The Jewish Bar Association of Michigan’s Annual Awards Celebration will honor two Oakland County Circuit Court Judges, David M. Cohen and retired Judge James M. Alexander. JBAM’s dinner will take place Wednesday, May 21, from 6 8:30 p.m. at the Somerset Inn in Troy.
The two judges share the same inspiration, said their colleague, Oakland Circuit Judge Lorie Savin. “They’re both dedicated to making the world a better place and giving back to the community.”
Cohen will be given JBAM’s “Ruth Bader Ginsburg Champion of Justice Award.” Alexander will receive the “Avern Cohn Lifetime Achievement Award.”
Savin praised the two honorees. “The key to being a good judge is knowing the law and working really hard to make good decisions,” she said. “It’s also recognizing that there are people who will feel the consequences of your decisions — and they’re counting on you to do a good job.”
The “Ruth Bader Ginsburg Champion of Justice Award” is very appropriate for Cohen, noted Savin. “He has so much compassion for other people,” she said. “His heart is all about serving the people in our community and doing the very best job that he can.”
Prior to his appointment to the Oakland Circuit Court by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2022, Cohen was an administrative law judge for 10 years, then he was managing administrative law judge for several areas in Southeast Michigan for four years after that.
“It was an honor of the highest order to be an administrative law judge,” he said.
“Administrative law judges are not given the credit they deserve for all the work they do in matters that are so important to citizens — whether it be in unemployment benefits, driver’s licenses, oversight of professional licenses or workplace safety. It was an extremely fulfilling time that I enjoyed, and it’s always going to be a part of me.
“When I was offered the opportunity to be promoted to the Oakland County Circuit Court bench, it was something I felt obligated to say ‘yes’ to, and it was a great honor,” he added.
“Administrative law and circuit court cases are very much similar in nature in the sense that you have to make important legal decisions while serving the public and exercising your legal skills on a high level every day.”
“It’s really a delight to be on the bench with him,” Savin said.
“There are some people who think judges have big heads or are special or have ‘black robe syndrome,’ but Judge Cohen is the opposite. That’s just the way he is, and it shows through in everything he does on the job,”?Savin noted. “That’s one of the remarkable things about him.”
Alexander was appointed to the Oakland County Circuit Court in 2001 by Gov. John Engler. He was reelected three times until 2020 when he reached the age limit to run again. However, he still serves on the court as a visiting judge.
“Judge Alexander is amazing,” said Cohen. “I appeared in front of him when I was a practicing attorney many years ago, and he’s been nothing but a mentor figure and helpful to me. We’re so lucky in Oakland County we get him back occasionally as a visiting judge, and he’s a person who’s very deserving of the honor he’s receiving.”
Alexander is best known in legal circles for establishing Oakland Circuit Court’s Business Court, along with his colleague, retired Judge Wendy Potts.
“Wendy Potts and I were the first two judges when they created the Business Court,” Alexander said. “We basically started it, we birthed it, and we watched it mature — and we’re very proud of what it’s doing now.
“The Business Court’s purpose was to create consistency in business opinions and expertise amongst the judges. Gov. Rick Snyder’s concept was that it would help bring business to Michigan — and I think it’s done that.”
Potts said, “So many of the things that were created in the Oakland County Business Court are still being implemented in the courts throughout the state. The Oakland Business Court is held in high regard, and that’s much due to Judge Alexander’s creativity and leadership.”
Alexander remains very active. Besides serving when available as a visiting judge on his former court, he and Potts joined the Detroit office of the private dispute resolution firm JAMS, which provides Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services.
“JAMS has been just a tremendous association, and we have a great office here,” he said. “I do a lot of business cases — arbitrations and mediations. So far, I’m flunking retirement.”
Alexander relishes his role in resolving disputes. “My whole career has been problem solving, and I love doing that,” he said.
Noted Potts, “Judge Alexander’s got very unique and creative ideas for solving a problem. He’s known as someone that can solve a very difficult situation.
“He knows how to cut through the weeds. When I have a difficult case now, I seek his advice because he’s a problem solver. He’s excellent at that. It made him a great judge and it’s making him an outstanding Alternative Dispute Resolution resource at JAMS.”
Alexander explained how he got involved in the law.
“When I was a freshman in college, I was in a seminar and we had to look at Supreme Court cases, and I just fell in love with it. Also, my grandfather was a lawyer, and my uncle was one of the founders in the field of labor arbitration. So, I kind of grew up around it.
“The other thing was I knew I wanted to get into was politics, and law was a great vehicle for that. From 1988-1994, I was chairman of the Oakland County Republican Party and, in his third term, Gov. Engler hired me as director of his Southeast Michigan office.
“I’m so very honored and delighted to receive this award,” he said.
In addition to the two judges, JBAM will give its “Chutzpah Attorney Advocate Award” to Michell Ribitwer and Jerome Sabbota. Cole Levine will receive JBAM’s Charles J. Cohen Esq. Law Student Scholarship, and David Sachs will be honored as Volunteer of the Year.
For tickets to the JBAM Annual Awards Celebration, visit jlive.app/events/10533/tickets. The dinner will take place from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 21, at the Somerset Inn, 2601 W. Big Beaver Road in Troy. Tickets are $60 for members and $75 for non-members. For information about JBAM or the dinner, visit JewishBar.org or contact JBAM President Jordan Zuppke at J@ZupacLaw.com or 248-709-7798.
The two judges share the same inspiration, said their colleague, Oakland Circuit Judge Lorie Savin. “They’re both dedicated to making the world a better place and giving back to the community.”
Cohen will be given JBAM’s “Ruth Bader Ginsburg Champion of Justice Award.” Alexander will receive the “Avern Cohn Lifetime Achievement Award.”
Savin praised the two honorees. “The key to being a good judge is knowing the law and working really hard to make good decisions,” she said. “It’s also recognizing that there are people who will feel the consequences of your decisions — and they’re counting on you to do a good job.”
The “Ruth Bader Ginsburg Champion of Justice Award” is very appropriate for Cohen, noted Savin. “He has so much compassion for other people,” she said. “His heart is all about serving the people in our community and doing the very best job that he can.”
Prior to his appointment to the Oakland Circuit Court by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2022, Cohen was an administrative law judge for 10 years, then he was managing administrative law judge for several areas in Southeast Michigan for four years after that.
“It was an honor of the highest order to be an administrative law judge,” he said.
“Administrative law judges are not given the credit they deserve for all the work they do in matters that are so important to citizens — whether it be in unemployment benefits, driver’s licenses, oversight of professional licenses or workplace safety. It was an extremely fulfilling time that I enjoyed, and it’s always going to be a part of me.
“When I was offered the opportunity to be promoted to the Oakland County Circuit Court bench, it was something I felt obligated to say ‘yes’ to, and it was a great honor,” he added.
“Administrative law and circuit court cases are very much similar in nature in the sense that you have to make important legal decisions while serving the public and exercising your legal skills on a high level every day.”
“It’s really a delight to be on the bench with him,” Savin said.
“There are some people who think judges have big heads or are special or have ‘black robe syndrome,’ but Judge Cohen is the opposite. That’s just the way he is, and it shows through in everything he does on the job,”?Savin noted. “That’s one of the remarkable things about him.”
Alexander was appointed to the Oakland County Circuit Court in 2001 by Gov. John Engler. He was reelected three times until 2020 when he reached the age limit to run again. However, he still serves on the court as a visiting judge.
“Judge Alexander is amazing,” said Cohen. “I appeared in front of him when I was a practicing attorney many years ago, and he’s been nothing but a mentor figure and helpful to me. We’re so lucky in Oakland County we get him back occasionally as a visiting judge, and he’s a person who’s very deserving of the honor he’s receiving.”
Alexander is best known in legal circles for establishing Oakland Circuit Court’s Business Court, along with his colleague, retired Judge Wendy Potts.
“Wendy Potts and I were the first two judges when they created the Business Court,” Alexander said. “We basically started it, we birthed it, and we watched it mature — and we’re very proud of what it’s doing now.
“The Business Court’s purpose was to create consistency in business opinions and expertise amongst the judges. Gov. Rick Snyder’s concept was that it would help bring business to Michigan — and I think it’s done that.”
Potts said, “So many of the things that were created in the Oakland County Business Court are still being implemented in the courts throughout the state. The Oakland Business Court is held in high regard, and that’s much due to Judge Alexander’s creativity and leadership.”
Alexander remains very active. Besides serving when available as a visiting judge on his former court, he and Potts joined the Detroit office of the private dispute resolution firm JAMS, which provides Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services.
“JAMS has been just a tremendous association, and we have a great office here,” he said. “I do a lot of business cases — arbitrations and mediations. So far, I’m flunking retirement.”
Alexander relishes his role in resolving disputes. “My whole career has been problem solving, and I love doing that,” he said.
Noted Potts, “Judge Alexander’s got very unique and creative ideas for solving a problem. He’s known as someone that can solve a very difficult situation.
“He knows how to cut through the weeds. When I have a difficult case now, I seek his advice because he’s a problem solver. He’s excellent at that. It made him a great judge and it’s making him an outstanding Alternative Dispute Resolution resource at JAMS.”
Alexander explained how he got involved in the law.
“When I was a freshman in college, I was in a seminar and we had to look at Supreme Court cases, and I just fell in love with it. Also, my grandfather was a lawyer, and my uncle was one of the founders in the field of labor arbitration. So, I kind of grew up around it.
“The other thing was I knew I wanted to get into was politics, and law was a great vehicle for that. From 1988-1994, I was chairman of the Oakland County Republican Party and, in his third term, Gov. Engler hired me as director of his Southeast Michigan office.
“I’m so very honored and delighted to receive this award,” he said.
In addition to the two judges, JBAM will give its “Chutzpah Attorney Advocate Award” to Michell Ribitwer and Jerome Sabbota. Cole Levine will receive JBAM’s Charles J. Cohen Esq. Law Student Scholarship, and David Sachs will be honored as Volunteer of the Year.
For tickets to the JBAM Annual Awards Celebration, visit jlive.app/events/10533/tickets. The dinner will take place from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 21, at the Somerset Inn, 2601 W. Big Beaver Road in Troy. Tickets are $60 for members and $75 for non-members. For information about JBAM or the dinner, visit JewishBar.org or contact JBAM President Jordan Zuppke at J@ZupacLaw.com or 248-709-7798.
