LEGAL PEOPLE

Thirty-two Butzel attorneys have been named Top Lawyers in metro Detroit 2025 by DBusiness magazine. The list appears in the November/December 2024 edition. The local attorneys and their practice areas are listed below:

—Detroit office

Linda J. Armstrong,
Immigration Law
James C. Bruno,
Corporate Law
Eric J. Flessland,
Construction Law
Bernard J. Fuhs,
Franchise Law
Justin G. Klimko,
Mergers & Acquisitions Law
Mark R. Lezotte,
Nonprofit/ Charities Law
Clara DeMatteis Mager,
Immigration Law
Reginald A. Pacis,
Immigration Law
Angela Emmerling Shapiro,
Information Management & Discovery Law

—Troy office

Jennifer E. Consiglio,
Corporate Law
Rebecca S. Davies,
Labor & Employment Law
Michael C. Decker,
Construction Law, Litigation – Construction
Carey A. DeWitt,
Labor & Employment Law
George B. Donnini,
Criminal Defense - White-Collar
Damien DuMouchel,
Criminal Defense - White-Collar
David F. DuMouchel,
Criminal Defense - White-Collar
Debra A. Geroux,
Health Care Law
Beth S. Gotthelf,
Environmental Law
Laura E. Johnson,
Corporate Law
Susan L. Johnson,
Environmental Law
Thomas A. Kabel
, Real Estate Law
Bushra A. Malik
, Immigration Law
Max J. Newman,
Bankruptcy & Creditor/ Debtor Rights Law
Robert P. Perry,
Trusts & Estates
Joseph E. Richotte,
Criminal Defense - White-Collar
Daniel Soleimani,
Tax Law
Roxana Zaha,
Real Estate Law

•            •            •

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer recently announced the appointment of Wolfgang Mueller to the Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission.

Mueller is a boxing manager and third-degree black belt in Tang Soo Do and the owner of Mueller Law Firm. Mueller earned a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from Michigan State University, a Master of Science in mechanical engineering from University of Michigan – Dearborn, and a law degree from Michigan State University College of Law.

Mueller is reappointed to represent mixed martial artists for a term commencing November 14, 2024, and expiring June 5, 2028.   

The Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission is the successor to the Michigan Boxing Commission and is responsible for the regulation of professional boxing and mixed martial arts. The Commission and the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs are vested with management, control, and jurisdiction over all professional boxing, professional or amateur mixed martial arts, or unarmed combat contests or events conducted in this state.  

This appointment is subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.

•            •            •

Foster, Swift, Collins, & Smith PC
welcomes litigator Lino A. Taormina to the firm’s Southfield office. Having practiced in Southeast Michigan for more than five years, Taormina primarily represents insurance carriers in:

• First-party, No-Fault suits
• Third-party auto negligence suits
• Insurance coverage disputes

His litigation experience also includes:

• Construction defect suits
• Premises liability suits
• Large loss pre-suit investigations, along with a variety of tort and contract litigation.

Taormina received his law degree from the University of Toledo College of Law in 2019. While attending law school, he served as law clerk to Monroe County Circuit Court Judge Daniel S. White. Prior to that, he received his B.S. degree in Accounting from Adrian College.

•            •            •

Ottenwess Law
is pleased to announce that Jack Ottenwess has been appointed co-chair of the Michigan Defense Trial Counsel (MDTC) Professional Liability & Health Care Section.

As co-chair, Ottenwess will collaborate with MDTC to strengthen engagement within the organization and promote professional development in the areas of professional liability and health care law. His responsibilities will include:

• Participating in MDTC board meetings and providing updates on section progress.

• Contributing to publications for the Michigan Defense Quarterly each year.

• Offering relevant topics, speakers, and presentations for MDTC’s Summer and Winter Conferences.

• Organizing webinars specific to the section’s focus.

• Connecting and interacting with new MDTC members at the annual orientation session.

• Engaging and growing membership in MDTC.

• Recommending resources for the MDTC Board in the area of professional liability and health care.

•            •            •

McDonald Hopkins
is proud to welcome associate Hannah Jones to the firm’s Litigation Department and the national Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice Group.

“I was attracted to McDonald Hopkins because of its culture, investment in its attorneys, and its accomplishments and involvement in the data privacy world,” Jones said. “What makes McDonald Hopkins’ Data Privacy and Cybersecurity practice unique is its combination of knowledge of data privacy and cybersecurity law, relationships across the industry, and attorneys with a wide range of backgrounds and professional experiences. This combination allows McDonald Hopkins to create client-focused solutions and help address client needs.”

Jones specializes in incident response and pre-breach services. Her experience in data privacy and cybersecurity stems from her time as a deputy attorney general in the Data Privacy and ID Theft Unit for the Office of the Indiana Attorney General. In this role, she enforced laws and sanctions related to data breaches and HIPAA violations, investigated ransomware attacks, issued civil investigative demands to ensure compliance with privacy regulations and collaborated with attorneys general nationwide on multistate investigations and settlements. She is well-versed in handling the implications and minimizing the harm of incidents that have a broad impact on consumers.

Jones received her law degree from Indiana University Maurer School of Law. She represents clients across the country working remotely for the Detroit office of McDonald Hopkins.

•            •            •

Varnum
is pleased to announce the addition of several new associate attorneys including Charlotte Jolly, Dilan Kama, and Julia Moran.

Jolly graduated from Wayne State University Law School. She attended Michigan State University for her undergraduate degree and is located in the Novi office.

Kama graduated Wayne State University Law School and interned for U.S. District Court Judge Thomas L. Ludington, Eastern District of Michigan. He received his undergraduate degree from Wayne State University and works in the Birmingham office.

Moran graduated from Michigan State University College of Law.  She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and is based in the Birmingham office.

•            •            •

Dawda Mann
is pleased to announce that 21 attorneys have been recognized in DBusiness Magazine’s 2025 Top Lawyers list.  The following Dawda Mann attorneys have been named to the 2025 DBusiness Top Lawyers list:

Randal R. Cole,
Labor and Employment Law
Brian J. Considine,
Environmental Law
Edward C. Dawda,
Corporate Law
Dana Kreis Glencer,
Real Estate Law
Daniel M. Halprin,
Real Estate Law
Joseph M. Judge,
Real Estate Law
Eric A. Ladasz,
Litigation – Commercial
Christopher R. Martella
, Real Estate Law
Jeffrey D. Moss
, Tax Law
John Mucha III,
Litigation – Commercial
Glenn G. Ross,
Trusts and Estates
Susan J. Sadler,
Environmental Law
Marc K. Salach,
Corporate Law
Todd A. Schafer,
Real Estate Law
Wayne S. Segal,
Banking & Financial Service Law
Richard M. Selik,
Real Estate Law
Neil S. Silver,
Environmental Law
Tyler D. Tennent,
Environmental Law
Erin Bowen Welch,
Real Estate Law
Frances Belzer Wilson,
Litigation – Commercial
Robert A. Wright III,
Banking & Financial Service Law

•            •            •

The American Board of Trial Advocates Michigan Chapter recently announced that Detroit member Dan Scully is this year’s recipient of the Presidential Award.

The award recognizes extraordinary contributions and dedication to furthering the mission of the American Board of Trial Advocates Michigan Chapter. This is Scully’s third recognition from ABOTA. He received the Richard Baxter Trial Lawyer of the Year honor in 2012, and the Scully Outstanding Service Award in 2017.

“I’m deeply humbled to be recognized with this year’s Presidential Award,” said Scully, a member at Clark Hill. “My father was an original member of ABOTA in Los Angeles in 1958. I was inducted in 1992 with my father present. To say that ABOTA has been a significant part of my personal and professional life is an understatement. I’m humbled and appreciative of this honor.”

Scully holds the rank of diplomate in ABOTA and is one of only a very few Michigan lawyers to hold that rank. He has served on the ABOTA National Board Representative for the Michigan Chapter since 2001 and will be serving in that capacity for another two years.

Scully is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers where is a member of the Michigan State Committee and is a past Chair of that committee. He is also the national chair of the admissions committee for ACTL. He is a Fellow of the International Society of Barristers and is currently serving as the Michigan state chair for the ISOB. Scully is a Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and currently serves as the state chair for that organization as well.

•            •            •

Taft
is pleased to announce that 16 Taft Detroit attorneys have been named to the DBusiness Top Lawyers 2025 list.

Following are the Taft honorees:

Jeremy Bisdorf,
Intellectual Property & Patent Law
Jordan S. Bolton,
Litigation – Commercial
Mark G. Cooper,
Insurance Law
Shirley A. Kaigler,
Trusts & Estates
Lee Kellert,
Corporate Law
Mark L. Kowalsky,
Securities Law
Mark P. Krysinski,
Real Estate Law
Bill Lentine,
Trusts & Estates
Eli Maroko,
Immigration Law
Derek D. McLeod,
Franchise Law
Gregory W. Moore,
Health Care Law
Mark D. Rubenfire,
Real Estate Law
Aaron H. Sherbin,
Trusts & Estates
Arthur Siegal,
Environmental Law
Jay Welford,
Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights Law
Richard A. Zussman,
Real Estate Law

•            •            •

Brooks Kushman
is pleased to announce that attorneys Mark Cantor, William Abbatt, and Hope Shovein have been recognized by DBusiness magazine to be among the “Top Lawyers 2025.” DBusiness recognized Cantor, Abbatt, and Shovein in the field of Intellectual Property Law.

Cantor is one of the founders of the firm and has been with the firm as a shareholder since 1983. He has more than 35 years of IP litigation experience. He has experience in dealing with complex litigation matters in all technology areas and has tried cases relating to patents, trademarks, trade secrets and copyrights in state and federal courts and administrative tribunals throughout the country and in a number of international forums. Cantor is recognized for his trademark litigation practice. Due to his success in this field, several of Brooks Kushman’s largest clients look to Cantor for trademark enforcement matters. He has also been recognized by many of the industry’s leading publications for his in-court victories, including obtaining the largest trademark jury verdict in Michigan history.

With more than 35 years of experience as a patent attorney, Abbatt’s practice covers all aspects of domestic and foreign patent preparation and prosecution, opinions, and intellectual property (IP)-related due diligence investigations, plus litigation and related client counseling. He has experience with various technologies and industries, including aeronautics, automotive, medical devices, computer software, and consumer products.

With more than 20 years of IP experience, Shovein manages trademark portfolios and develops IP strategies, including clearance, prosecution, enforcement, and everything in between, for both domestic and multinational companies. She also counsels on brand protection programs utilizing investigations, demand letters, online and social media platform takedowns, domain name complaints, as well as Trademark Trial and Appeal Board proceedings. She specializes in helping clients enforce their rights in any medium, including the unauthorized use of trademarks and copyright-protected material on the internet. Shovein is a past chair of both the State Bar of Michigan (SBM) Intellectual Property Law Section and also the Young Lawyers Section. She served as a commissioner on the SBM Board of Commissioners. Shovein has been named to World Trademark Review’s “WTR 1000” since 2018.

•            •            •

Maddin Hauser
is pleased to announce that Nolan J. De Jong and Jonathan M. Sollish have joined the firm as associates. Newly admitted to the State Bar of Michigan in 2024, they will support several Maddin Hauser practices.

Before attending law school, De Jong was a professional hockey player. He now focuses his commitment and competitive spirit on his legal practice. De Jong earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Michigan.

Sollish was a government affairs professional for a national medical industry association before starting his legal career. In that position, he advocated for federal policy changes and oversaw many diverse aspects of the organization’s government relations efforts. He earned his undergraduate degree at Michigan State University.

De Jong and Sollish previously worked as summer associates at Maddin Hauser while pursuing their law degrees at Michigan State University College of Law.

Maddin Hauser is also pleased to announce that DBusiness Magazine has recognized 12 shareholders on the 2025 list of “Top Lawyers in Metro Detroit.” New to the list this year are David Eisenberg, Julie Mayer, and Gary Remer.

The recognized attorneys and their respective practice areas include:

David M. Eisenberg
– Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights Law
Martin S. Frenkel
– Banking and Financial Services Law
Mark R. Hauser
– Real Estate Law
Harvey R. Heller
– Insurance Law
Robert D. Kaplow
– Trusts and Estates
Kathleen H. Klaus
– Professional Malpractice Law
Charles M. Lax
– Employee Benefits Law
Julie C. Mayer
– Insurance Law
Gary M. Remer
– Franchise Law
Julie B. Teicher
– Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights Law
Steven M. Wolock
– Legal Malpractice Law
Craig E. Zucker
– Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights Law