Butzel immigration law attorney Reginald A. Pacis was a featured presenter during a virtual program addressing key immigration issues hosted by Global Detroit on Tuesday, March 25. The program included a focus on a Small Business Resource Guide, developed by Global Detroit, titled, “Preparing for Immigration Actions & ICE Audits.”
Global Detroit is an immigrant inclusive economic and community development organization. Pacis has served as a volunteer for more than 10 years and has served on the Global Entrepreneur in Residence (GEIR) Program Advisory Board.
Pacis focuses his practice in immigration law and has handled a variety of immigration matters including H-1B specialty occupation cases, L-1 Intracompany transfers, Labor Certification matters, Immigrant Visa Petitions/Adjustment of Status applications and interviews, TN Free trade cases, H-1B Department of Labor Investigations, I-9 employer verification compliance, and U.S. Port of Entry airport and land port interviews.
He was named Immigration Lawyer of the Year in 2025, 2023, and 2013, respectively in the field of Immigration Law by The Best Lawyers in America and has been listed in Best Lawyers for several years.
Pacis is a member of the American Bar Association, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), and the Samahang Pilipino Ng Oakland Filipino organization. He served two consecutive one-year terms from 2003 to 2005 as chairperson of the Michigan Chapter of AILA and was a member of the AILA National Board of Governors for those terms.
• • •
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer recently announced appointments to the following boards and commissions:
—Michigan Community Service Commission
Christopher Boll is lead counsel for mergers, acquisitions and alliances at Ford Motor Company. Boll serves as vice chair of Michigan Humane’s Humane Leaders Board of Directors, as a member of the Detroit Institute of Arts Founders Junior Council, and as board member of the Grand Circus Park Conservancy. Boll earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Michigan and a law degree from Notre Dame Law School. Boll is appointed to represent business for a term commencing March 20, 2025, and expiring October 1, 2027. Boll succeeds Angela Ayers, whose term has expired.
The Michigan Community Service Commission strives to build a culture of service by providing vision and resources to strengthen communities through volunteerism. The Commission develops a three-year comprehensive national and community service plan for the state that shall be updated annually, oversees and submits the state’s applications to AmeriCorps and other public and private funding sources, establishes policies and procedures for the use of federal funds, and develops initiatives to promote community service in coordination with existing programs.
This appointment is not subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.
—Mental Health Diversion Council
Milton Mack Jr. is the former state court administrator at the Michigan Supreme Court. Mack earned a Bachelor of Science in political science and history from Eastern Michigan University and a law degree from Wayne State University Law School. Mack is reappointed to represent the State Court Administrative Office for a term commencing March 20, 2025, and expiring January 30, 2028. Mack is also reappointed as chair of the Mental Health Diversion Council for a term expiring at the pleasure of the governor.
The Mental Health Diversion Council was created in the Michigan Department of Community Health to advise and assist in the implementation of the Diversion Action Plan and provide recommendations for statutory, contractual or procedural changes to improve diversion.
This appointment is not subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.
—MEDC Executive Committee
Michael Taylor has served as the mayor of Sterling Heights for more than a decade and is also a partner at Kirk, Huth, Lange, & Badalamenti PLC where he specializes in estate planning and probate law. A lifelong resident of Macomb County, Taylor served on the Sterling Heights City Council and as mayor pro tem prior to being elected mayor. Taylor earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Kalamazoo College and a law degree from Wayne State University Law School. Taylor is appointed to represent public entities for a term commencing March 20, 2025, and expiring April 5, 2027. Taylor succeeds Rosalynn Bliss, who has resigned.
The MEDC Executive Committee provides policy direction and guidance to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation regarding economic development program and initiatives. The Committee approves the MEDC corporate budget and appoints the chief executive officer, who administers all programs, funds, personnel, and all other transactions of the MEDC. The MEDC Executive Committee supports the MEDC through by assisting with governance, enabling results-based action, and advocating for both the organization and economic development in Michigan.
This appointment is subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.
• • •
William H. Horton has become a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. The induction ceremony at which Horton became a Fellow took place recently before an audience of approximately 600 during the recent Spring Meeting of the College in Maui, Hawaii.
Horton is a partner at Giarmarco, Mullins, & Horton PC and a trial attorney with more than 30 years of experience. A graduate of Michigan State University College of Law and a newly inducted Fellow, he specializes in business and commercial disputes, employment law, and real estate matters, particularly in the automobile industry. He has handled shareholder disputes, trade secret misappropriation claims, and non-competition agreement breaches.
Additionally, Horton has experience in intellectual property and software litigation and previously chaired the State Bar Information Technology Law Section. His expertise also includes riparian rights cases, having represented clients in courts across Michigan.
Certified as a Civil Trial Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, Horton has been named a Best Lawyer by U.S. News & World Report since 2011 and consistently receives Super Lawyer nominations. He also holds an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
• • •
Plunkett Cooney continues to expand its Labor & Employment Law Practice Group with the recent addition of attorney Bradley Gray.
A former field attorney for the National Labor Relations Board, Gray concentrates his practice in the areas of labor law, employment law and the defense of related litigation. Admitted to practice in Michigan, he represents organizations and individual clients in matters involving employment liability litigation, regulatory disputes and labor law violations.
Gray, who is a member of the firm’s Bloomfield Hills office, has handled claims involving unfair labor practice charges, investigated petitions for representation election and litigated National Labor Relations Act violations.
A former community school district school board president, Gray also has experience in the areas of education and municipal law. He is well versed in the traditional school board duties, and he has balanced budgets in crisis and assisted with employee discipline issues.
Gray received his law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law in 2023. He received his master’s degree from the Mike Ilitch School of Business at Wayne State University in 2020 and his undergraduate degree from the University of Central Florida in 2016.
• • •
Burris Law is proud to announce that founder and owner Kelly Burris has been selected as a Women in Leadership Honoree at the 29th Annual Women Thrive Conference and Awards, presented by MichBusiness.
As one of the honored Women in Leadership, Burris will join a panel of changemakers to share her insights and experiences with peers and industry leaders at the MichBusiness Women Thrive Conference scheduled for May 15. She also will be featured in the upcoming May/June issue of Corp! Magazine.
• • •
Dickinson Wright is pleased to announce that Michigan Lawyers Weekly named Lynn Capp Sirich (member and Domestic Relations & Family Law Practice Group co-chair, Troy) a “Go To Lawyer” for Family Law.
“I am honored to be selected by Michigan Lawyers Weekly as a ‘Go To Lawyer’ for Family Law. It is a privilege to be included with such a talented and accomplished group of attorneys,” said Sirich.
With more than 33 years of experience in all areas of family and domestic relations law, Sirich guides her clients through this legal process, always mindful of the fact that she is assisting clients through an often emotional and traumatic period of their lives with more than just their immediate divorce and child custody issues, as the business of divorce incorporates many different legal specialties.
Her range of services includes divorce, complex property settlement, business valuation issues; child and spousal support matters; prenuptial and postnuptial agreements; annulment and separation matters; custody, parenting time and grand parenting time issues; guardianships; step parent adoption; change of domicile, personal protection orders; Friend of the Court matters; enforcement and post judgment issues.
Sirich is recognized as a leader in her field by Michigan Super Lawyers, DBusiness Top Lawyers, and Best Lawyers in America. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.
• • •
Brooks Kushman is pleased to announce that Sangeeta Shah has been named one of the Top 50 Women in PTAB Trials by the PTAB Bar Association.
Shah is the president of Brooks Kushman, responsible for leading the firm’s Executive Committee. In addition to serving as the president, Shah maintains a docket as an IP practitioner with more than 20 years of experience in managing patent portfolios, PTAB matters, patent litigation, and opinions.?She has experience implementing enforcement programs that leverage the interplay of IPRs, reexaminations/reissues, strategic prosecution, and patent litigation—resulting in seminal PTAB, district and federal circuit decisions on such issues as standing for an appeal to challenge a PTAB final written decision and the use of newly added claims from a reexamination in pending litigation.
Shah works closely with several Fortune 500 clients for whom she provides strategic counseling and guidance on global intellectual property portfolios. Her patent expertise has resulted in national recognition from Managing IP, Best Lawyers, IAM, AIPLA, and the PTAB Bar Association.
• • •
Maddin Hauser is pleased to announce that Krista Cotter Ranta, Alexis Lauring, David Lin, and Kevin Majewski have joined the firm in its Financial Services and Real Property Litigation group. Lin is also a member of the firm’s Bankruptcy, Restructuring and Debtor-Creditor Rights group.
Ranta brings management perspectives and insights to representing corporate and commercial clients in civil litigation and post-judgment collection matters. She has represented clients in all aspects and phases of contested litigation at the trial and appellate levels in state and federal court and alternative dispute resolution proceedings. Ranta earned her law degree from Michigan State University College of Law.
Lauring brings in-house mortgage and outside counsel experience to her representation of national and regional commercial banks and other institutional lenders across various secured and unsecured financial transactions. She earned her law degree from Wayne State University School of Law.
Lin, a creditors’ rights and bankruptcy attorney, has experience and a record of obtaining favorable outcomes for lenders dealing with distressed loans or borrower insolvencies. He has represented the diverse interests of lenders in both pre- and post-judgment stages of commercial debt proceedings against borrowers, guarantors, and competing creditors. Lin earned his law degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
Majewski focuses his practice on disputes relating to real property, construction, mortgages, financial services, and other business issues. He also amassed skill defending large retailers, businesses, and individuals in negligence and personal injury defense litigation. Majewski graduated from Michigan State University College of Law.
Global Detroit is an immigrant inclusive economic and community development organization. Pacis has served as a volunteer for more than 10 years and has served on the Global Entrepreneur in Residence (GEIR) Program Advisory Board.
Pacis focuses his practice in immigration law and has handled a variety of immigration matters including H-1B specialty occupation cases, L-1 Intracompany transfers, Labor Certification matters, Immigrant Visa Petitions/Adjustment of Status applications and interviews, TN Free trade cases, H-1B Department of Labor Investigations, I-9 employer verification compliance, and U.S. Port of Entry airport and land port interviews.
He was named Immigration Lawyer of the Year in 2025, 2023, and 2013, respectively in the field of Immigration Law by The Best Lawyers in America and has been listed in Best Lawyers for several years.
Pacis is a member of the American Bar Association, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), and the Samahang Pilipino Ng Oakland Filipino organization. He served two consecutive one-year terms from 2003 to 2005 as chairperson of the Michigan Chapter of AILA and was a member of the AILA National Board of Governors for those terms.
• • •
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer recently announced appointments to the following boards and commissions:
—Michigan Community Service Commission
Christopher Boll is lead counsel for mergers, acquisitions and alliances at Ford Motor Company. Boll serves as vice chair of Michigan Humane’s Humane Leaders Board of Directors, as a member of the Detroit Institute of Arts Founders Junior Council, and as board member of the Grand Circus Park Conservancy. Boll earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Michigan and a law degree from Notre Dame Law School. Boll is appointed to represent business for a term commencing March 20, 2025, and expiring October 1, 2027. Boll succeeds Angela Ayers, whose term has expired.
The Michigan Community Service Commission strives to build a culture of service by providing vision and resources to strengthen communities through volunteerism. The Commission develops a three-year comprehensive national and community service plan for the state that shall be updated annually, oversees and submits the state’s applications to AmeriCorps and other public and private funding sources, establishes policies and procedures for the use of federal funds, and develops initiatives to promote community service in coordination with existing programs.
This appointment is not subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.
—Mental Health Diversion Council
Milton Mack Jr. is the former state court administrator at the Michigan Supreme Court. Mack earned a Bachelor of Science in political science and history from Eastern Michigan University and a law degree from Wayne State University Law School. Mack is reappointed to represent the State Court Administrative Office for a term commencing March 20, 2025, and expiring January 30, 2028. Mack is also reappointed as chair of the Mental Health Diversion Council for a term expiring at the pleasure of the governor.
The Mental Health Diversion Council was created in the Michigan Department of Community Health to advise and assist in the implementation of the Diversion Action Plan and provide recommendations for statutory, contractual or procedural changes to improve diversion.
This appointment is not subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.
—MEDC Executive Committee
Michael Taylor has served as the mayor of Sterling Heights for more than a decade and is also a partner at Kirk, Huth, Lange, & Badalamenti PLC where he specializes in estate planning and probate law. A lifelong resident of Macomb County, Taylor served on the Sterling Heights City Council and as mayor pro tem prior to being elected mayor. Taylor earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Kalamazoo College and a law degree from Wayne State University Law School. Taylor is appointed to represent public entities for a term commencing March 20, 2025, and expiring April 5, 2027. Taylor succeeds Rosalynn Bliss, who has resigned.
The MEDC Executive Committee provides policy direction and guidance to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation regarding economic development program and initiatives. The Committee approves the MEDC corporate budget and appoints the chief executive officer, who administers all programs, funds, personnel, and all other transactions of the MEDC. The MEDC Executive Committee supports the MEDC through by assisting with governance, enabling results-based action, and advocating for both the organization and economic development in Michigan.
This appointment is subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.
• • •
William H. Horton has become a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. The induction ceremony at which Horton became a Fellow took place recently before an audience of approximately 600 during the recent Spring Meeting of the College in Maui, Hawaii.
Horton is a partner at Giarmarco, Mullins, & Horton PC and a trial attorney with more than 30 years of experience. A graduate of Michigan State University College of Law and a newly inducted Fellow, he specializes in business and commercial disputes, employment law, and real estate matters, particularly in the automobile industry. He has handled shareholder disputes, trade secret misappropriation claims, and non-competition agreement breaches.
Additionally, Horton has experience in intellectual property and software litigation and previously chaired the State Bar Information Technology Law Section. His expertise also includes riparian rights cases, having represented clients in courts across Michigan.
Certified as a Civil Trial Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, Horton has been named a Best Lawyer by U.S. News & World Report since 2011 and consistently receives Super Lawyer nominations. He also holds an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
• • •
Plunkett Cooney continues to expand its Labor & Employment Law Practice Group with the recent addition of attorney Bradley Gray.
A former field attorney for the National Labor Relations Board, Gray concentrates his practice in the areas of labor law, employment law and the defense of related litigation. Admitted to practice in Michigan, he represents organizations and individual clients in matters involving employment liability litigation, regulatory disputes and labor law violations.
Gray, who is a member of the firm’s Bloomfield Hills office, has handled claims involving unfair labor practice charges, investigated petitions for representation election and litigated National Labor Relations Act violations.
A former community school district school board president, Gray also has experience in the areas of education and municipal law. He is well versed in the traditional school board duties, and he has balanced budgets in crisis and assisted with employee discipline issues.
Gray received his law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law in 2023. He received his master’s degree from the Mike Ilitch School of Business at Wayne State University in 2020 and his undergraduate degree from the University of Central Florida in 2016.
• • •
Burris Law is proud to announce that founder and owner Kelly Burris has been selected as a Women in Leadership Honoree at the 29th Annual Women Thrive Conference and Awards, presented by MichBusiness.
As one of the honored Women in Leadership, Burris will join a panel of changemakers to share her insights and experiences with peers and industry leaders at the MichBusiness Women Thrive Conference scheduled for May 15. She also will be featured in the upcoming May/June issue of Corp! Magazine.
• • •
Dickinson Wright is pleased to announce that Michigan Lawyers Weekly named Lynn Capp Sirich (member and Domestic Relations & Family Law Practice Group co-chair, Troy) a “Go To Lawyer” for Family Law.
“I am honored to be selected by Michigan Lawyers Weekly as a ‘Go To Lawyer’ for Family Law. It is a privilege to be included with such a talented and accomplished group of attorneys,” said Sirich.
With more than 33 years of experience in all areas of family and domestic relations law, Sirich guides her clients through this legal process, always mindful of the fact that she is assisting clients through an often emotional and traumatic period of their lives with more than just their immediate divorce and child custody issues, as the business of divorce incorporates many different legal specialties.
Her range of services includes divorce, complex property settlement, business valuation issues; child and spousal support matters; prenuptial and postnuptial agreements; annulment and separation matters; custody, parenting time and grand parenting time issues; guardianships; step parent adoption; change of domicile, personal protection orders; Friend of the Court matters; enforcement and post judgment issues.
Sirich is recognized as a leader in her field by Michigan Super Lawyers, DBusiness Top Lawyers, and Best Lawyers in America. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.
• • •
Brooks Kushman is pleased to announce that Sangeeta Shah has been named one of the Top 50 Women in PTAB Trials by the PTAB Bar Association.
Shah is the president of Brooks Kushman, responsible for leading the firm’s Executive Committee. In addition to serving as the president, Shah maintains a docket as an IP practitioner with more than 20 years of experience in managing patent portfolios, PTAB matters, patent litigation, and opinions.?She has experience implementing enforcement programs that leverage the interplay of IPRs, reexaminations/reissues, strategic prosecution, and patent litigation—resulting in seminal PTAB, district and federal circuit decisions on such issues as standing for an appeal to challenge a PTAB final written decision and the use of newly added claims from a reexamination in pending litigation.
Shah works closely with several Fortune 500 clients for whom she provides strategic counseling and guidance on global intellectual property portfolios. Her patent expertise has resulted in national recognition from Managing IP, Best Lawyers, IAM, AIPLA, and the PTAB Bar Association.
• • •
Maddin Hauser is pleased to announce that Krista Cotter Ranta, Alexis Lauring, David Lin, and Kevin Majewski have joined the firm in its Financial Services and Real Property Litigation group. Lin is also a member of the firm’s Bankruptcy, Restructuring and Debtor-Creditor Rights group.
Ranta brings management perspectives and insights to representing corporate and commercial clients in civil litigation and post-judgment collection matters. She has represented clients in all aspects and phases of contested litigation at the trial and appellate levels in state and federal court and alternative dispute resolution proceedings. Ranta earned her law degree from Michigan State University College of Law.
Lauring brings in-house mortgage and outside counsel experience to her representation of national and regional commercial banks and other institutional lenders across various secured and unsecured financial transactions. She earned her law degree from Wayne State University School of Law.
Lin, a creditors’ rights and bankruptcy attorney, has experience and a record of obtaining favorable outcomes for lenders dealing with distressed loans or borrower insolvencies. He has represented the diverse interests of lenders in both pre- and post-judgment stages of commercial debt proceedings against borrowers, guarantors, and competing creditors. Lin earned his law degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
Majewski focuses his practice on disputes relating to real property, construction, mortgages, financial services, and other business issues. He also amassed skill defending large retailers, businesses, and individuals in negligence and personal injury defense litigation. Majewski graduated from Michigan State University College of Law.
