Daily Briefs

Attorneys appointed to state boards by Governor Whitmer

Three attorneys are among those recently appointed to various state boards and commissions by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Matthew J. Way of Mason was named to the Governor’s Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect. Way is an assistant prosecuting attorney for the Jackson County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, and he also is a member of the training committee for the task force. A graduate of the University of Michigan, Way earned his law degree from Marquette University. He was appointed to represent prosecuting attorneys for a term commencing March 23 and expiring December 31, 2026. He succeeds Tonya Goetz.

William Beekman of East Lansing and Timothy Hoffman have been appointed to the Michigan Finance Board of Directors.

Beekman is the vice president for strategic initiatives at Michigan State University. He holds a bachelor of arts from MSU, a master of business administration degree from Northwestern University, and a juris doctorate from MSU College of Law. He was reappointed to represent residents of the state with experience in issues relating to public finance. His term expires September 30, 2025.

Hoffman retired in 2018 as executive director of regulatory affairs for Consumers Energy, where he worked for more than 20 years. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Hillsdale College and his juris doctorate from the University of Toledo College of Law. His term expires September 30, 2026 and he succeeds Anna Heaton whose term has expired.

 

Detroit Mercy Law students win regional USPTO patent drafting competition

University of Detroit Mercy School of Law students won the Midwestern Regional Round of the National Patent Application Drafting Competition hosted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The competition introduces students to issues arising in U.S. patent law and develops their patent application drafting, amending, and prosecution skills. 

Detroit Mercy Law competed with an all-female team—a rarity in the male-dominated patent field—consisting of Yasmeen Moradshahi, 2L, Megz Kubis 3L, Caley McCarthy 2L, Michelle Hudson 2L, and alumna-coach Shannon Smith ‘13, vice president of Diversity & Inclusion and patent attorney at Reisning Ethnington. Mark Adamaszek 3L helped with the patent application. Damian Pocari ‘84, director of the Elijah J. McCoy Midwest Regional USPTO, presented the Detroit Mercy Law team with the news they had won the competition. 

The team will compete in the National Finals before a panel of senior USPTO officials and other esteemed judges on April 14 in Washington, D.C.


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