ATLAW proudly announces the return of corporate attorney and executive Jalal N. Moughania as the firm's new chief communications officer (CCO) leading the firm's public relations, marketing and communications. In addition to this role, Moughania will also serve as principal attorney in the firm's Corporate Services.
Moughania returns to ATLAW from his most recent roles at Honigman and Varnum. His corporate experience spans M&A, venture capital and emerging companies, intellectual property, and general corporate counsel and advisory.
Emphasizing the critical work ahead, Moughania stated, "We're not here to merely market ourselves to clients, we're here to communicate effectively to understand and be understood. My goal is to build rapport with our clients, our teams and our stakeholders across the globe. Communication is the key. I'm humbled by this opportunity to serve as CCO and grateful to be back home."
In addition to his B.A. and law degree, Moughania earned professional certificates of achievement in Leadership & Communication and Economic Development from Harvard University and the University of Oxford, respectively.
ATLAW is also proud to announce the arrival of corporate executive and healthcare compliance officer Hassan F. Abdallah as the firm's new chief operating officer (COO) leading the firm's integrative operational planning and execution. In addition to this role, Abdallah will also serve as principal of the firm's new Healthcare Compliance Services.
Abdallah joins ATLAW from Oscar Health, a publicly traded New York based health plan, where he served as its head of Compliance and Special Investigations. Prior to Oscar, he served as the chief compliance officer of Health Alliance Plan (HAP) in Michigan.
On joining ATLAW, Abdallah stated, "Like the rest of the leadership here, I am a proud product of Dearborn and a strong believer in its potential. This firm was founded 10 years ago in our city, but never limited itself to its borders. I could not have chosen a better team or company to join at this stage of my career. The harmony and like-mindedness of this leadership team is unmatched. We're developing a company that's built to last and made to scale. Through strategic partnerships, technology and innovation, and exceptional client service, we will do just that."
In addition to his formal education, earning a B.A. and law degree, Abdallah has been credentialed as a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and holds credentials as a Certified Healthcare Compliance Officer, Certified Fraud Examiner and Certified Internal Auditor, Certified Professional Contract Manager and Certified Civil Mediator within the State of Michigan.
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Butzel attorney Beth S. Gotthelf is among a roster of speakers who will discuss, "Putting Environment, Social & Governance (ESG) Into Practice: Real World Lessons from the Boardroom," during a webinar on November 8. The webinar is presented by the Tampa, Fla. chapter of the Private Directors Association.
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, to name a few.
Gotthelf is chair of the Michigan Manufacturers Association Environmental Policy Committee and National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Board Directorship Certified.
Butzel is also proud to announce that attorney Brett J. Miller has been named to Michigan Lawyers Weekly's "Leaders in the Law" Class of 2022. He is one of 31 attorneys who will be recognized at a luncheon and awards celebration on December 2, at the Detroit Marriott Troy.
Based in Butzel's Detroit office, Miller is chair of the firm's Employment Practices Liability Insurance Sub-Practice. He focuses his practice on employment and labor law as well as fair housing litigation. He frequently defends clients in state and federal discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and class action lawsuits.
He also defends clients in administrative charges before numerous governmental agencies such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the National Labor Relations Board, the Department of Labor, and the OFCCP. In addition, Miller devotes his practice to representing clients in traditional labor matters such as grievance arbitrations and collective bargaining.
Miller earned a law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and received his undergraduate degree from James Madison University. He is AV® Peer Review Rated by LexisNexis/Martindale-Hubbell.
Miller was named a Rising Star in 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017 by Super Lawyers. He was recognized as a Michigan Lawyers Weekly "Up & Coming Lawyer" in 2015 and a Top Lawyer by DBusiness Magazine in 2014.
He is a frequent speaker on Labor and Employment topics and has written numerous articles on all aspects of employment law.
In addition, Butzel attorney and shareholder Claudia Rast participated in a fireside chat (webcast) on cyber priorities October 28, hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
Rast, who chairs Butzel's Intellectual Property, Cybersecurity and Emerging Technology Practice Department, blends her expertise in law, business, and science to assist companies in their strategic use of technology, counseling clients in the areas of privacy, cybersecurity, data security and governance, intellectual property licensing and registration, and the forensic preservation and analysis of electronically stored information.
Rast was appointed to a three-year term to co-chair the American Bar Association (ABA) Cybersecurity Legal Task Force in 2020. Prior to that, she had been appointed to successive one-year terms since 2013.
Rast also is an experienced environmental lawyer, focusing on alternative energy and sustainability practices, including work on the development of a global Rule of Law Index for environment and energy with the World Justice Project.
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Maddin Hauser is pleased to announce that Tanya E.J. Lundberg has joined the firm as an associate office administrator. Lundberg will work alongside Chief Office Administrator Christina Barnett. She joins Maddin Hauser from University of Detroit Mercy School of Law where she was the assistant dean of Career Services and Outreach.
For nearly 20 years, Barnett has worked behind the scenes to make Maddin Hauser a premier law firm and an employer of choice. She will continue her responsibilities, including human resources, benefits, payroll, new staff onboarding, information technology, finance and accounting, and facilities management. Lundberg will support Barnett and, consistent with the firm's strategic growth plan, assist in the firm's recruiting efforts and enhancing professional development opportunities.
Passionate about giving back to the Detroit legal community, Lundberg serves on the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan's board of directors and is a past president of the Women's Bar Association. She graduated from Wayne State University Law School in 2007 and earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Michigan-Dearborn in 2003.
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Dickinson Wright has been named a Compass Award winner by the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD), recognizing those law firms and corporations showing a strong commitment to building more diverse organizations and a more inclusive legal profession.
LCLD is one of the nation's organizations promoting diversity and consists of more than 430 corporate chief legal officers and law firm managing partners-the leadership of the profession-who have dedicated themselves to creating a truly diverse U.S. legal profession.
The Compass Award recognizes those individuals and organizations that fulfill all of the following requirements in a single calendar year:
• Member attendance at the LCLD Annual Membership Meeting and/or Member attendance at a Leadership Summit and/or submission of a Leader's Pledge.
• Participation in the LCLD Fellows and Pathfinder Programs.
• Participation in an LCLD Pipeline program (the 1L Scholars program or the Success in Law School Mentoring Program).
Last year, LCLD's Board of Directors announced a requirement for each member to create a public pledge detailing actions they will take to advance diverse talent. Dickinson Wright is proud to be among those organizations who created a pledge by the June 2022 deadline.
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Plunkett Cooney attorney Nicholas W. Siewert was recently certified as a fire and explosion investigator by the National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI).
Siewert is a member of the Bloomfield Hills office of Plunkett Cooney. He focuses his practice on insurance-related work involving Michigan No-Fault law and motor vehicle litigation, commercial and residential property loss claims, as well as on coverage disputes, entitlement issues, and catastrophic personal injury claims. He also directly represents ride-sharing companies, and he serves as defense panel counsel for the policyholders of some of the nation's largest insurance providers.
In addition to his CFEI certification, Siewert is certified by the International Association of Arson Investigators as a fire investigation technician. He has expertise in handling claims involving fire and water damage, including arson and staged water losses. He has also handled assignments pertaining to business law, contract law and commercial litigation.
Siewert received his law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law in 2014 and his undergraduate degree from Wayne State University in 2008.
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Honigman LLP is pleased to announce Christine Phillips has rejoined its Real Estate Department as a partner in the firm's Detroit office. Phillips will focus her practice on commercial real estate transactions, including commercial lending and finance transactions.
Phillips earned her law degree from Wayne State University Law School and a B.A. from Michigan State University.
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Kitch Principal Marcy Tayler recently participated in the Institute of Continuing Legal Education's (ICLE) Annual No-Fault Update Webcast. Tayler presented the defense perspective for the webcast which will provide Michigan No-Fault practitioners with an update on emerging No-Fault cases and issues.
Tayler has devoted her practice to the defense of complex, first party no-fault litigation, and a wide variety of other insurance defense matters. She has considerable trial experience, having served as first chair trial counsel in dozens of trials, which have gone to verdict in favor of her clients. Tayler often serves as a mediator and arbitrator in insurance related matters and she is an annual contributor at the ICLE No-Fault Summit.
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Miller Canfield is pleased to announce Nashara Peart as the winner of the 2022 Richard J. Seryak Award in recognition of outstanding pro bono service. The announcement was made by CEO Megan Norris.
Peart, an associate in Miller Canfield's Litigation and Dispute Resolution Group, was selected for her work on behalf of several deserving clients. She represented a federal prisoner who had brought a civil rights lawsuit against the warden and several officers for the retaliatory actions they took against him after he reported sexual abuse and filed grievances.
In other pro bono matters, Peart assisted in two more prisoner rights matters, helped an immigrant survivor of domestic abuse receive permanent residence status, and provided counsel for an elderly woman in a collection action against a bad landlord.
Peart is also the executive director of JD Bridges, a nonprofit that focuses on providing financial assistance for Black students applying to law schools. She also serves on the Anti-Black Racism Committee at her alma mater, Windsor Law.
In August, Peart was recognized by the Detroit Bar Association, which selected her as a 2022 Outstanding Young Lawyer Pro Bono Award winner.
The annual Seryak Award was first given in 2015 in memory of Richard Seryak, who during his career at Miller Canfield exemplified the standard of pro bono service. Seryak's family established the award to recognize attorneys who continue his legacy. The Seryak family provides a stipend for the award winner to donate to the legal service organization of his or her choice.
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Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer recently announced the appointment of Lynda McGhee to the Governor's Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect
McGhee is the co-executive director of Michigan Children's Law Center and the state coordinator for the National Association of Children's Counsel. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Michigan and a law degree from the Wayne State University Law School.
McGhee is appointed to fill a vacancy representing attorneys for children for a term commencing October 27 and expiring December 31, 2024.
The Governor's Task Force is a multidisciplinary task force from across the State of Michigan driven to improve the handling of Child Abuse and Neglect cases. The Task Force is charged with the review and evaluation of state investigative, administrative, and both civil and criminal judicial handling of cases of child abuse and neglect, and the making of policy and training recommendations.
This appointment is not subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.
