Plunkett Cooney has taken its appellate law practice to a new level with the addition of Henry W. Saad, retired judge and former chief judge of the Michigan Court of Appeals, as an Of Counsel attorney.
Saad works closely with clients and colleagues in Plunkett Cooney's Appellate Law Practice Group to review and prepare complex and often high-profile appellate matters, including multi-district litigation and class actions. His expertise is particularly valuable with respect to issue spotting during the litigation process, creating trial and post-trial strategy and formulating persuasive appellate arguments.
In high stakes appellate litigation, Saad and the appellate team at Plunkett Cooney know that conducting mock oral argument is the best method for presenting a persuasive case and for anticipating tough questioning by appellate court judges. Plunkett Cooney's appellate team is prepared to conduct mock oral argument in person and virtually in order to best position complex cases for success.
"I have always loved appellate practice and held Plunkett Cooney and its impressive appellate lawyers in the highest regard," said Saad, who authored more than 75 published majority appellate decisions. "In my experience, Plunkett Cooney appellate lawyers are the best at their profession. I'm thrilled to be working with them and look forward to helping the firm's clients achieve successful appellate outcomes."
Saad, who was appointed to the Michigan Court of Appeals by Gov. John Enger in 1994, retired from the bench in 2017, re-entering private practice with Young & Associates. Prior to becoming a judge, he worked for 20 years at the law firm of Dickson Wright. Saad also has the distinction of having been nominated by President George H.W. Bush to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and by President George W. Bush to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
In addition to his public service, Saad has been involved for many years with several charitable and community organizations, including Detroit Public Television, Michigan Heart Association, McLaren Macomb Hospital and Brother Rice High School, where he served as chair of the Board of Trustees.
Saad graduated from Wayne State University Business School in 1971 and from Wayne State University Law School in 1974. He is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the Special Order of the Coif, the Salute to Justice John O'Brien Award and the Civic and Humanitarian Award presented by the Arab-American and Chaldean Council.
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Dickinson Wright PLLC is pleased to announce that Sharon Newlon (member and Environmental, Energy & Sustainability Practice Group co-chair, Detroit) will be honored alongside Sara von Bernthal, senior counsel, Real Estate, Office of the General Counsel, FCA USA LLC with the 2020 Flex Success® Award from the Diversity and Flexibility Alliance.
The Flex Success Award recognizes Partners at Diversity & Flexibility Alliance member law firms who have achieved success while working a reduced hours schedule as well as a client who has been integral to making workplace flexibility so successful. The Awards will be presented on November 5 during the Alliance's virtual annual conference, Moments of Impact: Transforming Organizational Culture.
Newlon has been working a reduced hour schedule since the birth of her son twenty-two years ago and currently works a 75% reduced hour schedule. Recognized as a leader in her field by Best Lawyers in America, Newlon was instrumental in creating an initiative that allowed income members the option to become consulting members, with a negotiable billable hour requirement, in an effort to introduce flexibility into their careers. Newlon's longtime client, Sara von Bernthal will also be honored for her ongoing support of Newlon and her schedule.
"I'm honored to receive the Flex Success Award alongside Sara von Bernthal from FCA," said Newlon. "Throughout my career, flexibility has been a cornerstone of building a rewarding practice within the legal industry. I'm grateful to Dickinson Wright, my colleagues and clients for being such great partners with me to create relationships that helped us attain our professional and personal goals," she added.
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Robert S. Bick, Robert B. Labe, and Richard D. Rattner - shareholders with Williams, Williams, Rattner, & Plunkett PC in Birmingham-were named to the 2021 edition of The Best Lawyers in America© and the 2020 list of Super Lawyers.
Bick focuses on corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, and business planning; Labe concentrates on estate planning, trusts and estates, tax, and business law; and Rattner devotes his practice to real estate, land use and zoning, and corporate law. Rattner was also named the Best Lawyers 2021 "Lawyer of the Year" for Land Use and Zoning in the metropolitan area surrounding Troy.
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Butzel Long attorney and shareholder Debra Geroux has been named one of three co-chairs for the firm's Healthcare Industry Group. She joins Robert H. Schwartz and Mark Lezotte in this leadership role.
Geroux's healthcare practice focuses on health care regulatory compliance and reporting, including data privacy and breach response, as well as healthcare-related civil, criminal, and administrative litigation.
She holds the Certified in Healthcare Privacy Compliance (CHPC) and Certified in Healthcare Compliance (CHC) designations from the Compliance and Certification Board. Her representative clients include individual practitioners and group practices, community mental health authorities, FQHC's, home health agencies, pharmacies and pharmaceutical manufactures, ambulatory surgery centers, hospitals, and DMEPOS providers.
Geroux also serves on the firm's Cybersecurity and Privacy Specialty Team, Government & Internal Investigations Team and Litigation and Dispute Resolution.
She is a graduate of Michigan State University College of Law in 1995. She received her Bachelor of Science from Michigan State University in 1988.
Geroux is a member of the State Bar of Michigan (including the Health Law Section), the American Bar Association (including the Health Law and Litigation Sections), the Federal Bar Association, the Oakland County Bar Association, and the Health Care Compliance Association. She also assisted with numerous pro bono projects for Community Legal Services (n/k/a Michigan Community Resources), which resulted in the publication of various white papers.
She also is actively involved within her community, both professionally and personally. Currently, she serves on the Board of Directors for Honor Community Health, an FQHC serving Oakland County, and as the vice president of the Board of Directors for the Historical Society for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Geroux also has served as an adjunct professor of Healthcare & Insurance Law in the Paralegal Program at Baker College of Auburn Hills. She also maintains an active role within a number of community organizations, including the CW3 Jaguars FC, where she recently serves as a team manager. She also was active on the Michigan State University College of Law Alumni Association Board, where she served in numerous leadership roles, including serving as its president.
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Brian W. Boyd joins Secrest Wardle's Troy location as an associate. He is a member of the firm's Motor Vehicle Litigation and Premises Liability Practice Groups.
Boyd has insurance defense and employment related litigation experience. His knowledge encompasses pre-litigation through litigation. Additionally, Boyd has experience in developing and executing litigation strategy in defense of complex medical claims.
Boyd earned his law degree from the University of Toledo College of Law. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science Prelaw, minor in Philosophy and Law, from Michigan State University.
Boyd is licensed to practice law in the State of Michigan and is a member of the State Bar of Michigan's Young Lawyers Section.
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Harness Dickey is pleased to announce that Jackie Romagnoli has joined the firm as the Human Resources director. She succeeds Janet Shackleton, who has held the position since April 2000. The two will work together until Shackleton retires at the end of 2020.
In her role, Romagnoli will oversee all Human Resource related staff and benefit issues for the firm, among other responsibilities. She will also be a member of various administrative committees, including the firm's Diversity & Inclusion Committee, which is currently working toward achieving Mansfield Certification for the firm, and enhancing the diversity of attorneys and staff at Harness Dickey.
Prior to joining Harness Dickey, Romagnoli led the Human Resources teams for two Michigan-based general practice law firms and an intellectual property firm. Her previous experience includes serving in senior and generalist HR roles in the banking, utilities, and energy industries.
Romagnoli earned a Masters of Labor and Industrial Relations and a Bachelor's Degree in Communications from Michigan State University.
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Fraser Trebilcock has announced that Shareholder Brian T. Gallagher recently was elected secretary of the Taxation Section Council of the State Bar of Michigan.
Since 2017, Gallagher has been an active member of the Council, serving in various roles, including most recently as the Chair of the Section's 2020 Annual Tax Conference (which was ultimately cancelled due to COVID-19). Prior to being elevated to the Council, Gallagher served two years as the chair of the Tax Section's Employee Benefits Committee.
Gallagher is the current co-chair of the firm's Employee Benefits practice. He was named as a "Rising Star in Michigan" by Super Lawyers for Employee Benefits in 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. Gallagher also is active in the Lansing community, having served on the boards of numerous local nonprofits.
"I am honored to have been elected as an officer of the Tax Section Council, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to build off of the proud tradition of the Tax Section with innovative initiatives that respond to this new environment we're all living in," said Gallagher.
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Detroit-based labor and employment law firm Nemeth Law PC is pleased to announce Angelo Berlasi Jr. has joined the firm as an associate attorney. The announcement was made by Deborah Brouwer, Nemeth Law co-managing partner.
Berlasi received his law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law in 2019 and his undergraduate degree in political science from Western Michigan University.
During and after law school, he worked at several Detroit-area litigation firms, handling insurance defense and employment issues. While in law school, Berlasi worked in the Detroit Mercy Law Immigration Clinic, representing immigrant clients seeking a variety of benefits, including visas, and also was an intern at the Wayne County Corporation Counsel office.
Berlasi is a member of the State Bar of Michigan and its Labor and Employment Law Section, the Oakland County Bar Association, and the Italian American Bar Association. His community service activities include volunteer efforts with the Pope Francis Warming Center Soup Kitchen and the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.
