LEGAL PEOPLE

Secrest Wardle is pleased to announce that three new attorneys have joined the firm.

Andrew S. Gipe 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.

Prior to joining Secrest Wardle, Gipe worked as an associate attorney for a small firm where his practice focused in the areas of trucking and insurance defense litigation.

Meagan Hanna Stamell joins Secrest Wardle’s Troy office as a partner. She is a member of the firm’s Motor Vehicle Litigation and Premises Liability Practice Groups.

Stamell has a decade of experience handing cases through all phases of litigation, most recently with the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office. She has tried upwards of 40 jury and bench trials to verdict.

Stamell is a retired member of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary where she served for fifteen years. She is an active member of the State Bar of Michigan and is a member of the Young Lawyers Section.

Kyle C. Walton joins Secrest Wardle’s Troy office as an associate. He is a member of the firm’s Motor Vehicle Litigation and Premises Liability Practice Groups.

Walton previously practiced in Genesee County where he assisted in the handling of more than 500 civil cases relating to the Flint Water Crisis.

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Robert B. Labe has been appointed to the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel’s Fiduciary Administration Task Force.

A partner with Williams, Williams, Rattner, & Plunkett PC in Birmingham, Labe advises high net worth individuals and families on estate planning, trust, and estate matters, probate disputes, and tax planning. He also represents companies in business and succession planning. Labe was inducted as an ACTEC Fellow in 2017.

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Varnum is pleased to announce the formation of a dedicated Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) practice team. Reflecting the firm’s experience representing higher education institutions, collectives, brands, coaches and athletes, the team consists of subject matter experts who are navigating clients on a daily basis through complex and novel issues in the burgeoning NIL landscape.

The Varnum NIL team, led by partners Rich Hewlett and Jessica Visser, includes 10 attorneys across the firm. The team’s experience is vast and includes:

• Forming and structuring collectives, including on behalf of a Big Ten University’s football and basketball programs.

• Group licensing deals, including with respect to trading cards.

• Securing, protecting and defending NIL and other indicia of persona assets for athletes, including on behalf of a Heisman Trophy and Super Bowl MVP Winner.

• Creation and maintenance of trademark and copyright protection for athletes and coaches.

• Negotiating marketing, licensing and endorsement agreements on behalf of brands, coaches and athletes, including with respect to apparel and media rights.

• Advising higher education institutions on NCAA compliance to ensure athlete integrity and eligibility.

• Representing coaches and athletes in their estate planning and asset protection needs.

“Our approach begins with strong knowledge of and adherence to NCAA guidelines, in addition to various state and institutional policies governing NIL matters,” said Hewlett. “We’re pleased to be on the forefront of this space and gratified to be able to help our NIL clients navigate the complicated patchwork of rules in the current landscape.”

Varnum’s NIL coverage includes:

NCAA Compliance
Corporate Structuring
Membership Agreements
Brand, Licensing and Marketing Agreements
Tax Structuring and Compliance
Intellectual Property
Estate Planning

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Dickinson Wright is pleased to announce that the firm’s labor and employment practice and its attorneys are recognized in the Benchmark Litigation Labor & Employment 2022 Edition.
Benchmark Litigation recognized the following Dickinson Wright practices and attorneys:

Michigan – Highly Recommended

Timothy Howlett – Local Labor & Employment Star
William Thacker – Local Labor & Employment Star
Kathryn Wood – Local Labor & Employment Star

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Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel recently announced the appointment of Mona Youssef as division chief of Children and Youth Services.  

Youssef is a graduate of University of Michigan and University of Michigan Law School. Her legal work has been focused on child abuse and neglect and overseeing juvenile criminal and civil cases. Youssef is also certified as a Child Welfare Law Specialist (CWLS) by the National Association of Counsel for Children and the first Arab American to hold her position as Division Chief of Children and Youth Services.  

Division Chief of Children and Youth Services is responsible for overseeing attorneys handling juvenile cases and ensuring justice is served in child welfare matters.  

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Butzel attorney Beth S. Gotthelf will moderate a panel program during the North American Space Summit (https://thenass.org/) on October 4 in Traverse City. With more and more satellites being launched into space, the risk of collisions with other satellites and debris continues to increase. The panel program is titled, “Managing Risk in Space.” Gotthelf will discuss the rights of satellite owners, how to protect assets and limit liability. The program also will include a discussion on the types of insurance coverage available.

Gotthelf is Butzel’s director of Innovation and External Relations, co-chair of the Aerospace & Defense industry team and co-chair of the Energy & Sustainability Practice.

For more than a decade, Gotthelf has been active in the Aerospace and defense industries, advising clients in the various legal issues including governmental contracting, ITAR, EAR, bids and bid protests, and foreign military sales.

Gotthelf is chair of the Michigan Manufacturers Association Environmental Policy Committee and National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Board Directorship Certified.

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Collins Einhorn Farrell PC is pleased to announce that attorney Kevin S. Brady has joined the firm.

Brady is a member of the firm’s Insurance Coverage practice group.  He focuses his practice in the area of insurance coverage litigation, representing insurers. As part of his practice,
Brady also counsels insurance clients on claims handling issues, provides coverage opinions and proposed coverage position letters.  

Prior to joining Collins Einhorn, Brady served as the legal assistant to Michigan Court of Appeals Chief Judge Pro Tem Michael F. Gadola and as a clerk for 48th Judicial Circuit Court Chief Judge Margaret Zuzich Bakker in Allegan, Michigan.

Brady graduated from Valparaiso University Law School, where he also obtained a Master of Science degree in sports administration.