Patrick M. McCarthy has been named chairman of Howard & Howard. The firm's incoming President and Chief Executive Officer Jon D. Kreucher made the announcement. McCarthy, who joined the firm in 1995, has been a trial lawyer and trusted legal advisor for more than 28 years.
McCarthy, who also serves as the chair of the firm's Litigation Practice Group, has represented companies from numerous industries in courts and forums nationwide on a broad range of matters, including trials and arbitration hearings concerning breach of contract; business torts; unfair competition; patents; trademarks; and copyright issues.
As chairman, McCarthy will be a key ambassador for the firm and help guide the material strategic initiatives of the firm. He also will assist with lateral recruitment of attorneys, client and practice development initiatives, and maintenance of best practices.
"I am honored for the opportunity to work with Jon, Mark and other members of our team, and to advance our firm and its brand in all of our offices and markets, guide important initiatives, identify and recruit legal talent, increase our involvement and interaction with professional and community groups and regularly serve as a face and ambassador for the firm," said McCarthy.
McCarthy has been consistently named to Michigan Super Lawyers (2009-2021), which also includes the Top 50 Michigan Business Lawyers (2013-2015) and Top 100 Michigan Lawyers (2012-2016). He has also been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America© (2013-2022), Michigan Leading Lawyers (2014-2021) and DBusiness magazine's Top Lawyers (2011, 2013-2014, 2016-2018, 2020). McCarthy is a fellow of the Michigan State Bar Foundation, a recognition reserved for the top five percent of the state's lawyers.
In addition, McCarthy is a past president and current trustee of the Oakland County Bar Foundation, and a fellow of the Michigan State Bar Foundation and the American Bar Foundation. He is a graduate of the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and Michigan State University.
In addition, Howard & Howard is proud to announce that Daniel Chojnowski has been selected to the 2021 Class of "Leaders in the Law" by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
Chojnowski focuses his practice on global patent procurement, opinion work, freedom-to-operate investigations, and global intellectual property portfolio management, primarily in the chemical, mechanical, and medical device arts. Chojnowski also has experience in preparing and prosecuting U.S. and foreign design patent applications. In addition to his intellectual property focus, he assists clients with navigating and complying with the U.S. Department of Commerce's import and export requirements.
Chojnowski received his law degree from Wayne State University Law School, his M.S. from Eastern Michigan University, and his B.S. from Western Michigan University. He is also a member of the Michigan Intellectual Property Law Association.
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Secrest Wardle has welcomed two new associates: Zachary J. Diederichs and Robert M. Unatin.
Diederichs 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.
Diederichs earned his law degree from Michigan State University College of Law. He attended Central Michigan University for his undergraduate studies where he earned degrees in Philosophy and Political Science.
Diederichs has experience in advanced legal research, criminal law as an intern, and no-fault litigation as a paralegal.
Diederichs is admitted to practice law in the State of Michigan and is an active member of the State Bar of Michigan's Young Lawyers, Insurance and Indemnity Law, Litigation, and Negligence Law Sections.
Unatin 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. Unatin is admitted to practice law in the State of Michigan and is an active member of the State Bar of Michigan's Young Lawyers Section.
Unatin earned his law degree from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School and his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Michigan State University.
Unatin has experience working on insurance defense litigation and coverage claims in connection with first and third-party automobile injuries. He has handled cases in state and federal courts.
Prior to joining Secrest Wardle, Unatin gained experience working as a defense attorney for a mid-sized law firm where his practice was focused in the areas of securities and investment litigation.
In addition, Secrest Wardle has proudly received multiple rankings on the U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers® 2022 "Best Law Firms" list in the following categories:
• Metropolitan Tier 1 - Troy
Commercial Litigation
Insurance Law
Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants
Litigation - Insurance
Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
• Metropolitan Tier 2 - Troy
Litigation Municipal
Municipal Law
Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Metropolitan Tier 3 - Troy
Arbitration
Land Use & Zoning Law
Litigation - Land Use & Zoning
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Varnum banking and finance attorney Michael J. Romaya has been recognized by Michigan Lawyers Weekly as one of the 2021 "Leaders in the Law."
Romaya is a partner and co-chair of Varnum's Banking and Finance practice. He represents clients in a wide range of financings and structures and is experienced in leveraged buyout and leveraged recapitalization loans, asset-based loans and real estate financing. He also represents lenders and borrowers on workouts and restructuring of troubled credits.
In addition to his practice, Romaya serves as head of the firm's Birmingham office and chairs the firm's Lateral Partner and Recruiting Committee. He also serves on the firm's Executive Committee.
Outside of work, Romaya is an active member of the Chaldean Community in Southeast Michigan. He was appointed to the Commission on Middle Eastern American Affairs by former Gov. Rick Snyder and continues to serve in that role.
The 2021 Leaders in the Law will be recognized at a luncheon event on Dec. 2 at the Detroit Marriott in Troy.
Varnum also announced that Matthew M. Shina has joined the firm. He previously served as a summer associate at Varnum.
Shina is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School. He received his undergraduate degree in economics from Wayne State University
He will be based in Varnum's Birmingham office.
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Plunkett Cooney partner Douglas C. Bernstein was recently selected to serve as a member of the Michigan State Bar Foundation's new Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts (IOLTA) Community Investment Committee.
The IOLTA Community Investment Committee is a volunteer group of the Michigan State Bar Foundation Board of Trustees. Members use their collective expertise to provide guidance in developing effective cultivation and stewardship of participating IOLTA financial institutions, accountholders and administrators. The IOLTA Community Investment Committee provides guidance for future long-term planning and development of strategies to support the IOLTA Growth Plan, including the Leadership Bank program and Banking on Justice campaign.
The Michigan State Bar Foundation provides leadership and grants to improve access for all to the justice system, including support for civil legal aid to the indigent, law-related educational opportunities and conflict resolution services. The foundation administers the IOLTA program, and it works closely with Michigan financial institutions to facilitate their participation in the Leadership Bank Program, which recognizes the institutions that are committed to helping underserved individuals and families by paying higher interest rates than required on IOLTA accounts held at their institutions.
A member of Plunkett Cooney's Bloomfield Hills office, Bernstein serves as the firm's Business Law Department leader. He concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial litigation, loan restructuring, commercial loan documentation, bankruptcy, banking-related litigation and appeals. His clients include numerous regional and national banks, credit unions and loan servicers, as well as automotive suppliers and charitable foundations.
Prior to joining Plunkett Cooney, Bernstein worked as an in-house attorney at Michigan National Corporation for more than 20 years. He subsequently joined the Standard Federal Bank Legal Department when the bank merged with Michigan National Corporation in 2001.
Bernstein earned his undergraduate degree in 1978 from Wayne State University and his law degree in 1982 from the Detroit College of Law. He has received several honors for his legal work, including an AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell, selection as a Michigan Super Lawyer by Super Lawyers magazine for over 12 years, and a Best Lawyers in America® designation from 2014 to 2021.
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Butzel attorney and shareholder Paul M. Mersino has been named to Crain's Detroit Business magazine's 2021 Class of "40 Under 40," list which profiles metro Detroit business professionals. Mersino is profiled in the November 1, 2021 edition.
Mersino was elected to Butzel's Board of Directors in March, 2020. Prior to serving on the firm's Board of Directors, he was practice department chair of the firm's Litigation Practice Group. As a board member, he is responsible for the operations and management of the 150+ attorney firm, including budgeting, setting strategic goals, and more. As Litigation Practice Department chair, he was responsible for the management and oversight of the firm's Commercial Litigation attorneys who reported to him as well as for the strategic goals, budgeting, forecasting, and direction of the practice group.
He represents public and private companies, both as plaintiff's attorney and defendant's attorney, in a number of areas including complex commercial litigation, contract disputes, non-competition and trade secret disputes, automotive supplier disputes, construction litigation, and First Amendment litigation.
Mersino represents and advises a number of startup companies, assisting them with their legal needs and matching them with potential venture capital funding. He also handles appeals in the Michigan Court of Appeals, the Michigan Supreme Court, and in federal courts across the country.
In 2020, Mersino was named to DBusiness magazine's "30 in Their Thirties." He has been recognized as a Top Lawyer by DBusiness magazine, as a Michigan Super Lawyer, as one of Oakland County's Elite 40 under 40, and as an "Up and Coming Lawyer" by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
Mersino also has served on the Board of Directors of the Detroit Bar Association, has served as an advisor to the Michigan Institute of Continuing Legal Education's Litigation Advisory Board, and is a Trustee of the Butzel Long Charitable Trust.
Mersino is a 2008 graduate of Ave Maria School of Law. He earned his undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Northwood University (B.A., 2005).
In addition, Butzel has received national recognition in the 2022 "Best Law Firms," rankings by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers®.
Butzel is ranked in multiple legal specialties in the Ann Arbor, Detroit, Lansing, Troy and Washington, D.C. offices.
Below is a list of Butzel's local 2022 Best Law Firm rankings:
Metropolitan Tier 1
DETROIT
• Appellate Practice
• Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/ Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Commercial Litigation
• Corporate Law
• Criminal Defense: White-Collar
• Employment Law Management
• Immigration Law
• International Trade and Finance Law
• Labor Law Management
• Litigation Labor & Employment
• Mass Tort Litigation/ Class Actions Defendants
• Mergers & Acquisitions Law
• Product Liability Litigation Defendants
• Securities Regulation
TROY
• Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/ Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
• Commercial Litigation
• Construction Law
• Corporate Law
• Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• Employment Law Management
• Health Care LawImmigration Law
• Labor Law Management
• Litigation Antitrust
• Litigation Environmental
• Litigation ERISA
• Litigation Labor & Employment
• Litigation Real Estate
• Real Estate Law
• Trusts & Estates Law
Metropolitan Tier 2
DETROIT
• Bet-the-Company Litigation
• Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
• Construction Law
• Corporate Compliance Law
• Corporate Governance Law
• Ethics and Professional Responsibility Law
• International Mergers & Acquisitions
• Personal Injury Litigation Defendants
• Securities/ Capital Markets Law
TROY
• Appellate Practice
• Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
• Corporate Governance Law
• Environmental Law
• Family Law
• Litigation Construction
• Litigation Trusts & Estates
• Tax Law
Metropolitan Tier 3
DETROIT
• Health Care Law
• Litigation Construction
• Litigation Trusts & Estates
• Tax Law
TROY
• Banking and Finance Law
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Ackerman & Ackerman PC has welcomed Matthew Ackerman as a partner. Ackerman & Ackerman Managing Partner Alan Ackerman made the announcement.
Matthew Ackerman joins the firm following two prestigious clerkships-first for U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Jerry E. Smith, Fifth Circuit, and second for U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Michael H. Park, Second Circuit.
"I grew up wanting to practice law with my dad like he did with his dad. That's the reason I went to law school," Ackerman said. "I was eager to join the firm because it's such an outstanding opportunity to learn a highly complex area of law from my dad, who is really an expert in all things eminent domain. We're looking forward to this next phase, and growing the practice together."
Ackerman graduated from Harvard University, earned his Master of Science in economics from the London School of Economics, and attended Columbia Law School.
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Warner Norcross + Judd LLP has been ranked one of the 2022 "Best Law Firms" by Best Lawyers® and U.S. News & World Report.
The firm has been recognized for its litigation work in the areas of regulatory enforcement and environmental law. Additionally, six of its offices received top-tier ratings in multiple practice areas.
The firm's Detroit office was recognized as a top-tier law firm. Detroit was recognized for closely held companies and family businesses, corporate, employee benefits, environmental, health care, trust and estates, bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights, tax law and commercial and regulatory enforcement litigation.
Warner also had 105 attorneys listed in The Best Lawyers in America© 2022. Attorneys from each of the firm's nine offices were featured in the 2022 listings, which were released earlier this year.
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Lee Hornberger recently announced he has received a First Tier ranking in Northern Michigan for Mediation by U.S. News Best Lawyers® Best Law Firms in 2022; and that he has received a Second Tier ranking in Northern Michigan for Arbitration by U.S. News Best Lawyers® Best Law Firms in 2022.
Hornberger is a former chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section of the State Bar of Michigan, editor emeritus of The Michigan Dispute Resolution Journal, former member of the State Bar's Representative Assembly, former president of the Grand Traverse-Leelanau-Antrim Bar Association, and former chair of the Traverse City Human Rights Commission. He is a member of the Professional Resolution Experts of Michigan (PREMi), an invitation-only group of Michigan's top mediators, and a diplomate member of The National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals. He is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.
Hornberger has received the George Bashara Award from the State Bar's ADR Section in recognition of exemplary service. He has received Hero of ADR Awards from the ADR Section.
Hornberger is included in The Best Lawyers of America 2018 and 2019 for arbitration, and 2020 to 2022 for arbitration and mediation. He is on the 2016 to 2021 Michigan Super Lawyers lists for alternative dispute resolution. He has received a First Tier ranking in Northern Michigan for Mediation by U.S. News Best Lawyers® Best Law Firms in 2022; and he has received a Second Tier ranking in Northern Michigan for Arbitration by U.S. News Best Lawyers® Best Law Firms in 2022. He has received a Second Tier ranking in Northern Michigan for Mediation by U.S. News Best Lawyers® Best Law Firms in 2020. He has received a First Tier ranking in Northern Michigan for Arbitration by U.S. News Best Lawyers® Best Law Firms in 2019.
While serving with the U.S. Army in Vietnam, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Army Commendation Medals. The unit he was in was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm.
He earned his B.A. and law degree from the University of Michigan and his LL.M. in Labor Law from Wayne State University.
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A. Vince Colella, a personal injury and civil rights attorney and co-founder of Southfield-based Moss & Colella PC, has been named to the 2022 DBusiness Top Lawyers list. Colella was selected as a Top Lawyer in the personal injury category.
For more than two decades, Colella has tried and won cases in state and federal courts throughout Michigan. He has handled many high-profile cases, including most recently, the second-largest reported drowning case settlement in Michigan history. Other prominent cases involved: a snowboarding accident resulting in paralysis (recreational accident); a citronella fire pot explosion resulting in severe burns and scarring on a schoolteacher's face, neck, and chest (product liability); a governmental immunity case against a shop teacher at a mid-Michigan public high school; and an apartment fire in a Southfield, Michigan complex causing the death of two women and two children (premises liability).
Colella's trial experience includes automobile negligence, police brutality and misconduct, premises liability, trucking accidents, insurance disputes, sexual harassment, sexual assault, discrimination, and wrongful death.
Colella has served as a member of the Executive Board of the Michigan Association for Justice and is a member of the American Bar Association, the State Bar of Michigan, the Detroit Bar Association, and the Oakland County Bar Association. He is certified as a mediator and regularly serves as a case evaluator for the Oakland and Wayne County Circuit Court Case Management Offices. He also writes a monthly legal column, "Colella in Context," in the Detroit Legal News, exploring timely topics related to personal injury and civil rights law.
Colella adds the DBusiness honor to other legal awards. He was named to the Leaders in the Law class of 2019 by the trade publication Michigan Lawyers Weekly and is a 11-year recipient of the Michigan Super Lawyer designation.
He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Michigan State University and his law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, where he established in 2020 the A. Vince Colella Scholarship to support law students considering a career in civil rights.
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Detroit-based land use, business, and denominational trust law firm Dalton & Tomich is pleased to announce that Daniel P. Dalton, a founding partner of the firm, has been named to the 2022 DBusiness Top Lawyers list. Dalton was honored in the Land Use and Zoning category, an area where he has a national reputation as a tenacious and strategic litigator.
In addition to a busy general commercial land use and zoning practice, Dalton has an understanding of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA) and has handled the business side of religious property for all faiths to protect the religious organization's right to use its property within the parameters of its spiritual mission. He has worked with hundreds of churches, synagogues, mosques, temples and almost all types of religious assembly use throughout the country to secure site plan approval or litigate claims in federal courts.
An accomplished legal writer who has authored several books, Dalton recently released the desk reference, "Religious Property Disputes and the Law: House of God, Laws of Man," published by the American Bar Association in August 2021. Dalton is often sought out by the media for stories on his high profile cases or topical religious land use issues, and has been quoted in The Atlantic, the Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, USA Today, Christianity Today, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and The Tennessean, among others.
Dalton adds the DBusiness Top Lawyers honor, which he has received multiple times, to other legal accolades. Among them, he is a long-standing award winner of Michigan Super Lawyers in "land use and zoning," including 2021. In addition to being named a Michigan Lawyers Weekly 2021 "Go To Lawyer" for Real Estate and Condo Law, Dalton was named to the legal publication's 2010 class of Leaders in the Law.
Dalton is an active member of the State Bar of Michigan and the Federal Bar Association, and is a lifetime member of the American Bar Foundation. Dalton earned a law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Western Michigan University. Upon graduation from law school, Dalton was a clerk for the Michigan Supreme Court.
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Detroit-based management-side labor and employment law firm Nemeth Law PC is pleased to announce that Deborah Brouwer, co-managing partner of the firm, has been named to DBusiness' 2022 Top Lawyers list. Brouwer was named a Top Lawyer in the labor and employment law category.
Brouwer's labor and employment practice includes the defense of lawsuits against employers involving claims of race, age, religion, national origin, gender and disability discrimination, and harassment and retaliation, as well as FLSA, FMLA and non-competition suits. She also provides employer training and conducts discrimination and harassment investigations on behalf of employers. Brouwer has experience appearing before administrative agencies, including the EEOC, MDCR, MIOSHA, OSHA and the NLRB, and also appears frequently before the Michigan Court of Appeals and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Brouwer has received numerous accolades in the legal field, including previous DBusiness Top Lawyer honors, multiple Michigan Super Lawyer listings, Best Lawyers® in America for 2021 and 2022, and selection as a Crain's Detroit Business Notable Women in Law honoree in 2019. She was recognized as a 2020 "Go-To Lawyer" in Business Law and also named to the 2018 class of "Women in the Law," both by the legal trade publication, Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
Brouwer is also the president of the Michigan Defense Trial Counsel (MDTC) board of directors for 2021-2022, having served as the organization's board vice president and treasurer in prior terms of office. She recently was named as a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, a trial lawyer honorary society.
Brouwer is a member of the State Bar of Michigan Appellate Section and Labor and Employment Law Section; member of the American Bar Association, Litigation Section; member of the DRI; chair of the Board of Directors of Assured Family Services; and chair, Board of Trustees, Luella Hannan Memorial Foundation. She earned a law degree from the Wayne State University Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree and Master of Arts degree, both from the University of Michigan.
In addition, Nemeth Law is pleased to announce the firm has been recognized as a tier-one law firm by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers® in its 2022 Edition of "Best Law Firms." In the newly released annual publication, Nemeth Law is ranked a Tier 1 firm at the metropolitan level in two categories:
• Labor Law Management
• Litigation Labor & Employment
In August, Brouwer and Patricia Nemeth, founder of Nemeth Law, were selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2022. Brouwer was recognized in the practice categories of Labor LawManagement and LitigationLabor and Employment in her second year being named to Best Lawyers®. Nemeth, Of Counsel, was named a Best Lawyer in the practice areas of Employment LawManagement, Labor LawManagement, and LitigationLabor and Employment. She has been included on the Best Lawyers'® list since 2010.
Nemeth was also recognized as a 2022 Best Lawyers® "Lawyer of the Year"-awarded to individual lawyers with the highest overall peer-feedback for a specific practice area and geographic region. Nemeth received this accolade for her longstanding work in Employment LawManagement in Detroit.
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Fishman Stewart PLLC, an intellectual property specialty law firm, is pleased to announce it has been recognized as a tier-one law firm by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers® in the 2022 edition of "Best Law Firms." In this newly released annual edition, Fishman Stewart is ranked a Tier 1 firm at the metropolitan level in four categories:
Litigation - Intellectual Property
Litigation - Patent
Patent Law
Trademark Law
In August, six Fishman Stewart attorneys were awarded 2022 Best Lawyers®:
• Michael D. Fishman, Trademark Law
• Michael B. Stewart, Litigation-Intellectual Property; Litigation-Patent; Patent Law; and Trademark Law
• Julie A. Greenberg, Trademark Law
• John P. Guenther, Litigation-Intellectual Property; Patent Law; and Trademark Law
• Douglas P. LaLone, Litigation-Intellectual Property; Patent Law
• Barbara Lynn Mandell, Litigation-Intellectual Property
In addition, two Fishman Stewart attorneys were named 2022 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch-lawyers who typically have been in private practice for 5 to 9 years and demonstrate outstanding professional excellence:
• Kameron Bonner, Litigation-Intellectual Property
• Maxwell Goss, Litigation-Intellectual Property
