The Butzel Aerospace & Defense Industry Practice is evolving to meet growing client needs. In addition to Beth S. Gotthelf, the leadership team now includes Derek Mullins and Anthony J. Scalise.
Butzel has experience with international aerospace companies across a variety of practice areas addressing a myriad of legal, business, and regulatory issues. Butzel has assisted both privately held and market-leading publicly held companies. In addition, the firm’s practice and resources are organized to provide cost-effective representation for multi-national and non-U.S. based companies, including special regulatory requirements related to the defense industry.
Gotthelf also is Butzel’s director of Innovation and External Relations and co-cChair of the Energy & Sustainability Practice.
For more than a decade, Gotthelf has been active in the Aerospace and Defense industries, advising clients in the various legal issues including governmental contracting, International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Export Administration Regulations (EAR), bids and bid protests, and Foreign Military Sales.
Gotthelf is chair of the Michigan Manufacturers Association Environmental Policy Committee and National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Board Directorship Certified.
Mullins has more than a decade of experience and focuses his practice on the aerospace and defense industry. In addition to his government contracts practice, he is a litigator and has prevailed on behalf of clients in state and federal courts in Michigan and across the nation.
Mullins has experience assisting companies of all sizes to navigate the numerous complex regulatory requirements relating to federal contracting that are inherent in the aerospace and defense industry and other areas of commerce. He handles a range of federal procurement matters, including bid protests and post-contract claims, prime-sub disputes, False Claims Act and procurement fraud issues, Small Business Administration issues, data rights, obtaining and maintaining security clearances, and compliance and ethics. He also advises clients on export control issues, including internal investigations and reviews and voluntary disclosures under U.S. export control regulations.
For more than 20 years, Scalise has advised corporate entities in the aerospace and defense industry on defense industry mergers and acquisitions (M&A), government contracting matters related to combat tracked vehicle weapon systems programs, and complex commercial matters. His experience spans buy-side and sell-side acquisitions, divestitures, and strategic investments, and ongoing regulatory, contractual, and compliance issues associated with operating in highly regulated national security environments.
Scalise has a background in advising on U.S. Department of Defense and federal contracting matters. His experience covers a range of Army and Dept. of Defense procurement programs, surge and sustainment planning, and building multi-level subcontracting teams that keep critical defense operations running smoothly.
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Abigail Richards, founder of Richards Family Law PLLC, has been selected as a Top 10 Under 40 attorney.
“You are recognized by another attorney who nominates you, so it feels good to be recognized by other people within the field as being someone that they think is doing a good job,” Richards said.
Richards has practiced law for more than a decade, building her firm around a choice to specialize exclusively in family law. Her practice covers divorce, child custody, parenting time, child and spousal support, asset division, and post-judgment modifications. She credits the firm’s growing reputation in large part to that narrow focus.
“Family law, the actual case law for it, is pretty static, but every case is very fact specific,” Richards explained. “Being able to focus on that type of law, as opposed to dipping your toes in that and then doing a little bit of bankruptcy and having to have a basic understanding of everything, I think it’s better to have a concentrated focus on your one field.”
The firm represents clients throughout Oakland, Wayne, Macomb, and Livingston counties, and across Michigan.
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Honigman LLP recently announced that Kelly Kluka joined the firm as a partner in the Regulated Industries Practice Group of the Regulatory Department. Joining the firm from Kirkland & Ellis, Kluka will focus her practice on sophisticated health care transactional, restructuring, liability management, and regulatory matters.
Kluka represents behavioral health providers, management and dental service organizations, medical spas, healthcare technology companies, private equity funds, public and private companies, payors, software providers, and health systems, as well as other health care providers and entities. She advises them on a range of corporate and health care matters including transactions, structural and regulatory compliance, licensure, corporate practice of medicine, fee splitting, and fraud and abuse considerations.
Kluka earned her law degree from Emory University School of Law and received her B.A. from the University of Florida.
• • •
Miller Johnson is pleased to announce that Jeff Turner has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Detroit Bar Association (DBA). The DBA Board sets the strategic direction for the organization and furthers its mission of creating and serving a legal community that promotes professionalism and integrity in the legal profession, supports access to justice, and fosters relationships and equity of opportunity for lawyers.
Turner has has a hisory of involvement in the Detroit Bar Association. He previously served as the president of the DBA’s Barristers Section from 2024 to 2025 and received the organization’s 2025 Section of the Year Award. He also volunteers his time with the Detroit Legal Services Clinic, which provides information and advice from volunteer attorneys to low-income individuals in Wayne County.
Turner is an associate in Miller Johnson’s litigation practice. He focuses his practice on class-action defense, appellate, and complex civil litigation. He also represents companies in defending False Claims Act investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice and state agencies.
Miller Johnson is also pleased to welcome Austin Miller to the Intellectual Property Practice Group in the firm’s Detroit office.
Miller is a patent professional who works closely with inventors to transform complex ideas into strong intellectual property assets. He drafts both provisional and non-provisional U.S. patent applications, crafts strategic responses to USPTO Office Actions that preserve claim breadth, and coordinates with international counsel to secure global protection. His work spans the full patent lifecycle including conducting freedom-to-operate searches, assessing patentability and invalidity, and preparing detailed search reports that guide client decision-making. Beyond patents, Miller also leads online brand-protection initiatives for a worldwide client base, managing enforcement efforts across Amazon, eBay, Alibaba, and other major e-commerce platforms to safeguard brand integrity.
Miller earned his law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan State University. He is admitted to practice in the State of Michigan and a registered attorney at the United State Patent and Trademark Office.
• • •
Kitch Attorneys & Counselors, PC is pleased to announce that Carina Kraatz has received the Pro Bono Service Award from the Detroit Bar Association. In tandem with this honor, she has also been reappointed to the Detroit Bar Association Board of Directors.
As the leader of Kitch’s intellectual property practice and an advocate in commercial and construction litigation, Kraatz balances her practice with her commitment to the Detroit community. This award recognizes her hours of volunteer legal service, guiding low-income individuals through complex litigation and advice clinics when they need it most.
Butzel has experience with international aerospace companies across a variety of practice areas addressing a myriad of legal, business, and regulatory issues. Butzel has assisted both privately held and market-leading publicly held companies. In addition, the firm’s practice and resources are organized to provide cost-effective representation for multi-national and non-U.S. based companies, including special regulatory requirements related to the defense industry.
Gotthelf also is Butzel’s director of Innovation and External Relations and co-cChair of the Energy & Sustainability Practice.
For more than a decade, Gotthelf has been active in the Aerospace and Defense industries, advising clients in the various legal issues including governmental contracting, International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Export Administration Regulations (EAR), bids and bid protests, and Foreign Military Sales.
Gotthelf is chair of the Michigan Manufacturers Association Environmental Policy Committee and National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Board Directorship Certified.
Mullins has more than a decade of experience and focuses his practice on the aerospace and defense industry. In addition to his government contracts practice, he is a litigator and has prevailed on behalf of clients in state and federal courts in Michigan and across the nation.
Mullins has experience assisting companies of all sizes to navigate the numerous complex regulatory requirements relating to federal contracting that are inherent in the aerospace and defense industry and other areas of commerce. He handles a range of federal procurement matters, including bid protests and post-contract claims, prime-sub disputes, False Claims Act and procurement fraud issues, Small Business Administration issues, data rights, obtaining and maintaining security clearances, and compliance and ethics. He also advises clients on export control issues, including internal investigations and reviews and voluntary disclosures under U.S. export control regulations.
For more than 20 years, Scalise has advised corporate entities in the aerospace and defense industry on defense industry mergers and acquisitions (M&A), government contracting matters related to combat tracked vehicle weapon systems programs, and complex commercial matters. His experience spans buy-side and sell-side acquisitions, divestitures, and strategic investments, and ongoing regulatory, contractual, and compliance issues associated with operating in highly regulated national security environments.
Scalise has a background in advising on U.S. Department of Defense and federal contracting matters. His experience covers a range of Army and Dept. of Defense procurement programs, surge and sustainment planning, and building multi-level subcontracting teams that keep critical defense operations running smoothly.
• • •
Abigail Richards, founder of Richards Family Law PLLC, has been selected as a Top 10 Under 40 attorney.
“You are recognized by another attorney who nominates you, so it feels good to be recognized by other people within the field as being someone that they think is doing a good job,” Richards said.
Richards has practiced law for more than a decade, building her firm around a choice to specialize exclusively in family law. Her practice covers divorce, child custody, parenting time, child and spousal support, asset division, and post-judgment modifications. She credits the firm’s growing reputation in large part to that narrow focus.
“Family law, the actual case law for it, is pretty static, but every case is very fact specific,” Richards explained. “Being able to focus on that type of law, as opposed to dipping your toes in that and then doing a little bit of bankruptcy and having to have a basic understanding of everything, I think it’s better to have a concentrated focus on your one field.”
The firm represents clients throughout Oakland, Wayne, Macomb, and Livingston counties, and across Michigan.
• • •
Honigman LLP recently announced that Kelly Kluka joined the firm as a partner in the Regulated Industries Practice Group of the Regulatory Department. Joining the firm from Kirkland & Ellis, Kluka will focus her practice on sophisticated health care transactional, restructuring, liability management, and regulatory matters.
Kluka represents behavioral health providers, management and dental service organizations, medical spas, healthcare technology companies, private equity funds, public and private companies, payors, software providers, and health systems, as well as other health care providers and entities. She advises them on a range of corporate and health care matters including transactions, structural and regulatory compliance, licensure, corporate practice of medicine, fee splitting, and fraud and abuse considerations.
Kluka earned her law degree from Emory University School of Law and received her B.A. from the University of Florida.
• • •
Miller Johnson is pleased to announce that Jeff Turner has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Detroit Bar Association (DBA). The DBA Board sets the strategic direction for the organization and furthers its mission of creating and serving a legal community that promotes professionalism and integrity in the legal profession, supports access to justice, and fosters relationships and equity of opportunity for lawyers.
Turner has has a hisory of involvement in the Detroit Bar Association. He previously served as the president of the DBA’s Barristers Section from 2024 to 2025 and received the organization’s 2025 Section of the Year Award. He also volunteers his time with the Detroit Legal Services Clinic, which provides information and advice from volunteer attorneys to low-income individuals in Wayne County.
Turner is an associate in Miller Johnson’s litigation practice. He focuses his practice on class-action defense, appellate, and complex civil litigation. He also represents companies in defending False Claims Act investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice and state agencies.
Miller Johnson is also pleased to welcome Austin Miller to the Intellectual Property Practice Group in the firm’s Detroit office.
Miller is a patent professional who works closely with inventors to transform complex ideas into strong intellectual property assets. He drafts both provisional and non-provisional U.S. patent applications, crafts strategic responses to USPTO Office Actions that preserve claim breadth, and coordinates with international counsel to secure global protection. His work spans the full patent lifecycle including conducting freedom-to-operate searches, assessing patentability and invalidity, and preparing detailed search reports that guide client decision-making. Beyond patents, Miller also leads online brand-protection initiatives for a worldwide client base, managing enforcement efforts across Amazon, eBay, Alibaba, and other major e-commerce platforms to safeguard brand integrity.
Miller earned his law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan State University. He is admitted to practice in the State of Michigan and a registered attorney at the United State Patent and Trademark Office.
• • •
Kitch Attorneys & Counselors, PC is pleased to announce that Carina Kraatz has received the Pro Bono Service Award from the Detroit Bar Association. In tandem with this honor, she has also been reappointed to the Detroit Bar Association Board of Directors.
As the leader of Kitch’s intellectual property practice and an advocate in commercial and construction litigation, Kraatz balances her practice with her commitment to the Detroit community. This award recognizes her hours of volunteer legal service, guiding low-income individuals through complex litigation and advice clinics when they need it most.
