Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer, & Weiss PC has named Emily Mayer, Amee Smith, and Natalie Watkins as the three newest partners of the firm, effective January 1. Jaffe CEO Jeffrey M. Weiss made the announcement.
Mayer is an attorney in the firm's litigation & dispute resolution, insurance and appellate practice groups. She represents individuals and businesses of all sizes in areas of business litigation, including membership, partnership, shareholder disputes, contract disputes and business torts. She prides herself and her work on the successful outcomes and favorable settlements she has achieved on behalf of her clients at trial an on appeal, as well as through dispositive motion practice, mediation, and negotiation.
Mayer earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan and a law degree from Wayne State University Law School.
Smith is an attorney in Jaffe's emerging & growth business, mergers & acquisitions, and finance practice groups. She advises and counsels entrepreneurs and businesses throughout all stages of their lifecycle. Her focus areas include general corporate law, startup and emerging company matters, mergers and acquisitions, venture financing, and debt and equity financing.
Smith earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. She obtained a law degree from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law.
Watkins is an attorney in the mergers & acquisitions, securities & corporate governance, finance and emerging & growth business practice groups. She assists in the representation of a wide range of clients in securities and capital markets, private debt and equity financings, mergers and acquisitions, and all aspects of corporate formation, governance, and operations.
Watkins graduated with a bachelor's degree in political science from Western Michigan University and graduated with a law degree from Michigan State University College of Law.
In addition, Joseph Lash has joined the Southfield office of Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer, & Weiss as a partner with the firm's real estate and corporate law practice groups. Jaffe CEO Jeffrey M. Weiss made the announcement.
Lash concentrates his practice primarily on commercial real estate and business law. He has represented a wide variety of clients, including entrepreneurs, developers, manufacturers, law firms, physicians, dentists, banks, landlords and tenants, in all aspects of their business. Common transactions that Lash helps manage include the formation of business entities; purchase and sale of businesses, land and buildings; negotiation of leases (shopping center, industrial, office, etc.) and employment agreements; syndication of investment opportunities; and negotiation of loan documents.
Lash spent more than 20 years as a shareholder at his previous firm, building valuable business relationships and developing an impressive list of clients throughout the area. He graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor's degree in history in 1991. Lash earned his law degree in 1994 from Wayne State University Law School.
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Dickinson Wright PLLC is pleased to announce the election of thirteen new member attorneys effective January 1.
Below are Dickinson Wright's local new member attorneys for 2021:
Max Aidenbaum is a member in the firm's Detroit office. He focuses his practice on commercial litigation-including contract disputes, business torts, and real estate matters. He has successfully represented corporations, limited liability companies and their members, governmental entities, and individual corporate officers in both state and federal courts, as well as in arbitrations. He is recognized as a leader in his field by Best Lawyers in America® "Ones to Watch" for Commercial Litigation. Aidenbaum received his B.A. from the University of Michigan and his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School.
Laura Bassett is a member in the firm's Troy office. She counsels Michigan local governments and school districts on tax-exempt and taxable financings, including debt issued in connection with capital project financing, refinancing, cash flow borrowings, pooled financings and intergovernmental and public-private collaborations. She advises numerous Michigan county drain commissioners and other issuers of bonds to finance drainage systems and water and sewer system improvements. Her public law experience also includes advising clients on election and campaign finance laws and open meeting and procedural matters. She is recognized as a leader in her field by DBusiness Top Lawyers for Public Finance Law. Bassett received her B.A. from Kalamazoo College, her Ph.D. in History of Art from the University of Michigan, and her law degree from Wayne State University Law School.
Michael Dallaire is a member in the firm's Detroit office. He focuses his practice in commercial litigation, bankruptcy and insolvency, and other complex business disputes. In addition to his broad-based commercial practice, Dallaire frequently represents Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and tiered automotive suppliers in supply chain litigation, financial restructurings, workouts, and asset sales. He is recognized as a leader in his field by Best Lawyers in America® "Ones to Watch" for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights, Insolvency and Reorganization. He received his B.A. from Michigan State University and his law degree from The Ohio State University, Moritz College of Law.
Brian Foley is a member in the firm's Troy office. He represents financial institutions, companies, and individuals in real estate matters, with an emphasis in commercial real estate secured financing transactions. He also has experience with purchases and sales of real property, real estate workouts and foreclosures, loan sales, leasing transactions, and real estate closing opinions. He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, the Governing Council of the Real Property Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan, and the Indiana State Bar Association. He received his B.A. from Kalamazoo College, his M.S. from Michigan State University, and his law degree from Wayne State University Law School.
William Hurles is a member in the firm's Troy office. He is an intellectual property attorney and focuses his practice on patent, trademark and copyright matters. He has experience in filing and prosecuting patent and trademark applications before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. He also counsels clients on the avoidance of competitor intellectual property rights while bringing new products to the market, and represents clients in inter partes review and ex parte reexamination patent validity challenging proceedings. He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, a registered patent attorney with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and a member of the Michigan Intellectual Property Law Association. He received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan State University and his law degree from Wayne State University Law School.
Charles Kocher is a member in the firm's Troy office. He focuses his practice on intellectual property including patents and trademarks. He assists clients in the preparation and prosecution of patent applications worldwide, including significant experience in the automotive, residential energy, and data storage technologies. He also assists clients in patentability searches and opinions, patent infringement analysis and clearance searches, trademark opinions and applications, and IP due diligence support. He received his B.S. from Ohio State University, his M.S. from Oakland University, and his law degree from Wayne State University Law School.
Chelsey Marsh is a member in the firm's Troy office. Her practice focuses on representation of national, regional and local financial institutions, companies and individuals in commercial real estate finance transactions, including construction financing across the country. She also represents entities and individuals in a broad array of real estate transactions, including the leasing, acquisition and disposition of office, retail, industrial and multi-family properties. She is recognized as a leader in her field by Best Lawyers in America® "Ones to Watch" for Real Estate Law. She received her B.A. from the University of Michigan and her law degree from Wayne State University Law School.
Ariana Pellegrino is a member in the firm's Detroit office. She is an experienced litigator who has represented clients in a variety of areas, including commercial real estate, non-compete and anti-solicitation agreements, shareholder disputes, employment discrimination, and intellectual property litigation. She is well-versed in effectively and efficiently managing large-scale discovery, with experience implementing and managing the discovery process from collection to production. She is recognized as a leader in her field by Best Lawyers in America® "Ones to Watch" for Commercial Litigation and was named Nonpartner Associate of the Year by Crain's Detroit Business. She received her B.A. from the University of Michigan and her law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law.
Joseph Pytel is a member in the firm's Troy office. He concentrates his practice on providing strategic counseling on intellectual property matters and preparing and prosecuting patent applications. He has experience in the electrical, computer hardware and software, and mechanical arts. In addition to patent preparation and prosecution, he has experience in providing patentability and infringement opinions. He is recognized as a leader in his field by Michigan Super Lawyers "Rising Stars" for Intellectual Property. He received his B.S. and M.S. from Kettering University and his law degree from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School.
Katherine VanderVeen is a member in the firm's Detroit office. She assists clients in a variety of industries with all aspects of commercial finance transactions, including structuring, negotiation, due diligence, and documentation. She has expertise in bilateral and syndicated loans, cash-flow-based and asset-based loans, real estate financing, acquisition financing, cross-border financing, and PPP loans. She is recognized as a leader in her field by Best Lawyers in America® "Ones to Watch" for Banking and Finance Law. She received her B.A. from Michigan State University and her law degree from Wayne State University Law School.
Adam Wallace is a member in the firm's Detroit office. He represents private equity funds and their related portfolio companies in various types of mergers and acquisitions and related financings. He is skilled in aspects of corporate formation, corporate governance and contract review. He is recognized as a leader in his field by Best Lawyers in America® "Ones to Watch" for Banking & Finance Law and Corporate Law. He is also listed in Michigan Super Lawyers "Rising Stars" for Mergers & Acquisitions. He received his B.A. from the University of Michigan and his law degree from Wayne State University Law School.
In addition, Dickinson Wright PLLC is pleased to announce that Erin M. Pawlowski has joined the firm's Detroit office as a member.
Pawlowski is a corporate attorney with expertise spanning a broad array of complex transactions. She works with brands in a wide range of industries including the apparel, consumer products, software, and banking industries, among others. Pawlowski is passionate about providing excellent-client service, striving to find creative and nimble solutions for her clients and to deliver advice in a succinct and actionable manner. Pawlowski previously served as a litigator for a private law firm and as in-house counsel at Carhartt Inc. where she worked on a broad range of legal matters involving corporate transactions and compliance, intellectual property, and litigation, giving her invaluable perspective when advising clients on transactional matters.
Pawlowski has been recognized as a leader in her field by Michigan Super Lawyers. Pawlowski received her B.G.S. from the University of Michigan and her law degree from Wayne State University Law School.
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Clark Hill recently announced the promotion of several attorneys to membership in the firm. The new members come from six of the firm's 25 offices and represent six of Clark Hill's practice groups.
"We are very pleased to announce the advancement to firm membership of these eight individuals who have consistently demonstrated deep commitment to outstanding service to our clients and to Clark Hill's core institutional values," said Clark Hill's new CEO, John Hensien.
Hensien assumed the leadership of Clark Hill as CEO on Jan. 1, 2021, a position held by John Hern for the previous 18 years. Hern and Jeffrey J. Conn, both member of the firm's Executive Committee, have assumed co-chair roles.
The firm's local new members are:
BIRMINGHAM
Stephanie M. Anderson is a member of the Litigation practice group, promoted from senior attorney. Her practice is focused on product liability matters, serving as national counsel for companies across industries throughout the U.S. Anderson has successfully defended clients in products liability matters in a wide variety of industrial and consumer products.
Jonathan M. Martone is a member in the Litigation practice group, promoted from senior attorney. His practice involves a broad range of litigation and transaction-based commercial and personal legal service matters, and he has successfully represented businesses and individuals in all areas of business and commercial litigation.
DETROIT
Steven R. Pacynski is a member in the Corporate Law practice group, promoted from senior attorney. His practice is focused on corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, general business and commercial matters, and tax-exempt organizations. Pacynski regularly assists clients in connection with formation, merger, acquisition, and dissolution of foreign and domestic corporations and limited liability companies.
Kevin M. Washburn is a member of the Real Estate practice group, promoted from senior attorney. Washburn 's practice involves representation of buyers, sellers, developers, investors, and lenders in a variety of sophisticated transactions. He has served as lead counsel on multiple acquisitions, dispositions, and rehab/restoration and development projects in downtown Detroit, throughout Michigan, and across the U.S.
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Harness Dickey is pleased to share that a pro bono project led by patent attorney and firm Principal Michael Doerr has reached the next stage in an effort to protect scooter safety technology developed by a middle school robotics team. On behalf of the East Hills Middle School Great Engineering Kids of Tomorrow, also known as the GEKOT Robotics Team, Doerr recently filed a non-provisional U.S. patent application for their Collision Alert Technology for Scooters (CATS).
According to the team's website, scooter accidents led to 40,000 injuries and 29 deaths in 2018. Combined with a rapid increase in scooter and "micro-mobility" offerings in urban areas in recent years, new safety measures were needed. CATS aims to cut down on these accidents using a combination of sensors, controls, and alerts.
CATS previously helped the GEKOT Robotics Team win the "Innovation Award" at Michigan's 2019 State Robotics Championship. Winning the award prompted the team to consider patenting their technology, but they soon realized they would need outside help with the process. That was when East Hills Principal Jason Rubel reached out to his neighbor, Michael Doerr.
"We saw this as a great opportunity to provide guidance, education, and assistance to the GEKOT Robotics Team on the patent process and the considerations that go into protecting technology and intellectual property," says Doerr. "Harness Dickey turns 100 years old next year, and we have a long history of community support, so we were happy to say 'yes' to this pro bono opportunity."
Doerr worked closely with the GEKOT Robotics Team to prepare both an initial provisional patent application and a more formal version, called a non-provisional patent application, which he filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on November 23, 2020. Doerr also worked with a colleague at a Chinese law firm to file a corresponding patent application in China.
According to GEKOT Robotics Team coach Dan Champoux, Razor USA has expressed an interest in CATS. Filing a patent application will allow the team to safeguard their technology while sharing a prototype and discussing it with the large scooter manufacturer.
The next stage for the GEKOT Robotics Team and their CATS technology will occur sometime in mid-2021, when the USPTO is expected to publish the patent application.
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Ven Johnson Law PLC is further investing in Detroit by reconfiguring and expanding its office in the historic Buhl Building located at 535 Griswold Street to accommodate its growing team. The firm added approximately 8,000 square feet to its existing 5,000 sq.uare foot footprint, creating 16 new workstations, two conference rooms and 11 private offices, many of which overlook the Detroit River. The firm has been in the Buhl Building since 2012.
Attorneys Jeffrey Stewart and David Shiener along with paralegal Tiffani Gagne joined the firm on September 1, 2020, and attorneys Solomon Radner and Madeline Sinkovich and paralegal Katie Moore joined on November 1, 2020. The new team members enhance the capabilities of the firm's police misconduct, civil rights, product liability, medical malpractice and personal injury practice areas. Ven Johnson Law now employs 49 people across its offices in Detroit, Flint, and Grand Rapids.
"When I started this firm, I knew we had to be in Detroit, and I had my eye on the Buhl Building. This neo-Gothic structure has been a cornerstone of Detroit's financial district since the late 1800s." said Ven Johnson, president of Ven Johnson Law. "A growing team and client base called for the need to remodel and expanded our office to include the best technology and workspace to fight for our clients."
New technology enables staff to remotely connect with colleagues and clients anywhere in the world. The additional offices and workstations accommodate new staff and enlarged conference rooms provide clients more comfortable meeting space.
D'Angelo Construction, which specializes in the commercial, retail and institutional markets, constructed the new Ven Johnson Law office with Stephen Sussman Architect & Associates. Birmingham interior designer Jeffrey King Interiors was hired to do the interior.
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Attorney Joshua LaBar recently joined the Insurance Coverage Practice Group of Plunkett Cooney.
A former judicial law clerk to Michigan Supreme Court Justice Stephen J. Markman and to Michigan Court of Appeals Judge Thomas C. Cameron, LaBar represents leading property and casualty insurance companies in coverage litigation. His practice involves a variety of litigated issues, including environmental contamination, product liability and construction defect claims, among others.
An associate in the firm's Bloomfield Hills office, LaBar graduated from Michigan State University College of Law in 2016. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan-Flint in 2012.
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Hall, Render, Killian, Heath, & Lyman recently announced that Lisa Lucido of the Detroit office has been named a shareholder.
Lucido concentrates her practice in the areas of Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, managed care, as well as regulatory and compliance work. She provides counsel to wide variety of health care entities in developing strategies and policies to ensure compliance with the Medicare and Medicaid programs, including provider-based issues, evaluation of payment, disclosure and compliance matters. Lucido graduated from the Wayne State University Law School in 2013.
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Mckeen & Associates announced the addition of two attorneys to its team: Shaun Austin and Amanda Groth.
Both Austin and Groth are recent graduates of University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and plan to focus their practice in the area of medical malpractice law.
