Dykema, a leading national law firm, is pleased to announce eight new management appointments, each of which commenced on January 1, 2024.
The appointed attorneys are listed below with brief bios and descriptions of their practices.
Michael R. Carey - Minneapolis
Carey was named the firm’s Office Managing Member in Minneapolis. He also serves as Co-Leader of Dykema’s Electric and Autonomous Vehicles (E/AV) and Advanced Mobility Team. Throughout his career, Carey has obtained favorable verdicts and outcomes in state and federal courts across the country, making him one of the country’s premier defense lawyers in automotive liability and other products liability matters. In his practice, he counsels mobility industry clients on proactive risk mitigation strategies for emerging automated driving technologies. Outside of litigation, he counsels clients on craft liability, indemnity, warning, and other language in agreements or transactional matters.
Carey earned a J.D., cum laude, from the William Mitchell College of Law and a B.A. from St. John’s University.
Melanie J. Chico - Chicago
Chico was appointed to serve as the firm’s Office Managing Member in Chicago. Chico also serves as Assistant Leader of Dykema’s Business Litigation Practice Group and as Co-Leader of the firm’s Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) practice team. She litigates complicated, high-stakes business disputes with the least disruption to the client while finding workable solutions both in and out of court. Her experience spans various industries with a client roster that includes automotive, real estate developers, trading companies, retailers, insurance carriers, financial institutions, and local governmental units
Chico earned a J.D. from the University of Chicago and a B.A. from Duke University.
Courtney F. Kissel – Bloomfield Hills
Kissel was selected as Director of the firm’s Regulated Industries Department. Much of her practice is devoted to guiding K-12 schools, universities, utilities, insurance companies, and other clients through the complex regulations that govern their operations. Because of her keen understanding of regulatory and legislative processes, she drafts proposed legislation, helps implement compliance procedures, and interprets complicated statutory and constitutional issues both before regulatory agencies and courts. In addition to general corporate representation on these issues, Kissel is also experienced in handling significant appellate cases for clients.
Kissel earned a J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Wisconsin Law School and an A.B., with highest distinction, from the University of Michigan.
Wilhelm E. Liebmann – San Antonio
Liebmann has been appointed to serve as Director of the firm’s Business Services Department, which includes the firm’s Corporate Finance Practice Group, Tax Practice Group, and Bankruptcy Practice Group. In his practice, Liebmann focuses on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and other strategic transactions. He works across a host of industries. In addition, Liebmann’s role goes beyond M&A to advise on other types of commercial transactions, corporate governance, regulatory guidance, and more. His clients operate in highly regulated industries, like alcoholic beverages, aviation, and public utilities.
Liebmann earned a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law and a B.B.A. in Finance from Texas A&M University.
Brandy R. Manning – Dallas
Manning has been named Co-Director of the firm’s Energy Industry Group, serving alongside Rick Aaron from Dykema’s Lansing office. In her practice, she represents producers, service companies, mineral owners, landowners, royalty owners, lessees, lessors, landowners, and alternative energy clients in oil and gas, general business, and ad valorem tax matters. Manning has more than two decades of commercial trial and appellate experience in both oil and gas and general business matters. She is board-certified in civil appellate law, and represents clients before administrative bodies, as well as in justice, trial, and appellate courts across Texas and New Mexico.
Manning earned a J.D., with honors, from the University of Texas and a B.B.A. in Marketing, summa cum laude, from Texas A&M University.
Gary P. Segal – Chicago
Segal was appointed to serve as Director of the firm’s Financial Industry Group, a team of more than 100 lawyers covering various practices and specialties. A certified public accountant, he is also the leader of Dykema’s lending practice team. In his practice, Segal documents, negotiates, and closes loans of all shapes and sizes and represents lenders and borrowers in various asset-based, cash flow, commercial, mezzanine, second lien, and real estate loans, as well as participations, workouts, turnarounds, and liquidations. He also provides general corporate representation to privately held companies, not-for-profits, and entrepreneurs.
Segal earned a J.D., magna cum laude, and A.B., with distinction, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Andrew G. Sherwood – San Antonio
Sherwood was selected to serve as Assistant Leader of the firm’s Real Estate Practice Group. His practice focuses on debt finance and real estate and he represents developers, property owners, landlords, tenants, and investors in negotiating acquisitions, dispositions, leases, financing, and a range of other real estate transactions. On the debt finance side, Sherwood counsels borrowers on complex issues and transactions involving debt markets and the acquisition of capital for strategic and operational needs. He focuses on mid-market transactions, including acquisition financing for large corporations and private equity sponsors and working capital financing for mid-market companies.
Sherwood earned a J.D. from the University of Texas Law School and a B.S. from Trinity University.
Diana Y. Tsai – Chicago
Tsai was appointed as Leader of the firm’s Corporate and Finance Practice Group after years of service as the Assistant Practice Group Leader. In her practice, she represents a wide range of institutional and non-institutional lenders and is experienced in structuring, documenting, negotiating, and closing secured and unsecured loan transactions, including asset-based and cash-flow financing. Tsai has considerable experience in representing banks in single-lender loan transactions, as well as administrative agents and participating lenders in large multi-bank syndicated credit facilities. In addition, she handles various aspects of loan restructuring, workouts, and liquidations.
Tsai earned a J.D., cum laude, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a B.A., with honors, from the University of Chicago.
About Dykema - Dykema serves business entities worldwide on a wide range of complex legal issues. Dykema lawyers and other professionals in 14 U.S. offices work in close partnership with clients – from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies – to deliver outstanding results, unparalleled service, and exceptional value in every engagement.
The appointed attorneys are listed below with brief bios and descriptions of their practices.
Michael R. Carey - Minneapolis
Carey was named the firm’s Office Managing Member in Minneapolis. He also serves as Co-Leader of Dykema’s Electric and Autonomous Vehicles (E/AV) and Advanced Mobility Team. Throughout his career, Carey has obtained favorable verdicts and outcomes in state and federal courts across the country, making him one of the country’s premier defense lawyers in automotive liability and other products liability matters. In his practice, he counsels mobility industry clients on proactive risk mitigation strategies for emerging automated driving technologies. Outside of litigation, he counsels clients on craft liability, indemnity, warning, and other language in agreements or transactional matters.
Carey earned a J.D., cum laude, from the William Mitchell College of Law and a B.A. from St. John’s University.
Melanie J. Chico - Chicago
Chico was appointed to serve as the firm’s Office Managing Member in Chicago. Chico also serves as Assistant Leader of Dykema’s Business Litigation Practice Group and as Co-Leader of the firm’s Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) practice team. She litigates complicated, high-stakes business disputes with the least disruption to the client while finding workable solutions both in and out of court. Her experience spans various industries with a client roster that includes automotive, real estate developers, trading companies, retailers, insurance carriers, financial institutions, and local governmental units
Chico earned a J.D. from the University of Chicago and a B.A. from Duke University.
Courtney F. Kissel – Bloomfield Hills
Kissel was selected as Director of the firm’s Regulated Industries Department. Much of her practice is devoted to guiding K-12 schools, universities, utilities, insurance companies, and other clients through the complex regulations that govern their operations. Because of her keen understanding of regulatory and legislative processes, she drafts proposed legislation, helps implement compliance procedures, and interprets complicated statutory and constitutional issues both before regulatory agencies and courts. In addition to general corporate representation on these issues, Kissel is also experienced in handling significant appellate cases for clients.
Kissel earned a J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Wisconsin Law School and an A.B., with highest distinction, from the University of Michigan.
Wilhelm E. Liebmann – San Antonio
Liebmann has been appointed to serve as Director of the firm’s Business Services Department, which includes the firm’s Corporate Finance Practice Group, Tax Practice Group, and Bankruptcy Practice Group. In his practice, Liebmann focuses on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and other strategic transactions. He works across a host of industries. In addition, Liebmann’s role goes beyond M&A to advise on other types of commercial transactions, corporate governance, regulatory guidance, and more. His clients operate in highly regulated industries, like alcoholic beverages, aviation, and public utilities.
Liebmann earned a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law and a B.B.A. in Finance from Texas A&M University.
Brandy R. Manning – Dallas
Manning has been named Co-Director of the firm’s Energy Industry Group, serving alongside Rick Aaron from Dykema’s Lansing office. In her practice, she represents producers, service companies, mineral owners, landowners, royalty owners, lessees, lessors, landowners, and alternative energy clients in oil and gas, general business, and ad valorem tax matters. Manning has more than two decades of commercial trial and appellate experience in both oil and gas and general business matters. She is board-certified in civil appellate law, and represents clients before administrative bodies, as well as in justice, trial, and appellate courts across Texas and New Mexico.
Manning earned a J.D., with honors, from the University of Texas and a B.B.A. in Marketing, summa cum laude, from Texas A&M University.
Gary P. Segal – Chicago
Segal was appointed to serve as Director of the firm’s Financial Industry Group, a team of more than 100 lawyers covering various practices and specialties. A certified public accountant, he is also the leader of Dykema’s lending practice team. In his practice, Segal documents, negotiates, and closes loans of all shapes and sizes and represents lenders and borrowers in various asset-based, cash flow, commercial, mezzanine, second lien, and real estate loans, as well as participations, workouts, turnarounds, and liquidations. He also provides general corporate representation to privately held companies, not-for-profits, and entrepreneurs.
Segal earned a J.D., magna cum laude, and A.B., with distinction, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Andrew G. Sherwood – San Antonio
Sherwood was selected to serve as Assistant Leader of the firm’s Real Estate Practice Group. His practice focuses on debt finance and real estate and he represents developers, property owners, landlords, tenants, and investors in negotiating acquisitions, dispositions, leases, financing, and a range of other real estate transactions. On the debt finance side, Sherwood counsels borrowers on complex issues and transactions involving debt markets and the acquisition of capital for strategic and operational needs. He focuses on mid-market transactions, including acquisition financing for large corporations and private equity sponsors and working capital financing for mid-market companies.
Sherwood earned a J.D. from the University of Texas Law School and a B.S. from Trinity University.
Diana Y. Tsai – Chicago
Tsai was appointed as Leader of the firm’s Corporate and Finance Practice Group after years of service as the Assistant Practice Group Leader. In her practice, she represents a wide range of institutional and non-institutional lenders and is experienced in structuring, documenting, negotiating, and closing secured and unsecured loan transactions, including asset-based and cash-flow financing. Tsai has considerable experience in representing banks in single-lender loan transactions, as well as administrative agents and participating lenders in large multi-bank syndicated credit facilities. In addition, she handles various aspects of loan restructuring, workouts, and liquidations.
Tsai earned a J.D., cum laude, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a B.A., with honors, from the University of Chicago.
About Dykema - Dykema serves business entities worldwide on a wide range of complex legal issues. Dykema lawyers and other professionals in 14 U.S. offices work in close partnership with clients – from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies – to deliver outstanding results, unparalleled service, and exceptional value in every engagement.
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