Pictured at the informal awards ceremony on May 20 were (left to right) Oakland County Probate Court ChiefJudge Kathleen Ryan, Oakland County Circuit Court Chief Judge Shalina Kumar, Katherine Schiefer, Michael Sullivan, Kurt Schnelz (accepting on behalf of his father, the late Gene Schnelz), retired Judge Fred Mester, Joseph Doerr, Kaitlin Brown, Darlene King, and Jonathan Frank.
(Photo courtesy of OCBA)
By Tom Kirvan
Legal News
“Virtual” remains the operative word for the Oakland County Bar Association’s Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony scheduled on Thursday, June 3.
Like last year’s event, the 87th edition of the Annual Meeting in 2021 has taken a back seat to the pandemic, which has altered, postponed, and cancelled countless plans since COVID-19 took the U.S. and Michigan by storm in March 2020. As a result, the OCBA event will take place in the virtual realm for the second year in a row, according to Jennifer Roosenberg, executive director of the largest local bar association in the state.
“Join the OCBA online in celebration of another amazing year,” Roosenberg wrote in an invitation to members for the June 3 event, which will take place from 5 to 7 p.m.
“As tradition, outgoing OCBA President Keefe A. Brooks will pass the gavel to incoming President Kaveh Kashef,” Roosenberg noted. “Kaveh will then be sworn in as the bar’s 89th president and his first action as the new leader will be to deliver remarks about his vision for the year ahead. In addition, we will honor our deserving award recipients and our OCBA members celebrating 40 years of practicing law in Michigan.”
Roosenberg, who has been executive director of the OCBA since the fall of 2017, said that a “small private awards ceremony for just the award recipients” was held May 20 at the OCBA office, and a video of it will be shown during the Zoom event on June 3.
The 2021 honorees include: Kaitlin Brown, Distinguished Service Award; Judge Gene Schnelz (posthumously), Distinguished Career Achievement Award; Oakland County Circuit Court Chief Judge Shalina Kumar and Oakland County Probate Court Chief Judge Kathleen Ryan, Distinguished Public Servant Award; LaVonne Bannister Jackson, Lakeshore Legal Aid Pro Bono Service Award; Katherine Schiefer, Bonnie L. Beutler Outstanding New Lawyer Award; Michael Sullivan, Professionalism Award; retired Judge Fred Mester, S. Gerald Gorcyca Meritorious Service to Veterans Award; Darlene King, Allene and Martin Doctoroff Liberty Bell Award; and Business Court and Counsel Committee and Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Committee of the Year Award.
In addition to the award recipients, 38 attorneys will be in the spotlight as 40-year honorees at the Annual Meeting. They include: Oakland County 43rd District Court Judge Michelle Friedman Appel; Thomas Appleman, Daniel Bates, Michael D.P. Burwell, Roger Cummings, Michael Dean, Albert Dib, John Dominic, Ernest Essad, and John Forrest.
Also to be honored: H. William Freeman, Jack Gibson Jr., Bruce Haffey, George J.A. Heitmanis, Heidi Hudson, Arthur Jalkanen, Joseph Kozely Jr., Eric Linden, Betty Lou Lowenthal, Joseph Mierzejewski, Denise Mitcham, G. Gus Morris, Steven Moss, Michigan Court of Appeals Judge Colleen O’Brien, D. Ann Parker, Steven Potter, Carol Rosati, Don Rosenberg, Susan Sadler, Kay Schwarzberg, Richard Segal, William Seikaly, Katherine Shensky, John Skrzynski, Stephen Stella, Joseph Thomas, Timothy Van Dusen, and Etta Zivian.
“We invite you to join us as we celebrate the great work of these important bar leaders, reflect on the past year, and look ahead to a great future,” Roosenberg said in the invitation to attend the virtual event.
Attendance at the ceremony is free, however, space is limited. Visit www.ocba.org to register.
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