The law firm of Foster, Swift, Collins, & Smith PC has elected officers to serve on its executive committee for 2024. Among those elected, Michael R. Blum,
Blum will continue to serve as vice president of the firm’s Southfield
office. Blum represents both private and public employers in employment
litigation and alternative dispute resolution.
• • •
Secrest Wardle congratulates Daniel P. Makarski, senior partner at the firm’s Troy location, on receiving the Michigan Defense Trial Counsel’s President’s Special Recognition Award in recognition of his contributions to civil litigation.
Makarski has been with Secrest Wardle since 1979. He became a partner in 1986, and a senior partner in 1994. He currently serves as chair of the firm’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Practice Group.
As part of his practice of law for more than 50 years, Makarski is routinely appointed as an arbitrator, case evaluator, facilitator, and mediator in a wide variety of cases involving personal injuries, medical malpractice, as well as property and business disputes.
Makarski earned his law degree from Wayne State University Law School. He also received a Master of Education Degree from Wayne State College of Education and a Bachelor of Philosophy Degree from Wayne State University Monteith College. Makarski is admitted to practice law in the State of Michigan, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, and United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Makarski has been awarded the Respected Advocate Award from the Michigan Association for Justice. He has also received the Civility Award from the Macomb County Bar Association and has maintained Martindale-Hubbell’s highest rating of “AV” for more than 30 years. From 2018 to the present, Makarski has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America©. In 2024, he received the Best Lawyers® Insurance Law-Troy, Michigan “Lawyer of the Year” Award.
Makarski has also been included in dbusiness Magazine’s list of “Top Lawyers in Metro Detroit” from 2010-2014, 2016, and 2018 through the present. In 2020, he was listed in the Arbitration and Mediation categories. Makarski has also been voted by his peers to Super Lawyers Magazine’s list of Michigan Super Lawyers from 2018 through the present in the area of Alternative Dispute Resolution.
• • •
Butzel attorney and shareholder Michael F. Golab has been named to Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s Hall of Fame Class of 2024.
Golab is a former chair of Butzel’s Business Law Department. His practice is focused on Corporate and Business Law and Mergers and Acquisitions.
He has more than 30 years of experience representing mid and large size companies, primarily in the manufacturing and service industries. He counsels a variety of U.S. and foreign-owned automotive suppliers in corporate governance, national and international product sales and distribution through various channels and various other areas of operations. Golab has experience in mergers and acquisitions involving U.S. and foreign-based clients with global operations.
Golab has been recognized by the following:
• Best Lawyers in America - Lawyer of the Year, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), 2022
• Best Lawyers in America - Corporate Law, 2018-2023; Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), 2018-2024
• DBusiness Top Lawyers in Metro Detroit - Commercial Law, 2011-2012
Golab earned his law degree from the Detroit College of Law in 1980 and has an M.A. and B.A. from Wayne State University.
In addition, Butzel attorney Garett Koger is one of 25 attorneys in the state named to Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s 2024 Class of “Up & Coming Lawyers.”
Koger has litigation experience which includes service as the chief assistant prosecutor for Clinton County, Michigan, and as an assistant attorney general for the State of Michigan. He litigates in both the state and federal courts, including through appeal.
He counsels candidates on election and campaign matters and encourages a proactive approach to statutory compliance to ensure smooth access to the ballot. His experience includes representing multiple candidates up through the Michigan Supreme Court.
Koger is admitted to practice in Michigan, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Michigan, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan. He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, Republican National Lawyers Association, and Federalist Society.
Prior to his career as a lawyer, Koger served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2002 to 2007. He is a graduate of The Military College of South Carolina (“The Citadel”). He earned a law degree from Michigan State University College of Law.
• • •
At a recent meeting of the Board of Directors of Plunkett Cooney, local partners Scott K. Lites and Michael P. Ashcraft Jr. were elected to Board leadership positions.
Lites was elected chair while Ashcraft was re-elected secretary/treasurer and Forbush was re-elected senior vice-president. They both will serve one-year terms.
A member of the Board for 17 years, Lites is one of the firm’s business attorneys with nearly 40 years of experience in mergers and acquisitions, corporate matters and real estate transactions. Lites routinely acts as general counsel for many of his clients and adds a unique, practical perspective to their businesses.
Lites, who is a member of the firm’s Bloomfield Hills office, is listed among the Best Lawyers in America in both corporate and real estate law.
He has been listed in DBusiness magazine as a Top Lawyer in real estate law, selected as a Go To Lawyer for business law by Michigan Lawyers Weekly, was previously appointed as a member of the state of Michigan’s Receivership Transition Advisory Board for the City of Allen Park and a member of the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law Board of Directors.
Lites received his law degree in 1985 from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and his undergraduate degree in 1982 from the University of Michigan.
Ashcraft, who serves as a co-leader of Plunkett Cooney’s Professional Liability Practice Group, is one of the state’s leading professional liability attorneys. He concentrates his practice primarily on the defense of attorneys, accountants and their firms in professional liability and responsibility matters.
A partner in the firm’s Bloomfield Hills office, Ashcraft also represents judges, insurance brokers and agents, securities brokers and dealers, real estate brokers and agents, investment advisors, officers and directors, and notaries public in complex litigation in state and federal courts.
Admitted to state and federal courts in Michigan, Ashcraft graduated from Michigan State University College of Law in 1992. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan in 1987.
Ashcraft is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, the State Bar of Michigan’s Professional Ethics Committee, the American Bar Association’s Committee on Professional Responsibility and Liability and the Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers.
In addition, Plunkett Cooney associate attorney Michael D. Hanchett was recently named to the 2024 Class of Up & Coming Lawyers by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
A member of Plunkett Cooney’s Bloomfield Hills office, Hanchett is a member of the firm’s Governmental Law and Labor & Employment Law practice groups. He defends public-sector clients in a variety of litigation with particular expertise in police liability, including searches and seizures, use of force and corrections law. His practice also includes the defense of employment law disputes involving such issues as alleged discrimination, retaliation and civil rights claims brought under state and federal statutes. Hanchett is also currently serving as a special assistant attorney general for the State of Michigan.
Hanchett is a member of the Federal Bar Association, Eastern District of Michigan Chapter, where he co-chairs the civil rights section and on the newsletter committee. He is also a member of the DRI’s Construction Law, Insurance Law and Young Lawyers committees. Hanchett is also active in the Oakland County and American bar associations, as well as the State Bar of Michigan’s Government Law and Labor and Employment sections.
Designated by Best Lawyers as one of their Ones to Watch in municipal law since 2021, Hanchett routinely speaks to police and various municipal organizations. Admitted to practice law in state and federal courts in Michigan, he received his law degree from the University of Toledo College of Law in 2016 and his undergraduate degree from Ferris State University in 2013.
• • •
Honigman LLP recently announced that David J. Axelson has joined its Corporate Department as a partner in the firm’s Finance Practice Group.
Based in Detroit, Axelson specializes in acquisition financings, leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, cash-flow and asset-based credit facilities, and debt restructurings. He works with private equity sponsors, portfolio companies, and corporate borrowers in a range of finance transactions.
Axelson joins the firm from Ropes & Gray LLP, where he served as counsel. He earned his law degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and his B.A. from the University of Michigan. He was also recognized by Best Lawyers “Ones to Watch” for Corporate Law, 2021-2022.
Honigman also recently announced that Corey Levin has joined its Real Estate Department as a partner in the firm’s Real Estate Services Practice Group.
Levin focuses his practice on economic and real estate development incentives, business incentives and credits, and sustainability/clean energy tax credits. Advising a range of clients both globally and domestically, Levin’s background in law, tax, and urban planning enables him to successfully navigate complex processes to obtain incentives, develop strategies to facilitate real estate development projects, and create equitable partnerships.
Levin joins Honigman from Ernst & Young LLP, where he was part of the Global Location Investment, Credits & Incentives advisory practice. He earned his law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology. Additionally, Levin obtained a B.A. in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
• • •
Taft Detroit has announced the addition of Bill Lentine, from Warner Norcross + Judd, as a partner in the firm’s Business practice group. With this recent announcement, Taft Detroit now has 133 attorneys.
Lentine will guide clients in business matters, focusing on the often overlapping areas of tax law and trust and estate work. Drawing on his knowledge of federal and state tax rules, he will counsel clients through succession planning, exit strategies, management planning, and tax tactics. Additionally, he has experience guiding clients in transactions such as mergers and acquisitions, as well as in buy-side and sell-side activities.
“Taft has had a strong start in the Detroit market—its collaborative culture, clear vision forward, and utmost dedication to clients were immediately evident from the onset. I’m honored to be a part of this talented team to deliver best-in-class services to the Greater Detroit region and beyond,” said Lentine.
Lentine earned his bachelor’s degree at Michigan State University, working as an accountant and CPA for several years before earning his law degree from the Michigan State University College of Law. He is recognized as a leader in the legal community and is involved in various professional organizations, including the tax section of the Michigan Bar (including serving as chair), the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants.
• • •
Zausmer is proud to announce that shareholders Cinnamon Plonka and Mischa Boardman have been named Notable Women in Law by Crain’s Detroit.
Plonka is a litigator who excels in no-fault and third-party automobile negligence, insurance fraud, and employment litigation.
In addition to her litigation success, Plonka sits on the Board of Directors for Forgotten Harvest. Her roles on the State Bar of Michigan’s Attorney Discipline Board, as past president of the Black Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, and as a Trustee on Eastern Michigan University’s Foundation Board of Trustees, reflect her dedication to the legal community and education. Her leadership extends to the firm’s Executive Committee and Diversity Committee, demonstrating her advocacy for inclusion and diversity in the legal field.
Plonka earned a Bachelor of Arts from Eastern Michigan University and her law degree from Cooley Law School.
Boardman specializes in business disputes, commercial litigation, and eminent domain matters. Her achievements include leading the land acquisition team for the Thumb Loop Transmission Project for ITC Holdings and playing a key role in the Gordie Howe International Bridge project.
Boardman has served on the University of Michigan’s CEW+ Leadership Council and on its Diversity Equity and Inclusion Leadership Council.
She also serves as a charter member of Michigan State University’s College of Social Science consortium on female leadership. Her involvement in the firm’s Executive Committee highlights her leadership and strategic thinking. She has been recognized by Michigan Lawyers Weekly as a “Woman in the Law” and has been named a Michigan Top Lawyer and a Michigan Super Lawyer.
Boardman earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and her law degree from the University of Michigan Law School.
• • •
Varnum partner Eric Nemeth has been selected for “Hall of Fame” recognition by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
Nemeth leads Varnum’s Tax Planning, Compliance, and Litigation Practice Team. His practice includes a focus on the representation of businesses, individuals and other entities in the defense of IRS, FBI, Homeland Security, state police and other law enforcement agency investigations. He has led or assisted in matters for clients on five continents and over most of the United States. He routinely provides legal advice and counsel to clients regarding the tax implications of assets held outside of the United States.
Prior to entering private practice, Nemeth served as a senior trial lawyer for IRS Chief Counsel (Honors Program) and as a special assistant United States attorney. He also served in the U.S. Army as a judge advocate.
For more than 20 years, Nemeth has led the firm’s tax practice in providing annual seminars and for tax preparers across the state. He frequently contributes articles for Michigan Tax Lawyer, the State Bar of Michigan’s journal for the Taxation Section. He has presented on tax-related matters at local and national conferences, including for MICPA and the National Institute on Criminal Tax Fraud/Tax Controversy. He has served multiple terms on the editorial advisory board for Law360 Tax Authority Federal.
Nemeth has also served as chair of the Detroit Veterans Bar Association, a social organization for legal professionals with a military background. His military experience includes serving as an active Army reservist for ten years, first as a brigade judge advocate and later Division H.Q. staff judge advocate. He also served with the 9th Legal Support Organization where he advised on a wide range of military law matters.
Nemeth currently serves on the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Board of Trustees and on the Dean’s Advisory Council for the University of Michigan – Dearborn.
• • •
Bodman PLC is pleased to share that David M. Walker has joined the firm as a member in the Business Practice Group, based in Detroit.
Walker began his career as a business lawyer at Bodman where he practiced for six years before relocating to Atlanta in 2004.
Walker has experience representing clients in matters involving corporate and securities law, including mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, private placements of securities, other securities compliance matters, and general corporate advice. He works with businesses on corporate matters including formation, contract negotiation and documentation, employment and consulting agreements, and stock option plans. He also advises clients on a variety of general intellectual property and entertainment law matters.
Walker has represented emerging businesses in transactions involving preferred stock purchases by venture capital funds, bridge financing rounds, follow-on rounds of preferred stock offerings, down rounds, and secured debt issuances. He has represented private investment companies in purchases of preferred equity securities and debt securities of emerging high technology companies.
During his time in Atlanta, he founded and operated his own law firm for almost two decades representing start-up and small businesses looking to raise capital, buy a business, sell a business, and obtain crowdfunding. He has also represented several professional athletes and is the president of Starwalker Industries LLC, a bottled water branding and distribution company.
Walker received his law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan.
Bodman is also pleased to announce that Erica J. Shell was selected for Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s 2024 Up & Coming Lawyers list.
Shell is a member of the firm’s Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution, Environmental Law, Municipal Law and Finance, and Construction practice groups. Based in the Detroit office, she specializes in navigating the space between litigation and economic development, with a focus on environmental challenges that clients face throughout the course of real estate transactions.
Shell has been listed in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch since 2022 under Commercial Litigation and as a DBusiness Magazine “Top Lawyer” since 2021 under Environmental Law. She has also listed in Michigan Rising Stars 2023 under Real Estate. In 2019, Shell was selected as the Detroit Bar Association Barristers “Barrister of the Year.”
• • •
Howard & Howard is pleased to welcome attorney George Malis to the firm’s Royal Oak office.
Malis brings more than 40 years of experience in corporate law to Howard & Howard. He has advised clients on various tax matters, trust and estate planning, business succession planning, entity formation, and more. He served for many years as the chairperson for the committee on taxation for the U.S. members of Meritas, a worldwide organization of lawyers and law firms.
• • •
Giarmarco, Mullins, & Horton PC is pleased to announce that Allison Lavoie Nalette has joined the Family Law practice group. With a specialization in domestic relations and Family Law, Nalette brings experience particularly in high-asset divorce and custody litigation.
Nalette is experienced in various intricate litigation areas such as annulments, business valuations, prenuptial agreements, child custody, and change of domicile cases. She is active in several professional organizations, including the State Bar of Michigan, Family Law Section, and the Oakland County Bar Association, where she served as a director on the New Lawyer’s Committee for three consecutive years.
In addition to her professional affiliations, Nalette is a Fellow of the Oakland County Bar Foundation and is a member of the Michigan Inter-Professional Association on Marriage, Divorce, and Family Inc.
Nalette is an alumna of Butler University and earned a law degree from Cooley Law School.
• • •
Secrest Wardle congratulates Daniel P. Makarski, senior partner at the firm’s Troy location, on receiving the Michigan Defense Trial Counsel’s President’s Special Recognition Award in recognition of his contributions to civil litigation.
Makarski has been with Secrest Wardle since 1979. He became a partner in 1986, and a senior partner in 1994. He currently serves as chair of the firm’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Practice Group.
As part of his practice of law for more than 50 years, Makarski is routinely appointed as an arbitrator, case evaluator, facilitator, and mediator in a wide variety of cases involving personal injuries, medical malpractice, as well as property and business disputes.
Makarski earned his law degree from Wayne State University Law School. He also received a Master of Education Degree from Wayne State College of Education and a Bachelor of Philosophy Degree from Wayne State University Monteith College. Makarski is admitted to practice law in the State of Michigan, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, and United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Makarski has been awarded the Respected Advocate Award from the Michigan Association for Justice. He has also received the Civility Award from the Macomb County Bar Association and has maintained Martindale-Hubbell’s highest rating of “AV” for more than 30 years. From 2018 to the present, Makarski has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America©. In 2024, he received the Best Lawyers® Insurance Law-Troy, Michigan “Lawyer of the Year” Award.
Makarski has also been included in dbusiness Magazine’s list of “Top Lawyers in Metro Detroit” from 2010-2014, 2016, and 2018 through the present. In 2020, he was listed in the Arbitration and Mediation categories. Makarski has also been voted by his peers to Super Lawyers Magazine’s list of Michigan Super Lawyers from 2018 through the present in the area of Alternative Dispute Resolution.
• • •
Butzel attorney and shareholder Michael F. Golab has been named to Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s Hall of Fame Class of 2024.
Golab is a former chair of Butzel’s Business Law Department. His practice is focused on Corporate and Business Law and Mergers and Acquisitions.
He has more than 30 years of experience representing mid and large size companies, primarily in the manufacturing and service industries. He counsels a variety of U.S. and foreign-owned automotive suppliers in corporate governance, national and international product sales and distribution through various channels and various other areas of operations. Golab has experience in mergers and acquisitions involving U.S. and foreign-based clients with global operations.
Golab has been recognized by the following:
• Best Lawyers in America - Lawyer of the Year, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), 2022
• Best Lawyers in America - Corporate Law, 2018-2023; Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), 2018-2024
• DBusiness Top Lawyers in Metro Detroit - Commercial Law, 2011-2012
Golab earned his law degree from the Detroit College of Law in 1980 and has an M.A. and B.A. from Wayne State University.
In addition, Butzel attorney Garett Koger is one of 25 attorneys in the state named to Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s 2024 Class of “Up & Coming Lawyers.”
Koger has litigation experience which includes service as the chief assistant prosecutor for Clinton County, Michigan, and as an assistant attorney general for the State of Michigan. He litigates in both the state and federal courts, including through appeal.
He counsels candidates on election and campaign matters and encourages a proactive approach to statutory compliance to ensure smooth access to the ballot. His experience includes representing multiple candidates up through the Michigan Supreme Court.
Koger is admitted to practice in Michigan, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Michigan, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan. He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, Republican National Lawyers Association, and Federalist Society.
Prior to his career as a lawyer, Koger served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2002 to 2007. He is a graduate of The Military College of South Carolina (“The Citadel”). He earned a law degree from Michigan State University College of Law.
• • •
At a recent meeting of the Board of Directors of Plunkett Cooney, local partners Scott K. Lites and Michael P. Ashcraft Jr. were elected to Board leadership positions.
Lites was elected chair while Ashcraft was re-elected secretary/treasurer and Forbush was re-elected senior vice-president. They both will serve one-year terms.
A member of the Board for 17 years, Lites is one of the firm’s business attorneys with nearly 40 years of experience in mergers and acquisitions, corporate matters and real estate transactions. Lites routinely acts as general counsel for many of his clients and adds a unique, practical perspective to their businesses.
Lites, who is a member of the firm’s Bloomfield Hills office, is listed among the Best Lawyers in America in both corporate and real estate law.
He has been listed in DBusiness magazine as a Top Lawyer in real estate law, selected as a Go To Lawyer for business law by Michigan Lawyers Weekly, was previously appointed as a member of the state of Michigan’s Receivership Transition Advisory Board for the City of Allen Park and a member of the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law Board of Directors.
Lites received his law degree in 1985 from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and his undergraduate degree in 1982 from the University of Michigan.
Ashcraft, who serves as a co-leader of Plunkett Cooney’s Professional Liability Practice Group, is one of the state’s leading professional liability attorneys. He concentrates his practice primarily on the defense of attorneys, accountants and their firms in professional liability and responsibility matters.
A partner in the firm’s Bloomfield Hills office, Ashcraft also represents judges, insurance brokers and agents, securities brokers and dealers, real estate brokers and agents, investment advisors, officers and directors, and notaries public in complex litigation in state and federal courts.
Admitted to state and federal courts in Michigan, Ashcraft graduated from Michigan State University College of Law in 1992. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan in 1987.
Ashcraft is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, the State Bar of Michigan’s Professional Ethics Committee, the American Bar Association’s Committee on Professional Responsibility and Liability and the Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers.
In addition, Plunkett Cooney associate attorney Michael D. Hanchett was recently named to the 2024 Class of Up & Coming Lawyers by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
A member of Plunkett Cooney’s Bloomfield Hills office, Hanchett is a member of the firm’s Governmental Law and Labor & Employment Law practice groups. He defends public-sector clients in a variety of litigation with particular expertise in police liability, including searches and seizures, use of force and corrections law. His practice also includes the defense of employment law disputes involving such issues as alleged discrimination, retaliation and civil rights claims brought under state and federal statutes. Hanchett is also currently serving as a special assistant attorney general for the State of Michigan.
Hanchett is a member of the Federal Bar Association, Eastern District of Michigan Chapter, where he co-chairs the civil rights section and on the newsletter committee. He is also a member of the DRI’s Construction Law, Insurance Law and Young Lawyers committees. Hanchett is also active in the Oakland County and American bar associations, as well as the State Bar of Michigan’s Government Law and Labor and Employment sections.
Designated by Best Lawyers as one of their Ones to Watch in municipal law since 2021, Hanchett routinely speaks to police and various municipal organizations. Admitted to practice law in state and federal courts in Michigan, he received his law degree from the University of Toledo College of Law in 2016 and his undergraduate degree from Ferris State University in 2013.
• • •
Honigman LLP recently announced that David J. Axelson has joined its Corporate Department as a partner in the firm’s Finance Practice Group.
Based in Detroit, Axelson specializes in acquisition financings, leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, cash-flow and asset-based credit facilities, and debt restructurings. He works with private equity sponsors, portfolio companies, and corporate borrowers in a range of finance transactions.
Axelson joins the firm from Ropes & Gray LLP, where he served as counsel. He earned his law degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and his B.A. from the University of Michigan. He was also recognized by Best Lawyers “Ones to Watch” for Corporate Law, 2021-2022.
Honigman also recently announced that Corey Levin has joined its Real Estate Department as a partner in the firm’s Real Estate Services Practice Group.
Levin focuses his practice on economic and real estate development incentives, business incentives and credits, and sustainability/clean energy tax credits. Advising a range of clients both globally and domestically, Levin’s background in law, tax, and urban planning enables him to successfully navigate complex processes to obtain incentives, develop strategies to facilitate real estate development projects, and create equitable partnerships.
Levin joins Honigman from Ernst & Young LLP, where he was part of the Global Location Investment, Credits & Incentives advisory practice. He earned his law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology. Additionally, Levin obtained a B.A. in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
• • •
Taft Detroit has announced the addition of Bill Lentine, from Warner Norcross + Judd, as a partner in the firm’s Business practice group. With this recent announcement, Taft Detroit now has 133 attorneys.
Lentine will guide clients in business matters, focusing on the often overlapping areas of tax law and trust and estate work. Drawing on his knowledge of federal and state tax rules, he will counsel clients through succession planning, exit strategies, management planning, and tax tactics. Additionally, he has experience guiding clients in transactions such as mergers and acquisitions, as well as in buy-side and sell-side activities.
“Taft has had a strong start in the Detroit market—its collaborative culture, clear vision forward, and utmost dedication to clients were immediately evident from the onset. I’m honored to be a part of this talented team to deliver best-in-class services to the Greater Detroit region and beyond,” said Lentine.
Lentine earned his bachelor’s degree at Michigan State University, working as an accountant and CPA for several years before earning his law degree from the Michigan State University College of Law. He is recognized as a leader in the legal community and is involved in various professional organizations, including the tax section of the Michigan Bar (including serving as chair), the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants.
• • •
Zausmer is proud to announce that shareholders Cinnamon Plonka and Mischa Boardman have been named Notable Women in Law by Crain’s Detroit.
Plonka is a litigator who excels in no-fault and third-party automobile negligence, insurance fraud, and employment litigation.
In addition to her litigation success, Plonka sits on the Board of Directors for Forgotten Harvest. Her roles on the State Bar of Michigan’s Attorney Discipline Board, as past president of the Black Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, and as a Trustee on Eastern Michigan University’s Foundation Board of Trustees, reflect her dedication to the legal community and education. Her leadership extends to the firm’s Executive Committee and Diversity Committee, demonstrating her advocacy for inclusion and diversity in the legal field.
Plonka earned a Bachelor of Arts from Eastern Michigan University and her law degree from Cooley Law School.
Boardman specializes in business disputes, commercial litigation, and eminent domain matters. Her achievements include leading the land acquisition team for the Thumb Loop Transmission Project for ITC Holdings and playing a key role in the Gordie Howe International Bridge project.
Boardman has served on the University of Michigan’s CEW+ Leadership Council and on its Diversity Equity and Inclusion Leadership Council.
She also serves as a charter member of Michigan State University’s College of Social Science consortium on female leadership. Her involvement in the firm’s Executive Committee highlights her leadership and strategic thinking. She has been recognized by Michigan Lawyers Weekly as a “Woman in the Law” and has been named a Michigan Top Lawyer and a Michigan Super Lawyer.
Boardman earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and her law degree from the University of Michigan Law School.
• • •
Varnum partner Eric Nemeth has been selected for “Hall of Fame” recognition by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
Nemeth leads Varnum’s Tax Planning, Compliance, and Litigation Practice Team. His practice includes a focus on the representation of businesses, individuals and other entities in the defense of IRS, FBI, Homeland Security, state police and other law enforcement agency investigations. He has led or assisted in matters for clients on five continents and over most of the United States. He routinely provides legal advice and counsel to clients regarding the tax implications of assets held outside of the United States.
Prior to entering private practice, Nemeth served as a senior trial lawyer for IRS Chief Counsel (Honors Program) and as a special assistant United States attorney. He also served in the U.S. Army as a judge advocate.
For more than 20 years, Nemeth has led the firm’s tax practice in providing annual seminars and for tax preparers across the state. He frequently contributes articles for Michigan Tax Lawyer, the State Bar of Michigan’s journal for the Taxation Section. He has presented on tax-related matters at local and national conferences, including for MICPA and the National Institute on Criminal Tax Fraud/Tax Controversy. He has served multiple terms on the editorial advisory board for Law360 Tax Authority Federal.
Nemeth has also served as chair of the Detroit Veterans Bar Association, a social organization for legal professionals with a military background. His military experience includes serving as an active Army reservist for ten years, first as a brigade judge advocate and later Division H.Q. staff judge advocate. He also served with the 9th Legal Support Organization where he advised on a wide range of military law matters.
Nemeth currently serves on the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Board of Trustees and on the Dean’s Advisory Council for the University of Michigan – Dearborn.
• • •
Bodman PLC is pleased to share that David M. Walker has joined the firm as a member in the Business Practice Group, based in Detroit.
Walker began his career as a business lawyer at Bodman where he practiced for six years before relocating to Atlanta in 2004.
Walker has experience representing clients in matters involving corporate and securities law, including mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, private placements of securities, other securities compliance matters, and general corporate advice. He works with businesses on corporate matters including formation, contract negotiation and documentation, employment and consulting agreements, and stock option plans. He also advises clients on a variety of general intellectual property and entertainment law matters.
Walker has represented emerging businesses in transactions involving preferred stock purchases by venture capital funds, bridge financing rounds, follow-on rounds of preferred stock offerings, down rounds, and secured debt issuances. He has represented private investment companies in purchases of preferred equity securities and debt securities of emerging high technology companies.
During his time in Atlanta, he founded and operated his own law firm for almost two decades representing start-up and small businesses looking to raise capital, buy a business, sell a business, and obtain crowdfunding. He has also represented several professional athletes and is the president of Starwalker Industries LLC, a bottled water branding and distribution company.
Walker received his law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan.
Bodman is also pleased to announce that Erica J. Shell was selected for Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s 2024 Up & Coming Lawyers list.
Shell is a member of the firm’s Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution, Environmental Law, Municipal Law and Finance, and Construction practice groups. Based in the Detroit office, she specializes in navigating the space between litigation and economic development, with a focus on environmental challenges that clients face throughout the course of real estate transactions.
Shell has been listed in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch since 2022 under Commercial Litigation and as a DBusiness Magazine “Top Lawyer” since 2021 under Environmental Law. She has also listed in Michigan Rising Stars 2023 under Real Estate. In 2019, Shell was selected as the Detroit Bar Association Barristers “Barrister of the Year.”
• • •
Howard & Howard is pleased to welcome attorney George Malis to the firm’s Royal Oak office.
Malis brings more than 40 years of experience in corporate law to Howard & Howard. He has advised clients on various tax matters, trust and estate planning, business succession planning, entity formation, and more. He served for many years as the chairperson for the committee on taxation for the U.S. members of Meritas, a worldwide organization of lawyers and law firms.
• • •
Giarmarco, Mullins, & Horton PC is pleased to announce that Allison Lavoie Nalette has joined the Family Law practice group. With a specialization in domestic relations and Family Law, Nalette brings experience particularly in high-asset divorce and custody litigation.
Nalette is experienced in various intricate litigation areas such as annulments, business valuations, prenuptial agreements, child custody, and change of domicile cases. She is active in several professional organizations, including the State Bar of Michigan, Family Law Section, and the Oakland County Bar Association, where she served as a director on the New Lawyer’s Committee for three consecutive years.
In addition to her professional affiliations, Nalette is a Fellow of the Oakland County Bar Foundation and is a member of the Michigan Inter-Professional Association on Marriage, Divorce, and Family Inc.
Nalette is an alumna of Butler University and earned a law degree from Cooley Law School.
