Panelists pictured at the seminar were: (l-r) Judge Chris Christenson, Judge Matthew Antkoviak, Judge Victoria Valentine, Judge Jon Van Allsburg, Judge Curt Benson, Judge Kathryn Viviano, moderator Doug Toering, Judge Michael Warren, Victoria Policicchio, Brendan Frey, Jessica Fleetham, Brett Miller, former Court of Appeals Judge Chris Yates, and Judge David Allen.
On May 7, the State Bar of Michigan Business Law Section hosted a unique event, including in-house counsel, business court judges, transactional lawyers, and litigators. This “hot topics in business law” seminar at the Troy Marriott featured a total of 27 speakers and panelists.
What made this program particularly unusual is that 11 in-house counsel participated on two different panels, including four who served on a panel discussion with eight business court judges and one Court of Appeals judge. The seminar was well-attended and well-received.
Gerard Mantese, chair of the Business Law Section’s In-House Counsel Committee and co-chair of the LLC & Partnerships Committee, spearheaded the program and was one of the main presenters. Although the program was directed to in-house counsel and business court judges, it also featured many areas of interest for transactional attorneys and litigators as well.
The topics included:
• Specific areas of interest to in-house counsel. Here, Jason Brainer, Alisha Cieslak, Gloria Hage, David Jaffe, Jacquelynn Kittell, Deanna Kossaras Kelly, and Tom Shaevsky discussed issues in-house counsel are particularly concerned about. Former Business Law Section Chair Ian Williamson moderated.
• Drafting and litigating internal governing documents, trade secrets, non-competition agreements, and data privacy. These involve key issues that most any business must address. Gerard Mantese of Mantese Honigman, P.C. presented.
• Artificial intelligence, data security, and recent A.I. case law. The law on A.I. changes by the day, it seems. James Sherer of Baker Hostetler’s New York City office provided his insights.
• Litigating in Michigan’s business courts. A group of nine distinguished judges joined four in-house counsel to discuss everything from mistakes that companies make in pleadings, to making litigation in general and discovery in particular more efficient, to early mediation, to what business court judges would like in-house counsel to know about their challenges and what in-house counsel would like business court judges to know. (Four judges drove across the state to attend.) The nine judges included Judge David Allen (Wayne), Judge Matthew Antkoviak (Allegan), Judge Curt Benson (Kent), Judge Chris Christenson (Genesee), Judge Victoria Valentine (Oakland), Judge Jon Van Allsburg (Ottawa), Judge Kathyrn Viviano (Macomb), Judge Michael Warren (Oakland), and former Michigan Court of Appeals Judge Chris Yates. Wayne County Business Court Judge Annette Berry was unable to join but provided written comments. The in-house counsel included Jessica Fleetham, Brendan Frey, Brett Miller, and Victoria Policicchio. Doug Toering, who chairs the Business Courts Committee and the Commercial Litigation Committee, moderated. Toering is a past recipient of the BLS’s highest honor, the Schulman Award, and past chair of the BLS.
• Employment law update. Aaron Burrell, who recently was installed as president of the Oakland County Bar Association, discussed the at-will employment doctrine, employment discrimination, drafting strategies, and other employment-related issues.
• Internal corporate investigations. Here, former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tom Cranmer and Andrew Goetz explained some of the delicate but critical issues involved with internal investigations.
• GlassRatner, Rehmann, and U.S. Legal Support provided financial support.
“With good food, excellent speakers, timely topics, and a convenient venue, the event was a resounding success,” said Doug Toering, managing attorney of Mantese Honigman.
What made this program particularly unusual is that 11 in-house counsel participated on two different panels, including four who served on a panel discussion with eight business court judges and one Court of Appeals judge. The seminar was well-attended and well-received.
Gerard Mantese, chair of the Business Law Section’s In-House Counsel Committee and co-chair of the LLC & Partnerships Committee, spearheaded the program and was one of the main presenters. Although the program was directed to in-house counsel and business court judges, it also featured many areas of interest for transactional attorneys and litigators as well.
The topics included:
• Specific areas of interest to in-house counsel. Here, Jason Brainer, Alisha Cieslak, Gloria Hage, David Jaffe, Jacquelynn Kittell, Deanna Kossaras Kelly, and Tom Shaevsky discussed issues in-house counsel are particularly concerned about. Former Business Law Section Chair Ian Williamson moderated.
• Drafting and litigating internal governing documents, trade secrets, non-competition agreements, and data privacy. These involve key issues that most any business must address. Gerard Mantese of Mantese Honigman, P.C. presented.
• Artificial intelligence, data security, and recent A.I. case law. The law on A.I. changes by the day, it seems. James Sherer of Baker Hostetler’s New York City office provided his insights.
• Litigating in Michigan’s business courts. A group of nine distinguished judges joined four in-house counsel to discuss everything from mistakes that companies make in pleadings, to making litigation in general and discovery in particular more efficient, to early mediation, to what business court judges would like in-house counsel to know about their challenges and what in-house counsel would like business court judges to know. (Four judges drove across the state to attend.) The nine judges included Judge David Allen (Wayne), Judge Matthew Antkoviak (Allegan), Judge Curt Benson (Kent), Judge Chris Christenson (Genesee), Judge Victoria Valentine (Oakland), Judge Jon Van Allsburg (Ottawa), Judge Kathyrn Viviano (Macomb), Judge Michael Warren (Oakland), and former Michigan Court of Appeals Judge Chris Yates. Wayne County Business Court Judge Annette Berry was unable to join but provided written comments. The in-house counsel included Jessica Fleetham, Brendan Frey, Brett Miller, and Victoria Policicchio. Doug Toering, who chairs the Business Courts Committee and the Commercial Litigation Committee, moderated. Toering is a past recipient of the BLS’s highest honor, the Schulman Award, and past chair of the BLS.
• Employment law update. Aaron Burrell, who recently was installed as president of the Oakland County Bar Association, discussed the at-will employment doctrine, employment discrimination, drafting strategies, and other employment-related issues.
• Internal corporate investigations. Here, former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tom Cranmer and Andrew Goetz explained some of the delicate but critical issues involved with internal investigations.
• GlassRatner, Rehmann, and U.S. Legal Support provided financial support.
“With good food, excellent speakers, timely topics, and a convenient venue, the event was a resounding success,” said Doug Toering, managing attorney of Mantese Honigman.
Gerard Mantese, chair of the Business Law Section’s In-House Counsel Committee, was among the featured speakers at the May 7 event in Troy.
Photo courtesy of Mantese Honigman
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