LEGAL PEOPLE

Foley, Baron, Metzger, & Juip PLLC (FBMJ) is pleased to announce that the firm has promoted attorney Nicholas Tatro to partner.

Tatro’s practice focuses on environmental, toxic tort, mass tort and products liability litigation, permitting and compliance with environmental regulations, and defending against alleged violations of environmental regulations. He also has experience in real property litigation, injury law and default servicing litigation.

Before joining FBMJ, Tatro practiced at a commercial litigation and insurance defense firm in Chicago, where he managed a national corporate compliance and insurance defense team responsible for defending claims on behalf of large industrial clients in several states across the country, among other areas of focus.

•            •            •

On December 15, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced a series of appointments to various state boards and commissions.

Melissa Palepu was appointed to the Human Trafficking Commission. She is an assistant attorney general in the Michigan Attorney General’s Office. Palepu also has worked as an attorney for the Wayne County Land Bank Authority and the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office. Palepu received her bachelor of arts in history and political science from the University of Michigan as well as her law degre from the University of Mercy Detroit School of Law. Palepu is appointed to represent the Department of the Attorney General for a term expiring at the pleasure of the governor. She succeeds Kelly Carter, who has resigned.  

The Human Trafficking Commission is designed to identify sources for grants that will assist in examining and countering human trafficking, fund research programs to determine the extent and nature of human trafficking in this state, and provide information and training to police officers, prosecutors, court personnel, social services personnel, and other individuals.  

Andrew Meisner has been named to the Michigan Education Trust Board of Directors. Meisner is the CEO of Community Unity Bank in Birmingham. He previously served as Oakland County treasurer, as chairman of the Michigan Land Bank Authority Board of Directors, and as a state representative. While serving as a state representative, he served as assistant Democratic leader and as vice-chair of the House Commerce Committee and Ethics, Oversight and Campaign Finance Committee, and served as a member of the Tax Policy Committee. He earned his bachelor of arts in political science from the University of Michigan, and his law degree from University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. Meisner is reappointed as the nominee of the state senate majority leader for a term commencing January 1, 2024, and expiring December 31, 2026.  

The Michigan Education Trust (MET) was established pursuant to Public Act 316 of 1986 as Michigan’s prepaid tuition program. MET is a “qualified tuition program” under Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code which provides tax exemption for the trust and tax exemption of earnings for contract participants who use MET funds to pay for qualified higher education expenses. The MET Board of Directors are responsible for policy development, investment initiatives, program development, and implementation.?   

•            •            •

This year, 14 attorneys from Kotz Sangster’s offices in Detroit and Bloomfield Hills were honored in ten diverse practice areas in the 2024 DBusiness Top Lawyers list.  The recognitions below include each attorney’s primary practice area(s) for which they have been selected this year.

David M. Barbour – Real Estate Law
R. Edward Boucher – Construction Law
David R. de Reyna – Trusts & Estates
Jovan Dragovic – Health Care Law
Timothy P. Dugan – Litigation – Construction
Dennis K. Egan – Securities Law
Robert B. Goldi – Banking & Financial Service Law
Derek G. McBride – Real Estate Law
Jeffrey M. Sangster – Litigation – Construction
Keith J. Soltis – Health Care Law
Jeffrey S. Sternberg – Trusts & Estates
Bethany S. Sweeny – Labor and Employment Law
John P. Ulrich Jr. – Banking & Financial Service Law; Mergers & Acquisitions Law
Gregory L. Wysocki – Corporate Law; Mergers & Acquisitions Law

•            •            •

National employee benefits and ERISA attorney John Joseph (J.J.) Conway of Michigan-based firm J.J. Conway Law is pleased to announce that legal assistant Paula Cardwell has received the Unsung Hero honor from legal trade publication Michigan Lawyers Weekly.

Cardwell started working with J.J. Conway Law in 2013 as a receptionist and has since increased her responsibilities to include prospective client intake and ongoing client contact on important case developments. She attributes her success in law firm administration to attention to detail, citing her practice of double and triple checking client items before they go out in order to ensure high quality. Cardwell also empathizes with those she serves.

“We primarily handle employee benefits and pension matters, and often our clients are dealing with health problems while also worrying about providing financially for themselves and their families,” Cardwell said. “These are high stress issues.  I have been given the opportunity to work very closely with clients and have developed great relationships with so many of them.  Being able to help them navigate through the processes involved in resolving their issues is incredibly fulfilling.”