Legal People

Butzel Long
Butzel Long intellectual property attorney Gunther J. Evanina will participate in a panel presentation on Tuesday, April 2, at the Macomb-OU INCubator at Velocity Center in Sterling Heights. The title of the presentation is, “Out of the Garage: Patent Your Idea!” The program is presented in collaboration with Macomb County and the City of Sterling Heights.
Evanina concentrates his practice on intellectual property, including patent prosecution, license agreements, trademarks and copyrights. He has more than 20 years of experience drafting and prosecuting patent applications in a wide variety of chemical, pharmaceutical, and mechanical technologies, including coatings, sealants, and adhesives; chemical sensors; transdermal, oral, sublingual, and intravenous delivery devices; photonic devices and optical fiber technology; and chemical and mechanical manufacturing processes and equipment.
He has counseled clients and prepared infringement, validity and patentability opinions relating to these technologies. Evanina is a member of the Intellectual Property Owners Association and the American Chemical Society.
In addition, Butzel Long has elected the following local shareholders to serve a two-year term on the firm’s Board of Directors: W. Patrick Dreisig, Cynthia J. Haffey, and James E. Wynne. Other Butzel Long Board members include: Justin G. Klimko and Louis Theros.
Dreisig is a shareholder and vice president practicing in Butzel Long’s Bloomfield Hills office. He is co-chair of the firm’s Finance Committee and Global Automotive Industry Group and a member of the firm’s Business Law Practice.
He focuses his practice in general business law and transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, recapitalizations, debt and equity finance transactions, venture capital transactions, supply agreements, intellectual property development and licensing transactions, customer and supplier workouts, entity selection and formation, corporate governance and business succession.
Dreisig practices extensively within the automotive supplier industry. He is experienced in representing automotive suppliers in structuring and negotiating long term supply and other commercial arrangements with automotive manufacturers and other suppliers. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America.
Dreisig earned his B.A. degree from the University of Michigan in 1974 and his law degree from Wayne State University Law School in 1977.
Haffey is a shareholder and vice president practicing in Butzel Long’s Detroit office. She represents corporations, limited liability companies and partnerships in complex disputes involving a wide range of corporate and commercial matters. She regularly appears before the federal and state courts, as well as arbitration tribunals.
She represents clients in cases involving commercial disputes and business litigation, including automotive supply chain disputes, shareholder, partner and owner disputes, corporate mergers, acquisitions and other transaction disputes, fraud and other business torts, sales commission disputes, non-compete agreements and trade secrets, real estate disputes, construction contract disputes, anti-trust, bankruptcy and securities litigation. In addition, Haffey also has experience in advising and defending clients at trial and in arbitration in age, sex, and racial discrimination actions and other wrongful discharge claims.
Haffey currently serves as the co-chair of the firm’s Automotive Practice Group, chair of the firm’s Women’s Initiative Committee and a co-chair of the Federal Bar Association, Eastern District of Michigan Chapter’s Social Justice Committee.
Haffey is a graduate of Wayne State University Law School (1997) and Western Michigan University (B.S., 1980).
Wynne is a shareholder and vice president practicing in Butzel Long’s Detroit office. He has handled commercial and product liability trials and litigation since 1975. He serves as the national trial counsel for several major automotive suppliers, handling cases in a variety of states.
He has experience with specialized personal-injury asbestos litigation in thousands of such cases throughout the United States. He has been involved in several landmark decisions in this area, and serves as a key strategic advisor to several global manufacturing concerns regarding asbestos and toxic tort matters. Wynne also has substantial experience in computer support for mass tort litigation.
Wynne graduated from Michigan State University in 1972 and from the Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1975. He is admitted to practice law in both Michigan and Illinois and in numerous federal courts across the country. Wynne is listed in The Best Lawyers in America.
Klimko is president of Butzel Long and based in the firm’s Detroit office. He has experience in securities regulation, corporate financing, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and general corporate matters, fields in which he has practiced since 1980.
Klimko was recently named a winner of the 2013 Client Choice Awards, presented by the International Law Office (ILO) and Lexology. Klimko was honored for mergers & acquisitions.
He is a past chair of the Business Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan. He serves as chair of the Section’s Corporate Laws Committee, which prepares amendments to Michigan corporate statutes for legislative approval to keep Michigan corporate law current with modern trends and developments.
Klimko also is a member of the Legal Opinions Committee, the Negotiated Acquisitions Committee and the Federal Regulation of Securities Committee of the American Bar Association.
He is included in the publication The Best Lawyers in America and enjoys an “AV” rating from the Martindale-Hubbell rating system. He is rated one of Michigan’s top Corporate/M&A attorneys by Chambers USA Guide of America’s Leading Lawyers for Business and is listed in Michigan Super Lawyers (Mergers and Acquisitions). He was the recipient of the 2009 Stephen H. Schulman Outstanding Business Lawyer Award from the Business Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan and Best Lawyers’ 2012 Detroit Governance Law Lawyer of the Year.
Klimko graduated from Duke University Law School (1980) and Ohio University (B.A., 1977).
Theros is a shareholder and vice president with Butzel Long, located in the firm’s Detroit office. He concentrates his legal practice in the areas of employment litigation, labor, advising and counseling clients on statutory employment compliance and gaming law.
Theros has more than 20 years experience, including first chair trial and appellate responsibilities, in employment discrimination and harassment matters and large class action lawsuits, throughout Michigan and the Midwest.
He has experience in handling arbitrations arising from collective bargaining disputes and unfair labor practice complaints, and in alternate dispute resolution. Theros has served as counsel on various traditional labor issues, including organizational campaigns and collective bargaining agreement negotiations and implementation.
He is listed in Best Lawyers in America and is named in Michigan Super Lawyers, both since 2007. He has received an “AV Preeminent” peer review rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
Theros is a graduate of Vanderbilt University School of Law (1989), and earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan (B.A., 1985).

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Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss, P.C.
Jay L. Welford, a partner at Southfield-based Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer, & Weiss P.C., has been named the practice group coordinator for the firm’s insolvency and reorganization group. Jaffe CEO Bill Sider made the announcement.
Welford has more than 30-years of experience in corporate representation and restructuring. His practice encompasses multiple industry sectors, including banking, construction, manufacturing, logistics, servicing and leasing. In addition to this new role, Welford is also co-practice group coordinator for the franchise law practice group with a specific expertise in developing franchise systems.
Throughout the years, Welford has received multiple legal honors and awards from Michigan Super Lawyer, Best Lawyers and DBusiness. He is an active member in multiple business and legal associations, including the American Bar Association, American Bankruptcy Institute, Commercial Law League of America Bankruptcy and Insolvency Section and the International Franchise Association. Currently, Welford serves as president of the nonprofit organization ALS of Michigan.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Michigan and his law degree from Wayne State University Law School.
Additionally, Julianne Cassin Sharp has been named partner at Jaffe. Jaffe CEO Bill Sider made the announcement.
A member of the firm’s Immigration and Litigation practice groups, Sharp is a leading bilingual attorney in Spanish and English, specializing in Immigration and Nationality law, including business immigration matters, family immigration matters and representation of individuals before the U.S. Immigration Court. She works closely with both corporations and individuals regarding their immigration needs, specifically worksite enforcement, corporate compliance—including I-9 audits and policy review, foreign labor certification, employment-based petitions, family-based petitions, naturalization, and representation of individuals in removal proceedings.
Sharp serves on the National Steering Committee for the New Members Division of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
Sharp earned her law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. She graduated from the Carl and Winifred Lee Honors College of Western Michigan University, during which time she also studied abroad at La Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro in Querétaro, México.
Sharp is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, National Hispanic Bar Association, and Hispanic Bar Association of Michigan. She also advises members of the community on immigration issues on a pro bono basis through Latin Americans for Social & Economic Development and the Legal Aid Clinic through Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Detroit.

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Nemeth Burwell P.C.
Attorneys Patricia Nemeth and Linda Burwell, founding partners of Detroit-based employment law firm Nemeth Burwell P.C., are pleased to announce Terry Bonnette has been named a partner in the firm. He had been a senior attorney.
Bonnette joined Nemeth Burwell in 2004 after working as a law clerk at the firm. He focuses his practice on labor and employment counseling and litigation, counseling clients on a wide range of contract compliance and regulatory compliance issues, including the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Wage and Hour laws and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Additionally, Bonnette has represented clients in litigation before state and federal courts, administrative agencies and arbitrators.
A prodigious writer and speaker, Bonnette has presented, written, and co-authored articles on a number of employment law topics and workplace trends, including overtime, social media, disabilities, managing contingent and virtual employees, identity theft and wrongful discharge and retaliation.
Bonnette is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, Labor and Employment Law Section and Alternative Dispute Resolution Section, and the American Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section and Litigation Section. He is admitted to practice in Michigan and the United States District Courts in the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan.
Prior to joining Nemeth Burwell, Bonnette was an instructor in argumentation, persuasion and speech writing at Bradley University and Eastern Michigan University. He also coached the nationally ranked speech teams at both schools.
Bonnette earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Bradley University, a Master of Science degree from Illinois State University, and law degree from Wayne State University Law School.

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Miller Canfield
The law firm of Miller Canfield announces that lawyer Michelle P. Crockett (Detroit office) has been appointed diversity director. She will oversee implementation of the firm’s commitment to develop and maintain a multicultural workforce, a culture of inclusion and serve as primary spokesperson on diversity issues. She will continue to serve as a principal in the Employment and Labor Group.
“Diversity at every level within our firm is critical to success. As business is more global, clients are increasingly more diverse. We need to reflect and serve the population of our clients and communities and continue to have diverse thinking and innovation,” said Crockett, who led the Women of Miller Canfield initiative, which supports the practice and professional development of the firm’s female attorneys.
In addition to recruiting and retaining talent, Miller Canfield’s diversity plan includes providing continuous in-house training for all members of its legal team and expanding internal affinity groups and relationships with external organizations. For more information, visit www.millercanfield.com/Diversity .
She earned her law degree from Wayne State University Law School and her B.A. from North Carolina State University.

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Ackerman Ackerman & Dynkowski P.C.

Bloomfield Hills-based Ackerman, Ackerman, & Dynkowski recently announced that Darius Dynkowski, a partner with the firm, is now licensed to practice law in the state of Ohio. Managing Partner Alan Ackerman made the announcement.
The announcement coincides with news that Ackerman will expand the firm’s presence into Ohio with a new office in Cleveland, from which Dynkowski will be working on a weekly basis.
Dynkowski was officially sworn in as a member of the Ohio State Bar Association on Jan. 7. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Wayne State University in 1993 and his law degree from the Detroit College of Law in 1996. A frequently published author, he serves as the Division Group chair of the American Bar Association Section of Real Property Land Use and Environmental Group, overseeing nine committees and speaking at several national events annually. Dynkowski has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Detroit Law School since 2002 and at Michigan State University College of Law since 2009.
Ackerman’s new Cleveland office is located in the Fifth Third building in downtown Cleveland at 600 Superior Ave. East, Suite 1300. For more information, visit www.ackerman-ackerman.com.

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Giarmarco, Mullins, & Horton, P.C.

Giarmarco, Mullins, & Horton PC is pleased to announce that Bruce W. Haffey has been named as a DBusiness Top Lawyer. Haffey also has an “AV” Peer Review rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
Haffey concentrates his practice in the area(s) of business planning, commercial transactions, mergers and acquisitions, franchise law and taxation. He has handled small and middle market business clients for more than 25 years.
Haffey has represented clients in a multitude of complex merger and acquisition transactions for businesses, including the automotive supply industry and health care entities. Representation covers all aspects of a transaction, including strategic analysis, tax analysis, due diligence, preliminary agreements, transaction planning, negotiation and documentation, financing, closing and post-closing.
Haffey is an expert in business entity selection and design, including the analysis of tax and non-tax issues, the formation of corporations, limited liability companies and other business entities, business reorganizations, liquidations and dissolutions and buy-sell arrangements among owners.
Throughout his career, Haffey has represented franchise companies, assisting in the preparation of franchise agreements, offering circulars and other legal documents, structuring franchise systems, complying with state and federal franchise laws, and resolving issues that arise with the franchisees.
Haffey earned his BA from the University of Michigan, and his law degrees from University of Michigan Law School Wayne State University Law School. He is admitted to practice in Michigan, and the U.S. Tax Court.
The firm is also pleased to announce that William H. Heritage III has been named as a DBusiness Top Lawyer. He was also recognized as a Michigan Super Lawyer, by U.S. News - Best Lawyers in America, and received an “AV” Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
Heritage concentrates his practice in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, business formation and planning, corporate law, health care law and real estate law. He has more than 17 years of experience in dealing with complex business and commercial transactions within a broad range of industries.
Heritage’s practice includes representation of small to large privately-held businesses as well as international business clients. Representative clients are from the automotive industry, general manufacturing, health care, information systems, consulting, food products and distribution.
Heritage’s experience includes many complex business transactions in which he has represented both purchasers and sellers. He also has a very active real estate practice representing clients with the financing, purchasing, selling and leasing of commercial, professional, industrial and retail properties.
Heritage earned his BA from Duke University, and his law degree from Michigan State University College of Law (f/k/a Detroit College of Law). He is admitted to practice in Michigan and in U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Mergers and Acquisitions Committee, State Bar of Michigan. and the Oakland County Bar Association.

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Wayne State University Law School

Retired Michigan Supreme Court Justice Marilyn Kelly, who served for 16 years on the state’s top court, will bring what she has learned over her career to the halls of her alma mater. She has joined the faculty of Wayne State University Law School as its first “distinguished jurist in residence.”
A 1971 alumna of Wayne State University Law School, Kelly, 74, is prevented from running again for the Michigan Supreme Court by the state Constitution which bars judicial candidates over the age of 70 from running for office. She already serves on the Law School’s Board of Visitors executive committee.
“I look forward to this,” Kelly told faculty assembled for an informal luncheon in her honor. “It’s an opportunity to be creative. It seems a natural fit to me that I should come back here.”
So far, retirement hasn’t meant quiet time for the judge. Most recently, Kelly addressed the American Bar Association midyear convention in Texas, speaking before the standing committee on judicial independence and detailing her work as co-chair of the state’s Judicial Selection Task Force and its efforts at improving the way judges are elected.
She also participated in a workshop sponsored by Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts (IOLTA), which pools interest from lawyer trust accounts to provide free civil legal aid to the poor and support improvements to the justice system.
“IOLTA provides service to the unrepresented in Michigan courts, and I spoke about the number of people who appear in court without attorneys,” Kelly said. “I described how a task force I formed working with the Michigan State Bar Foundation has developed a website and self-help centers to assist those people. I also spoke recently at forums sponsored by the League of Women Voters in Ann Arbor, Lansing, Southfield and Pontiac about ‘Dark Money in Judicial Selection,’ exploring serious problems with how Michigan selects judges and Supreme Court justices and proposing reforms.”
In 2010, Kelly was recognized with a WSU Distinguished Alumni Award, having already been granted an honorary doctorate by the Law School, one of three she has received from Michigan universities. The many other recognitions she has received over the years include, to name a few, the Guardian of Justice Award from the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee in 2009 in recognition of her outstanding commitment and dedication to upholding civil rights. In 2003, she was given the Eleanor Roosevelt Humanities Award from the State of Israel Bonds Attorney Division. Last year, in recognition of her retirement from the bench, Michigan Lawyers Weekly named the Justice “Woman Lawyer of the Year.” Also, the Michigan Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, the Appellate Section of the State Bar of Michigan, the Michigan Chapter of the American Constitution Society, the Michigan Chapter of the American Association of Matrimonial Lawyers, the Michigan Defense Trial Counsel, and the Detroit and Michigan Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild granted her lifetime achievement awards.
Kelly grew up in Detroit, and earned her bachelor’s from Eastern Michigan University. She spent a year studying at La Sorbonne, University of Paris, France, and earned her master’s from Middlebury College in Vermont. She taught French language and literature in the Grosse Pointe Public Schools, at Albion College and at EMU, before attending Wayne Law. At the time, she was one of six women in a Law School class of 100.
Kelly began her legal career as an associate attorney with Dykema Gossett, and later became a partner with Dudley, Patterson, Maxwell, Smith, & Kelly in Bloomfield Hills. She also had her own law firm before her election to the state Court of Appeals in 1988. She was elected to the Michigan Supreme Court in 1996, and retained her seat until her final term expired on Jan. 1, 2013. She was chief justice of the Supreme Court from 2009-11.
She has served a host of professional associations, including as a panel member of the State Attorney Discipline Board, and as an arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association. In 2003, she became a Fellow of the Michigan State Bar Foundation, which provides grants for civil legal aid to the poor. She has been president of the Women’s Bar Association and of the Women Lawyers’ Association of Michigan, and has been a member of the Family Law Council for the State Bar.
From 1999-2003, Kelly was co-chair of the Open Justice Commission, an organization of the State Bar devoted to making justice available to all, and she serves on the governing board of the National Consortium for Racial and Ethnic Fairness in the Courts and has been its president.
She also has served many community organizations. She was a board member of the Women’s Survival Center in Pontiac, and a member of the citizens’ advisory committees of the Detroit Public Schools, Wayne County Community College and Oakland County Community College.

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