Legal People ...

Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido was presented with the Xavier DeGroat Autism Foundation’s Public Service Award at a ceremony on Friday, July 7. The award, named after Xavier DeGroat, an advocate for autism awareness, symbolizes Lucido’s dedication to promoting justice and supporting individuals with autism.

DeGroat, an individual who has overcome challenges associated with autism, became an inspiration in the autism community through his efforts to raise awareness, provide support, and advocate for the rights of individuals with autism.  The Xavier DeGroat Autism Foundation, established to honor DeGroat’s journey, recognizes individuals who exemplify the spirit of public service and demonstrate a deep commitment to creating a more inclusive society.

Lucido’s journey in the legal field began almost four decades ago when he graduated from the Detroit College of Law, now known as Michigan State University College of Law.  Prior to earning his law degree, he had already acquired a master’s degree in business from Central Michigan University and obtained licenses in insurance, real estate, and securities.

Born into a large family of eight children, Lucido draws inspiration from his late father, who was known as “The Green Grocer,” who delivered fresh fruits and vegetables door-to-door to families in Macomb County. He later co-founded Lucido’s Insurance Agency Inc.

After founding and presiding over one of Macomb County’s largest law firms, Lucido displayed his commitment to supporting veterans by hiring a military veteran as his first employee. Lucido attributes his success to his education and experience, which have equipped him with the skills necessary to run thriving businesses and serve the community effectively.

Prior to his current role as Macomb County prosecutor, Lucido served as the State Representative for the 36th District. Thereafter, he was elected to the Michigan Senate (8th District).

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The American Bar Association Judicial Division announced that U.S. District Court Judge Thomas L. Ludington, Eastern District of Michigan, will receive the Honorable William D. Missouri Civility Award for 2023.

Ludington was nominated for the award by his chambers staff and was supported with letters from fellow judges in Michigan’s Eastern District and a judge with the 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.

The Missouri Award honors judges and legal professionals who exhibit exceptional qualities of civility, courtesy, and professionalism toward colleagues, litigants, and the public. It is named in honor of the late Judge William D. Missouri of Maryland, who embodied courtesy in the courtroom.

“Not everyone who appears before my colleague, Judge Thomas Ludington, leaves with the satisfaction of victory,” wrote U.S. District Court Judge David M. Lawson. “But to a person, they all understand that they have been heard and their cause has been taken seriously… Judge Ludington treats those with whom he interacts with dignity and respect. He is a kind and gracious man.”

Ludington is the only judge in the U.S. District Court serving the Northern Division of Michigan’s Eastern District in Bay City.  The staff in the Northern Division “treats every litigant with respect and kindness,” wrote U.S. District Court Judge Judith E. Levy. “This emanates from Judge Ludington, there can be no doubt about that. He sets the tone for the building and all of its staff, and it is one of kindness and cooperation.”

Ludington was nominated to the federal bench by President George W. Bush and has served since 2006. Prior to that, he was a state court judge from 1995 to 2006, serving as chief judge of the 42nd Circuit Court of Michigan. He is a graduate of the University of San Diego School of Law.
Ludington will receive the Missouri Award at the 2023 ABA Annual Meeting in Denver on Thursday, August 3, at the Colorado Bar Association.

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Senior Attorney Amy L. Diviney recently joined the Insurance Coverage Practice Group of Plunkett Cooney.

A member of Plunkett Cooney’s Bloomfield Hills office, Diviney has more than 10 years of experience representing some of the nation’s largest insurance companies and their policyholders in litigation involving property coverage, first- and third-party No-Fault Law, subrogation, premises liability,
pet liability and toxic torts.

Diviney’s practice includes expertise in water intrusion claims, fire loss cases, pollution-related losses, asbestos abatement and third-party claims involving garage keeper, asbestos exclusion, absolute pollution exclusion and lead exposure exclusion endorsements, as well as coverage for online claims involving social media and cyberbullying.

Admitted to practice in state and federal courts in Michigan, Diviney has obtained numerous summary judgments in claims involving premises liability, motor vehicle negligence and Michigan No-Fault law.

Diviney is a 2013 graduate from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School and a 1989 graduate of Wayne State University.

Diviney is a member of the Macomb County Bar Association and the Insurance and Indemnity Law and Litigation sections of the State Bar of Michigan.

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BSP Law congratulates associate Hallie Konarske for being elected as a director of the Oakland County Bar Association’s New Lawyers Committee, a resource for OCBA members who have been practicing law for 10 years or less.  She will serve a 3-year term that began on July 1.

Konarske focuses her practice on advanced motions and appeals. Prior to joining BSP Law, she served as a judicial law clerk for Michigan Supreme Court Justice David Viviano.  During law school, Konarske served as an intern for U.S. Court of Appeals Judge David McKeague, Sixth Circuit.

Konarske received her law degree from Michigan State University College of Law and a Master of Public Policy from Michigan State University in 2021. She also received a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Public Relations from Eastern Michigan University in 2016.

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Allison Spears has joined the Detroit office of McDonald Hopkins LLC as an associate in the Litigation Department, adding her expertise to the firm’s national Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice Group.

Spears’ practice focuses on providing incident response services and breach coaching to institutions experiencing malware, ransomware, business email compromise, or paper record incidents to assist in data security and compliance obligations. Spears has experience advising clients on incident response, communicating on behalf of clients with federal law enforcement, preparing breach notification materials to individuals and regulators, and responding to state and federal investigations that result from an incident. She also has experience communicating on behalf of clients with forensic vendors to assist in investigation and mitigation measures to restore systems back to regular business operations.

Spears earned her law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law and her Bachelor of Science in neuroscience from the University of Kentucky.

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Varnum is once again ranked in the latest editions of Chambers USA and Chambers HNW.  The firm was ranked in the areas of Banking & Finance, Corporate/M&A, Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation, Labor & Employment, Litigation, and Real Estate.

In addition, Varnum’s Estate Planning Practice Team was recognized in Chambers HNW, a guide that ranks lawyers and law firms for international private wealth. Varnum is one of only five Michigan-based firms recognized in the 2023 guide.

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Chambers USA has again rated Bodman PLC as one of Michigan’s top business law firms.

In the recently released 2023 edition, Chambers placed Bodman in “band one” (the highest possible level) for Banking & Finance and for Bankruptcy/Restructuring. Bodman has been ranked in band one for Banking & Finance continuously for 20 years.

Chambers also ranked Bodman among Michigan’s top law firms for Corporate/M&A, Commercial Litigation, Real Estate, and Labor & Employment, and recognized the firm for expertise in Intellectual Property and Employee Benefits work.

Bodman attorneys were recognized as leaders in eight practice areas, including:

• Banking & Finance: Kathleen O’Callaghan Hickey, Joseph J. Kochanek, Adam B. Norlander, and Larry R. Shulman

• Bankruptcy/Restructuring: Robert J. Diehl Jr., Ralph E. McDowell, and Jaimee L. Witten

• Commercial Litigation: Jeffrey G. Raphelson and Joseph J. Shannon

• Corporate/M&A: Timothy R. Damschroder, Laurence B. Deitch, and Mark W. Peters

• Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation: David B. Walters

• Intellectual Property: Susan M. Kornfield

• Labor & Employment: John C. Cashen and Aaron D. Graves

• Real Estate: Michael B. Peterman, Nicholas P. Scavone Jr., and Andrew Z. Spilkin

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Miller Canfield is pleased to announce that real estate attorney Paul Kako has joined the firm in its Troy office where he will work with one of the leading real estate law practices in the United States.

Kako was previously the deputy general counsel for the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, where he managed real estate development and real estate finance transactions for mixed-use and commercial developments. He has worked on numerous matters involving economic development, tax
increment financing, and brownfield incentives.

Kako has experience in the drafting and negotiation of financing documents, loan origination, closing, and workouts and loan modifications. He also has experience in drafting and negotiating development agreements for the sale of properties and their subsequent development, professional services agreements, lease agreements, right-of-entry agreements, and letters of intent.

Kako is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School and Wayne State University.

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As of July 1, Kitch, Drutchas, Wagner, Valitutti, & Sherbrook PC has become Kitch Attorneys & Counselors PC.  The new name preserves the firm’s heritage, values, and culture, while serving as a moniker that will lead it and its clients into the future.

Kitch is also proud to announce that the State Bar of Michigan is bestowing one of its highest honors on Kitch Principal John Sier. On September 21, Sier will receive the Roberts P. Hudson Award from the Board of Commissioners during the Presidential Inauguration and Awards Luncheon at the Troy Marriott. The Roberts P. Hudson Award is the State Bar of Michigan’s highest honor. This award is periodically presented to honor an attorney for their outstanding service to and on behalf of the State Bar of Michigan, the legal profession, and the public.

Sier heads the firm’s commercial litigation practice. With more than three decades of experience, Sier concentrates his practice on dispute avoidance and resolution of commercial, healthcare and construction contract issues.

Sier has received numerous accolades from Super Lawyers, DBusiness Magazine, Leading Lawyer, and Best Lawyers in America. In 2018, Sier received the President’s Award from the Building Owners and Managers Association. He was recognized by Best Lawyers in America® as Lawyer of the Year in Construction Litigation – Detroit in 2021.

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Howard & Howard is pleased to welcome Vincent B. Re to its Intellectual Property practice group at the Royal Oak office.

Re is an intellectual property attorney with more than 16 years of experience in preparing and prosecuting patent applications before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. He has filed more than 700 patent applications for clients in a variety of technical areas, including automotive, aerospace, mechanical, electrical, medical device, and electronic and computerized controls.

In addition to patent prep and prosecution, Re counsels his clients in filing patent applications internationally, and provides support in trademark, copyright, and trade secret matters.

Re graduated from The Ohio State University with a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering and earned his law degree from Ave Maria School of Law.