Detroit Water and Sewerage Department
The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) welcomes Scott MacGriff as its new general counsel and chief compliance officer.
MacGriff previously served the City of Detroit as senior assistant corporation counsel for transactions and economic development. Prior to working in city government, he was a member at Dickinson Wright PLLC. Before joining the private sector, MacGriff served with the U.S. Department of Justice as justice attaché for the United States to Afghanistan at the U.S Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, as well as a trial attorney, representing the United States as lead counsel in government contract actions in the United States Court of Federal Claims and United States Court of Appeals.
At DWSD, MacGriff will be for directing a team of attorneys and professional staff engaged in a wide range of legal matters, including, among other things, legal strategy, regulatory compliance, litigation (contract disputes, billing disputes, collections activities, damage claims, and employment disputes), investigations, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, and organizational policies.
The DWSD general counsel position has been vacant since June 2024.
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Plunkett Cooney
Plunkett Cooney has earned 2023-2024 Mansfield Certification Plus through Diversity Lab.
Mansfield is a year-long, structured certification process that Plunkett Cooney has committed to since 2021 to ensure all employees have a fair and equal opportunity to advance into leadership roles. The “Plus” designation is reserved for firms that voluntarily measure the outcomes of their inclusive processes and have achieved positive results.
“As a firm dedicated to creating opportunities for all attorneys to excel, we are thrilled to receive Mansfield Certification Plus,” said Jeffrey C. Gerish, the firm’s president and CEO. “It is incredibly rewarding to see the firm’s diversity and inclusion efforts have positively impacted our business. We look forward to advancing inclusion, equity and diversity with Diversity Lab and other participating firms.”
Mansfield is now entering its eight year, and Plunkett Cooney is among more than 360 firms that have achieved Mansfield Certification to advance a core value in the legal profession: the belief that everyone should have a fair opportunity for career advancement.
Plunkett Cooney was established in 1913 and is a provider of business and litigation services to public and private sector clients across a range of industries. The firm employs approximately 130 attorneys in seven Michigan cities, as well as in Chicago, Illinois, Columbus, Ohio and Indianapolis, Indiana.
Plunkett Cooney has achieved the highest rating (AV) awarded by Martindale-Hubbell, a leading, international directory of law firms and has been named by Best Companies Group as one of its 2023 Best Places to Work.
In addition, Plunkett Cooney partner Matthew J. Stanczyk was recently named to the 2024 Class of Go To Lawyers for Negligence Law as determined by Michigan Lawyers Weekly (MiLW).
A partner in Plunkett Cooney’s Detroit office, Stanczyk concentrates his practice in various areas of complex litigation, including toxic torts, product liability, fire-related claims, construction liability and commercial warranty disputes. His clients include product manufacturers, general contractors, construction managers, transportation firms, property restoration and remediation firms, commercial property owners and managers, among others that have matters in Michigan and Ohio state and federal courts.
Stanczyk is a member of Plunkett Cooney’s Board of Directors, and he serves as leader of the firm’s Product Liability Practice Group and co-leader of the Torts & Litigation Practice Group. An active member of ALFA International (ALFAI), a global law firm consortium, Stanczyk is a past member of the organization’s board of directors. He has also served in several other leadership roles, including as chair of ALFAI’s Product Liability and Complex Torts Practice Group.
A 1986 graduate of University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and a 1983 graduate of the University of Michigan, Stanczyk is a member of the Detroit Bar Association, State Bar of Michigan (Negligence and Consumer Law sections), American Bar Association and the Building Owners and Managers Association, Southeast Michigan Chapter.
In addition to this MiLW award, Stanczyk is also the recipient of such professional honors as Martindale-Hubbell’s highest peer review rating-AV Preeminent™ and Dbusiness magazine’s Top Lawyer designation for product liability defense. Stanczyk’s peers have also nominated him as a Best Lawyer in America® for mass tort litigation and class action defense and as a Michigan Super Lawyer for his product liability expertise.
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Honigman
Honigman announced that Kimberly (Kim) Dudek will succeed Donald (Don) Kunz as chair of the Corporate Department, stepping up from her prior role as vice chair. Kunz, who served as chair for 20 years, will continue as a partner in the Corporate Department, advising clients on corporate finance and governance matters while serving on the firm’s Attorney Compensation Committee and as chair of the Operating Committee.
“Kim couldn’t be more deserving of this role,” said Kunz. “In her successful tenure at Honigman, she’s emerged as a strong leader and earned the trust of her peers and clients—both as a result of her impressive legal acumen and her longstanding engagement in the growth of the Corporate Department.”
Dudek began at Honigman as a summer associate in 2008 and quickly took on a range of complex work. Throughout the years, she has led clients in corporate and financing transactions, including mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. Her primary focus is on representing private equity sponsors and private borrowers in connection with acquisition financings, working capital facilities, senior and subordinated financing transactions and recapitalizations. She also regularly counsels privately held companies and their owners and executives, providing a broad range of corporate legal advice across a wide variety of business sectors, including manufacturing, automotive, property management and residential services.
Over the years, Kunz served as a trusted mentor to Dudek, preparing her to continue his legacy of renowned client service in the Corporate Department. Dudek has made significant contributions to the firm, serving as vice chair of the Corporate Department and as advisor to the Compensation Committee. She also served as a member of the firm’s Board of Directors, has participated in firm strategic initiatives and served on other firm committees.
“Over the years, I’ve grown my career at Honigman and found a true home among my colleagues, who have empowered me to pursue my unique career path and encouraged me to explore my interest in the innerworkings of the firm,” Dudek said. “I’m grateful to Don, my peers, and valued clients of many years for the opportunity to help write the next chapter of Honigman’s Corporate Department.”
In addition, Honigman recently announced that it is expanding its Real Estate Department with the addition of partner Jackie Cook to the firm’s Real Estate Services Practice Group in the Bloomfield Hills office. Cook joins from Novara, Tesija, Catenacci, McDonald, & Baas where she led the tax division.
Cook has more than 20 years of experience litigating property tax and state and local tax (SALT) cases. She represents an array of publicly traded and privately held companies in complex property tax issues and appeals, with clients including Fortune 500 manufacturers, movie theaters, medical facilities, nonprofit organizations, small businesses, labor unions and employee benefit funds, along with families and individuals. With a focus on valuation issues, exemption claims, and classification disputes, she helps her clients navigate the intricacies of the tax landscape, from planning to audits to litigation and appeals.
Cook appeals classification decisions and exemption denials before the State Tax Commission, Michigan Tax Tribunal, and circuit courts. Her practice includes advocating for Fortune 500 companies in state income tax disputes in the Michigan Court of Claims, and she also represents taxpayers in significant personal property tax disputes carried out via audit, informal conference, and litigation, including before the Michigan Supreme Court. As a tax authority, she has written amicus briefs in matters pending before the Michigan Supreme Court and Michigan Court of Appeals, including in Comerica, Inc. v. Department of Treasury, Tomra of North America v. Department of Treasury, and Thomson Reuters Inc. v. Department of Treasury.
Cook earned a law degree from Cooley Law School in 2005 and a B.S. from Hillsdale College in 1999. Prior to joining Novara, Cook previously held roles at national and international law firms where she managed complex property and state tax matters.
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Kitch
At the Annual Meeting of the International Municipal Attorneys Association in Orlando on September 27, Mike Watza delivered a presentation to a national audience, where he addressed the significant issue of declining municipal cable and video service revenues, emphasizing the impact of subscriber cord-cutting and the growing preference for streaming video services.
Additionally, Watza provided a comprehensive update on the legislative contest and impending litigation between Michigan Communities and Netflix and Direct TV. This high-stakes dispute involves $3 billion in annual franchise fees nationally, with $150 million at risk in Michigan alone.
Watza leads Kitch’s Government practice, which focuses on telecommunications, electric service, and pipelines.
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Clark Hill
Diversity Lab recently announced that Clark Hill has achieved 2023-24 Mansfield Certification Plus recognition for expanding pipelines to firm leadership positions and providing transparency to firm attorneys on advancement processes.
Clark Hill is designated as a Mansfield Certification “Trendsetter” by having earned the certification since 2021 and committing to its goals for at least the next 2-4 years. This is the second year Clark Hill has also earned the “Plus” recognition.
“This is a great accomplishment for the firm to achieve Mansfield Certification for the third time and to achieve the Plus designation back-to-back,” said Clark Hill CEO John Hensien. “It’s a great recognition of our increasingly diverse leadership and Member roster, and we’re committed to building on the initiatives that were instrumental in this success.”
“We’re thrilled with the results we’ve achieved in fostering an inclusive and equitable culture and that these efforts align with the goals of the Mansfield program,” said Linda Watson, member and chair of Clark Hill’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Program. “We continue to work across the firm using programs, training, cultural celebrations, policy updates, and surveys, among other things, to promote inclusion, equity, and diversity at all levels.”
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McDonald Hopkins
McDonald Hopkins is proud to announce the election of two local attorneys to the firm’s membership as of October 1. The new members, Vanessa Bailey and Sean Bowen, bring expertise across two key practice areas: Mergers and Acquisitions, and Data Privacy and Cybersecurity.
Bailey is in the Business Department at McDonald Hopkins and part of the firm’s Mergers and Acquisitions team. Her practice and experience include serving a variety of clients across numerous industries and providing proactive support for complex, commercial transactions such as
sales, acquisitions (target and add-ons), divestitures, mergers, investments, and fundraises.
Bailey also acts as outside general counsel to a number of clients and provides day-to-day support on their corporate and contract needs, including entity formation; corporate governance; vendor, supplier, and customer agreements; employment and equity incentive agreements; and license agreements.
Bowen is in the Litigation Department at McDonald Hopkins and a member of the firm’s national Data Privacy and Cybersecurity team. He is accredited by the International Association of Privacy Professionals as a Certified Information Privacy Professional for the United States, the gold standard certification for information privacy professionals. Bowen’s practice focuses on advising clients on best practices to prevent and respond to data privacy and cybersecurity matters such as ransomware attacks and email compromises.
Bowen is also a U.S. Army ceteran, having served for over six years, attaining the rank of captain.
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Varnum
Varnum partner Kathleen Cieslik has been elected to serve a three-year term as a council member of the Probate and Estate Planning Section of the State Bar of Michigan, beginning in September 2024. The council oversees Michigan’s probate and estate planning attorneys, focusing on education, law development, and Michigan appellate court decisions.
Cieslik has been an active member of the Probate and Estate Planning Section, currently chairing the Electronic Wills Committee and contributing to legislation for Michigan’s Uniform Power of Attorney Act. Her committee work also includes involvement with Citizens Outreach; Guardian, Conservatorship & End of Life; Nonbanking Entity Trust Powers; the Uniform Fiduciary Income and Principal Act; and the Uniform Community Property Disposition at Death Act.
In her trusts and estates practice at Varnum, Cieslik assists individuals and multi-generational families with customized estate planning and provides counsel to fiduciaries on managing trusts and estates. A litigator, she frequently handles probate matters, both routine and contested, throughout Southeast Michigan.
Cieslik’s other affiliations include the Board of Directors for the Planned Giving Roundtable of Southeast Michigan, the Oakland County Bar Association, and the Financial and Estate Planning Council of Metro Detroit. She is also a member of the Detroit Regional Chamber’s 45th Leadership Detroit Cohort.
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Bodman PLC
Bodman PLC is pleased to announce that for the second year in a row it has been awarded Mansfield Certification Plus status, the highest level of designation in the Mansfield program.
“We are thrilled to be awarded Certification Plus status for another year,” said Bodman Chair Carrie Leahy. “Inclusivity is a pillar of Bodman’s culture and we are continually striving to create a space that is welcoming and supportive of all, both internally and externally when serving our clients.”
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Miller Canfield
Miller Canfield is proud to announce that it has earned Mansfield Plus Certification for 2023-2024, marking the seventh consecutive year the law firm has achieved this recognition. Miller Canfield was the first Michigan-based firm to hold this distinction and is one of just a select few firms nationwide to meet the rigorous criteria required to achieve Mansfield Plus Certification every year since the program’s inception.
“This recognition reflects our unwavering commitment to fostering a more inclusive and equitable legal profession. Our success is built on ensuring diverse voices are heard and respected, and that underrepresented lawyers have an equal opportunity to be promoted to leadership positions within the firm,” said Miller Canfield CEO Michael Palizzi.
During the 2023-2024 certification period, women and members of historically underrepresented groups at Miller Canfield accounted for:
• 100% of attorneys promoted to equity principalship
• 38% of the firm’s nomination committee
• 66% of the firm’s C-suite executive leadership
• 50% of the firm’s compensation committee
• 41% of resident directors in the firm’s U.S. offices
• 52% of the firm’s associates
• 64% of the firm’s U.S.-based associates are women or BIPOC
• 83% of the firm’s 2024 summer associate class are women or BIPOC
Miller Canfield’s participation in the Mansfield Rule has resulted in progress toward promoting diversity in leadership roles. The firm’s initiatives also include participation in a summer associate program for BIPOC law students, expanded parental leave policies, a comprehensive Diversity Scorecard to track the demographics of its workforce and work assignments, and a robust mentorship and sponsorship program to ensure continued support for underrepresented attorneys.
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Fishman Stewart PLLC
Fishman Stewart PLLC is pleased to announce the addition of two experienced attorneys in September, James W. Taylor III and John Bretscher. Their hiring follows the recent addition of Partner Cecily O’Regan, a Silicon Valley IP veteran, and attorneys Jeong Hee Seo, Kimberly McLean, and Tracy Zawaski. Three of the new team members are former patent examiners and five of the new team members are registered patent attorneys, with the sixth offering trademark and copyright experience.
Bretscher is a registered patent attorney with a special interest in artificial intelligence and electrical and computer arts. His patent practice encompasses multiple hardware and software categories including machine learning, embedded control systems, network server control, computer architecture, communications standards, and telecommunications software, hardware and imaging. With an engineering background, he is an inventor on 15 patents related to computer architecture, communications and imaging.
Bretscher received his law degree from Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago-Kent College of Law. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Physics from the University of Chicago, a Master of Science in Computer Science, AI, and Data Science from DePaul University, and an Associate in Science from William Rainey Harper Community College.
Taylor focuses his practice on patents and trade secrets, as well as litigation and dispute resolution. He has experience working in the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) as an examiner and worked as a patent agent for a decade before receiving his law degree and transitioning to being a registered patent attorney. His combination of technical skills encompasses chemical and computer science/electrical arts and AI.
Taylor earned a law degree from Wayne State University Law School; Master of Science in Chemistry from The University of Sydney (Australia); a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Sewanee: The University of the South, Sewanee, Tenn.; and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Eastern Michigan University. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Eastern Michigan University and a Master of Science in Computer Science at Johns Hopkins University.
O’Regan is a veteran Silicon Valley IP practitioner with a passion for helping entrepreneurs identify their sustainable, competitive advantage and create value in their business. Her areas of focus include medical devices, biometrics, software, and clean technologies. She is a named inventor on eight issued patents and author on 12 patent publications in the medical device and software fields.
Seo brings experience as a technical product support engineer as well as in patent prosecution, both as a patent practitioner and examiner. He also has patent experience working closely with inventors from a major Korean appliance and consumer electronics corporation while working at a Korean patent law firm in Seoul, enabling him to serve as a bridge for U.S. clients seeking IP protection in Korea and Korean clients seeking IP protection in the U.S.
McLean, a former primary patent examiner, has knowledge of the inside workings of the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) and understands how to achieve success with the PTO. Her practice focuses on patent prosecution and counseling in the electrical arts, including technology areas of software, cloud computing, blockchain, multimedia systems and applications, and autonomous vehicles.
Zawaski’s practice focuses primarily on trademarks, copyrights and computer law. For nearly 25 years, she has worked extensively on domestic and international trademark prosecution and contentious matters, trademark opinions, copyrights and counseling on trade secrets and
trademarks. She also offers expertise in trademark enforcement and litigation, license agreements, and brand enforcement, among other trademark and IP law practices.
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Dykema
Dykema recently announced that the firm has achieved Mansfield 7.0 certification as well as Mansfield Certification Plus status after completing the 12-month certification process in collaboration with Diversity Lab. This marks the third consecutive year that Dykema has achieved Certification Plus status—the highest standing possible—in as many times participating in the certification process.
Since joining the Mansfield cohort of firms in 2021, Dykema has worked to increase the transparency and accessibility of our advancement procedure and to open the door wider to ensure that all talent at the firm has a transparent, fair, and equal opportunity to be considered for leadership roles and activities.
Announced in August, Dykema will continue to embrace equity in leadership opportunities by renewing its participation in the Mansfield Rule certification process, joining more than 360 large and midsize firms from the U.S., UK, and Canada seeking Mansfield 8.0 certification, a process that runs from July 2024 to June 2025.
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Taft
Taft partner Justin Hanna received the 2024 Inaugural Young ACG Beacon Award for his involvement with the ACG Detroit Chapter. The award honors young professionals in each chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) in the Great Lakes region who have made an extraordinary positive impact on their community. Hanna was recognized as an emerging leader who excels in his professional capacity and also contributes to the growth and enhancement of the ACG community.
Hanna is a partner in Taft’s Detroit office in the Mergers and Acquisitions, Private Equity and Venture Capital, and Emerging Companies practice groups. Hanna’s experience centers on business and real estate law, with a strong 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 serves on the Program Committee for the ACG Detroit Chapter.
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Dickinson Wright
Dickinson Wright is pleased to announce that the firm’s litigation practice, along with three attorneys, is recognized in the Benchmark Litigation United States 2025 Edition.
Benchmark Litigation recognized the following Dickinson Wright practices and attorneys:
• Michigan – Highly Recommended for Dispute Resolution and Labor & Employment
—Michigan
Phillip DeRosier – United States (National) and Local Litigation Star
Brandon Hubbard – United States (National) and Local Litigation Star
Scott Petz – Future Star
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Foley, Baron, Metzger, & Juip PLLC
Foley, Baron, Metzger, & Juip PLLC is pleased to announce that Enrico Tucciarone has been named a “Go To Lawyer” for negligence law by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
As a member with the firm, Tucciarone’s defense experience encompasses a range of negligence law areas, including first- and third-party automobile negligence, motorcycle injuries, premises liability, and worker’s compensation.
In addition, for more than 23 years he has defended healthcare institutions and professionals in medical malpractice litigation and high-exposure, high-publicity mass tort claims.
The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) welcomes Scott MacGriff as its new general counsel and chief compliance officer.
MacGriff previously served the City of Detroit as senior assistant corporation counsel for transactions and economic development. Prior to working in city government, he was a member at Dickinson Wright PLLC. Before joining the private sector, MacGriff served with the U.S. Department of Justice as justice attaché for the United States to Afghanistan at the U.S Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, as well as a trial attorney, representing the United States as lead counsel in government contract actions in the United States Court of Federal Claims and United States Court of Appeals.
At DWSD, MacGriff will be for directing a team of attorneys and professional staff engaged in a wide range of legal matters, including, among other things, legal strategy, regulatory compliance, litigation (contract disputes, billing disputes, collections activities, damage claims, and employment disputes), investigations, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, and organizational policies.
The DWSD general counsel position has been vacant since June 2024.
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Plunkett Cooney
Plunkett Cooney has earned 2023-2024 Mansfield Certification Plus through Diversity Lab.
Mansfield is a year-long, structured certification process that Plunkett Cooney has committed to since 2021 to ensure all employees have a fair and equal opportunity to advance into leadership roles. The “Plus” designation is reserved for firms that voluntarily measure the outcomes of their inclusive processes and have achieved positive results.
“As a firm dedicated to creating opportunities for all attorneys to excel, we are thrilled to receive Mansfield Certification Plus,” said Jeffrey C. Gerish, the firm’s president and CEO. “It is incredibly rewarding to see the firm’s diversity and inclusion efforts have positively impacted our business. We look forward to advancing inclusion, equity and diversity with Diversity Lab and other participating firms.”
Mansfield is now entering its eight year, and Plunkett Cooney is among more than 360 firms that have achieved Mansfield Certification to advance a core value in the legal profession: the belief that everyone should have a fair opportunity for career advancement.
Plunkett Cooney was established in 1913 and is a provider of business and litigation services to public and private sector clients across a range of industries. The firm employs approximately 130 attorneys in seven Michigan cities, as well as in Chicago, Illinois, Columbus, Ohio and Indianapolis, Indiana.
Plunkett Cooney has achieved the highest rating (AV) awarded by Martindale-Hubbell, a leading, international directory of law firms and has been named by Best Companies Group as one of its 2023 Best Places to Work.
In addition, Plunkett Cooney partner Matthew J. Stanczyk was recently named to the 2024 Class of Go To Lawyers for Negligence Law as determined by Michigan Lawyers Weekly (MiLW).
A partner in Plunkett Cooney’s Detroit office, Stanczyk concentrates his practice in various areas of complex litigation, including toxic torts, product liability, fire-related claims, construction liability and commercial warranty disputes. His clients include product manufacturers, general contractors, construction managers, transportation firms, property restoration and remediation firms, commercial property owners and managers, among others that have matters in Michigan and Ohio state and federal courts.
Stanczyk is a member of Plunkett Cooney’s Board of Directors, and he serves as leader of the firm’s Product Liability Practice Group and co-leader of the Torts & Litigation Practice Group. An active member of ALFA International (ALFAI), a global law firm consortium, Stanczyk is a past member of the organization’s board of directors. He has also served in several other leadership roles, including as chair of ALFAI’s Product Liability and Complex Torts Practice Group.
A 1986 graduate of University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and a 1983 graduate of the University of Michigan, Stanczyk is a member of the Detroit Bar Association, State Bar of Michigan (Negligence and Consumer Law sections), American Bar Association and the Building Owners and Managers Association, Southeast Michigan Chapter.
In addition to this MiLW award, Stanczyk is also the recipient of such professional honors as Martindale-Hubbell’s highest peer review rating-AV Preeminent™ and Dbusiness magazine’s Top Lawyer designation for product liability defense. Stanczyk’s peers have also nominated him as a Best Lawyer in America® for mass tort litigation and class action defense and as a Michigan Super Lawyer for his product liability expertise.
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Honigman
Honigman announced that Kimberly (Kim) Dudek will succeed Donald (Don) Kunz as chair of the Corporate Department, stepping up from her prior role as vice chair. Kunz, who served as chair for 20 years, will continue as a partner in the Corporate Department, advising clients on corporate finance and governance matters while serving on the firm’s Attorney Compensation Committee and as chair of the Operating Committee.
“Kim couldn’t be more deserving of this role,” said Kunz. “In her successful tenure at Honigman, she’s emerged as a strong leader and earned the trust of her peers and clients—both as a result of her impressive legal acumen and her longstanding engagement in the growth of the Corporate Department.”
Dudek began at Honigman as a summer associate in 2008 and quickly took on a range of complex work. Throughout the years, she has led clients in corporate and financing transactions, including mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. Her primary focus is on representing private equity sponsors and private borrowers in connection with acquisition financings, working capital facilities, senior and subordinated financing transactions and recapitalizations. She also regularly counsels privately held companies and their owners and executives, providing a broad range of corporate legal advice across a wide variety of business sectors, including manufacturing, automotive, property management and residential services.
Over the years, Kunz served as a trusted mentor to Dudek, preparing her to continue his legacy of renowned client service in the Corporate Department. Dudek has made significant contributions to the firm, serving as vice chair of the Corporate Department and as advisor to the Compensation Committee. She also served as a member of the firm’s Board of Directors, has participated in firm strategic initiatives and served on other firm committees.
“Over the years, I’ve grown my career at Honigman and found a true home among my colleagues, who have empowered me to pursue my unique career path and encouraged me to explore my interest in the innerworkings of the firm,” Dudek said. “I’m grateful to Don, my peers, and valued clients of many years for the opportunity to help write the next chapter of Honigman’s Corporate Department.”
In addition, Honigman recently announced that it is expanding its Real Estate Department with the addition of partner Jackie Cook to the firm’s Real Estate Services Practice Group in the Bloomfield Hills office. Cook joins from Novara, Tesija, Catenacci, McDonald, & Baas where she led the tax division.
Cook has more than 20 years of experience litigating property tax and state and local tax (SALT) cases. She represents an array of publicly traded and privately held companies in complex property tax issues and appeals, with clients including Fortune 500 manufacturers, movie theaters, medical facilities, nonprofit organizations, small businesses, labor unions and employee benefit funds, along with families and individuals. With a focus on valuation issues, exemption claims, and classification disputes, she helps her clients navigate the intricacies of the tax landscape, from planning to audits to litigation and appeals.
Cook appeals classification decisions and exemption denials before the State Tax Commission, Michigan Tax Tribunal, and circuit courts. Her practice includes advocating for Fortune 500 companies in state income tax disputes in the Michigan Court of Claims, and she also represents taxpayers in significant personal property tax disputes carried out via audit, informal conference, and litigation, including before the Michigan Supreme Court. As a tax authority, she has written amicus briefs in matters pending before the Michigan Supreme Court and Michigan Court of Appeals, including in Comerica, Inc. v. Department of Treasury, Tomra of North America v. Department of Treasury, and Thomson Reuters Inc. v. Department of Treasury.
Cook earned a law degree from Cooley Law School in 2005 and a B.S. from Hillsdale College in 1999. Prior to joining Novara, Cook previously held roles at national and international law firms where she managed complex property and state tax matters.
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Kitch
At the Annual Meeting of the International Municipal Attorneys Association in Orlando on September 27, Mike Watza delivered a presentation to a national audience, where he addressed the significant issue of declining municipal cable and video service revenues, emphasizing the impact of subscriber cord-cutting and the growing preference for streaming video services.
Additionally, Watza provided a comprehensive update on the legislative contest and impending litigation between Michigan Communities and Netflix and Direct TV. This high-stakes dispute involves $3 billion in annual franchise fees nationally, with $150 million at risk in Michigan alone.
Watza leads Kitch’s Government practice, which focuses on telecommunications, electric service, and pipelines.
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Clark Hill
Diversity Lab recently announced that Clark Hill has achieved 2023-24 Mansfield Certification Plus recognition for expanding pipelines to firm leadership positions and providing transparency to firm attorneys on advancement processes.
Clark Hill is designated as a Mansfield Certification “Trendsetter” by having earned the certification since 2021 and committing to its goals for at least the next 2-4 years. This is the second year Clark Hill has also earned the “Plus” recognition.
“This is a great accomplishment for the firm to achieve Mansfield Certification for the third time and to achieve the Plus designation back-to-back,” said Clark Hill CEO John Hensien. “It’s a great recognition of our increasingly diverse leadership and Member roster, and we’re committed to building on the initiatives that were instrumental in this success.”
“We’re thrilled with the results we’ve achieved in fostering an inclusive and equitable culture and that these efforts align with the goals of the Mansfield program,” said Linda Watson, member and chair of Clark Hill’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Program. “We continue to work across the firm using programs, training, cultural celebrations, policy updates, and surveys, among other things, to promote inclusion, equity, and diversity at all levels.”
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McDonald Hopkins
McDonald Hopkins is proud to announce the election of two local attorneys to the firm’s membership as of October 1. The new members, Vanessa Bailey and Sean Bowen, bring expertise across two key practice areas: Mergers and Acquisitions, and Data Privacy and Cybersecurity.
Bailey is in the Business Department at McDonald Hopkins and part of the firm’s Mergers and Acquisitions team. Her practice and experience include serving a variety of clients across numerous industries and providing proactive support for complex, commercial transactions such as
sales, acquisitions (target and add-ons), divestitures, mergers, investments, and fundraises.
Bailey also acts as outside general counsel to a number of clients and provides day-to-day support on their corporate and contract needs, including entity formation; corporate governance; vendor, supplier, and customer agreements; employment and equity incentive agreements; and license agreements.
Bowen is in the Litigation Department at McDonald Hopkins and a member of the firm’s national Data Privacy and Cybersecurity team. He is accredited by the International Association of Privacy Professionals as a Certified Information Privacy Professional for the United States, the gold standard certification for information privacy professionals. Bowen’s practice focuses on advising clients on best practices to prevent and respond to data privacy and cybersecurity matters such as ransomware attacks and email compromises.
Bowen is also a U.S. Army ceteran, having served for over six years, attaining the rank of captain.
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Varnum
Varnum partner Kathleen Cieslik has been elected to serve a three-year term as a council member of the Probate and Estate Planning Section of the State Bar of Michigan, beginning in September 2024. The council oversees Michigan’s probate and estate planning attorneys, focusing on education, law development, and Michigan appellate court decisions.
Cieslik has been an active member of the Probate and Estate Planning Section, currently chairing the Electronic Wills Committee and contributing to legislation for Michigan’s Uniform Power of Attorney Act. Her committee work also includes involvement with Citizens Outreach; Guardian, Conservatorship & End of Life; Nonbanking Entity Trust Powers; the Uniform Fiduciary Income and Principal Act; and the Uniform Community Property Disposition at Death Act.
In her trusts and estates practice at Varnum, Cieslik assists individuals and multi-generational families with customized estate planning and provides counsel to fiduciaries on managing trusts and estates. A litigator, she frequently handles probate matters, both routine and contested, throughout Southeast Michigan.
Cieslik’s other affiliations include the Board of Directors for the Planned Giving Roundtable of Southeast Michigan, the Oakland County Bar Association, and the Financial and Estate Planning Council of Metro Detroit. She is also a member of the Detroit Regional Chamber’s 45th Leadership Detroit Cohort.
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Bodman PLC
Bodman PLC is pleased to announce that for the second year in a row it has been awarded Mansfield Certification Plus status, the highest level of designation in the Mansfield program.
“We are thrilled to be awarded Certification Plus status for another year,” said Bodman Chair Carrie Leahy. “Inclusivity is a pillar of Bodman’s culture and we are continually striving to create a space that is welcoming and supportive of all, both internally and externally when serving our clients.”
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Miller Canfield
Miller Canfield is proud to announce that it has earned Mansfield Plus Certification for 2023-2024, marking the seventh consecutive year the law firm has achieved this recognition. Miller Canfield was the first Michigan-based firm to hold this distinction and is one of just a select few firms nationwide to meet the rigorous criteria required to achieve Mansfield Plus Certification every year since the program’s inception.
“This recognition reflects our unwavering commitment to fostering a more inclusive and equitable legal profession. Our success is built on ensuring diverse voices are heard and respected, and that underrepresented lawyers have an equal opportunity to be promoted to leadership positions within the firm,” said Miller Canfield CEO Michael Palizzi.
During the 2023-2024 certification period, women and members of historically underrepresented groups at Miller Canfield accounted for:
• 100% of attorneys promoted to equity principalship
• 38% of the firm’s nomination committee
• 66% of the firm’s C-suite executive leadership
• 50% of the firm’s compensation committee
• 41% of resident directors in the firm’s U.S. offices
• 52% of the firm’s associates
• 64% of the firm’s U.S.-based associates are women or BIPOC
• 83% of the firm’s 2024 summer associate class are women or BIPOC
Miller Canfield’s participation in the Mansfield Rule has resulted in progress toward promoting diversity in leadership roles. The firm’s initiatives also include participation in a summer associate program for BIPOC law students, expanded parental leave policies, a comprehensive Diversity Scorecard to track the demographics of its workforce and work assignments, and a robust mentorship and sponsorship program to ensure continued support for underrepresented attorneys.
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Fishman Stewart PLLC
Fishman Stewart PLLC is pleased to announce the addition of two experienced attorneys in September, James W. Taylor III and John Bretscher. Their hiring follows the recent addition of Partner Cecily O’Regan, a Silicon Valley IP veteran, and attorneys Jeong Hee Seo, Kimberly McLean, and Tracy Zawaski. Three of the new team members are former patent examiners and five of the new team members are registered patent attorneys, with the sixth offering trademark and copyright experience.
Bretscher is a registered patent attorney with a special interest in artificial intelligence and electrical and computer arts. His patent practice encompasses multiple hardware and software categories including machine learning, embedded control systems, network server control, computer architecture, communications standards, and telecommunications software, hardware and imaging. With an engineering background, he is an inventor on 15 patents related to computer architecture, communications and imaging.
Bretscher received his law degree from Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago-Kent College of Law. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Physics from the University of Chicago, a Master of Science in Computer Science, AI, and Data Science from DePaul University, and an Associate in Science from William Rainey Harper Community College.
Taylor focuses his practice on patents and trade secrets, as well as litigation and dispute resolution. He has experience working in the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) as an examiner and worked as a patent agent for a decade before receiving his law degree and transitioning to being a registered patent attorney. His combination of technical skills encompasses chemical and computer science/electrical arts and AI.
Taylor earned a law degree from Wayne State University Law School; Master of Science in Chemistry from The University of Sydney (Australia); a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Sewanee: The University of the South, Sewanee, Tenn.; and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Eastern Michigan University. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Eastern Michigan University and a Master of Science in Computer Science at Johns Hopkins University.
O’Regan is a veteran Silicon Valley IP practitioner with a passion for helping entrepreneurs identify their sustainable, competitive advantage and create value in their business. Her areas of focus include medical devices, biometrics, software, and clean technologies. She is a named inventor on eight issued patents and author on 12 patent publications in the medical device and software fields.
Seo brings experience as a technical product support engineer as well as in patent prosecution, both as a patent practitioner and examiner. He also has patent experience working closely with inventors from a major Korean appliance and consumer electronics corporation while working at a Korean patent law firm in Seoul, enabling him to serve as a bridge for U.S. clients seeking IP protection in Korea and Korean clients seeking IP protection in the U.S.
McLean, a former primary patent examiner, has knowledge of the inside workings of the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) and understands how to achieve success with the PTO. Her practice focuses on patent prosecution and counseling in the electrical arts, including technology areas of software, cloud computing, blockchain, multimedia systems and applications, and autonomous vehicles.
Zawaski’s practice focuses primarily on trademarks, copyrights and computer law. For nearly 25 years, she has worked extensively on domestic and international trademark prosecution and contentious matters, trademark opinions, copyrights and counseling on trade secrets and
trademarks. She also offers expertise in trademark enforcement and litigation, license agreements, and brand enforcement, among other trademark and IP law practices.
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Dykema
Dykema recently announced that the firm has achieved Mansfield 7.0 certification as well as Mansfield Certification Plus status after completing the 12-month certification process in collaboration with Diversity Lab. This marks the third consecutive year that Dykema has achieved Certification Plus status—the highest standing possible—in as many times participating in the certification process.
Since joining the Mansfield cohort of firms in 2021, Dykema has worked to increase the transparency and accessibility of our advancement procedure and to open the door wider to ensure that all talent at the firm has a transparent, fair, and equal opportunity to be considered for leadership roles and activities.
Announced in August, Dykema will continue to embrace equity in leadership opportunities by renewing its participation in the Mansfield Rule certification process, joining more than 360 large and midsize firms from the U.S., UK, and Canada seeking Mansfield 8.0 certification, a process that runs from July 2024 to June 2025.
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Taft
Taft partner Justin Hanna received the 2024 Inaugural Young ACG Beacon Award for his involvement with the ACG Detroit Chapter. The award honors young professionals in each chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) in the Great Lakes region who have made an extraordinary positive impact on their community. Hanna was recognized as an emerging leader who excels in his professional capacity and also contributes to the growth and enhancement of the ACG community.
Hanna is a partner in Taft’s Detroit office in the Mergers and Acquisitions, Private Equity and Venture Capital, and Emerging Companies practice groups. Hanna’s experience centers on business and real estate law, with a strong 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 serves on the Program Committee for the ACG Detroit Chapter.
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Dickinson Wright
Dickinson Wright is pleased to announce that the firm’s litigation practice, along with three attorneys, is recognized in the Benchmark Litigation United States 2025 Edition.
Benchmark Litigation recognized the following Dickinson Wright practices and attorneys:
• Michigan – Highly Recommended for Dispute Resolution and Labor & Employment
—Michigan
Phillip DeRosier – United States (National) and Local Litigation Star
Brandon Hubbard – United States (National) and Local Litigation Star
Scott Petz – Future Star
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Foley, Baron, Metzger, & Juip PLLC
Foley, Baron, Metzger, & Juip PLLC is pleased to announce that Enrico Tucciarone has been named a “Go To Lawyer” for negligence law by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
As a member with the firm, Tucciarone’s defense experience encompasses a range of negligence law areas, including first- and third-party automobile negligence, motorcycle injuries, premises liability, and worker’s compensation.
In addition, for more than 23 years he has defended healthcare institutions and professionals in medical malpractice litigation and high-exposure, high-publicity mass tort claims.
