LEGAL PEOPLE

Bodman PLC

Bodman PLC is pleased to announce that Aya Beydoun, Elizabeth Blondin, Grace Connolly, and Celina Grimes have joined the firm as associate attorneys.

Beydoun and Blondin are based in the Troy office, and Connolly and Grimes in the Detroit office. Beydoun, Connolly, and Grimes participated in Bodman’s 2022 summer associate program.

Beydoun is an associate in Bodman’s Enterprise Procurement Group. She represents business clients in connection with a variety of commercial transactions, including the drafting and negotiation of vendor contracts for a broad range of goods and services.

Beydoun is a graduate of the University of Detroit-Mercy School of Law and received her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan-Dearborn.

Blondin is an associate in Bodman’s Banking Practice Group. She focuses her practice on representing financial institutions in connection with commercial loan originations and transactional matters.
Blondin is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School. She received her undergraduate degree from Albion College.

Connolly is an associate in Bodman’s Business Practice Group. She represents a variety of corporate clients in connection with the structuring and negotiation of complex transactions and on general organizational and business matters.

Connolly is a graduate of Wayne State University Law School and received two undergraduate degrees from Michigan State University.

Grimes is an associate in Bodman’s Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution Practice Group. She represents clients involved in commercial litigation matters.

Grimes is a graduate of Wayne State University Law School and received her undergraduate degree from Western University.

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Butzel Long

Four local Butzel attorneys were recently elected shareholders. They include: Steven R. Eatherly, Amany Kasham, Sarah L. Nirenberg, and Quendale G. Simmons.

Based in Butzel’s Detroit office, Eatherly focuses his practice in the firm’s Business & Commercial Litigation Group, serving businesses, municipalities, and individuals.

Eatherly is a member of the Federalist Society – Michigan Lawyers Chapter, communications chair, Oakland County Bar Association and State Bar of Michigan.  He has been named to The Best Lawyers in America - Ones to Watch - Commercial Litigation, 2024, Michigan Super Lawyers, Rising Stars - Business Litigation, 2023.

Eatherly earned a law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. He received a B.A. in history from the University of Detroit Mercy.

Kasham, based in the firm’s Detroit office, specializes in business immigration (nonimmigrant and immigrant), family immigration, investor visas, consular practice, global migration, employer sanctions, waivers and inadmissibility issues, and citizenship and naturalization (including eligibility based on military service).

Kasham has been named to DBusiness magazine’s Top Lawyers in Metro Detroit, Immigration Law, 2022-2023 and to Michigan Super Lawyers, Rising Star, 2022, 2023.

Kasham is admitted to the State Bar of Michigan. She also is a member of the American Bar Association (ABA), American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), and AILA Michigan Chapter.  She is a graduate of the University of Detroit Mercy, School of Law and Eastern Michigan University.

Nirenberg, based in Butzel’s Troy office, specializes in representing employers for litigation in all areas of employment law, including statutory claims under federal and state law for discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and payment of wages. She advises employers on various matters where the law is constantly evolving, such as employment applications, arbitration agreements, and workplace drug policies.

Nirenberg formerly served as an assistant prosecuting attorney in the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office. She is a member of the State Bar of Michigan and the Oakland County Bar Association, The Best Lawyers in America - Ones to Watch, Labor and Employment Law - Management Litigation; Litigation - Labor and Employment, 2023, 2024.

Nirenberg was named to Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s 2022 Class of Up & Coming Lawyers. She also has been recognized by Michigan Super Lawyers, Rising Stars, 2023.  She earned a law degree from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law.  She graduated with a B.A. from Michigan State University’s James Madison College.

Based in Butzel’s Detroit office, Simmons focuses his practice on Business and Commercial Litigation. He represents businesses in complex business disputes and advises clients regarding their business legal needs.  Prior to joining Butzel, his practice included the representation of corporations and individuals in civil litigation disputes involving personal, property, and casualty insurance claims.

Simmons earned a law degree from the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. He graduated with a B.A. from the University of Michigan.

Simmons has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America - Ones to Watch, Commercial Litigation, 2023; Appellate Practice and Commercial Litigation, 2024.

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Honigman LLP

Honigman LLP is pleased to announce that the firm’s board of directors has elected the following local attorneys as partners, effective January 1, 2024:

Jonathan N. Ajlouny (Detroit) is a member of the Litigation Department. He focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation. Ajlouny earned his law degree from Wayne State University Law School.

Jewel Haji Boelstler (Detroit) is a member of the Litigation Department who concentrates her practice on complex commercial litigation matters and white collar investigations. Boelstler earned her law degree from University of Detroit Mercy School of Law.

Glynis L. Talley (Detroit) is a member of the Corporate Department. Her practice focuses on commercial transactions and technology transactions. Talley earned her law degree from Michigan State University College of Law.

Nicholas E. Voran (Detroit) is a member of the Corporate Department. He focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions, private equity, securities transactions, and general corporate matters. Voran earned his law degree from Wayne State University Law School.

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Plunkett Cooney

The shareholders of Plunkett Cooney have elected their colleague, Jeffrey C. Gerish, as the firm’s new president and chief executive officer.

Gerish works in the firm’s corporate headquarters in Bloomfield Hills. He succeeds Thomas P. Vincent who returns to the full-time practice of law at Plunkett Cooney.

“I’m honored that my colleagues have entrusted me to help lead the firm into the future,” said Gerish, who was elected to a three-year term, effective Jan. 1. “I started my career here at Plunkett Cooney, which I consider to be one of the finest law firms in the nation. I look forward to growing our practice and to continuing our more than 110 years of exceptional service to clients throughout the Midwest.”

In addition to his role as president and CEO, Gerish maintains an appellate law practice with expertise in insurance coverage, commercial liability, employment liability and medical malpractice cases. He also has the distinction of having participated in appellate cases that resulted in more than 100 published opinions in Michigan and Indiana, where he is also licensed and regularly practices, as well as in several federal appellate courts.

Gerish received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Michigan in 1989 and 1994, respectively. His professional affiliations include the State Bar of Michigan and the American Bar Association. He is also a member of the Insurance Law Committee of the DRI and the Michigan Defense Trial Counsel.

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Warner, Norcross, + Judd LLP

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP recently announced that Zainab H. Sabbagh and Jeffrey S. Segal of the Detroit office have been named partners.

Sabbagh is a litigator who focuses her practice on employment, supply chain and other commercial litigation for a variety of industries. She has experience litigating in state, federal and appellate courts as well as in private arbitration.

Sabbagh has been named to the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch lists for commercial litigation and labor and employment litigation. She also has been selected for the State Bar of Michigan’s A Lawyer Helps Pro Bono Honor Roll. She is a member of the Federal Bar Association, where she serves as co-editor of the newsletter committee, and the State Bar of Michigan. She serves as vice president for the KEYS Grace Academy board and as a member of Junior Achievement of Southeastern Michigan’s Rising Achievers advisory board. She also is a member of the Detroit Regional Chamber’s current Leadership Detroit cohort.

Sabbagh earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the University of Michigan and a law degree from Wayne State University Law School. She clerked for U.S. District Court Judge Sean F. Cox, Eastern District of Michigan.

Segal is a health care and tax attorney who counsels and represents various health care organizations and physicians and group practices through a myriad of matters. He works extensively with tax-exempt organizations.

Segal was named a 2023 Michigan Super Lawyers Rising Star in health care and is recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch lists for health care law and tax law. He also was selected as a 2024 Top Lawyer in health care law by DBusiness. He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan.

Segal earned a bachelor’s degree in criminology from Eastern Michigan University and a law degrees from Cooley Law School. He clerked for U.S. District Court Judge David M. Lawson, Eastern District of Michigan.

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Varnum LLP

Varnum is pleased to announce that Kathleen A. Cieslik and Lauren E. Potocsky have been elected to partnership.

Cieslik is a member of the Estate Planning Team focused on all aspects of pre-death estate planning and post-death estate administration for a wide range of individuals and multi-generational families. She creates customized estate plans designed to mitigate tax liabilities, and frequently advises families on matters including business succession, family cottages, and charitable giving. She also represents individual and corporate fiduciaries and handles both routine and contested matters in probate court. Cieslik is based in the Birmingham office.

Potocsky is a member of the Real Estate Practice Team. Based in the Novi office, she regularly counsels clients on the acquisition, financing, sale and leasing of commercial property, including medical office buildings, retail shopping centers, and office and industrial buildings. Her clients range from large, multimillion dollar companies to startup entrepreneurs and she represents both landlords and tenants, buyers and sellers.

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Foley, Baron, Metzger & Juip PLLC

Foley, Baron, Metzger, & Juip PLLC is pleased to announce the election of attorney Anthony (Tony) D. Pignotti into the membership of the firm, effective January 1.

Pignotti is an experienced trial lawyer with a range of litigation experience. He has represented national-level businesses in products liability, toxic tort, class action, and commercial litigation. He also has experience defending health care professionals, corporations and hospital systems in complex medical malpractice and birth trauma litigation. His healthcare litigation experience also includes defending county jail and state prison health care professionals in civil rights claims brought in federal court pursuant to 42 U.S.C. section 1983.

Pignotti has also defended personal injury/negligence claims, premises liability, and auto negligence/ trucking claims. He has trial experience and has obtained verdicts of no cause for action on behalf of his clients in both federal and state courts. Through his litigation experience, he has also developed expertise in various aspects of health care law, including the defense of professional licensing investigations and complaints, and significant experience handling appeals in both federal and state courts.

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Taft

Taft is pleased to announce that the following local attorneys have been elected to the firm’s partnership:

Justin Hanna, Business, Detroit

James Kresta, Litigation, Detroit

Michael Pomeranz, Litigation, Detroit

Brian Stone, Real Estate, Detroit

Hanna is an attorney in the Mergers and Acquisitions, Private Equity and Venture Capital, and Emerging Companies practice groups. Hanna’s expertise centers on business and real estate law, with an emphasis on middle-market M&A. He has dedicated his practice to empowering entrepreneurs, investors, and businesses of all sizes to grow through effective strategic planning and analysis, regardless of the size, complexity, or scale of representation. Hanna received his B.S. and M.B.A. from Wayne State University. He earned his law degree from Wayne State University Law School.

Kresta counsels and represents public and private companies in all aspects of sophisticated commercial litigation, including shareholder disputes, real estate disputes, constitutional law, restrictive covenants, business torts, employment disputes, and contract disputes.  As an attorney in Taft’s Commercial Litigation practice group, Kresta’s practice includes every aspect of dispute resolution, including: contract review, negotiations, pleadings, discovery, substantive motions, trials, and appeals. Kresta received his B.A. from Franciscan University of Steubenville. He received his law degree from Wayne State University Law School.

Pomeranz counsels commercial and non-profit clients both to avoid and to resolve complex commercial disputes involving intellectual property, contracts, trade practices, and allegations of fraud, among other topics. He has represented clients in state and federal bankruptcy, trial, and appeals courts, including the United States and state supreme courts, as well as in arbitration. He represents clients in several industries, including highly regulated industries, such as retail automotive, construction and development, finance, and technology. Pomeranz earned his B.A. from Yale University and his law degree from Yale Law School.

Stone concentrates his practice on commercial real estate transactions, including acquisitions, sales, financing, and leasing of all types of real estate. He represents owners, developers, management companies, builders, and operators in all aspects of commercial real estate. He also represents lenders and borrowers in connection with complex real estate finance matters.  Stone received his undergraduate degree from Michigan State University and his law degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.