LEGAL PEOPLE


The litigation practice group at the Foster Swift law firm welcomes attorney Danielle N. Romano.

Romano joins the firm’s Southfield office and focuses her practice on a variety of civil litigation areas, including:

• Insurance defense litigation
• General liability matters
• First-party No-Fault
• Third-party auto negligence
• Michigan Assigned Claims Plan (MACP) Servicing Insurer Defense

Romano earned her B.A. in Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy from Michigan State University in 2018 and graduated with her law degree from Wayne State University Law School in 2022.

•            •            •

Foley, Baron, Metzger, & Juip PLLC (FBMJ) is pleased to announce that M. Hussein Houjaij has joined the firm as a new associate attorney. Richard Baron, member, made the announcement.

Houjaij’s practice will focus on environmental, toxic tort, mass tort and products liability litigation, as well as permitting and compliance with environmental regulations, and defending against alleged violations of environmental regulations.

Before joining FBMJ, Houjaij gained experience at two Michigan law firms where he specialized in legal services to small and medium-sized businesses, advising clients through all phases of commercial litigation, arbitration, and contract negotiations. As an assistant prosecutor in the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, he represented Michigan’s largest county in juvenile delinquency cases as first chair counsel for all trials.

Houjaij earned his law degree from Wayne State University Law School in 2019 and his Bachelor of Arts in Communications in 2016.

•            •            •

DBusiness magazine named Brian McKeen, founder and managing partner of McKeen & Associates PC, to its Top Lawyers 2023 list in the categories of Medical Malpractice and Personal Injury. Further, McKeen & Associates was named a Best Law Firm for 2023 through Best Lawyers.

Based in Detroit, McKeen & Associates PC represents individuals injured by the negligence of others particularly in or by hospitals and physicians.

•            •            •

Bodman PLC is pleased to announce that Julie E. Nichols has joined the firm as pro bono counsel, based in Troy.

In conjunction with the Pro Bono Committee, Nichols will coordinate all aspects of the firm’s pro bono program and manage the firm’s relationships with numerous legal clinics and referring organizations. She has experience representing pro bono clients and coordinating the activities of volunteer pro bono counsel.

Before joining Bodman, Nichols worked for seven years as a supervising attorney and pro bono manager with Legal Services of Eastern Michigan where she handled all manner of civil cases, assisted clients, prepared pleadings and court documents, supervised outside attorneys, and coordinated civil cases with the private bar. She also spent many years in private practice, most recently as a partner in the Insurance Coverage Group of a Michigan-based business law firm.

Nichols is a graduate of Wayne State University Law School. She also earned a Master’s degree from Wayne State University and received her undergraduate degree from The University of Michigan.

Nichols served as a law clerk to U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Cornelia G. Kennedy and to Michigan Supreme Court Justice Patricia Boyle.

•            •            •

Plunkett Cooney’s director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI), Laurel F. McGiffert, was recently named by Crain’s Detroit Business as one of their 2023 Notable Leaders in DEI.
Crain’s Detroit Business selected McGiffert and the other honorees for spearheading their organization’s DEI efforts, including coordinating discussions, implementing creative and effective training and focusing on equity and justice in the community.

McGiffert was appointed the firm’s first director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in 2018 by Plunkett Cooney President & CEO Thomas P. Vincent. She is responsible for helping create a more diverse and inclusive workforce at the firm. The firm’s efforts include, but are not limited to, recruiting and hiring of more diverse candidates, and implementing strategies to retain our talented professionals and support staff.

McGiffert, who graduated from Vassar College in 1970 and Wayne State University Law School in 1980, joined the firm in 1989 and became a partner in 1991. Prior to undertaking her current role, her nearly 40-year legal career included the defense of clients in civil litigation involving employment law, medical malpractice, municipal liability and general liability.

A member of the firm’s Medical Litigation, Employment Law, and Governmental Law practice groups, McGiffert remains active in various bar and professional organizations, including the State Bar of Michigan, the American Board of Trial Advocates and the Wolverine, Detroit and Oakland County bar associations. She also serves as a member of the board of directors for the Power Company Kids Club. Having recently served nine years on the board of directors of the Oakland Mediation Center (OMC), McGiffert was recently elected to OMC’s Advisory Board.

McGiffert is the recipient of numerous accolades, including the 2017 Earl J. Cline/Sherwin Schreier Award for Excellence from the Negligence Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan and the 2012 Respected Advocate Award from the Michigan Association for Justice. McGiffert is an AV-preeminent rated attorney by Martindale-Hubbell, and she has been named for multiple years as a Best Lawyer in America, a Michigan Super Lawyer and a Dbusiness magazine Top Lawyer. Crain’s Detroit Business named McGiffert to its 2017 list of Notable Women in the Law in Michigan, and she received “Hall of Fame” and “Women in the Law” honors from Michigan Lawyers Weekly in 2021 and 2015, respectively. She was also named one of the “2022 Most Influential Black Lawyers” by Savoy magazine.

In addition, Plunkett Cooney insurance coverage attorney Elaine M. Pohl is serving as program chair of the annual “Insurance Coverage and Practice Symposium” (ICPS) – the flagship conference sponsored by the Insurance Law Committee of DRI, Lawyers Representing Business.™

The ICPS, which takes place on Nov. 29 – Dec. 1 at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel, will feature faculty members from across the country who will address the biggest insurance coverage challenges and opportunities facing the insurance industry. Pohl will be joined by Plunkett Cooney’s Insurance Coverage Practice Group Co-leader Charles W. Browning who will present a Dec. 1 session titled “PFAS Claims: Are These ‘Forever Chemicals’ The New Asbestos?”

“I am honored to serve as the ICPS program chair,” said Pohl, who is a partner in the Bloomfield Hills office of Plunkett Cooney.  “I have worked with the Insurance Law committee leadership for years to put on this popular and prestigious national conference, and to now serve as chair is humbling and exciting.”

In her role as chair, Pohl is responsible for coordinating the symposium, including selecting and confirming topics and speakers, managing networking opportunities, overseeing marketing and serving as host for the event.

Pohl maintains a national practice counseling insurers in complex property and casualty disputes, including litigated and non-litigated matters. Her insurance coverage experience extends to claims involving professional liability, construction defects, bodily injuries, product liability, environmental contamination, personal and advertising injury issues, first-party property disputes and allegations of bad faith.

A graduate from the Indiana University School of Law in 1999, Pohl received her undergraduate degree from Villanova University in 1996. She is admitted to practice law in state and federal courts in Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. In addition to DRI, Pohl is a member of the State Bar of Michigan (past chair of the Insurance and Indemnity Law Section).

•            •            •

The Dobrusin Law Firm is pleased to announce that Founding Shareholder Eric Dobrusin has been elected chair-elect of the Board of Trustees of Common Ground, an organization
dedicated to providing crucial crisis support services. He is slated to assume the role of chair in 2025.

Dobrusin has been involved with Common Ground for many years, recognizing the invaluable services and resources it provides to the community.

•            •            •

McDonald Hopkins has continued its commitment to safeguarding clients’ digital assets and sensitive information by attracting new talent to its Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice Group with the hiring of Aysha F. Allos as a new associate.

Allos focuses her practice on advising companies in a wide variety of industries on best practices for preventing and responding to data privacy and cybersecurity incidents. This includes guidance on incident response, data breach notification, regulatory investigations, and data privacy and cybersecurity litigation, including class action litigation.

Allos also has experience providing privacy and cybersecurity-related diligence for mergers and acquisitions and advice related to the buying, selling and licensing of data. Allos regularly collaborates with cross-functional teams, including IT, risk management, and compliance departments, to ensure alignment and effective implementation of proactive privacy and cybersecurity measures. She has specific expertise in the area where data protection meets intellectual property, with a focus on the complex and evolving laws and regulations that govern data transmitted and stored in computers.

Allos is based out of McDonald Hopkins’ Detroit office.

•            •            •

Varnum received 62 metropolitan rankings spanning practice areas and markets in the latest edition of Best Law Firms® published by Best Lawyers®.  

Varnum’s local rankings for 2024 include:

TROY
Tier 1: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Tier 1: Tax Law
Tier 1: Trusts and Estates Law
Tier 1: Litigation – Tax
Tier 2: Litigation – Trusts & Estates

•            •            •

Michigan Lawyers Weekly has recognized Jones Day partner Emily Tait by including her in its 2023 class of “Leaders in the Law.”

Tait, who is based in the firm’s Detroit office and a member of the Intellectual Property Practice, develops IP protection, enforcement, and risk management strategies related to trade secrets, data, copyrights, patents, and trademarks. Her practice is also focused on generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), particularly IP issues arising from the use of GenAI tools.  Tait’s matters span diverse industries and technologies, including autonomous and automated systems, simulation software, electric vehicles, life sciences and health care tech, mobility, fintech, and consumer products.

Tait is active in Michigan’s legal community and co-founded and previously served as president of the Michigan Intellectual Property Inn of Court. She provides pro bono services to Michigan-based veterans, the firm’s Anti-Human Trafficking Initiative and Laredo Project, and cultural institutions and creativity-based nonprofits requiring IP assistance. She mentors and supports junior lawyers and in particular women and underrepresented minorities in the legal profession. As the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) chair for the Detroit office, Tait is active on the firm’s global diversity committee and works to bring attention to related initiatives in Detroit.

Tait has been named among the “WTR 1,000” (World Trademark Review) and “Notable Women Lawyers” by Crain’s Detroit Business.

In addition, Crain’s Detroit Business has named Ann Hollenbeck, partner-in-charge of the Detroit office, among the publication’s “Notable Leaders in DEI” for 2023.

As partner-in-charge, Hollenbeck has championed DEI by leading the Detroit office with an intentional approach to recruiting, training, mentorship and advancement, summer program activities, and pro bono services. She recently moderated a live fireside chat with groundbreaking Michigan leaders on shattering barriers in their professions, managing change, and developing resiliency in the face of significant challenges.

Hollenbeck is a partner in the Health Care & Life Science Practice and focuses on advising clients in the sector on digital health, artificial intelligence, human subjects research, organ transplant, pharmacy/340B, and fraud and abuse matters. She also represents health care, life sciences, and technology companies in transactional matters such as joint ventures and co-management arrangements. She regularly advises these entities with regard to the negotiation of clinical trial-related agreements, including virtual clinical trials, in addition to related regulatory matters, such as Medicare reimbursement and institutional review board responsibilities.

In the community, Hollenbeck serves on the Board of Directors and the Audit and Finance Committee of Gift of Life Michigan, which coordinates organ procurement and transplant for Michigan residents. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Ele’s Place, which provides peer support grief programs to children. Both are nonprofit organizations that serve the general public, including those who lack resources to otherwise access services.

In addition to this distinction, Hollenbeck was recently named a Michigan Lawyers Weekly: Leaders in the Law honoree.

•            •            •

Taft Detroit attorney Kimberly Ross Clayson was named a Michigan Lawyers Weekly Leaders in the Law 2023.

Clayson is an attorney in Taft’s Bankruptcy and Restructuring practice group.  She serves a diverse client portfolio in the areas of insolvency law, creditors’ rights, business law and health law. She provides counsel to operating businesses as well as to creditors of financially distressed businesses and individuals.

Clayson has experience restructuring business debtors and representing Chapter 7 trustees in fraud investigations and bankruptcy litigation.  She was appointed and presently serves as one of only five Subchapter V Trustees in the Eastern District of Michigan under the Small business Reorganization Act of 2019.

In addition, 17 attorneys in Taft’s Detroit office were named to DBusiness magazine 2024 Top Lawyers. Following are the Taft honorees:

Jeremy Bisdorf (Intellectual Property and Patent Law)
Jordan Bolton (Litigation – Commercial)
Kenneth Clarkson (Real Estate Law)
Mark Cooper (Insurance Law)
Paul Hage (Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights Law)
Ethan Holtz (Litigation – Commercial)
Shirley Kaigler (Trusts and Estates)
Lee Kellert (Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
Mark Kowalsky (Securities Law)
Eli Maroko (Immigration Law)
Christopher Moceri (Mergers & Acquisitions Law)
Mark Rubenfire (Real Estate Law)
Aaron Sherbin (Trust and Estates)
William Sider (Tax Law)
Arthur Siegal (Environmental Law)
David Steinberg (Franchise Law)
Arthur Weiss (Tax Law)

•            •            •

Meghan Kennedy Riordan was recently honored with the designation of Leader in the Law by Michigan Lawyer’s Weekly.

Riordan heads Kitch’s Immigration Law Practice Group. She has more than 32 years of experience in all aspects of immigration law.  She has experience in both employment-based and family related immigration law, issues of inadmissibility and removability, and naturalization/citizenship, as well as inbound/outbound corporate migration, immigration-related audits and I-9 compliance training. She is also licensed by the Law Society of Upper Canada as a Foreign Legal Consultant to provide services in Ontario.

Riordan has provided pro bono services to many Michigan organizations some of which include the Pope Francis Center and OLGC PBJ Ministry. She has also provided her services to many Irish organizations including the Irish Network Detroit, where she is currently serving as president of the organization.

The achievements of several other Kitch attorneys were also recently recognized at the 19th Annual Dennis W. Archer Public Service Award Gala. Marcy Tayler was inducted into the Detroit Bar Association’s Class of 2023 Fellows.

Additionally, Kaitlyn Elias, Joslyn Iafrate, Carina Kraatz, and John Sier were recognized with Pro Bono Awards. Pro Bono awardees are members who contributed 30 hours of pro bono work this year by volunteering for the Detroit Legal Services Clinic or one of the many pro bono opportunities presented by the Detroit Bar Association.

•            •            •

Collins Einhorn Farrell PC is pleased to announce that ten of our colleagues have been named to the 2024 “Top Lawyers” list by DBusiness magazine:

David C. Anderson, Legal Malpractice Law
Joshua I. Arnkoff, Professional Malpractice Law
Theresa M. Asoklis, Legal Malpractice Law
Donald D. Campbell, Legal Malpractice Law
Michael J. Cook, Appellate Law
Clayton F. Farrell, Product Liability
James J. Hunter, Litigation – Commercial
Deborah A. Lujan, Professional Malpractice
Michael J. Sullivan, Legal Malpractice Law, Product Liability
Nicole E. Wilinski, Insurance Law