LEGAL PEOPLE

Kay Standridge Kress, a partner with Pepper Hamilton LLP and member of the firm's Corporate Restructuring and Bankruptcy Practice Group, has been named vice-chair of the Business Bankruptcy Committee of the American Bar Association's Business Law Section for 2011-2014. Kress practices in the firm's Detroit office and focuses on corporate restructuring insolvency and bankruptcy matters. She is a Fellow in the American College of Bankruptcy, and is listed in "The Best Lawyers in America." In 2011, she was recognized by Crain's Detroit Business in its selection of "Area's Top Lawyers." Kress' appointment marks the first time in the history of the Business Bankruptcy Committee that the chair and vice-chair are both women. Kress has been actively involved in the ABA for more than 16 years. She is the former editor-in-chief of the ABA Business Bankruptcy Subcommittee e-newsletter, former chair of the Business Bankruptcy Special TARP Task Force, former co-chair of the Programs and Publications Subcommittee and former chair of Secured Creditors Subcommittee of the Business Bankruptcy Committee of the American Bar Association. Kress is also involved in many other bar and trade organizations. She is founding member of the Michigan Chapter of IWIRC; past chair of the Debtor/Creditor Section of the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association; a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute; board member of Matrix Human Services; and legal advisor to Omega Phi Alpha, National Service Sorority. Kress has authored many articles and spoken on a variety of topics, including federal receiverships, locally and nationally, and current developments in bankruptcy claims. * * * Dykema recently announced that it is expanding its national platform with a new office in Charlotte, N.C., the firm's first office in the Southeast. The office will be anchored by top financial services lawyer Donald C. Lampe, who joins from Womble, Carlyle, Sandridge, & Rice PLLC. Dykema's new office will be located in the Bank of America Corporate Center. The move immediately gives Dykema an established presence in North Carolina, the second largest banking center in the U.S. after New York City. "Dykema has a long history of representing the financial services industry with deep experience in the banking industry, including representing many of the major banks and financial institutions," said Rex E. Schlaybaugh Jr., Dykema's chairman and chief executive officer. "Establishing a presence in Charlotte is a natural extension of our national strategy to build our financial services practice." Joining the Charlotte office with Lampe is Elizabeth Collins as an associate in the Financial Services Regulatory and Compliance Practice. She also comes to Dykema from Womble Carlyle. The Charlotte announcement marks Dykema's 11th office nationwide and follows the firm's expansion in recent years into Dallas, as well as continued growth in key markets including Detroit, Chicago, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. * * * Mary Massaron Ross, a partner of Plunkett Cooney was recently named one of the most influential attorneys in the state by Michigan Lawyers Weekly (MLW). "I'm honored to be recognized by the editorial staff at Michigan Lawyers Weekly," said Massaron Ross, Plunkett Cooney's Appellate Law Practice Group Leader. "To be included among so many accomplished attorneys and judges is truly humbling." Massaron Ross, who previously served as a law clerk to former Michigan Supreme Court Associate Justice Patricia J. Boyle, practices in Plunkett Cooney's Detroit office. One of the firm's top appellate attorneys, Massaron Ross has over 50 published opinions to her credit. "The Best Lawyers in America" has honored Massaron Ross with its "Best Lawyer" title for five consecutive years. "Michigan Super Lawyers" magazine has also honored Massaron Ross for four consecutive years and included her among its top 100 Michigan attorneys and its top 50 women lawyers in the state. Her other significant honors include membership in the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers and designation by Michigan Lawyers Weekly as a 2008 "Lawyer of the Year." She currently serves as the first vice president of DRI - The Voice of the Defense Bar and will become the organization's president in 2012. Massaron Ross serves as first chair of the Michigan Supreme Court Historical Society Advocates Guild, co-chair of the Michigan Appellate Bench Bar Conference Foundation, chair of the State Bar of Michigan's Appellate Practice Section, and chair of the American Bar Association (ABA) Standing Committee on Amicus Curiae Briefs, the five-member committee that oversees preparation of ABA briefs for filing in state and federal appellate courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. * * * Honigman, Miller, Schwartz, and Cohn LLP is pleased to announce that Crescent A. Moran has joined the firm as an attorney in its Corporate and Securities Department and in the Employee Benefits Practice Group. She will be located in the firm's Detroit office. Honigman's Corporate and Securities practice has grown significantly in recent years with the addition of more than 15 attorneys since January 2010. Moran will concentrate her practice on executive compensation and employee benefits matters, and will advise clients regarding equity compensation, securities law compliance, corporate governance, and the design, establishment, operation, qualification and termination of retirement and welfare benefit programs. Moran earned law degrees from Georgetown University Law Center and Western New England University School of Law; and a B.S. in Political Science from the University of Maine. She is admitted to the District of Columbia Bar, the Massachusetts Bar Association and her admittance to the State Bar of Michigan is pending. Moran joins Honigman from McDermott Will and Emery in Boston. * * * Maddin, Hauser, Wartell, Roth, & Heller PC, a Southfield-based law firm, has named Jayson M. Macyda as an associate attorney. Macyda specializes in domestic and international litigation proceedings involving contract disputes, the Uniform Commercial Code, business torts, environmental law and bankruptcy. He often represents foreign and domestic companies locally and throughout the United States. Previously, Macyda served as a pro bono attorney for the Sugar Law Center in Detroit and, through the "Ask the Lawyer" program, has provided pro bono legal advice to litigants in need at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan-Dearborn in 1998, his law degree from Vermont Law School in South Royalton, Vermont in 2002 and a Certificate of Studies in European Union Law form Oxford University - Magdalen College in 2000. He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan and also is a licensed foreign legal consultant in Ontario, Canada and focuses his practice on cross-border legal disputes. Macyda is a member of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, U.S. District Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan, the University of Detroit American Inn of Court, Scribes-The American Society of Legal Writers and the Livonia Chamber of Commerce. He has written numerous articles, three of which have been published in the Wayne Law Review and Chamber News, a publication of the Livonia Chamber of Commerce. * * * Lewis & Munday recently announced that Reuben A. Munday has been named chairman of the firm. Munday, who has been with the firm more than 34 years, succeeds founding partner David Baker Lewis. Lewis will remain with the firm. "Lewis and Munday has played a pioneering role in Detroit's legal history and continues to play a role in the ongoing effort to revitalize Detroit," Munday said. "I have been fortunate to be a part of that and I look forward to continuing to play a role in both as we move forward." Munday focuses his practice on real estate development and construction law, and he served as practice group leader in the firm's real estate practice group for 12 years. He has worked on a number of projects that have played a key role in the revitalization of Detroit, including work on current plans to establish a new public safety headquarters and the recent lease of Cobo Center to a regional authority. He has represented city entities in connection with the construction of the Chrysler Jefferson Avenue Assembly Plant, the Millender Center, the original Cobo Hall expansion project, the construction of Trolley Plaza and improvements to the Chrysler Mack Avenue Engine Plant. Munday is a former officer of the Council of the Real Property Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan and has been recognized as a Michigan Super Lawyer and as a Top Business Lawyer by Dbusiness Magazine. From 1994 to 2003, Munday served as president and chief executive officer of the firm. Munday also serves as chair of the Greening of Detroit, on the Executive Committee of the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce and on the boards of Mosaic Youth Theatre, the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion and the Detroit/Wayne County Health Authority. He started with the firm in 1977, five years after the firm was founded. He is a native of Tuskegee, Alabama and earned B.A. and MPS degrees from Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., and his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School. * * * For the fifth year in a row, Warner, Norcross, & Judd LLP has been named one of Metropolitan Detroit's 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For. Warner Norcross, which has offices in Southfield and Sterling Heights, was evaluated on the basis of communication, community initiatives, compensation and benefits, diversity, employee development, employee engagement and commitment, recognition and retention, recruitment and selection, and work-life balance. The organization indicated that the competition drew an increased number of entrants this year. A panel of judges reviewed a detailed survey on the firm's human resources practices and conducted interviews with employees. In reaching their decision, the judges were looking for above-average programs, services and solutions for employees, adaptation to new factors in the marketplace and unique thought processes that received support from senior management and policy makers. The firm's Grand Rapids office has also been recognized as a Best & Brightest Company in West Michigan. * * * Miller Canfield principal Beverly Hall Burns was recently elected to serve as chair of the board of directors of the Michigan Humane Society. The Michigan Humane Society is a private, nonprofit animal welfare organization and is the largest and oldest such organization in the state, caring for more than 100,000 animals each year. At Miller Canfield, Burns is a member of the Labor and Employment Law Group, representing and advocating for employers, whether at the negotiating table, in hearings, in board rooms, or community gatherings. She is recognized in "The Best Lawyers in America" and "Michigan Super Lawyers" for her work as a labor and employment attorney. Burns received a B.A. in English from Michigan State University and her law degree from the University of Michigan Law School. * * * On Saturday, July 27, Team Hamburger, former winner of several Lawyers League Championships, again won the Oakland County Men's Class "C" league championship. Lawyers include captain and catcher Robert L. Hamburger, along with Chuck Gabe and Ron Finegood. Teammates include 6-time world champion and MVP of six consecutive championship hardball tournaments in Florida, stolen base record holder, and 2011 USSSA Player of the Year Digz Edwards, Jason Wimberly, Don Williams, Tommie "Junebug" Hollins, Sam "the Unit" Hollins, co-captain Christopher "Fly" Smith, Joey Morrissey, Lee Eisenberg, Ed Gregory, Charles Youngblood, Nate Johnson, Damon Gregory, and Joe "Sheffield" Wright. Former players include Judge Rich Page, Judge Bruce Morrow, and Gus Morris. "Our players are so good, we could probably beat the Tigers in a charity ASA softball game, if they had the courage to play us," Hamburger said. Published: Mon, Aug 22, 2011