Legal People

Dinsmore & Shohl LLP

Dinsmore & Shohl LLP has welcomed its fifth new partner in Detroit in just two weeks, as commercial litigation attorney Thomas Walters brings his practice to the national firm. He is following the path of his colleagues, led by mergers and acquisitions partner Joseph DeVito, who joined Dinsmore in Southeast Michigan in late July.

Walters is a trusted adviser in all aspects of business litigation. Although he focuses on litigation avoidance and helps clients find alternative pathways to resolution, he has first-chair jury trial and arbitration experience. His practice includes manufacturing disputes, automotive supply chain controversies, construction-related conflicts, sales representative commission claims, real estate development and leasing, stakeholder separations and intellectual property matters. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, much of Walters’ work has revolved around helping clients experiencing supply-chain stress and disruptions.

In choosing to join Dinsmore, Walters was motivated to continue a partnership with DeVito that began three decades ago, when both were law clerks. DeVito was later Walters’ client when DeVito held an in-house position, and the two have worked hand in hand for the past 15 years, with Walters serving as the litigation counterpart to DeVito’s M&A work at the firm they departed. At Dinsmore, they see an opportunity to offer greater depth and breadth of service to their clients.

“Dinsmore’s national platform and collection of professionals allow us to offer even better service to our clients,” Walters said. “The firm is at once very large and profitable, but also comprised of nice, honest, hardworking people. I’m excited to be part of that and to expand our presence in Michigan.”

With the addition of Walters, Dinsmore now has 31 attorneys in Detroit and Ann Arbor, including nine commercial litigators across the two offices.

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Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP recently welcomed Lawrence J. Murphy as a partner in its new Detroit office.

Murphy brings almost 30 years of business litigation experience in state and federal courts at both the trial and appellate levels and in alternative dispute resolution proceedings, including mediation, arbitration and facilitation. At Warner, Murphy will focus his practice on automotive supply chain litigation and counseling, business contract disputes, class action defense and bankruptcy adversary proceedings. He will join the firm’s Litigation Practice Group, Automotive Industry Group, and its Class Action Defense Group.   

Murphy comes to Warner from The Miller Law Firm in Rochester, and previously spent 24 years practicing law at Honigman LLP in Detroit. During his career, Murphy has focused on complex commercial litigation and represented OEMs and suppliers throughout the automotive supply chain in a wide variety of contracting matters, recalls and warranty claims, tooling disputes, preliminary injunction proceedings and other commercial matters. 

He is consistently recognized by Best Lawyers in America, by Michigan Super Lawyers and has been rated among the Top Lawyers by DBusiness. He is a member of the Federal Bar Association, State Bar of Michigan, and Oakland County Bar Association.

Murphy earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and his law degree from Wayne State University Law School.

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Rochester Bar Association

The Rochester Bar Association is pleased to announce its 2021-2022 officers:

President - Deborah E. Fordree

Vice President - John F. Buckert

Secretary - Ann D. Christ

Treasurer - Randall L. Shepard

Director (1 year term) - Ralph Maccarone

Director (2 year term) - Kevin P. Cleary

Director (3 year term) - Richard Urbis

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Plunkett Cooney

Plunkett Cooney is once again ranked by the National Law Journal (NLJ) among the 350 largest and most distinguishable firms for female diversity in the United States.

Plunkett Cooney ranks 275 in the 2021 survey, moving up 58 places in the ranking from last year. According to a recent NLJ article, the firm was also one of the top five in the nation for percentage growth at 16.8% in 2020.

In determining its list of the top law firms, The NLJ surveyed more than 900 law firms to identify the 500 largest in the United States during the previous calendar year. The attorney totals are based on the average number of Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) attorneys for the period Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2020.

In addition, the NLJ has ranked Plunkett Cooney 148 nationally on its “Women in Law Scorecard 2021.” Of the attorneys employed at the firm, 34.2% are female. From this grouping, 24.7% are partners and 45.2% are associates. The Women’s Scorecard is produced as part of the annual NLJ 500 firm head count report, and it only includes FTE attorneys. Data on gender diversity at firms is collected simultaneously with lawyer totals. The largest 350 firms are eligible for the Women’s Scorecard.

Established in 1913, Plunkett Cooney is a leading provider of business and litigation services to clients in the private and public sectors.

The firm employs approximately 150 attorneys in seven Michigan cities, Chicago, Illinois, Columbus, Ohio, and Indianapolis, Indiana.