Cooley Law School Distinguished Professor Emeritus Marla Mitchell-Cichon
has been inducted into Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s 2024 Class of
Influential Women of Law. The recognition ceremony was held on Sept. 27,
at Petruzzello’s in Troy.
In addition to teaching professional responsibility at Cooley, Mitchell-Cichon served as director of Cooley Law School’s Innocence Project, which she currently serves Of Counsel. Before joining academia, Mitchell-Cichon served as a public defender for two years in Stark County, Ohio. In this role, she practiced extensively in criminal and poverty law.
She has litigated cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, the Ohio Supreme Court, the Michigan Supreme Court, and trial and appellate courts in both Ohio and Michigan, and worked on legislative reform to improve the criminal justice system.
• • •
Strobl PLLC is pleased to announce the expansion of its business litigation capacity with the addition of Russell G. Carniak, a commercial litigator.
Carniak joined the Strobl law firm and brings his background in business litigation and his record of guidance and advocacy for his clients. He has specialized courtroom experience as well as the skill and knowledge to avoid litigation.
Carniak’s practice centers on representing businesses, organizations, and individuals in a variety of litigation matters and disputes. In addition to litigation, he also advises clients with business formation, organization, and structuring.
Prior to joining Strobl, Carniak was the managing partner at his own firm for more than two decades where he specialized in business and commercial litigation in the state and federal courts in Michigan. In addition, his practice concentrated in condemnation, family law, and liquor license transfers and acquisitions. He serves as an arbitrator, mediator and facilitator, as well as an expert witness in legal malpractice cases.
Carniak graduated with his law degree from the Michigan State University College of Law and earned his undergraduate degree at University of Michigan. He has served as chairperson for the Evans Scholars Foundation Committee at Pine Lake Country Club for the past 12 years.
• • •
Warner Norcross + Judd LLP was nationally ranked again for its top-tier litigation practice on BTI Consulting Group’s 2025 Upmarket Movers. The legal research firm recognized Warner, and 43 other law firms, as having a stellar reputation that continues to grow.
“We’re honored to be recognized again for our litigation prowess,” said Amanda Fielder, partner and chair of Warner’s Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice Group. “Our clients know they can count on us to be fierce advocates on their behalf, finding creative and effective legal solutions that help them meet their business goals.”
BTI has consistently ranked Warner and its Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice Group as a national leader. In September, BTI named Warner an “Awesome Opponent.”
The firm, which serves clients nationally from its nine Michigan offices, has also been recognized by BTI as a “Litigation Standout” and as one of the nation’s “Most Feared” litigation firms.
• • •
Attorney Kelsey M. Hall recently joined Plunkett Cooney as a member of its Torts & Litigation and Transportation Law practice groups.
A member of the firm’s Bloomfield Hills office, Hall maintains a litigation defense practice that includes premises liability, transportation liability, and general negligence claims.
Hall represents insurance carriers and their policyholders in slip, trip, and fall claims, first- and third-party auto negligence litigation, uninsured and underinsured motorist claims, special investigations fraud, subrogation and disputes involving breach of contract, general negligence, premises liability and exposure to asbestos.
A member of the State Bar of Michigan and Oakland County Bar Association, Hall graduated from the University of Iowa College of Law in 2023. She earned her undergraduate degree from Eastern Michigan University in 2020.
• • •
Management-side labor and employment law firm Nemeth Bonnette Brouwer PC is pleased to announce the firm has been recognized by Michigan Lawyers Weekly as a Best Women-Led Law Firm.
Majority owner and managing partner Deborah Brouwer, along with co-owner Terry Bonnette, has carried on the vision that firm founder Patricia Nemeth (now Of Counsel to the firm) launched 32 years ago when the practice niche of management-side labor and employment law was dominated by men.
Brouwer defied early career advice that women couldn’t be attorneys – or if they did, could only practice divorce and family law. Ignoring naysayers helped her reach multiple milestones for herself and the firm—and she became the majority shareholder in 2020.
“I’m so proud to continue Nemeth Bonnette Brouwer’s tradition of being women-owned and women-led and thrilled that others also recognize our legacy,” Brouwer said. “It’s amazing how winning cases, serving hundreds of clients and creating our own success since 1992 has helped us overcome the patriarchal challenges associated with both the legal and business professions. It’s an honor to be named a Best Women-Led Law Firm and celebrate the accomplishments of female-led firms across Michigan!”
Brouwer has a management-side labor and employment law practice, working with employers to establish productive and harmonious workplace environments. She provides counseling, training, and litigation services to a wide range of public and private sector and nonprofit clients and has experience with claims of race, age, disability, gender, and religious discrimination and harassment, as well as claims brought under the FMLA and FLSA. She has appeared before state and federal administrative agencies and courts in multiple states and is also a skilled workplace investigator.
Nemeth Bonnette Brouwer has been long-active in NAMWOLF (National Association of Minority & Women Owned Law Firms) and is a certified woman-owned business by WBENC (Women’s Business Enterprise National Council) and NWBOC (National Women Business Owners Corporation). The firm has also mentored women attorneys both within and outside of the firm, and created and supported alternative career tracks to support its staff’s personal commitments beyond work. Firm attorneys serve on multiple boards that have a special emphasis on protecting/promoting women, families, and vulnerable populations.
• • •
Foley, Baron, Metzger, & Juip (FBMJ) attorney Sarah Cherry recently presented “How to Defend Yourself Before You Get Sued” to a group of nursing students at Mid Michigan College in Mt. Pleasant, MI. The presentation included discussion on the anatomy of a medical malpractice lawsuit, implications of a lawsuit, medical charting tips, social media use by nurses, HIPAA, recordings by patients, medical battery, informed consent, and telehealth implications.
Cherry is a partner at FBMJ and has spent her career defending medical professionals, including hospitals, physicians, mid-level providers, and nurses.
• • •
The Dobrusin Law Firm is proud to announce that Daniela Walters has been formally recognized by the City of Pontiac for her volunteer service in the city, including with the Main Street Pontiac organization. A Resolution passed by the Pontiac City Council, with the endorsement of Mayor Tim Greimel, highlights Walters’ contributions in improving Downtown Pontiac.
In the Resolution, Walters is commended for her hundreds of volunteer hours supporting the Main Street Pontiac organization as a volunteer, board member, treasurer, and president. Through these efforts, improvements have been made in bridging systematic gaps and advancing the Downtown Pontiac area. It concludes by attributing the recent strengthening of the downtown area to Walters’ consistent philanthropic efforts.
Walters is an intellectual property attorney at The Dobrusin Law Firm. She has experience representing clients in all areas of intellectual property, including patents, trademarks, and copyrights. She also has experience in patent prosecution, particularly in the mechanical arts, electromechanical devices, manufacturing, and computer hardware and software.
• • •
Burris Law is proud to announce that the firm has been named one of Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s “Best Women-Led Law Firms.”
As a woman-owned intellectual property firm, Burris Law is deeply committed to fostering diversity and inclusion in the traditionally male-dominated field of intellectual property law. The firm was founded in 2016 by Kelly Burris, an attorney and engineer with a passion for innovation.
Reflecting on the honor, Burris shared, “Being a woman-led IP firm is about more than just leadership—it’s about breaking barriers, challenging norms, and creating opportunities for the next generation of women in law and STEM. We are thrilled to be recognized for our commitment to these ideals.”
Burris Law actively supports gender diversity in the legal profession and STEM fields through mentorship programs, partnerships with educational institutions, and scholarship sponsorships.
Burris serves on the board of directors of the Detroit Athletic Club, the board of trustees of Western Michigan University, and the Michigan Aeronautics Commission. She also co-chairs the Intellectual Property Practice Area Committee for the National Association of Minority and Women-Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF).
• • •
Wayne County Probate Court (WCPC) Chief Judge Freddie G. Burton Jr. has been named the 2024 recipient of the Treat Award for Excellence by the National College of Probate Judges (NCPJ). The Treat Award, which will be presented during the NCPJ Spring Conference, is given annually to an individual who has made a contribution of outstanding merit to the improvement of the law or judicial administration in probate or related fields.
Burton is being honored principally for his efforts in addressing mental illness in the criminal justice system, and in particular, for his creation of the WCPC Behavioral Health Unit (BHU), which uses assisted outpatient treatment to reduce jail overcrowding and dramatically improve the treatment of individuals with significant mental illness.
In launching the BHU, Burton convened regional stakeholders—mental health service providers, city and county governments, hospitals, prosecutors, county and local law enforcement, attorneys, judges—to coordinate the diversion, placement, and provision of mental health services among community agencies. This collaborative process has improved the delivery of mental health services provided to Wayne County residents and generated significant cost savings, all without compromising public safety. In addition, the BHU has served as a model to courts and other entities, including the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
Burton is in excellent company, as past Treat Award recipients include the late United States Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor (1983) and his former WCPC benchmate and current State Court Administrator Emeritus Milton L. Mack Jr. (2010)—Burton and Mack being the only recipients from Michigan since the Award program began in 1979. Burton was also honored by Crain’s Detroit Business as one of its 2023 “Notable Leaders in Behavioral Health” for his efforts in creating the BHU.
In addition to teaching professional responsibility at Cooley, Mitchell-Cichon served as director of Cooley Law School’s Innocence Project, which she currently serves Of Counsel. Before joining academia, Mitchell-Cichon served as a public defender for two years in Stark County, Ohio. In this role, she practiced extensively in criminal and poverty law.
She has litigated cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, the Ohio Supreme Court, the Michigan Supreme Court, and trial and appellate courts in both Ohio and Michigan, and worked on legislative reform to improve the criminal justice system.
• • •
Strobl PLLC is pleased to announce the expansion of its business litigation capacity with the addition of Russell G. Carniak, a commercial litigator.
Carniak joined the Strobl law firm and brings his background in business litigation and his record of guidance and advocacy for his clients. He has specialized courtroom experience as well as the skill and knowledge to avoid litigation.
Carniak’s practice centers on representing businesses, organizations, and individuals in a variety of litigation matters and disputes. In addition to litigation, he also advises clients with business formation, organization, and structuring.
Prior to joining Strobl, Carniak was the managing partner at his own firm for more than two decades where he specialized in business and commercial litigation in the state and federal courts in Michigan. In addition, his practice concentrated in condemnation, family law, and liquor license transfers and acquisitions. He serves as an arbitrator, mediator and facilitator, as well as an expert witness in legal malpractice cases.
Carniak graduated with his law degree from the Michigan State University College of Law and earned his undergraduate degree at University of Michigan. He has served as chairperson for the Evans Scholars Foundation Committee at Pine Lake Country Club for the past 12 years.
• • •
Warner Norcross + Judd LLP was nationally ranked again for its top-tier litigation practice on BTI Consulting Group’s 2025 Upmarket Movers. The legal research firm recognized Warner, and 43 other law firms, as having a stellar reputation that continues to grow.
“We’re honored to be recognized again for our litigation prowess,” said Amanda Fielder, partner and chair of Warner’s Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice Group. “Our clients know they can count on us to be fierce advocates on their behalf, finding creative and effective legal solutions that help them meet their business goals.”
BTI has consistently ranked Warner and its Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice Group as a national leader. In September, BTI named Warner an “Awesome Opponent.”
The firm, which serves clients nationally from its nine Michigan offices, has also been recognized by BTI as a “Litigation Standout” and as one of the nation’s “Most Feared” litigation firms.
• • •
Attorney Kelsey M. Hall recently joined Plunkett Cooney as a member of its Torts & Litigation and Transportation Law practice groups.
A member of the firm’s Bloomfield Hills office, Hall maintains a litigation defense practice that includes premises liability, transportation liability, and general negligence claims.
Hall represents insurance carriers and their policyholders in slip, trip, and fall claims, first- and third-party auto negligence litigation, uninsured and underinsured motorist claims, special investigations fraud, subrogation and disputes involving breach of contract, general negligence, premises liability and exposure to asbestos.
A member of the State Bar of Michigan and Oakland County Bar Association, Hall graduated from the University of Iowa College of Law in 2023. She earned her undergraduate degree from Eastern Michigan University in 2020.
• • •
Management-side labor and employment law firm Nemeth Bonnette Brouwer PC is pleased to announce the firm has been recognized by Michigan Lawyers Weekly as a Best Women-Led Law Firm.
Majority owner and managing partner Deborah Brouwer, along with co-owner Terry Bonnette, has carried on the vision that firm founder Patricia Nemeth (now Of Counsel to the firm) launched 32 years ago when the practice niche of management-side labor and employment law was dominated by men.
Brouwer defied early career advice that women couldn’t be attorneys – or if they did, could only practice divorce and family law. Ignoring naysayers helped her reach multiple milestones for herself and the firm—and she became the majority shareholder in 2020.
“I’m so proud to continue Nemeth Bonnette Brouwer’s tradition of being women-owned and women-led and thrilled that others also recognize our legacy,” Brouwer said. “It’s amazing how winning cases, serving hundreds of clients and creating our own success since 1992 has helped us overcome the patriarchal challenges associated with both the legal and business professions. It’s an honor to be named a Best Women-Led Law Firm and celebrate the accomplishments of female-led firms across Michigan!”
Brouwer has a management-side labor and employment law practice, working with employers to establish productive and harmonious workplace environments. She provides counseling, training, and litigation services to a wide range of public and private sector and nonprofit clients and has experience with claims of race, age, disability, gender, and religious discrimination and harassment, as well as claims brought under the FMLA and FLSA. She has appeared before state and federal administrative agencies and courts in multiple states and is also a skilled workplace investigator.
Nemeth Bonnette Brouwer has been long-active in NAMWOLF (National Association of Minority & Women Owned Law Firms) and is a certified woman-owned business by WBENC (Women’s Business Enterprise National Council) and NWBOC (National Women Business Owners Corporation). The firm has also mentored women attorneys both within and outside of the firm, and created and supported alternative career tracks to support its staff’s personal commitments beyond work. Firm attorneys serve on multiple boards that have a special emphasis on protecting/promoting women, families, and vulnerable populations.
• • •
Foley, Baron, Metzger, & Juip (FBMJ) attorney Sarah Cherry recently presented “How to Defend Yourself Before You Get Sued” to a group of nursing students at Mid Michigan College in Mt. Pleasant, MI. The presentation included discussion on the anatomy of a medical malpractice lawsuit, implications of a lawsuit, medical charting tips, social media use by nurses, HIPAA, recordings by patients, medical battery, informed consent, and telehealth implications.
Cherry is a partner at FBMJ and has spent her career defending medical professionals, including hospitals, physicians, mid-level providers, and nurses.
• • •
The Dobrusin Law Firm is proud to announce that Daniela Walters has been formally recognized by the City of Pontiac for her volunteer service in the city, including with the Main Street Pontiac organization. A Resolution passed by the Pontiac City Council, with the endorsement of Mayor Tim Greimel, highlights Walters’ contributions in improving Downtown Pontiac.
In the Resolution, Walters is commended for her hundreds of volunteer hours supporting the Main Street Pontiac organization as a volunteer, board member, treasurer, and president. Through these efforts, improvements have been made in bridging systematic gaps and advancing the Downtown Pontiac area. It concludes by attributing the recent strengthening of the downtown area to Walters’ consistent philanthropic efforts.
Walters is an intellectual property attorney at The Dobrusin Law Firm. She has experience representing clients in all areas of intellectual property, including patents, trademarks, and copyrights. She also has experience in patent prosecution, particularly in the mechanical arts, electromechanical devices, manufacturing, and computer hardware and software.
• • •
Burris Law is proud to announce that the firm has been named one of Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s “Best Women-Led Law Firms.”
As a woman-owned intellectual property firm, Burris Law is deeply committed to fostering diversity and inclusion in the traditionally male-dominated field of intellectual property law. The firm was founded in 2016 by Kelly Burris, an attorney and engineer with a passion for innovation.
Reflecting on the honor, Burris shared, “Being a woman-led IP firm is about more than just leadership—it’s about breaking barriers, challenging norms, and creating opportunities for the next generation of women in law and STEM. We are thrilled to be recognized for our commitment to these ideals.”
Burris Law actively supports gender diversity in the legal profession and STEM fields through mentorship programs, partnerships with educational institutions, and scholarship sponsorships.
Burris serves on the board of directors of the Detroit Athletic Club, the board of trustees of Western Michigan University, and the Michigan Aeronautics Commission. She also co-chairs the Intellectual Property Practice Area Committee for the National Association of Minority and Women-Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF).
• • •
Wayne County Probate Court (WCPC) Chief Judge Freddie G. Burton Jr. has been named the 2024 recipient of the Treat Award for Excellence by the National College of Probate Judges (NCPJ). The Treat Award, which will be presented during the NCPJ Spring Conference, is given annually to an individual who has made a contribution of outstanding merit to the improvement of the law or judicial administration in probate or related fields.
Burton is being honored principally for his efforts in addressing mental illness in the criminal justice system, and in particular, for his creation of the WCPC Behavioral Health Unit (BHU), which uses assisted outpatient treatment to reduce jail overcrowding and dramatically improve the treatment of individuals with significant mental illness.
In launching the BHU, Burton convened regional stakeholders—mental health service providers, city and county governments, hospitals, prosecutors, county and local law enforcement, attorneys, judges—to coordinate the diversion, placement, and provision of mental health services among community agencies. This collaborative process has improved the delivery of mental health services provided to Wayne County residents and generated significant cost savings, all without compromising public safety. In addition, the BHU has served as a model to courts and other entities, including the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
Burton is in excellent company, as past Treat Award recipients include the late United States Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor (1983) and his former WCPC benchmate and current State Court Administrator Emeritus Milton L. Mack Jr. (2010)—Burton and Mack being the only recipients from Michigan since the Award program began in 1979. Burton was also honored by Crain’s Detroit Business as one of its 2023 “Notable Leaders in Behavioral Health” for his efforts in creating the BHU.
