Commercial litigator, legal analyst/strategist and appellate attorney Laura S. Faussié has joined Butzel as a shareholder in the firm’s Troy office.
Faussié defends and counsels businesses of all sizes in a variety of industries, including telecommunications, gaming, banking, and sales, with respect to business disputes, including breaches of contract, business torts, real estate litigation, and employer-employee disputes. She has an understanding of legal matters particular to financial institutions and regularly defends them against claims implicating the Uniform Commercial Code and other regulatory frameworks, including wire fraud and check fraud, presentment and transfer warranty matters, and contract and tort disputes over ownership of accounts or alleged breaches of duty.
Faussié is an appellate attorney and has authored winning briefs before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, the Michigan Supreme Court, and the Michigan Court of Appeals. Faussié is a negotiator and frequently assists clients in resolving disputes through advantageous settlements.
Prior to joining Butzel, Faussié and a partner founded and ran a boutique-style litigation firm in downtown Detroit for more than 20 years.
Faussié is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, Litigation, Appellate, Business, and Real Property Sections. She is recognized by regional and national legal publications for her experience in business law matters. She has been recognized by Michigan Lawyers Weekly as a Michigan Go To Lawyer, Business Law in 2022. She also is Martindale Hubbell® - AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated.
Faussié earned a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School and a B.A. from Wheaton College.
• • •
The State Appellate Defender Office (SADO) is pleased to announce the promotion of Managing Attorney Jessica Zimbelman to the position of deputy director.
Since joining SADO in 2012, Zimbelman has worked in a variety of roles including as MAACS litigation support counsel, an assistant defender in the Direct Appeals and in the Juvenile Lifer Units, and as a managing attorney of Direct Appeals. She has appeared before the Michigan Court of Appeals and Michigan Supreme Court multiple times, as well as trial courts throughout the state. Zimbelman was the attorney for Paul Betts, which led to the Michigan Supreme Court’s sweeping opinion declaring the 2011 Sex Offenders Registration Act (SORA) ex post facto punishment.
Prior to SADO, Zimbelman worked for two legislative agencies: as the senior analyst at the Legislative Corrections Ombudsman’s Office and as a legislative aide in the Michigan House of Representatives. She currently is co-chair of the Rules and Law Committee of the Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan and chairs SADO’s Court Rules and Legislation Committee.
Zimbelman often testifies before the state legislature on pending legislation and offers public comment to the Michigan Supreme Court on pending court rule changes.
Zimbelman frequently trains attorneys and the public on topics ranging from case law updates, to SORA, to the use of expert witnesses, to being your authentic self as a woman in public defense.
Zimbelman is the co-founder and co-chair of SADO’s Racial Justice Initiative—a space dedicated to open dialogue about how race and racism operate within the walls of SADO and in the criminal legal system.
• • •
Varnum LLP tax attorney Kathryn Ahlbrand has been elected to serve a three-year term on the Troy Nature Society’s Board of Directors.
The Troy Nature Society is a nonprofit organization responsible for managing the programs and activities of the Stage Nature Center, located in Troy. The center offers educational programs and events designed to connect visitors with nature and wildlife. Features of the facility include play areas, animal and insect exhibits, native gardens, and nearly two miles of hiking trails.
Ahlbrand fondly recalls visiting the Stage Nature Center on school field trips and now enjoys spending time there with family on weekends. She looks forward to supporting the center’s mission and helping grow its impact in the region.
Ahlbrand is a member of Varnum’s Tax Planning, Compliance, and Litigation Practice Team, where she advises on international tax matters, including mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, and compliance. Prior to joining Varnum, she worked in international tax and transactions at two Big 4 accounting firms.
Ahlbrand also serves as a council member of the State Bar of Michigan’s Young Lawyers Section and is a member of the American Bar Association’s Section of Taxation.
Varnum is also pleased to announce that Sara Bennett has joined the firm as a partner in the Privacy and Mobility Practice Team. Bennett brings a decade of federal regulatory experience, most recently serving in the Vehicle Safety Standards & Harmonization Division of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Office of Chief Counsel.
In this role, Bennett led multidisciplinary teams in drafting and coordinating the review and issuance of federal regulations, safety standards, and guidance, with a focus on advanced vehicle technologies such as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), Automated Driving Systems (ADS), and vehicle cybersecurity. Her portfolio also included legal leadership related to international policy and technical regulation development at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, NHTSA’s Five-Star Safety Ratings Program, vehicle data storage systems, privacy, and Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) review.
Throughout her tenure in federal service, Bennett advised all levels of leadership within the Department of Transportation, provided technical assistance to Congress and state officials, coordinated inter-agency initiatives, and represented the U.S. government as a delegate to the United Nations. Her regulatory insight into how policymakers create and implement standards for emerging technologies is expected to bring value to Varnum clients working in the mobility and transportation innovation sectors.
Bennett said her decision to join Varnum was driven by the firm’s experience in mobility and autonomous systems.
“Varnum is at the forefront of advising companies operating in one of the most exciting and rapidly evolving spaces in the legal landscape,” Bennett said. “I’m energized by the opportunity to work alongside a team that’s not only sophisticated in its legal approach but also truly understands the transformative nature of these emerging technologies.”
Bennett is a graduate of American University Washington College of Law and Kent State University. While in law school, Bennett served as an intern at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, a law clerk at the Electronic Privacy Information Center and the Council on American-Islamic Relations, and a Trust and Safety legal intern at ZwillGen PLLC. Her accolades include the NHTSA Administrator’s Superior Accomplishment Award and the U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary’s Partnering for Excellence Award.
In addition, Varnum has been named one of Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s “Empowering Women” honorees for 2025, continuing a streak of recognition that began in 2023.
Varnum celebrates the contributions of women across all roles, including attorneys, paralegals, legal assistants, and professional staff.
The firm supports the advancement of women through Varnum Women’s Forum, a group led by two women partners that fosters a community of support, mentorship, and opportunity. The forum hosts programs, offers networking and business development opportunities, and advocates for the advancement of women attorneys into positions of influence.
Varnum also invests in external professional development initiatives across the state and offers mentoring through the Associate Retention and Training program, led in part by senior women attorneys, to help women envision and achieve long-term success at the firm.
• • •
Brooks Kushman is proud to announce its inclusion in Vault’s 2026 “Top 150 Under 150” which recognizes the nation’s leading small and midsize law firms delivering exceptional results.
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To submit an announcement for the next Legal People section, e-mail: editor@legalnews.com
Faussié defends and counsels businesses of all sizes in a variety of industries, including telecommunications, gaming, banking, and sales, with respect to business disputes, including breaches of contract, business torts, real estate litigation, and employer-employee disputes. She has an understanding of legal matters particular to financial institutions and regularly defends them against claims implicating the Uniform Commercial Code and other regulatory frameworks, including wire fraud and check fraud, presentment and transfer warranty matters, and contract and tort disputes over ownership of accounts or alleged breaches of duty.
Faussié is an appellate attorney and has authored winning briefs before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, the Michigan Supreme Court, and the Michigan Court of Appeals. Faussié is a negotiator and frequently assists clients in resolving disputes through advantageous settlements.
Prior to joining Butzel, Faussié and a partner founded and ran a boutique-style litigation firm in downtown Detroit for more than 20 years.
Faussié is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, Litigation, Appellate, Business, and Real Property Sections. She is recognized by regional and national legal publications for her experience in business law matters. She has been recognized by Michigan Lawyers Weekly as a Michigan Go To Lawyer, Business Law in 2022. She also is Martindale Hubbell® - AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated.
Faussié earned a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School and a B.A. from Wheaton College.
• • •
The State Appellate Defender Office (SADO) is pleased to announce the promotion of Managing Attorney Jessica Zimbelman to the position of deputy director.
Since joining SADO in 2012, Zimbelman has worked in a variety of roles including as MAACS litigation support counsel, an assistant defender in the Direct Appeals and in the Juvenile Lifer Units, and as a managing attorney of Direct Appeals. She has appeared before the Michigan Court of Appeals and Michigan Supreme Court multiple times, as well as trial courts throughout the state. Zimbelman was the attorney for Paul Betts, which led to the Michigan Supreme Court’s sweeping opinion declaring the 2011 Sex Offenders Registration Act (SORA) ex post facto punishment.
Prior to SADO, Zimbelman worked for two legislative agencies: as the senior analyst at the Legislative Corrections Ombudsman’s Office and as a legislative aide in the Michigan House of Representatives. She currently is co-chair of the Rules and Law Committee of the Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan and chairs SADO’s Court Rules and Legislation Committee.
Zimbelman often testifies before the state legislature on pending legislation and offers public comment to the Michigan Supreme Court on pending court rule changes.
Zimbelman frequently trains attorneys and the public on topics ranging from case law updates, to SORA, to the use of expert witnesses, to being your authentic self as a woman in public defense.
Zimbelman is the co-founder and co-chair of SADO’s Racial Justice Initiative—a space dedicated to open dialogue about how race and racism operate within the walls of SADO and in the criminal legal system.
• • •
Varnum LLP tax attorney Kathryn Ahlbrand has been elected to serve a three-year term on the Troy Nature Society’s Board of Directors.
The Troy Nature Society is a nonprofit organization responsible for managing the programs and activities of the Stage Nature Center, located in Troy. The center offers educational programs and events designed to connect visitors with nature and wildlife. Features of the facility include play areas, animal and insect exhibits, native gardens, and nearly two miles of hiking trails.
Ahlbrand fondly recalls visiting the Stage Nature Center on school field trips and now enjoys spending time there with family on weekends. She looks forward to supporting the center’s mission and helping grow its impact in the region.
Ahlbrand is a member of Varnum’s Tax Planning, Compliance, and Litigation Practice Team, where she advises on international tax matters, including mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, and compliance. Prior to joining Varnum, she worked in international tax and transactions at two Big 4 accounting firms.
Ahlbrand also serves as a council member of the State Bar of Michigan’s Young Lawyers Section and is a member of the American Bar Association’s Section of Taxation.
Varnum is also pleased to announce that Sara Bennett has joined the firm as a partner in the Privacy and Mobility Practice Team. Bennett brings a decade of federal regulatory experience, most recently serving in the Vehicle Safety Standards & Harmonization Division of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Office of Chief Counsel.
In this role, Bennett led multidisciplinary teams in drafting and coordinating the review and issuance of federal regulations, safety standards, and guidance, with a focus on advanced vehicle technologies such as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), Automated Driving Systems (ADS), and vehicle cybersecurity. Her portfolio also included legal leadership related to international policy and technical regulation development at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, NHTSA’s Five-Star Safety Ratings Program, vehicle data storage systems, privacy, and Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) review.
Throughout her tenure in federal service, Bennett advised all levels of leadership within the Department of Transportation, provided technical assistance to Congress and state officials, coordinated inter-agency initiatives, and represented the U.S. government as a delegate to the United Nations. Her regulatory insight into how policymakers create and implement standards for emerging technologies is expected to bring value to Varnum clients working in the mobility and transportation innovation sectors.
Bennett said her decision to join Varnum was driven by the firm’s experience in mobility and autonomous systems.
“Varnum is at the forefront of advising companies operating in one of the most exciting and rapidly evolving spaces in the legal landscape,” Bennett said. “I’m energized by the opportunity to work alongside a team that’s not only sophisticated in its legal approach but also truly understands the transformative nature of these emerging technologies.”
Bennett is a graduate of American University Washington College of Law and Kent State University. While in law school, Bennett served as an intern at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, a law clerk at the Electronic Privacy Information Center and the Council on American-Islamic Relations, and a Trust and Safety legal intern at ZwillGen PLLC. Her accolades include the NHTSA Administrator’s Superior Accomplishment Award and the U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary’s Partnering for Excellence Award.
In addition, Varnum has been named one of Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s “Empowering Women” honorees for 2025, continuing a streak of recognition that began in 2023.
Varnum celebrates the contributions of women across all roles, including attorneys, paralegals, legal assistants, and professional staff.
The firm supports the advancement of women through Varnum Women’s Forum, a group led by two women partners that fosters a community of support, mentorship, and opportunity. The forum hosts programs, offers networking and business development opportunities, and advocates for the advancement of women attorneys into positions of influence.
Varnum also invests in external professional development initiatives across the state and offers mentoring through the Associate Retention and Training program, led in part by senior women attorneys, to help women envision and achieve long-term success at the firm.
• • •
Brooks Kushman is proud to announce its inclusion in Vault’s 2026 “Top 150 Under 150” which recognizes the nation’s leading small and midsize law firms delivering exceptional results.
————————
To submit an announcement for the next Legal People section, e-mail: editor@legalnews.com
