Award from the State Bar.
In addition, Victor has served as the president of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and has been honored as the AAML national Fellow of the Year and was the first recipient of the national AAML Professionalism Award.
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Plunkett Cooney attorney and former Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives Tom Leonard has been named as a Crain's Detroit Business "40 Under 40" honoree for 2020.
This year's class of 40 Under 40 were announced in the Sept. 7 issue of Crain's. The publication will also hold a virtual celebration for all honorees on Nov. 16.
Leonard is a partner and leader of the new Government Relations, Public Policy and Regulatory Practice Group at Plunkett Cooney. He focuses his practice on policy development, strategic collaboration, building relationships and coalitions, legislative monitoring and bill tracking.
Before joining the firm, Leonard served three terms in the House of Representatives. In his third and final term, his colleagues unanimously selected him to serve as Michigan's 75th House speaker. Prior to running for public office, Leonard served as an assistant attorney general for the state of Michigan and as a prosecutor in Genesee County's Special Crimes Division.
Leonard graduated from Michigan State University College of Law in 2007 and earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan in 2004.
In addition, ten Plunkett Cooney attorneys were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in the inaugural edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch 2021.
The "Ones to Watch" awards are recognitions given to attorneys who are earlier in their careers for outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States.
Below is the list of the local Plunkett Cooney attorneys who have received the inaugural 2021 Best Lawyers "Ones to Watch" recognition:
• Ryan M. Bates (associate - Bloomfield Hills) Insurance Law
• Stephanie M. Brochert (associate - Bloomfield Hills) Insurance Law
• Rochelle L. Clarke (associate - Bloomfield Hills) Education Law, Municipal Law
• Michael C. Dennis (associate - Bloomfield Hills) Insurance Law, Personal Injury, Litigation - Defendants
• Justin J. Hakala (associate - Bloomfield Hills) Defendants: Medical Malpractice Law, Product Liability Litigation
• Katherine M. Nighswander (associate - Bloomfield Hills) Insurance Law
• Emily M. Coyle (partner - Detroit) Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Theodore L. Degenhardt IV (associate - Detroit) Litigation - Construction
• Jamie Lynn McCutcheon (associate - Detroit) Insurance Law
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The National Endowment for Democracy's Penn Kemble Forum on Democracy recently announced its 2020-2021 cohort of Fellows. Among those announced as a Fellow was University of Detroit Mercy School of Law graduate Nick Hawatmeh.
Hawatmeh is chief counsel to Senator John Kennedy on the Senate Judiciary Committee, where he serves as legal and policy advisor on issues including nominations, immigration, national security, foreign relations, elections, religious freedom, and intellectual property. Before this role, he served as counsel for the Committee on House Administration in the United States House of Representatives, where he was lead counsel on oversight of the Federal Election Commission and Election Assistance Commission and served as a congressional election monitor in contested federal elections.
Hawatmeh worked with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to improve electoral processes and international election standards in the United States and throughout the world. Hawatmeh has a combined eighteen years of political and legal experience working in local, state, and national politics and more recently served as vice chairman of the Michigan Republican Party and was appointed to serve on two boards by Michigan Governor Rick Snyder.
Hawatmeh earned his law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in political science from Wayne State University.
Hawatmeh has experience in international affairs and was selected to participate in several staff delegations to the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and North America. Additionally, he has participated in an international election observation mission in Tunisia, trained members of parliament in Bahrain, and trained candidates for public office in Jordan.
Hawatmeh is a recipient of Maverick Pac's 2019 "Future 40" award and the National Association of Asian Pacifics in Politics and Public Affairs 40 Under 40 Award.
The Forum engages emerging foreign policy and national security leaders in bipartisan conversations, providing an opportunity to share ideas across sectors and explore the role of democracy and human rights within the context of a broad range of policy challenges.
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On September 3, Michigan Lawyers Weekly held a celebratory awards presentation for its "Hall of Fame" Class of 2020 via Zoom. Mark E. Morley, a senior partner located in Secrest Wardle's Troy office, was among the 19 honorees recognized at the event.
The "Hall of Fame" award recognizes Michigan legal leaders over the age of 60, or who have practiced law for 30 years or more, for their successful careers and valuable contributions to the community.
Morley has been with has been with Secrest Wardle for more than 40 years. He spent over 15 of those years as a managing partner. He joined the firm in 1978, became a partner in 1984, and a senior partner in 1990. In addition to his current role as a senior partner, Morley serves as a chair of the Insurance Coverage and Malpractice/Professional Liability Practice Groups.
From 2016 to the present, Morley has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America© and for 2020 has been listed in Troy in the Insurance Law, Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants, Litigation - Insurance, and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants categories. He also received the Best Lawyers 2018 Litigation - Insurance - Troy "Lawyer of the Year" award. Morley has maintained an AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rating by Martindale-Hubbell for over 20 years. He was selected by his peers to Super Lawyers Magazine's list of Michigan Super Lawyers in 2006 and 2009 through the present. In 2019, he was listed in the area of Civil Litigation Defense. Additionally, he has been listed in the Super Lawyers Business Edition in the area of Civil Litigation - Defense. Morley has been included in dbusiness magazine's list of "Top Lawyers in Metro Detroit" in 2010, 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2020. In 2020, he was listed in the Insurance Law category.
He is an active member of the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance, the Defense Research Institute, and the International Association of Defense Counsel. In 2015, Morley was honored for his outstanding legal career and inducted into Worldwide Registry.
Morley received a law degreefrom the University of Notre Dame Law School in 1972 and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Alma College in 1969. He was admitted to the State Bar of Michigan in 1972 and subsequently admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan in 1973, the U. S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana in 1974, and the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in 1985. Mark Morley served our country as a former member of the United States Army Military Police Corps.
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Jennifer Dukarski, Butzel Long attorney, shareholder, and leader of the firm's connected car working group, has been appointed co-chair of the American Bar Association's (ABA) Forum on Communications Law Diversity Committee.
The committee recognizes the need to include all racial and ethnic groups in the practice of communications law and encourages communication company law firms to make efforts to recruit, retain and promote lawyers of color. The committee offers assistance to firms to provide the necessary mentoring to minority lawyers for them to be active in the practice.
Most recently, Dukarski served a three-year term as co-chair of the Women in Communication Law Committee of the ABA Forum on Communications Law.
"The Forum on Communication Law has dedicated 2020-2021 as the Year of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion," Dukarski said. "Our leadership is passionate about the work of promoting diversity and inclusion. We're working on strengthening our current programming, including the First Amendment and Media Law Diversity Moot Court Competition and working on new opportunities to advance these goals in the Media Bar. I'm deeply honored to be a part of this team at this important time."
Dukarski focuses her practice at the intersection of technology and communications with an emphasis on emerging and disruptive issues: digital media and content, cybersecurity and privacy, infotainment and shared mobility, and connected and autonomous cars.
In her practice, she has assisted clients with defamation, invasion of privacy, copyright, and other content-based claims. She focuses on compliance with various industry regulations and has become a national leader in legal issues facing emerging automotive technology and is the leader of Butzel Long's connected car working group.
A self-titled "recovering engineer," Dukarski was named one of the 30 Women Defining the Future of Technology in January 2020 by Warner Communications for her innovative thoughts and contributions to the tech industry.
Dukarski is a graduate of the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. She's also a graduate of the University of Detroit Mercy College of Engineering and Science.
