Legal People

 Trott & Trott PC

Trott & Trott PC recently announced that Partner and Executive Vice President Marcy Ford was recently selected by her peers for inclusion in the 21st edition of The Best Lawyers in America® in the area of Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law.
Chair of Trott’s Executive Committee, Ford currently serves as president of USFN, a 50-state trade association serving the mortgage banking industry. Previously, she served as both vice president and secretary of USFN. Ford leads the firm’s bankruptcy practice group and works with firm partners and managers in all areas of operations.
Ford is a graduate of Western Michigan University, where she earned her master’s degree. She is also a graduate of Wayne State University Law School.

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Dickinson Wright PLLC

Dickinson Wright PLLC is pleased to announce that attorney Michelle L. Alamo has been appointed vice chair of the Defense Research Institute’s (DRI) Intellectual Property Committee. She previously served as the Committee’s 2014 Program Chair.
 
Alamo is a Member in the firm’s Detroit office where she focuses on intellectual property and patent litigation, complex commercial & business litigation, and eDiscovery. She counsels clients in a wide range of industries including automotive, telecommunications, technology, and construction. She also assists clients in litigation matters involving defamation, antitrust, trade secrets, supplier contracts, tortious interference, and more.

She is a member of the Defense Research Institute, the State Bar of Michigan, the Federal Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. Alamo is a Delegate to the Sixth Circuit Judicial Conference and is recognized as a leader in her field by Best Lawyers in America, Michigan Super Lawyers, and Hour Detroit. She received her B.S.E.E. from Kettering University and her law degree from the University of Detroit-Mercy School of Law.

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Beaumont Health Systm

Beaumont Health President and CEO Gene Michalski has named the top executive team for the new $3.8 billion health care organization that combined Beaumont Health System, Botsford Health Care and Oakwood Healthcare.
 
Gordon Walker, chief legal officer of Beaumont Health System, was among the Beaumont Health executive team members are announced.

The Beaumont Health executive team will work at temporary offices at the PNC building in Troy.

Beaumont, Botsford and Oakwood announced their intention to come together to form a new health care organization on March 26. They reached a definitive agreement on June 23. The new organization was launched on Sept. 2 after federal and state regulatory officials reviewed and approved the affiliation and granted tax-exempt, not-for-profit status.

Beaumont’s Health’s 14-member board of directors is a blend of former board members of all three organizations and is chaired by John Lewis, former chairman of the Oakwood Healthcare Board.

Now that the new organization is launched, teams of leaders are working with their counterparts at the other organizations to develop plans for integrating functional activities that build on the individual strengths of the three legacy organizations.

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Jaffe, Rait, Heuer  & Weiss PC
 
Jill Miller, a partner at Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer, & Weiss PC, has been appointed to the Southeast Acquirers Association (SEAA) Advisory Committee. Jaffe CEO Bill Sider made the announcement.
 
Founded in 2000, the SEAA was established on the importance to educate the ISO and MSP community, providing economical access to the payment processing industry’s latest trends and regulatory changes. As a member of the advisory committee, Miller will work with current SEAA Board Members on various projects and initiatives to further the objectives of the organization and the many benefits brought to its growing membership. 

“It’s an honor to be selected to join the team of seven industry colleagues on the Advisory Board,””Miller noted.  “”I look forward to working with the team to support the Board and the SEAA.””

Miller counsels independent sales organizations, point of sales (POS) providers and other clients in card processing, mobile payments, automated clearing house (ACH) and electronic fund transfer businesses on contractual, corporate, and compliance matters. She keeps businesses appraised of legal and regulatory developments, including compliance with Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover rules. She also advises clients on buying and selling merchant and residual portfolios. Her clients are primarily entrepreneurs that rely on her expertise to negotiate agreements, settle disputes and to benefit from her industry knowledge and connections. 

Miller routinely speaks at conferences, forums and panels educating her clients and peers on a local and national level. An active writer, Miller blogs for electronicpaymentslaw.com and has been published in multiple national trade publications, including ISO & Agent, Greensheet, Transaction World Magazine and The Michigan Business Law Journal. She is also an active leader and member in the Electronic Transaction Association (ETA) in
Washington, D.C., an international trade association representing more than 500 companies, from financial institutions to independent sales organizations.

Miller is a graduate of the Michigan State University College of Law, and received her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Eastern Michigan University.

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Wayne State University  Law School
Wayne State University Law School Assistant (Clinical) Professor Nick Schroeck has been appointed as The Year in Review vice chair for the Water Resources Committee of the American Bar Association’s Section of Environment, Energy and Resources.
 
The appointment is for 2014-15.

The Year in Review is published each year by the Section of Environment, Energy and Resources as a summary of important developments in pertinent law. Topics include air quality, environmental transactions and brownfields, water quality and wetlands, energy infrastructure and siting, oil and gas, and water resources.

Schroeck, a 2007 Wayne Law alumnus, directs and teaches the law school’s Transnational Environmental Law Clinic. In addition, he is executive director of the nonprofit Great Lakes Environmental Law Center.

In addition, Wayne State University Law School’s newest assistant professor, Blanche B. Cook, brings decades of experience with legal practice to her students and a deep commitment to helping them achieve bright futures.
For the past 8½ years, Cook been an assistant U.S. attorney in Nashville, Tenn., specializing in large-scale drug and sex-trafficking prosecutions.

Being a professor has been a dream of hers since she was a freshman in high school attending the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. She earned a bachelor’s degree at Vassar College and decided on law school. She earned her law degree at the University of Michigan Law School.

“Now, at Wayne Law, I’m surrounded by people on the brink of their horizon, on the brink of their future and wonderfully optimistic about it,” she said.

Among her legal experience, Cook clerked for U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Damon J. Keith, Sixth Circuit. 

“Judge Keith is both a civil rights pioneer and icon,” Cook said. “He is one of my most enduring sources of courage, intellectual acumen and inspiration.

“I would like to expose students, particularly those interested in civil rights work, to what he’s been able to accomplish by way of his case law. He’s been groundbreaking in terms of adjudication in the way he crafts an opinion. We have students devoted to equality, and they really need to be exposed to his cases, to the political climate in which he’s been operating and how he’s been able to do that. He’s a treasure trove of legal genius.”

Cook worked as an associate with Miller Canfield in Detroit from 1996 to 2000 and with Seyfarth Shaw in Chicago before she joined the U.S. Department of Justice in 2005. She’s elated to be back living and teaching in the Detroit, she said.

“I’m completely won over that this city is experiencing a rebirth.”

This semester, Cook is teaching Criminal Procedure: Adjudication at Wayne Law. She’s excited to be able to bring her experience to help educate new lawyers from all backgrounds to the realities, not just the philosophies, of legal practice.

“I am jubilated that I can pull back from practice to critically reflect on what the justice system looks like,” Cook said. “I enjoy sharing that with my students. A lot of them are working. A lot of them don’t ride the tide of privilege. They have to be aggressive and gritty in their endeavor. I’m happy to be of service in this environment. I think I’m suited for it. I have a real commitment to doing what I can to assist in the socioeconomic mobility of others.”

Her research of late is on specific aspects of sex trafficking and its prosecution. She hopes to help broaden understanding of the whole spectrum – not just of victims but of the customers and those who profit from the trade. She writes and lectures frequently on that topic and others, including race and gender discrimination.

“Six and half million people are being trafficked in the world for labor or sex,” Cook said. “It’s not just something happening in a foreign country. I try to make sure people understand the magnitude of the problem, the different forms it takes and the ways in which we’re all complicit.”

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Michigan Settlement  Administration Authority

Gov. Rick Snyder recently announced the appointment of attorney I. William Cohen to the Michigan Settlement Administration Authority. The Michigan Settlement Administration Authority was created by PA 141 of 2014 to oversee the State of Michigan’s contribution to the Detroit pension funds as part of the “Grand Bargain” settlement of the Detroit bankruptcy.

Before his retirement in 2009, Cohen was a senior partner of Pepper Hamilton LLP in its Detroit Office. In this capacity he devoted significant time to working closely with the leadership of companies experiencing financial difficulties. He was a member of the Turnaround Team for Peregrine, Inc., where he was responsible for negotiation and implementation of terms of the company’s financial restructuring with its creditors.

Cohen earned his bachelor’s and law degree from the University of Michigan. He is a member of the American College of Bankruptcy, and has previously served as the chair of its Board of Regents. He also chaired the Bankruptcy and Insolvency section of the Commercial Law League of America and served on the Board of Governors of that organization. Cohen is a current member of the Jewish Association for Residential Care for People with Developmental Disabilities.

The other two members of the Settlement Administration Authority’s Board of Directors are the State Treasurer and the State Budget Director. Cohen’s appointment is effective as of Sep.16, 2014.

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Dykema

Dykema recently announced today that several of its attorneys from six of the firm’s offices were named “local litigation stars” by Benchmark Litigation. Additionally, five of the firm’s attorneys were named “future stars.”
The Dykema attorneys named “local litigation stars” and the offices where they reside are:
 
• Michael P. Cooney – Detroit.

• Samuel C. Damren – Detroit.

• James P. Feeney – Bloomfield Hills.

• Dennis M. Haffey – Bloomfield Hills.

• Patrick F. Hickey  – Detroit.

• Peter M. Kellett  – Detroit.

The local Dykema attorneys named “future stars” and the offices where they reside are:

• Laura C. Baucus – Bloomfield Hills.

• Lisa A. Brown – Detroit.

• Brittany M. Schultz  – Bloomfield Hills.

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Rain BDM

Rain BDM, a business development and marketing consultancy for law firms and professional services, is pleased to announce that Elise V. Iafrate has joined the company.  
 
Rain BDM’s services include customized business development consulting such as customized training, one-on-one and small group coaching, workshops, and retreats, as well as marketing consulting that includes strategic planning, content development, website administration, social media and blog curation, and outsourced marketing management.

“For lawyers, CPAs, financial advisors, and other professionals, the competition has never been more fierce,” commented Iafrate, whose consulting practice will focus on training and coaching individuals and groups on relationship building skills, efficient cross-selling techniques, and personal marketing activities.  

“Rain BDM’s core philosophy is that a business development strategy, supported by a well-crafted marketing plan, is essential for continued growth and profitability.  We help our clients formulate those strategies and plans, then assist them in implementing and managing their efforts for long-term success.” 

Most recently, Iafrate helped grow Warner, Norcross, & Judd LLP’s client base in Southeastern Michigan, directly pursuing new business opportunities and collaborating with attorneys at the law firm on their own business development efforts.  

An active member of the State Bar of Michigan, she earned a bachelors degree in English from he University of Michigan, a law degree from Wayne State University Law School, and a masters in business administration from the Eli Broad Graduate School of Management Michigan State University.

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Health Law Partners

The Health Law Partners proudly recently announced that five attorneys in the Detroit office have been recognized as some of the finest attorneys in Michigan by Super Lawyers. Abby Pendleton, founding shareholder of The Health Law Partners, made the announcement.

Founding Shareholder Robert Iwrey and Partner Alan Gilchrist have once again received Super Lawyer recognitions, while Founding Shareholder Jessica Gustafson and associates Timothy Burkhard and Phillip Toutant each received Rising Stars status. 

Iwrey was named a Super Lawyer in Health Care—an award that he has received every year since 2010.  His practice encompasses the full spectrum of health care law, but his focus areas include licensure, staff privileges, contracts, government investigations and audit defense. Iwrey leads the Litigation Department and earned his law degree from graduate of Wayne State University Law School.  

Gilchrist was recognized as a Super Lawyer in Health Care—an award that he has received every year since 2006.  Gilchrist leads the Civil False Claims and White-Collar Criminal Defense practice group with a focus on matters related to fraud and abuse, reimbursement, licensure and compliance. He is a graduate of Wayne State University Law School.

Honored as a Michigan Rising Star in Health Care, Gustafson focuses her practice in Recovery Audit Contractors, Medicare, Medicaid and other payor audits. She also regularly assists health care providers with compliance and reimbursement matters. Gustafson earned her law degree from Wayne State University Law School.

Burkhard has been recognized as a Michigan Rising Star in Health Care. He focuses his practice on health care business transactions and corporate matters, licensure matters and health care litigation, including the Civil False Claims Act and white-collar criminal defense. He graduated from The University of Toledo College of Law.

Toutant has been recognized as a Michigan Rising Star in Health Care. He practices in all areas of health care law with a specific focus in litigation. Toutant attended Wayne State Law School.

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Neuman Anderson

Neuman Anderson PC announced that all three of the firm’s shareholders — Kenneth F. Neuman, Leif K. Anderson, and Jennifer M. Grieco — have been named to the Super Lawyers list published each year by Super Lawyers Magazine.
 
Managing Partner and Founder Kenneth Neuman was named one of the Top 100 Lawyers (2012, 2013 and 2014) and one of the Top 50 Business Lawyers(2013 and 2014) in Michigan.

Partner Jennifer Grieco was honored as one of the Top 100 Lawyers (2013 and 2014); one of the Top 50 Women Lawyers (2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014); one of the Top 50 Business Lawyers (2013 and 2014); and one of the Top 25 Women Business Lawyers (2013 and 2014) in Michigan.

Partner Leif Anderson was named a Super Lawyers Honoree (2014).

In 2013, attorney Stephen McKenney was named to Super Lawyers’ list of Rising Stars in the area of business litigation, recognizing up and coming attorneys who are 40 years old or younger or who have been in practice for 10 years or less.

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Honigman, Miller, Schwartz and Cohn LLP

Honigman, Miller, Schwartz, and Cohn LLP is pleased to announce that 120 of its attorneys were named in the 2014 Michigan Super Lawyers, including 88 as “Super Lawyers” and 32 as “Rising Stars.” Of all Michigan law firms, Honigman has the most attorneys named in the “Top 10,” “Top 100” and “Top 50 Women” categories. They are:

• Top 10—Norman C. Ankers and Joseph Aviv.

• Top 100—Kenneth T. Brooks, Michael D. Dubay, David Foltyn, Donald J. Kunz, Lawrence D. McLaughlin, Arthur T. O’Reilly, David N. Parsigian, Linda S. Ross (also in top 50 women), William D. Sargent, Phillip D. Torrence, and I. W. Winsten.

• Top 50 Women—Judy B. Calton, Anessa Owen Kramer, Linda S. Ross, and Linda A. Wasserman

For a complete list of Honigman Super Lawyers online, visit https://reaction.honigman.com/reaction/PDFs/Honigman-Michigan-Super-Lawyers-2014.pdf.

In addition, Honigman is pleased to announce that Brittany D. Parling joins the firm as an attorney in its Litigation Department. She will be located in Honigman’s Detroit office. 

Parling will assist with complex commercial litigation, including consumer class actions, shareholder class actions and contract disputes. She joins Honigman after four years at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher, & Flom LLP in Chicago.

Parling earned a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School and a B.A in English from Michigan State University. Immediately after law school, she served as a law clerk for U.S. Court of Appeals Judge David W. McKeague, Sixth Circuit. Her admission to the State Bar of Michigan is pending.

Honigman is also pleased to announce that Ilana Ben-Ze’ev has joined the firm’s Real Estate Department. She will be located in Honigman’s Bloomfield Hills office.

Ben-Ze’ev assists clients with commercial lending and financing and has particular experience in complex, multi-million-dollar direct and syndicated financing transactions, and troubled loan workouts. Her most recent position was as Dean of Students at the Wayne State University Law School. Before joining Wayne State Law, Ben-Ze’ev was a partner at Bodman PLC.

She earned a law degree from Emory University School of Law and a B.A. in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.

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Attorney Grievance  Commission
The Michigan Supreme Court has appointed Alan M. Gershel, veteran federal prosecutor and law school professor, to be grievance administrator for the Attorney Grievance Commission (AGC), the investigative and prosecutorial arm of the Supreme Court for allegations of attorney misconduct.
 
Gershel, a 1978 graduate of University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, most recently taught at Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing where he joined the full-time faculty in 2008. Previously, he served in the U.S.
Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan in Detroit, for nearly 30 years, including appointment as chief of the Criminal Division from 1989-2008. He has also been a hearing panelist for the Michigan Attorney Discipline Board for more than 20 years, including service as chair of a hearing panel.
 
He has earned numerous honors and recognitions, including the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law Moot Court Alumni Member of the Year, the Department of Justice Director’s Award for Superior Performance in a Managerial Role, the Federal Bar Association “Outstanding Practitioner in Criminal Law” Award, and the Department of Justice Director’s Award for Superior Performance as an Assistant U.S. Attorney.

Starting on October 13, as grievance administrator, Gershel will manage a legal staff of 13 attorneys and a support staff of 15, including three investigators. He also will oversee requests for investigation and other complaints and the disciplinary prosecution of matters that the AGC authorizes.

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Butzel Long

Butzel Long attorney Rebecca S. Davies is co-instructing a nine-week Human Resources Certification and Exam Prep Program at Walsh College’s Novi campus that started September 24. Davies, an adjunct faculty member at Walsh College, is co-instructing the program with Tina Marie Wohlfield, a Human Resources Consultant with Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

Davies concentrates her practice primarily in the areas of employment law and commercial litigation. 

She represents employers in federal and state court litigation and before state and federal administrative agencies. She regularly counsels employers regarding compliance under federal and state employment laws (including FLSA, FMLA, ADA and Title VII), drafts policies and procedures, and advises on preventative strategies.

She is a frequent author and lecturer, not only for client in-house trainings and publications, but also outside organizations including the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, Automation Alley and American Society of Employers. 

Davies earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan at Dearborn and law degrees from the Detroit College of Law and Wayne State University Law School.