Butzel attorney Debra A. Geroux will be a
co-presenter during the Health Care Compliance Association (HCCA) Ann
Arbor Regional Healthcare Compliance Conference on Thursday, June 13.
Geroux along with Scott Wrobel, managing member, N1 Discovery, will
present a program titled, “The Evolving Healthcare Cybersecurity
Landscape – How Threat Actors are Succeeding in their Infiltration of
the Healthcare Industry and How to Avoid Being the Next Headline.”
The session will provide insight on the following:
• Understanding the dynamics of Threat Actors’ campaigns,
• Overview of the U.S. government’s efforts to minimize the impact of cyber incidents on healthcare providers, and,
• What healthcare entities can and should be doing to avoid a cyber attack.
Geroux is co-chair of Butzel’s Health Care Industry Team. Her health care practice focuses on health care compliance, cybersecurity and privacy, and statutory reporting obligations. She has assisted health care practitioners in defense of state and federal debarment, fraud, waste and abuse investigations and litigation, licensing and credentialing, government and commercial payor audits and other health care issues. She also has experience in supply chain and source contracting for a large Michigan-based health system, including negotiations of its IT contracts.
Geroux earned her Certified in Healthcare Privacy Compliance (CHPC) designation from the Compliance and Certification Board. She also holds a Certified in Healthcare Compliance (CHC) designation.
Geroux has been named to Best Lawyers in America, Lawyer of the Year, Health Care Law, 2022 and 2024, and Best Lawyers in America, Health Care Law, 2018-2024 and Commercial Litigation, 2021-2023.
• • •
Honigman LLP recently announced that Joshua W. Damm has joined its Corporate Department as a partner in the firm’s Public Company, Securities and Governance Practice Group.
Based in Detroit, Damm specializes in securities offerings, ongoing securities laws compliance, public company reporting and corporate governance counseling. He advises companies and boards of directors on day-to-day SEC and stock exchange reporting and compliance requirements, as well as corporate governance policies and practices. He also represents a range of clients in equity and debt transactions, including IPOs, follow-on and secondary equity offerings, at-the-market offerings, reverse merger and de-SPAC transactions, PIPE transactions, convertible note offerings and liability management transactions.
Damm joins the firm from Fenwick & West LLP, where he served as a senior associate. He earned his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center and his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan.
• • •
Associate attorney Cloie Y. Chidiac recently joined Plunkett Cooney as a member of the Torts & Litigation Practice Group.
Chidiac represents commercial clients directly and through their insurance providers. Her litigation practice includes such areas as general liability, insurance law, employment liability, premises liability, family law, commercial litigation and motor vehicle liability.
A member of the State Bar of Michigan, Chidiac received her law degree from Wayne State University Law School in 2022. She received her undergraduate degree from Oakland University in 2020.
In addition, Plunkett Cooney partner Courtney L. Nichols was recently named by DBusiness magazine as one of the publication’s 30 in Their Thirties.
Since joining the firm in 2011, Nichols has built an employment law practice. She serves as outside employment law counsel to numerous Michigan companies, and she defends employers in workplace-related litigation through their insurance providers.
Nichols currently, she serves as the firm’s Litigation Department leader with oversight responsibility for more than 40 attorneys in 10 practice groups located throughout the firm’s four-state footprint. She has also previously served as the firm’s Labor & Employment Law Practice Group leader. Nichols is a member of Plunkett Cooney’s Strategic Planning, Retirement and Salary & Bonus committees, and she serves as employment counsel to the firm.
In addition to her leadership roles within the firm, Nichols is a sought-after speaker for national conferences and international organizations, as well as for her clients. She has also held leadership positions in the Labor & Employment Law Practice Group of ALFA International, a consortium of 140 law firms throughout the U.S., Europe, Asia, Australia/New Zealand, Africa, Canada, Mexico and South America.
Nichols is a member of the firm’s Bloomfield Hills office and focuses her litigation practice in the area of employment law, including discrimination, retaliation and civil rights claims. She provides counsel to employers of all sizes regarding complicated employment and labor issues prior to litigation, including compliance with the ADA, FMLA, and FLSA. Nichols also assists clients with drafting and enforcing contractual agreements.
In addition to the DBusiness honor, Nichols was selected as a Michigan Super Lawyer Rising Star in Employment & Labor by Michigan Super Lawyers magazine from 2016 to 2021. She was named by Crain’s Detroit Business as one of its 2023 Notable Leaders in Employment & Labor Law, and she was honored as a 2015 Up & Coming Lawyer and a 2021 Go To Employment Lawyer by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
Admitted to practice in the state and federal courts in Michigan, Nichols is a member of the State Bar of Michigan and serves as vice chair of ALFA International’s Labor & Employment Law Practice Group.
She received her law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2011 and her undergraduate degree from the James Madison College at Michigan State University in 2008.
• • •
Wayne State University Law School celebrated five new members into the Alumni Wall of Fame during a ceremony held at the law school on April 9.
The Wayne Law Alumni Wall of Fame Award is the highest honor the law school presents. It is awarded to alumni, faculty, or staff who embody the highest standard of excellence and have distinguished themselves through their contributions to their field and the profession, their work toward the betterment of humanity, or their significant impact on the law school and its community. The Wall of Fame, an interactive, multimedia display in the Law School lobby showcasing the inductees, was made possible by a donation from 1986 Wayne Law alumnus, E. Powell Miller.
The 2024 honorees are:
Ret. U.S. Magistrate Judge Vernelis K. Armstrong, ‘60. Armstrong was appointed in 1961 by the Michigan Attorney General as the first African American female assistant attorney general. The following year, she was appointed law clerk for Justice Adams when he was named to the Michigan Supreme Court. Armstrong was sworn in as a U.S. magistrate judge in the Northern District in September of 1994, becoming the first African American and first female magistrate in the Western Division of the District. Armstrong retired in 2015 and continues to be recognized for her accomplishments.
Julia Donovan Darlow, ‘71. Darlow practiced law for 33 years with Dickinson Wright PLLC in Detroit and for two years with Varnum LLP. Beginning early in her law career, Darlow worked with other women lawyers in promoting the election and appointment of women to judicial office and in engaging with public issues of particular concern to women. Darlow served as president of the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan (1976-77), on the State Bar of Michigan Board of Commissioners (1977-1986), and as president of the State Bar of Michigan (1985-86). Darlow was the first woman to hold this position in Michigan and among the first women to lead state bar associations in the country. Additionally, Darlow shared her talent and expertise with students at Wayne Law when she taught in 1976 and 1996.
Joseph D. Grano, Distinguished Professor of Law (posthumously). Grano served as an assistant district attorney in Philadelphia, then joined the faculty of the University of Detroit School of Law. He served as acting dean of the law school, then joined the faculty of Wayne State University Law School. Grano served as a much-loved professor of criminal procedure and constitutional law for 25 years. He was a prolific author of law review articles and his highly praised book, “Confessions, Truth, and The Law.” Grano was a member of the American Law Institute, the Academy of Scholars, and numerous professional organizations in Michigan. The family of the late Prof. Grano was present to accept this honor and included retired Justice Maura Corrigan, Daniel Grano, Dianna Grano, Joseph P. Grano, and Marianne Grano.
Gary Torgow, ‘82. Torgow is the chairman of Huntington National Bank. Previously, he served as chairman of TCF Financial and Chemical Financial Corporation. Torgow was the founder and chairman of Talmer Bank and was also the founder and chairman of the Sterling Group. Torgow serves on the boards of DTE Energy (NYSE), Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, and Corewell Health Beaumont Hospital.
Torgow is the chairman of Business Leaders for Michigan and is a Trustee and Board member of the Community Foundation of Southeastern Michigan. Additionally, Torgow serves as the president of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, is on the board of the Pope Francis Center, and is president of the Yeshiva Beth Yehuda. Torgow serves on the Advisory Board of the Carl Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy.
I. W. (Bill) Winsten, ‘79. Winsten is described by his peers as an “outstanding trial lawyer,” “phenomenally talented,” and “effective, smart, and innovative,” according to Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. Winsten has shown great dedication to Wayne Law through his many years serving as both a member and chairman of the Wayne Law the Board of Visitors. He continues to shape Wayne Law through his role as an adjunct professor, teaching Evidence.
In addition, Wayne Law congratulates Professor Kirsten Matoy Carlson who has been selected as one of the Board of Governors 2024 Distinguished Faculty Fellows. This award was presented at the Academic Recognition Ceremony on April 25.
The Distinguished Faculty Fellowships recognize and provide support for members of the faculty whose achievements and current activities in scholarship, research, and/or artistic performance and creativity continue to hold national distinction. The recognition includes $10,000 to assist the Fellow’s research.
An authority on federal Indian law, Carlson teaches a variety of courses on Indigenous rights and policy, civil procedure, legislation, and legal change. Her interdisciplinary, empirical research investigates access to justice issues, including legal mobilization and law reform strategies used by Native peoples to reform law and policy effectively. Her work seeks to elevate Native voices in their quest for justice within the legal system.
Carlson’s articles have appeared in the Michigan Law Review, Minnesota Law Review, Indiana Law Journal, and Washington Law Review, and peer-reviewed interdisciplinary and political science journals, such as Law and Society Review, Publius—The Journal of Federalism, and the Journal of Race, Ethnicity and Politics. Her article, “Lobbying Against the Odds,” was selected for presentation at the Yale/Stanford/Harvard Junior Faculty Forum at Harvard Law School.
Carlson serves on the State Bar of Michigan Standing Committee on American Indian Law and is a fellow of the American Bar Foundation. She is a Faculty Scholar in the American Bar Foundation/JPB Foundation (ABF/JPB) Access to Justice Scholars Program, and a Marilyn Williamson Endowed Distinguished Faculty Fellow in the Humanities Center at Wayne State University for 2023-2024. She has served as a visiting research scholar at the University of Ottawa and a visiting professor at the University of Michigan Law School and the University of Minnesota Law School. Professor Carlson has also received the Donald H. Gordon Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2014 and was selected by Wayne Law students as First Year Professor of the Year in 2017 and 2023.
Carlson earned her law degree and a Doctorate in political science from the University of Michigan, a Master of Arts degree in Maaori studies from the University of Wellington, New Zealand, and a Bachelor of Arts in international studies from The Johns Hopkins University.
• • •
Andrew C. Goetz has joined Miller Johnson as a member in the firm’s Detroit office. Goetz is a litigator and investigations attorney who was most recently at the United States Attorney’s Office for the
Eastern District of Michigan, where he served as the appellate chief and part of the executive team. Goetz’s hiring marks Miller Johnson’s fifth attorney to join the firm’s Southeast Michigan team this year and 22nd attorney working out of the Detroit hub.
As appellate chief, Goetz supervised all of the United States Attorney’s Office’s civil and criminal appellate litigation before the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and he guided the office in resolving many of its most complex or sensitive legal questions. He also previously served as a senior litigation counsel and deputy appellate chief there, advising the office on indictment reviews and trial strategy and litigating some of its most prominent appeals. Among his other litigation experience there, Goetz served as the lead appellate attorney on the team that prosecuted and convicted former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick on public-corruption charges.
While in private practice at a large international law firm in the nation’s capital, Goetz represented financial institutions and corporate clients on internal investigations, white collar and regulatory defense, and corporate compliance. His practice covered a range of subject areas, including alleged accounting and securities fraud, other accusations of malfeasance or whistleblower complaints, and investigations under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
“I am excited about serving clients throughout Michigan in navigating their most difficult and critical legal issues,” said Goetz. “Working on behalf of our region’s largest employers, while collaborating with such a talented group of attorneys at a firm as highly regarded as Miller Johnson, is attractive as I join the firm’s Detroit office.”
Goetz was earned his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School. He earned a B.S in Chemistry and a B.A in Political Science from Michigan State University. From 2007 to 2008, Goetz served as a law clerk to U.S. Court os Appeals Judge Mary Beck Briscoe, Tenth Circuit.
• • •
Varnum partner Gabe Edelson has been named a Go To Lawyer for Business Transactions by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
A member of Varnum’s Corporate Practice Team, Edelson focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate governance and general corporate matters. He represents private equity firms, portfolio companies and a wide variety of other businesses in cross-border and domestic mergers and acquisitions and commercial transactions, ranging in size from under $1 million to over $1 billion.
He advises both public and private clients in a variety of industries, with experience in private equity and strategic transactions.
Edelson is recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® for his professional accomplishments in corporate law. In 2020, he was recognized as by The Well and The Detroit Jewish News as one of 36 Under 36, recognizing exceptional young professionals who are impacting the Metro Detroit community.
Edelson recently completed a year of community focus and education as part of Leadership Detroit Class XLII, as well as a seven-year stint on the board of directors of the Founders Junior Council at the Detroit Institute of Arts.
• • •
Dickinson Wright is pleased to announce that Elizabeth Luckenbach (member and division director, Regulatory/Administration) will receive the 2024 Professionalism Award from the Oakland County Bar Association at their upcoming 90th Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony in June.
“I’m honored to be receiving the Professionalism Award from the OCBA this year,” Luckenbach said. “I feel that professionalism, civility, and respect are cornerstones of the practice of law, and I hope that my example inspires the next generation.”
Luckenbach, rated by Martindale-Hubbell® as an “AV/Preeminent Attorney®,” specializes in probate and fiduciary litigation, trust and estate administration, estate planning, and special needs planning.
With more than 25 years of experience representing fiduciaries and individuals in all aspects of litigation, administration, and planning, she works to advocate for her clients, treating each of them with the individual attention they deserve.
• • •
Taft Detroit attorney Shirley Kaigler has been selected as a panelist for the Detroit Artists Market series on May 11. Detroit Artists Market is a non-profit gallery committed to contemporary art and to connecting artists, collectors, and communities.
Kaigler will speak on “How to Dispose of your Art Collection or Works in your Studio,” emphasizing the use of estate and tax planning methods to safeguard and transfer these assets efficiently and securely to intended beneficiaries.
Kaigler is a partner in Taft’s Private Client practice group. She concentrates her practice in the areas of probate and trust administration, estate, tax, retirement and business succession planning, elder law, and health care proxy and special needs issues. She has experience principally in the area of gift, estate, and tax planning for all estate sizes. Her clients are business owners, professionals in solo and group practices, corporate executives, educators, retirees, and individuals with special needs.
• • •
Robert Graziani of Howard & Howard was honored last month at the Michigan Lawyers Weekly “Hall of Fame” honoree luncheon.
With a career spanning more than 40 years, Graziani has a diverse practice with both a national and international client base. He represents and counsels private and insurance companies on coverage issues, including professional liability, general liability, first party property, employer’s liability, cyber liability, directors and officers, transactional liability, bad faith, and construction defects. Previously in his career, Graziani has served as national, regional, and state counsel in numerous matters for manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and installers in commercial disputes and product liability cases. His engineering background provides a foundation in defending product liability cases, especially in the automotive and related industries.
Outside of his practice, Graziani is an active member of the Full Circle Foundation, serving on the executive leadership board, whose mission is to provide additional opportunities to individuals with special needs to learn and develop skills that will allow them to live independently and contribute to the community. He is also involved with Special Olympics, and has served on the Planning Commission, as trustee, village clerk, and on the Council for the City of Grosse Pointe Shores over a span of 18 years.
• • •
Brooks Kushman shareholders Rachel Smith and John Rondini were moderators at the Auto IP USA hosted by IAM in Detroit May 1-2.
Smith’s session, “Masterclass: The IP Portfolio of the Future,” discussed new trends within mobility, autonomous driving, electrification, and connectivity. This includes revamping IP protection strategies to fit converging technologies, implementing variations of technologies into developing a patent strategy, and accommodating IP related decisions for emerging market trends.
Rondini’s session, “Masterclass: The Role of Trade Secrets,” discussed how software and algorithms drive today’s computers, making trade secrets crucial in automotive IP portfolios. This includes deciding upon trade secrets or patent protection, successfully blending IT, data and legal, as well as identifying and monitoring the risks of collaborations.
Smith is a registered patent attorney and manages global patent portfolios of all sizes for Fortune 500 companies down to start-ups. Her practice extends to licensing negotiations, open-source software and copyright issues, and pre-litigation due diligence and investigations. Throughout her career, Smith has participated in numerous diversity and inclusion efforts, including managing her firm’s mentorship program and being an active member of the Leadership Counsel for Legal Diversity. She has been recognized for her accomplishments via several accolades including 2024 Crain’s Notable Women in the Law, Super Lawyers, Oakland County Elite 40 Under 40, Up & Coming Lawyer, among others.
Rondini is an attorney with knowledge in litigation, negotiating settlements, and licensing agreements. His experience includes assessing a client’s current cybersecurity and data privacy protocols and developing a comprehensive incident response plan to ensure compliance with applicable laws. Rondini’s practice includes representing clients in patent prosecution, litigation, and cyber security and data privacy matters. He has represented client’s litigation matters at the district court and appellate level, as well as, before the International Trade Commission, and has actively managed each stage of litigation from pre-suit pleadings through trial, and through appeal. Rondini has also managed the patent prosecution docket for clients that range from Fortune 500 companies to individual inventors. His prosecution experience includes handling a patent application from an initial draft through allowance.
• • •
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced the appointment of Steven L. Berenbaum to the State 9-1-1 Committee.
Berenbaum is the area manager of regulatory relations for AT&T. He received a Bachelor of Science, Master of Business Administration, and law degree from the University of Michigan. Berenbaum is reappointed to represent commercial mobile radio service for a term commencing May 2, 2024, and expiring December 31, 2025.
The State 9-1-1 Committee and it’s 21 member organizations work together to promote the successful development, implementation, and operation of 9-1-1 systems across the state of Michigan. In accordance with Public Act 244 of 2003, the Michigan State Police provides staff assistance to the committee as necessary to carry out the committee’s duties.
This appointment is not subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.
The session will provide insight on the following:
• Understanding the dynamics of Threat Actors’ campaigns,
• Overview of the U.S. government’s efforts to minimize the impact of cyber incidents on healthcare providers, and,
• What healthcare entities can and should be doing to avoid a cyber attack.
Geroux is co-chair of Butzel’s Health Care Industry Team. Her health care practice focuses on health care compliance, cybersecurity and privacy, and statutory reporting obligations. She has assisted health care practitioners in defense of state and federal debarment, fraud, waste and abuse investigations and litigation, licensing and credentialing, government and commercial payor audits and other health care issues. She also has experience in supply chain and source contracting for a large Michigan-based health system, including negotiations of its IT contracts.
Geroux earned her Certified in Healthcare Privacy Compliance (CHPC) designation from the Compliance and Certification Board. She also holds a Certified in Healthcare Compliance (CHC) designation.
Geroux has been named to Best Lawyers in America, Lawyer of the Year, Health Care Law, 2022 and 2024, and Best Lawyers in America, Health Care Law, 2018-2024 and Commercial Litigation, 2021-2023.
• • •
Honigman LLP recently announced that Joshua W. Damm has joined its Corporate Department as a partner in the firm’s Public Company, Securities and Governance Practice Group.
Based in Detroit, Damm specializes in securities offerings, ongoing securities laws compliance, public company reporting and corporate governance counseling. He advises companies and boards of directors on day-to-day SEC and stock exchange reporting and compliance requirements, as well as corporate governance policies and practices. He also represents a range of clients in equity and debt transactions, including IPOs, follow-on and secondary equity offerings, at-the-market offerings, reverse merger and de-SPAC transactions, PIPE transactions, convertible note offerings and liability management transactions.
Damm joins the firm from Fenwick & West LLP, where he served as a senior associate. He earned his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center and his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan.
• • •
Associate attorney Cloie Y. Chidiac recently joined Plunkett Cooney as a member of the Torts & Litigation Practice Group.
Chidiac represents commercial clients directly and through their insurance providers. Her litigation practice includes such areas as general liability, insurance law, employment liability, premises liability, family law, commercial litigation and motor vehicle liability.
A member of the State Bar of Michigan, Chidiac received her law degree from Wayne State University Law School in 2022. She received her undergraduate degree from Oakland University in 2020.
In addition, Plunkett Cooney partner Courtney L. Nichols was recently named by DBusiness magazine as one of the publication’s 30 in Their Thirties.
Since joining the firm in 2011, Nichols has built an employment law practice. She serves as outside employment law counsel to numerous Michigan companies, and she defends employers in workplace-related litigation through their insurance providers.
Nichols currently, she serves as the firm’s Litigation Department leader with oversight responsibility for more than 40 attorneys in 10 practice groups located throughout the firm’s four-state footprint. She has also previously served as the firm’s Labor & Employment Law Practice Group leader. Nichols is a member of Plunkett Cooney’s Strategic Planning, Retirement and Salary & Bonus committees, and she serves as employment counsel to the firm.
In addition to her leadership roles within the firm, Nichols is a sought-after speaker for national conferences and international organizations, as well as for her clients. She has also held leadership positions in the Labor & Employment Law Practice Group of ALFA International, a consortium of 140 law firms throughout the U.S., Europe, Asia, Australia/New Zealand, Africa, Canada, Mexico and South America.
Nichols is a member of the firm’s Bloomfield Hills office and focuses her litigation practice in the area of employment law, including discrimination, retaliation and civil rights claims. She provides counsel to employers of all sizes regarding complicated employment and labor issues prior to litigation, including compliance with the ADA, FMLA, and FLSA. Nichols also assists clients with drafting and enforcing contractual agreements.
In addition to the DBusiness honor, Nichols was selected as a Michigan Super Lawyer Rising Star in Employment & Labor by Michigan Super Lawyers magazine from 2016 to 2021. She was named by Crain’s Detroit Business as one of its 2023 Notable Leaders in Employment & Labor Law, and she was honored as a 2015 Up & Coming Lawyer and a 2021 Go To Employment Lawyer by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
Admitted to practice in the state and federal courts in Michigan, Nichols is a member of the State Bar of Michigan and serves as vice chair of ALFA International’s Labor & Employment Law Practice Group.
She received her law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2011 and her undergraduate degree from the James Madison College at Michigan State University in 2008.
• • •
Wayne State University Law School celebrated five new members into the Alumni Wall of Fame during a ceremony held at the law school on April 9.
The Wayne Law Alumni Wall of Fame Award is the highest honor the law school presents. It is awarded to alumni, faculty, or staff who embody the highest standard of excellence and have distinguished themselves through their contributions to their field and the profession, their work toward the betterment of humanity, or their significant impact on the law school and its community. The Wall of Fame, an interactive, multimedia display in the Law School lobby showcasing the inductees, was made possible by a donation from 1986 Wayne Law alumnus, E. Powell Miller.
The 2024 honorees are:
Ret. U.S. Magistrate Judge Vernelis K. Armstrong, ‘60. Armstrong was appointed in 1961 by the Michigan Attorney General as the first African American female assistant attorney general. The following year, she was appointed law clerk for Justice Adams when he was named to the Michigan Supreme Court. Armstrong was sworn in as a U.S. magistrate judge in the Northern District in September of 1994, becoming the first African American and first female magistrate in the Western Division of the District. Armstrong retired in 2015 and continues to be recognized for her accomplishments.
Julia Donovan Darlow, ‘71. Darlow practiced law for 33 years with Dickinson Wright PLLC in Detroit and for two years with Varnum LLP. Beginning early in her law career, Darlow worked with other women lawyers in promoting the election and appointment of women to judicial office and in engaging with public issues of particular concern to women. Darlow served as president of the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan (1976-77), on the State Bar of Michigan Board of Commissioners (1977-1986), and as president of the State Bar of Michigan (1985-86). Darlow was the first woman to hold this position in Michigan and among the first women to lead state bar associations in the country. Additionally, Darlow shared her talent and expertise with students at Wayne Law when she taught in 1976 and 1996.
Joseph D. Grano, Distinguished Professor of Law (posthumously). Grano served as an assistant district attorney in Philadelphia, then joined the faculty of the University of Detroit School of Law. He served as acting dean of the law school, then joined the faculty of Wayne State University Law School. Grano served as a much-loved professor of criminal procedure and constitutional law for 25 years. He was a prolific author of law review articles and his highly praised book, “Confessions, Truth, and The Law.” Grano was a member of the American Law Institute, the Academy of Scholars, and numerous professional organizations in Michigan. The family of the late Prof. Grano was present to accept this honor and included retired Justice Maura Corrigan, Daniel Grano, Dianna Grano, Joseph P. Grano, and Marianne Grano.
Gary Torgow, ‘82. Torgow is the chairman of Huntington National Bank. Previously, he served as chairman of TCF Financial and Chemical Financial Corporation. Torgow was the founder and chairman of Talmer Bank and was also the founder and chairman of the Sterling Group. Torgow serves on the boards of DTE Energy (NYSE), Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, and Corewell Health Beaumont Hospital.
Torgow is the chairman of Business Leaders for Michigan and is a Trustee and Board member of the Community Foundation of Southeastern Michigan. Additionally, Torgow serves as the president of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, is on the board of the Pope Francis Center, and is president of the Yeshiva Beth Yehuda. Torgow serves on the Advisory Board of the Carl Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy.
I. W. (Bill) Winsten, ‘79. Winsten is described by his peers as an “outstanding trial lawyer,” “phenomenally talented,” and “effective, smart, and innovative,” according to Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. Winsten has shown great dedication to Wayne Law through his many years serving as both a member and chairman of the Wayne Law the Board of Visitors. He continues to shape Wayne Law through his role as an adjunct professor, teaching Evidence.
In addition, Wayne Law congratulates Professor Kirsten Matoy Carlson who has been selected as one of the Board of Governors 2024 Distinguished Faculty Fellows. This award was presented at the Academic Recognition Ceremony on April 25.
The Distinguished Faculty Fellowships recognize and provide support for members of the faculty whose achievements and current activities in scholarship, research, and/or artistic performance and creativity continue to hold national distinction. The recognition includes $10,000 to assist the Fellow’s research.
An authority on federal Indian law, Carlson teaches a variety of courses on Indigenous rights and policy, civil procedure, legislation, and legal change. Her interdisciplinary, empirical research investigates access to justice issues, including legal mobilization and law reform strategies used by Native peoples to reform law and policy effectively. Her work seeks to elevate Native voices in their quest for justice within the legal system.
Carlson’s articles have appeared in the Michigan Law Review, Minnesota Law Review, Indiana Law Journal, and Washington Law Review, and peer-reviewed interdisciplinary and political science journals, such as Law and Society Review, Publius—The Journal of Federalism, and the Journal of Race, Ethnicity and Politics. Her article, “Lobbying Against the Odds,” was selected for presentation at the Yale/Stanford/Harvard Junior Faculty Forum at Harvard Law School.
Carlson serves on the State Bar of Michigan Standing Committee on American Indian Law and is a fellow of the American Bar Foundation. She is a Faculty Scholar in the American Bar Foundation/JPB Foundation (ABF/JPB) Access to Justice Scholars Program, and a Marilyn Williamson Endowed Distinguished Faculty Fellow in the Humanities Center at Wayne State University for 2023-2024. She has served as a visiting research scholar at the University of Ottawa and a visiting professor at the University of Michigan Law School and the University of Minnesota Law School. Professor Carlson has also received the Donald H. Gordon Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2014 and was selected by Wayne Law students as First Year Professor of the Year in 2017 and 2023.
Carlson earned her law degree and a Doctorate in political science from the University of Michigan, a Master of Arts degree in Maaori studies from the University of Wellington, New Zealand, and a Bachelor of Arts in international studies from The Johns Hopkins University.
• • •
Andrew C. Goetz has joined Miller Johnson as a member in the firm’s Detroit office. Goetz is a litigator and investigations attorney who was most recently at the United States Attorney’s Office for the
Eastern District of Michigan, where he served as the appellate chief and part of the executive team. Goetz’s hiring marks Miller Johnson’s fifth attorney to join the firm’s Southeast Michigan team this year and 22nd attorney working out of the Detroit hub.
As appellate chief, Goetz supervised all of the United States Attorney’s Office’s civil and criminal appellate litigation before the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and he guided the office in resolving many of its most complex or sensitive legal questions. He also previously served as a senior litigation counsel and deputy appellate chief there, advising the office on indictment reviews and trial strategy and litigating some of its most prominent appeals. Among his other litigation experience there, Goetz served as the lead appellate attorney on the team that prosecuted and convicted former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick on public-corruption charges.
While in private practice at a large international law firm in the nation’s capital, Goetz represented financial institutions and corporate clients on internal investigations, white collar and regulatory defense, and corporate compliance. His practice covered a range of subject areas, including alleged accounting and securities fraud, other accusations of malfeasance or whistleblower complaints, and investigations under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
“I am excited about serving clients throughout Michigan in navigating their most difficult and critical legal issues,” said Goetz. “Working on behalf of our region’s largest employers, while collaborating with such a talented group of attorneys at a firm as highly regarded as Miller Johnson, is attractive as I join the firm’s Detroit office.”
Goetz was earned his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School. He earned a B.S in Chemistry and a B.A in Political Science from Michigan State University. From 2007 to 2008, Goetz served as a law clerk to U.S. Court os Appeals Judge Mary Beck Briscoe, Tenth Circuit.
• • •
Varnum partner Gabe Edelson has been named a Go To Lawyer for Business Transactions by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
A member of Varnum’s Corporate Practice Team, Edelson focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate governance and general corporate matters. He represents private equity firms, portfolio companies and a wide variety of other businesses in cross-border and domestic mergers and acquisitions and commercial transactions, ranging in size from under $1 million to over $1 billion.
He advises both public and private clients in a variety of industries, with experience in private equity and strategic transactions.
Edelson is recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® for his professional accomplishments in corporate law. In 2020, he was recognized as by The Well and The Detroit Jewish News as one of 36 Under 36, recognizing exceptional young professionals who are impacting the Metro Detroit community.
Edelson recently completed a year of community focus and education as part of Leadership Detroit Class XLII, as well as a seven-year stint on the board of directors of the Founders Junior Council at the Detroit Institute of Arts.
• • •
Dickinson Wright is pleased to announce that Elizabeth Luckenbach (member and division director, Regulatory/Administration) will receive the 2024 Professionalism Award from the Oakland County Bar Association at their upcoming 90th Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony in June.
“I’m honored to be receiving the Professionalism Award from the OCBA this year,” Luckenbach said. “I feel that professionalism, civility, and respect are cornerstones of the practice of law, and I hope that my example inspires the next generation.”
Luckenbach, rated by Martindale-Hubbell® as an “AV/Preeminent Attorney®,” specializes in probate and fiduciary litigation, trust and estate administration, estate planning, and special needs planning.
With more than 25 years of experience representing fiduciaries and individuals in all aspects of litigation, administration, and planning, she works to advocate for her clients, treating each of them with the individual attention they deserve.
• • •
Taft Detroit attorney Shirley Kaigler has been selected as a panelist for the Detroit Artists Market series on May 11. Detroit Artists Market is a non-profit gallery committed to contemporary art and to connecting artists, collectors, and communities.
Kaigler will speak on “How to Dispose of your Art Collection or Works in your Studio,” emphasizing the use of estate and tax planning methods to safeguard and transfer these assets efficiently and securely to intended beneficiaries.
Kaigler is a partner in Taft’s Private Client practice group. She concentrates her practice in the areas of probate and trust administration, estate, tax, retirement and business succession planning, elder law, and health care proxy and special needs issues. She has experience principally in the area of gift, estate, and tax planning for all estate sizes. Her clients are business owners, professionals in solo and group practices, corporate executives, educators, retirees, and individuals with special needs.
• • •
Robert Graziani of Howard & Howard was honored last month at the Michigan Lawyers Weekly “Hall of Fame” honoree luncheon.
With a career spanning more than 40 years, Graziani has a diverse practice with both a national and international client base. He represents and counsels private and insurance companies on coverage issues, including professional liability, general liability, first party property, employer’s liability, cyber liability, directors and officers, transactional liability, bad faith, and construction defects. Previously in his career, Graziani has served as national, regional, and state counsel in numerous matters for manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and installers in commercial disputes and product liability cases. His engineering background provides a foundation in defending product liability cases, especially in the automotive and related industries.
Outside of his practice, Graziani is an active member of the Full Circle Foundation, serving on the executive leadership board, whose mission is to provide additional opportunities to individuals with special needs to learn and develop skills that will allow them to live independently and contribute to the community. He is also involved with Special Olympics, and has served on the Planning Commission, as trustee, village clerk, and on the Council for the City of Grosse Pointe Shores over a span of 18 years.
• • •
Brooks Kushman shareholders Rachel Smith and John Rondini were moderators at the Auto IP USA hosted by IAM in Detroit May 1-2.
Smith’s session, “Masterclass: The IP Portfolio of the Future,” discussed new trends within mobility, autonomous driving, electrification, and connectivity. This includes revamping IP protection strategies to fit converging technologies, implementing variations of technologies into developing a patent strategy, and accommodating IP related decisions for emerging market trends.
Rondini’s session, “Masterclass: The Role of Trade Secrets,” discussed how software and algorithms drive today’s computers, making trade secrets crucial in automotive IP portfolios. This includes deciding upon trade secrets or patent protection, successfully blending IT, data and legal, as well as identifying and monitoring the risks of collaborations.
Smith is a registered patent attorney and manages global patent portfolios of all sizes for Fortune 500 companies down to start-ups. Her practice extends to licensing negotiations, open-source software and copyright issues, and pre-litigation due diligence and investigations. Throughout her career, Smith has participated in numerous diversity and inclusion efforts, including managing her firm’s mentorship program and being an active member of the Leadership Counsel for Legal Diversity. She has been recognized for her accomplishments via several accolades including 2024 Crain’s Notable Women in the Law, Super Lawyers, Oakland County Elite 40 Under 40, Up & Coming Lawyer, among others.
Rondini is an attorney with knowledge in litigation, negotiating settlements, and licensing agreements. His experience includes assessing a client’s current cybersecurity and data privacy protocols and developing a comprehensive incident response plan to ensure compliance with applicable laws. Rondini’s practice includes representing clients in patent prosecution, litigation, and cyber security and data privacy matters. He has represented client’s litigation matters at the district court and appellate level, as well as, before the International Trade Commission, and has actively managed each stage of litigation from pre-suit pleadings through trial, and through appeal. Rondini has also managed the patent prosecution docket for clients that range from Fortune 500 companies to individual inventors. His prosecution experience includes handling a patent application from an initial draft through allowance.
• • •
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced the appointment of Steven L. Berenbaum to the State 9-1-1 Committee.
Berenbaum is the area manager of regulatory relations for AT&T. He received a Bachelor of Science, Master of Business Administration, and law degree from the University of Michigan. Berenbaum is reappointed to represent commercial mobile radio service for a term commencing May 2, 2024, and expiring December 31, 2025.
The State 9-1-1 Committee and it’s 21 member organizations work together to promote the successful development, implementation, and operation of 9-1-1 systems across the state of Michigan. In accordance with Public Act 244 of 2003, the Michigan State Police provides staff assistance to the committee as necessary to carry out the committee’s duties.
This appointment is not subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.
