State Bar announces results of contested and uncontested elections

By Douglas Levy
The Daily Record Newswire

DETROIT, MI — The results of several contested and uncontested elections for State Bar of Michigan posts have been announced.

SBM Board of Commissioners

Three attorneys won contested seats in this year’s Board of Commissioners elections. All will serve three-year terms expiring at the close of the 2019 Annual Meeting.

• Dennis M. Barnes was elected to serve District H, representing Wayne, Monroe and Lenawee counties. He is a member of Barris, Sott, Denn & Driker PLLC in Detroit and focuses his practice on business litigation.

• Edward L. Haroutunian and Michael S. Hohauser were both elected to serve District I, representing Oakland County. Haroutunian practices law at Haroutunian Licata Haroutunian PC in Bingham Farms and Hohauser is an attorney with Hohauser Kuchon in Troy.

Four attorneys won unopposed Board of Commissioners races.

• Victoria A. Radke won a seat in District A, representing the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula. She serves as Delta County Friend of the Court in Escanaba.

• Thomas McCarthy Jr. and Robert J. Buchanan won in District C, representing Oceana, Muskegon, Ottawa, Newaygo, Kent, Osceola, Mecosta, Clare, Isabella and Gladwin counties. McCarthy practices
law with Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge PC in Grand Rapids, while Buchanan serves as managing member for Buchanan & Buchanan PLC in Grand Rapids.

• Danielle Mason Anderson won in District F, representing Allegan, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Hillsdale, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph and Van Buren counties. She is a principal and resident director at Miller Canfield Paddock & Stone PLC’s Kalamazoo branch.

The SBM Board of Commissioners provides oversight to the State Bar on finance, public policy, professional standards and member services and communications.

Representative Assembly

Seven attorneys won contested races for the Representative Assembly.

• Matthew R. Abel and Daniel J. Ferris won contested elections to represent Wayne County for the Third Circuit.

• Stephen J. Gobbo, Jessica L. Zimbelman and Christopher L. Jackson won contested elections to represent Ingham County for the 30th Circuit.

• Dennis L. Perkins and William H. Hougaboom won contested elections to represent Livingston County for the 44th Circuit.

Thirty-one attorneys won unopposed races for the Representative Assembly:

• Fourth Circuit — Jackson County: Philip M. Moilanen

• Sixth Circuit — Oakland County: Henry S. Gornbein, Michael J. Blau, James T. Weiner, Steven L. Rotenberg, Shannon M. Smith, Paul A. Thursam and Christopher R. Schaedig

• Seventh Circuit — Genesee County: Nancy K. Chinonis

• Ninth Circuit — Kalamazoo County: Mark A. Holsomback

• 12th Circuit — Baraga, Houghton and Keweenaw counties: Diana M. Langdon

• 13th Circuit — Antrim, Grand Traverse and Leelanau counties: Lea Ann Sterling

• 16th Circuit — Macomb County: Randall Chionini, Laura I. Marji and Karen Trickey Pappas

• 17th Circuit — Kent County: Michael P. Hanrahan

• 22nd Circuit — Washtenaw County: Peter M. Falkenstein

• 25th Circuit — Marquette County: Erica N. Payne Roell

• 29th Circuit — Clinton and Gratiot counties: Colleen M. Davis

• 31st Circuit — St. Clair County: Gerrow D. Mason

• 32nd Circuit — Gogebic and Ontonagon counties: Anna R. Talaska

• 33rd Circuit — Charlevoix County: Katrina D. Martin

• 37th Circuit — Calhoun County: David E. Gilbert

• 39th Circuit — Lenawee County: Jennifer A. Frost

• 40th Circuit — Lapeer County: Bernard A. Jocuns

• 41st Circuit — Dickinson, Iron and Menominee counties: Kristin L. Kass

• 42nd Circuit — Midland County: Angela M. Cole and Jessica L. Robison

• 53rd Circuit — Cheboygan and Presque Isle counties: Melissa Goodrich

• 56th Circuit — Eaton County: Jessica S. Fox

• 57th Circuit — Emmet County: Christina L. DeMoore

The 150-member Representative Assembly was created in 1972 to increase the proportion of members who actively participate in State Bar policy; it serves as the SBM final policy-making body.

Judicial Tenure Commission

Thomas J. Ryan, a Sylvan Lake lawyer, won a contested election for a three-year term on the Judicial Tenure Commission that will commence Jan. 1, 2017, and will expire Dec. 31, 2019.

The JTC is a constitutionally created body that promotes the integrity of the judicial process and preserves public confidence in the courts.

SBM Young Lawyers Section Executive Council

Ryan Zemke of ZemkeLaw PLLC in Utica won an uncontested election in District 1, representing Wayne and Macomb counties, for a two-year term expiring in 2018.

Three attorneys — Jerome Crawford, of Horizon Global Corporation in Troy; Tanya N. Cripps of Cushman Wakefield in Auburn Hills; and Choi T. Portis, a Southfield attorney —won uncontested elections in District 2, representing Oakland County, for two-year terms expiring in 2018.

Three attorneys — Erica N. Payne Roell of Kendricks Bordeau Adamini Greenlee & Keefe PC in Marquette; Assistant Attorney General Katherine J. Bennett; and Roberta L. Sacharski, of the Genesee County Register of Deeds Office — won uncontested elections in District Three, representing all other Michigan counties, for two-year terms expiring in 2018.

The Young Lawyers Executive Council governs the members of the Young Lawyers Section, one of the State Bar’s largest sections. The section provides education, information and analysis about issues of concern through meetings, seminars, public service programs and newsletters. The section has won numerous awards for its public service and educational programs.
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Information provided by the State Bar of Michigan.