2015 class of Up and Coming Lawyers showcases variety of practices, approaches

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by Cynthia Price
Legal News

A field of dedicated attorneys make up the West Michigan contingent of this year’s Up and Coming Lawyers, and each stands out in a different way.

From estate planning to a business law focus on mergers and acquisitions to employment law to commercial litigation, the lawyers given the prestigious honor have varied backgrounds and approaches.

The Up and Coming Lawyers website says their designees “are legal practitioners who are establishing a name for themselves, go above and beyond, and display the ambition, drive, determination and accomplishments that set them apart among their peers,” and sponsor Michigan?Lawyers Weekly has said they have “already distinguished themselves in some manner and appear poised for even greater things.” The 30 lawyers honored statewide will be celebrated at a luncheon Dec. 17 and profiled in a publication dedicated just to them.

Dustin J. Daniels of Miller Johnson is a business attorney who specializes in commercial contracting, joint ventures, and corporate finance transactions, with a particular focus on mergers and acquisitions.

The Flint native has been at Miller Johnson for about a year, coming there from Barnes and Thornburg’s Grand Rapids office. After receiving his B.S. in chemical engineering from Michigan Technological University and graduating summa cum laude from Michigan State University College of Law, Daniels practiced at Foley and Lardner in Milwaukee before returning to Michigan.

Daniels’ mergers and acquisitions work has reached the finalist stage in recognitions sponsored by M&A Advisor and the Association for Corporate Growth West Michigan chapter.

“I think what I like the most about this kind of work is it’s like putting a puzzle together. There are a lot of moving pieces,” he says, “and if you don’t move quickly and analyze quickly you’ll miss out on an opportunity.

“But what I’m proudest of is when my work is on very important transactional transformations for clients. I enjoy it when you get to help them accomplish a significant goal.”

Daniels has two children, 7 and 2, with another on the way, which limits his outside activities. “I coach my son’s soccer and baseball, and I volunteer with Kids Food Basket. I volunteered for Junior Achievement this year and will continue to next year. But with two young boys I try not to overcommit,” Daniels says.

“When you do the type of work I do, it’s 24/7 that you’re on call. You have to be able to be very accommodating in your schedule,” he adds.

Jamie Downes has also been with her firm, Varnum, for about a year, and has a varied background leading up to it.

Though she was born on the east side of the state, Downes says, “To make a long story short, I’m from all over the place.” She went to high school in British Columbia and lived in Texas and Iowa before attending Chicago-Kent College of Law. During law school, she clerked at a boutique law firm, but after getting her attorney license in 2013, she worked at BDO Seidman with high net worth individuals on compliance and planning — experience she regards as very helpful in her current estate planning focus. “I wanted to get more of a technical tax background, so BDO really helped with my knowledge,” she comments.

Regarding the Up and Coming designation, Downes says, “Well, I was definitely humbled. It’s an honor really to be recognized along with all these great attorneys from around the state, especially being a relatively new attorney.

“It’s hard to say, but I think maybe part of why I was recognized is a lot of women aren’t focused in tax and that sort of work, but really I think it just has to do with me being eager. Truthfully, I’m just very eager,” Downes says, “eager to serve people in this way, help them accomplish philanthropic and family goals.

“I also am starting to get pretty active in the community,” Downes continues. She serves as an attorney mentor for the Women’s Law Caucus of Wayne State Law, and helps fund-raise for Susan G. Komen for the Cure, but she has long felt most passionate about the Humane Society and now serves on its West Michigan Board of Directors.

“I really wanted to make a bigger impact,” she says, “so I’m co-chairing the 2016 Paws, Claws and Corks at DeVos Place.” The event is March 21; find out more at http://pawsclawsandcorks.com.

For Warner Norcross and Judd partner Amanda Fielder, her practice in employment law, defending employers against allegations of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful discharge and other matters, is exactly what she is meant to do. “To me the practice of law is not a job,” she says. “I love what I do and cannot image doing anything else.  The practice of law is challenging and rewarding.  It has given me the pleasure of working with some of the best colleagues and clients...”

The admiration is mutual. The Warner Norcross website quotes glowing praise from a client and refers to Fielder’s “fierce advocacy.” At the same time, as noted in the nomination for the position filled out by a Warner Norcross colleague, “She dedicates her career to helping our clients foster a healthy and profitable workplace for both management and their employees while actively trying to avoid potential litigation.”

The nomination states, “Amanda balances her busy practice as a litigation partner... with raising a young family... and being an active leader in the community and legal profession.” Fielder is a graduate of West Michigan Leadership Academy, co-chaired the Education Committee for the Michigan Society for Human Resource Management annual conference this year, and previously served on the Board of Directors for the Children’s Assessment Center, which helps suspected victims of sexual abuse.

Also named a Rising Star lawyer, Fielder received her B.A. from Western Michigan summa cum laude and her J.D. from Michigan State University J.D. magna cum laude.

She comments about being named to the Up and Coming list, “It is such a honor to be part of this class of honorees and mentioned in the same conversation as these talented attorneys from across the state.”

Also a Rising Star as well as a Local Litigation Star named by Benchmark Litigation, and one of the “Top 40 Lawyers Under 40” honored by the American Society of Legal Advocates, D. Adam Tountas has an active career in commercial litigation at Smith Haughey Rice and Roegge.

Tountas comments, “Well I’m honored and humbled. I’m not sure how I’ve gotten nominated, but any time somebody gives me a designation like some of the ones I’ve been able to pick up, I’m obviously very humbled.”

The SHRR website says,  “...above all he is an advocate.  The son of an educator, he learned the connection between clarity and persuasion at an early age.”

Indeed, though noting, “I’m not the kind of person who enjoys talking about himself,” Tountas says he has patterned his practice around two concepts: “relentless and creative advocacy, and responsiveness to my clients.”

What he primarily means by relentless and creative is that he starts working on behalf of his clients the moment he finds out that they are being sued, engaging with and thinking deeply about the nature of the dispute.

The Phi Beta Kappa Michigan State University graduate, who received his J.D. from Wayne State University Law School, says, “I really take a good hard look at the complaint to get beyond the form of the document to see what’s really being alleged here, and what are some out-of-the-box strategies. I spend a lot of time on the front end, and I think it pays dividends.”

Tountas lives in Ottawa County, where he has been active with the Republican Party as well as with Hope College’s Upward Bound, which helps historically disadvantaged youth with career preparedness. He has two young daughters and says that he is “spread  pretty thin,” but hopes to become more active someday in his memberships with the Michigan Defense Trial Counsel and Defense Research Institute.

Jordan M. Jones, who is based in the  Farmington Hills office of Michigan Auto Law (www.michiganautolaw.com) but works out of its Grand Rapids office part-time, also won an Up and Coming designation. “It’s a big honor and very humbling. I was kind of shocked but shocked in a good way,” he comments.

“Luckily I was able to land in a really good firm after law school, get some really good cases right out of the gate, and work with some really good attorneys to show me the ropes,” he adds.
 

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