Attorney Madeleine C. Craig recently joined the Commercial Litigation Practice Group of Plunkett Cooney.
A member of the firm’s Bloomfield Hills office, Craig represents clients in state and federal courts to resolve disputes involving breach of contract, warranty claims, shareholder conflicts, real estate, and general business issues.
Craig also maintains a transactional practice wherein she works with clients to provide them with advice and counsel on all stages of business operations, including entity formation, regulatory compliance, business planning and capital financing. She negotiates and drafts contracts for the purchase and sale of real estate, landlord/tenant contracts, property management agreements, financing statements, and operating agreements.
Craig received her law degree from Wayne State University Law School in 2021. She graduated from Albion College in 2018.
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McDonald Hopkins is pleased to announce that Reine Hamdar has joined the firm as an associate in the Litigation Department and a part of the Business Litigation Practice Group.
Her practice focuses primarily on complex commercial disputes, including matters involving business torts, contract disputes, and other high-stakes litigation affecting businesses across a wide breadth of industries. Her counsel is rooted in strategic problem-solving and advocacy, with a strong emphasis on delivering efficient and practical results for her clients.
“I was drawn to McDonald Hopkins because of its reputation for high-level commercial litigation, its collaborative culture, and its commitment to client service,” said Reine. “I’m excited to join a team known for its tenacity and creativity in the courtroom and look forward to contributing meaningfully to impactful work.”
Prior to joining McDonald Hopkins, Reine defended attorneys, engineers, brokers, and corporate clients in complex professional liability cases and high-exposure disputes. She managed all phases of litigation, from pre-suit strategy through dispositive motion practice and resolution, and regularly advised on AI ethics and regulatory compliance, gaining practical experience at the intersection of law and emerging technology.
“I’m excited to collaborate with exceptional trial attorneys. I look forward to deepening my courtroom experience and sharpening my advocacy skills while working on a diverse range of commercial matters,” Reine said.
Reine is based in McDonald Hopkins’ Detroit office.
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Dawda PLC is pleased to announce that Erin Bowen Welch, a member of the Real Estate Practice Group, has been selected as an honoree for Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s 2025 Influential Women of Law awards program.
In 2023 and 2024 alone, Welch successfully handled more than 100 real estate transactions across the Midwest region—encompassing Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Ohio, Tennessee, and Wisconsin—with aggregate purchase prices and loan amounts exceeding $1 million per transaction.
As a licensed real estate broker and attorney admitted to practice in both Michigan and Illinois, Welch brings a dual perspective to complex commercial real estate matters, enabling her to provide comprehensive counsel that addresses both legal and practical business considerations.
Welch earned her law degree from Michigan State University College of Law in 2013. She has been recognized by Michigan Super Lawyers “Rising Stars” list consecutively from 2017-2024, The Best Lawyers in America©, Ones to Watch in Corporate Law and Real Estate Law from 2021-2025, and as one of 30 attorneys in Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s “Up & Coming Lawyers” Class of 2018.
Welch authored “Taking a Closer Look at the Right of First Refusal, the Right of First Offer, and the Option to Purchase,” published in National Real Estate Investor in October 2018, providing practical guidance on these critical commercial real estate concepts. Her dedication to professional development extends to mentoring emerging legal talent within Dawda PLC, where she regularly works with associate attorneys and summer associates.
Since 2018, Welch has served on the Board of Trustees for Leaps and Bounds Family Services, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and adults in the Metropolitan Detroit area. She has also organized book drives for the organization and maintains active volunteer commitments at St. Hugo of the Hills parish and school.
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Bodman PLC is pleased to share that Christopher Attar and Catherine K. Kokotovich have rejoined the firm in its Detroit office. Attar is a member of the High Net Worth Practice Group and Kokotovich is a member of the Banking and Finance Practice Group.
Attar helps individuals, families, and their closely-held businesses navigate all types of tax and business matters, including complex personal and corporate transactions and reorganizations. He frequently advises clients on changes to the tax laws and on structuring transactions for maximum tax efficiency.
Attar previously was a senior associate at Bodman before leaving in 2020 to become in-house tax counsel for a multinational automotive company. In that position, he advised the company on strategic transactions, M&A, joint ventures, cross-border transactions, and entity structuring. He also practiced as a tax attorney at a global accounting firm.
Attar graduated from Wayne State University Law School and received his undergraduate degree from University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business.
Kokotovich concentrates her practice in the documentation of secured and unsecured single bank and multi-bank commercial loan transactions and in leveraged buyout and leveraged recapitalization loans, acquisition financing, asset-based loans, real estate financing, letter of credit facilities, and multi-rate, multi-currency loans and facilities, for borrowers in various industries.
Kokotovich began her legal career at Bodman in 2003. From 2022 to 2025, she served as an assistant general counsel for one of the nation’s largest all-digital banks, where she supported the commercial automotive financing and remarketing divisions by drafting and negotiating various commercial agreements, developing and updating standard forms, and assisting the bank with identifying and mitigating legal risks in connection with new product and service offerings.
Kokotovich is a graduate of University of Wisconsin Law School and received her undergraduate degree from University of Michigan.
• • •
Kimberly Berger, a principal attorney at Miller Canfield, has been named to Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s 2025 list of Notable Women in Law.
Berger has earned national recognition for her work in trademark law, brand protection, and intellectual property litigation. She represents clients ranging from startups to international companies, including Stellantis (maker of Chrysler, Dodge, Ram and Jeep brand vehicles), Ziebart, Chelsea Milling Company (maker of JIFFY brand mixes), Cannei (maker of the SET family of games) and others. She is known for helping clients manage and enforce global trademark portfolios, resolving complex disputes, and safeguarding some of the world’s most valuable brands.
Berger previously served as chair of the State Bar of Michigan’s Intellectual Property Law Council and has been a key voice in initiatives aimed at expanding access to IP law careers, including efforts to introduce high school students in STEM programs to the field of patent law.
She is ranked in Chambers USA, listed in Best Lawyers in America and DBusiness Top Lawyers, and has been honored by Super Lawyers and World Intellectual Property Review.
In addition to her client work, Berger is active in the International Trademark Association, serves as the co-chair of the firm’s Women of Miller Canfield group, and regularly volunteers to provide pro bono legal services to nonprofit organizations and small businesses in the Detroit area.
• • •
Dykema, a leading national law firm, is proud to announce that Member Scott Kocienski has been selected for DBusiness magazine’s “30 in Their Thirties” Class of 2025.
Kocienski, a business and real estate attorney, has played a role in the revitalization of Detroit’s skyline. His skill in strategic tax planning has been instrumental in structuring the financing for numerous landmark redevelopment projects, transforming historic properties into vibrant community assets.
Dykema also proudly announces that Member Jennifer Beidel was selected for the Class of 2025 “Influential Women of Law” by Michigan Lawyers Weekly. Beidel will be recognized at an awards ceremony on Friday, September 26.
A former federal prosecutor from the Southern District of New York, Beidel handles high-stakes matters in white-collar defense, internal investigations, and corporate compliance. Her career includes numerous accolades, such as advising Penn State University during the Sandusky scandal.
Beidel serves as Dykema’s national hiring partner and is the Michigan Chapter chair for the Women’s White Collar Defense Association.
Beidel earned a law degree from Penn State’s Dickinson School of Law and a B.S. from Penn State.
• • •
Taft Detroit partner Jordan Bolton has been recognized as one of the “Go To Business Litigation Lawyers 2025” by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
Bolton’s practice focuses on helping business leaders, in-house counsel, and individuals remove barriers to success by providing creative business-centric dispute resolution and transactional services, both within and outside state and federal tribunals nationwide.
Bolton also counsels clients in high-stakes litigation, while managing risks and resolving disputes arising out of client operations. He represents clients in a variety of industries, including automotive, construction, financial services, franchise, health care, manufacturing, private equity, real estate, retail, technology, and transportation.
A member of the firm’s Bloomfield Hills office, Craig represents clients in state and federal courts to resolve disputes involving breach of contract, warranty claims, shareholder conflicts, real estate, and general business issues.
Craig also maintains a transactional practice wherein she works with clients to provide them with advice and counsel on all stages of business operations, including entity formation, regulatory compliance, business planning and capital financing. She negotiates and drafts contracts for the purchase and sale of real estate, landlord/tenant contracts, property management agreements, financing statements, and operating agreements.
Craig received her law degree from Wayne State University Law School in 2021. She graduated from Albion College in 2018.
• • •
McDonald Hopkins is pleased to announce that Reine Hamdar has joined the firm as an associate in the Litigation Department and a part of the Business Litigation Practice Group.
Her practice focuses primarily on complex commercial disputes, including matters involving business torts, contract disputes, and other high-stakes litigation affecting businesses across a wide breadth of industries. Her counsel is rooted in strategic problem-solving and advocacy, with a strong emphasis on delivering efficient and practical results for her clients.
“I was drawn to McDonald Hopkins because of its reputation for high-level commercial litigation, its collaborative culture, and its commitment to client service,” said Reine. “I’m excited to join a team known for its tenacity and creativity in the courtroom and look forward to contributing meaningfully to impactful work.”
Prior to joining McDonald Hopkins, Reine defended attorneys, engineers, brokers, and corporate clients in complex professional liability cases and high-exposure disputes. She managed all phases of litigation, from pre-suit strategy through dispositive motion practice and resolution, and regularly advised on AI ethics and regulatory compliance, gaining practical experience at the intersection of law and emerging technology.
“I’m excited to collaborate with exceptional trial attorneys. I look forward to deepening my courtroom experience and sharpening my advocacy skills while working on a diverse range of commercial matters,” Reine said.
Reine is based in McDonald Hopkins’ Detroit office.
• • •
Dawda PLC is pleased to announce that Erin Bowen Welch, a member of the Real Estate Practice Group, has been selected as an honoree for Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s 2025 Influential Women of Law awards program.
In 2023 and 2024 alone, Welch successfully handled more than 100 real estate transactions across the Midwest region—encompassing Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Ohio, Tennessee, and Wisconsin—with aggregate purchase prices and loan amounts exceeding $1 million per transaction.
As a licensed real estate broker and attorney admitted to practice in both Michigan and Illinois, Welch brings a dual perspective to complex commercial real estate matters, enabling her to provide comprehensive counsel that addresses both legal and practical business considerations.
Welch earned her law degree from Michigan State University College of Law in 2013. She has been recognized by Michigan Super Lawyers “Rising Stars” list consecutively from 2017-2024, The Best Lawyers in America©, Ones to Watch in Corporate Law and Real Estate Law from 2021-2025, and as one of 30 attorneys in Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s “Up & Coming Lawyers” Class of 2018.
Welch authored “Taking a Closer Look at the Right of First Refusal, the Right of First Offer, and the Option to Purchase,” published in National Real Estate Investor in October 2018, providing practical guidance on these critical commercial real estate concepts. Her dedication to professional development extends to mentoring emerging legal talent within Dawda PLC, where she regularly works with associate attorneys and summer associates.
Since 2018, Welch has served on the Board of Trustees for Leaps and Bounds Family Services, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and adults in the Metropolitan Detroit area. She has also organized book drives for the organization and maintains active volunteer commitments at St. Hugo of the Hills parish and school.
• • •
Bodman PLC is pleased to share that Christopher Attar and Catherine K. Kokotovich have rejoined the firm in its Detroit office. Attar is a member of the High Net Worth Practice Group and Kokotovich is a member of the Banking and Finance Practice Group.
Attar helps individuals, families, and their closely-held businesses navigate all types of tax and business matters, including complex personal and corporate transactions and reorganizations. He frequently advises clients on changes to the tax laws and on structuring transactions for maximum tax efficiency.
Attar previously was a senior associate at Bodman before leaving in 2020 to become in-house tax counsel for a multinational automotive company. In that position, he advised the company on strategic transactions, M&A, joint ventures, cross-border transactions, and entity structuring. He also practiced as a tax attorney at a global accounting firm.
Attar graduated from Wayne State University Law School and received his undergraduate degree from University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business.
Kokotovich concentrates her practice in the documentation of secured and unsecured single bank and multi-bank commercial loan transactions and in leveraged buyout and leveraged recapitalization loans, acquisition financing, asset-based loans, real estate financing, letter of credit facilities, and multi-rate, multi-currency loans and facilities, for borrowers in various industries.
Kokotovich began her legal career at Bodman in 2003. From 2022 to 2025, she served as an assistant general counsel for one of the nation’s largest all-digital banks, where she supported the commercial automotive financing and remarketing divisions by drafting and negotiating various commercial agreements, developing and updating standard forms, and assisting the bank with identifying and mitigating legal risks in connection with new product and service offerings.
Kokotovich is a graduate of University of Wisconsin Law School and received her undergraduate degree from University of Michigan.
• • •
Kimberly Berger, a principal attorney at Miller Canfield, has been named to Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s 2025 list of Notable Women in Law.
Berger has earned national recognition for her work in trademark law, brand protection, and intellectual property litigation. She represents clients ranging from startups to international companies, including Stellantis (maker of Chrysler, Dodge, Ram and Jeep brand vehicles), Ziebart, Chelsea Milling Company (maker of JIFFY brand mixes), Cannei (maker of the SET family of games) and others. She is known for helping clients manage and enforce global trademark portfolios, resolving complex disputes, and safeguarding some of the world’s most valuable brands.
Berger previously served as chair of the State Bar of Michigan’s Intellectual Property Law Council and has been a key voice in initiatives aimed at expanding access to IP law careers, including efforts to introduce high school students in STEM programs to the field of patent law.
She is ranked in Chambers USA, listed in Best Lawyers in America and DBusiness Top Lawyers, and has been honored by Super Lawyers and World Intellectual Property Review.
In addition to her client work, Berger is active in the International Trademark Association, serves as the co-chair of the firm’s Women of Miller Canfield group, and regularly volunteers to provide pro bono legal services to nonprofit organizations and small businesses in the Detroit area.
• • •
Dykema, a leading national law firm, is proud to announce that Member Scott Kocienski has been selected for DBusiness magazine’s “30 in Their Thirties” Class of 2025.
Kocienski, a business and real estate attorney, has played a role in the revitalization of Detroit’s skyline. His skill in strategic tax planning has been instrumental in structuring the financing for numerous landmark redevelopment projects, transforming historic properties into vibrant community assets.
Dykema also proudly announces that Member Jennifer Beidel was selected for the Class of 2025 “Influential Women of Law” by Michigan Lawyers Weekly. Beidel will be recognized at an awards ceremony on Friday, September 26.
A former federal prosecutor from the Southern District of New York, Beidel handles high-stakes matters in white-collar defense, internal investigations, and corporate compliance. Her career includes numerous accolades, such as advising Penn State University during the Sandusky scandal.
Beidel serves as Dykema’s national hiring partner and is the Michigan Chapter chair for the Women’s White Collar Defense Association.
Beidel earned a law degree from Penn State’s Dickinson School of Law and a B.S. from Penn State.
• • •
Taft Detroit partner Jordan Bolton has been recognized as one of the “Go To Business Litigation Lawyers 2025” by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
Bolton’s practice focuses on helping business leaders, in-house counsel, and individuals remove barriers to success by providing creative business-centric dispute resolution and transactional services, both within and outside state and federal tribunals nationwide.
Bolton also counsels clients in high-stakes litigation, while managing risks and resolving disputes arising out of client operations. He represents clients in a variety of industries, including automotive, construction, financial services, franchise, health care, manufacturing, private equity, real estate, retail, technology, and transportation.
