Legal People ...

Public finance lawyer Ronald C. Liscombe has joined Miller Canfield as a senior attorney in the firm’s Detroit headquarters.

He will assist public sector clients with a range of issues, including public finance and governance matters, helping municipalities, counties, school districts and other public entities to develop innovative and effective strategies in response to challenging finance and policy issues.

Liscombe brings hands-on public sector experience to his legal practice as the former chief sustainability officer for the City of Lakeland, Florida, and as policy counsel for former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm. He joins Miller Canfield from The Allen Law Group PC in Detroit.

He earned his law degree (2003) from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, and a B.A. (1998) from Michigan State University.

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Secrest Wardle is pleased to announce that Senior Partner William P. Hampton was recently selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2015 in the fields of Commercial Litigation, Family Law, Litigation – Land Use & Zoning, Litigation – Municipal, Litigation – Real Estate, Municipal Law and Real Estate Law.  Hampton has also been recognized as a consistent and dedicated member of the law community by his inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America for at least 20 years.

Hampton has experience not only as a lawyer, but also as a former Oakland County Circuit Court judge and former state legislator.

Hampton was the recipient of the Professionalism Award awarded by the Oakland County Bar Association in 2007 and received the Michael Franck Award from the State Bar of Michigan in 2010. Throughout his career, spanning 50 years, Hampton has been recognized on numerous occasions for his achievements, particularly as a leading authority in the area of municipal law. He was named “Municipal Law Lawyer of the Year” for 2012 in the State of Michigan by Best Lawyers in America and in 2013 was named by Michigan Lawyers Weekly as a “Leader in the Law.” 

Hampton is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, is listed in Who’s Who in American Law® and has been named to Metro Detroit DBusiness magazine’s list of “Top Lawyers.” Hampton has also been included in the list of Michigan Super Lawyers® by a vote of his peers from 2006 to 2013, consecutively.

In 2014, Hampton was recently awarded the Oakland County Bar Association’s “Distinguished Career Achievement Award,” which recognizes an attorney whose career exemplifies extraordinary achievement in the ideals of the profession throughout the active legal career of the recipient.  Additionally on August 14, 2014, Hampton was recognized by the Bloomfield Hills Optimist Club, as he was presented with its “Respect for Law Award,” honoring his position as a well-respected municipal law attorney in the community.

Hampton serves as attorney for the Cities of Bloomfield Hills and Auburn Hills, as well as for the Townships of Bloomfield and West Bloomfield. 

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Butzel Long attorney and shareholder Robin Luce Herrmann is a speaker in demand. Herrmann, who also serves as general counsel to the Michigan Press Association, will discuss the Freedom of Information Act, the Open Meetings Act and government transparency during programs presented by the Petoskey News-Review in Petoskey on September 10 and the Gaylord Herald Times in Gaylord on September 11. The programs are open to citizens and government officials.

Herrmann, a practice department chair for one of Butzel Long’s two Business Litigation Groups, concentrates her practice in the areas of media law, particularly defamation and access issues; commercial litigation, including Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO); non-competes and trade secrets; and civil rights.

She previously taught Law of the Press in the Journalism Department at Oakland University. Herrmann has been a guest speaker on Law of the Press at Wayne State University, Central Michigan University, and Oakland University.

Herrmann was recently appointed as chair of the State Bar of Michigan’s Law and the Media Committee for 2014-2015. She was appointed to the Committee in 2011. 

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Robert Labe, a shareholder with Williams, Williams, Rattner, & Plunkett in Birmingham, has been selected to become a fellow of the American Bar Foundation.

Selection as a fellow of the ABF confirms recognition of a lawyer whose career has demonstrated extraordinary leadership in the profession, service to society, and commitment to the ideals and objectives of the American Bar Association. Only 1 percent of all lawyers nationwide are invited to become fellows of the ABF.

Labe is a frequent lecturer and author on topics pertaining to his areas of practice including “Irrevocable Trusts,” West Legal Ed and NBI National Teleconference (December 2013); “What’s New in Estate and Gift Tax Law,” State Bar of Michigan (April 2011); Prenuptials, Post Nuptials, and Spousal Rights, Institute of Continuing Legal Education (September 2008); “Estate Planning for the Terminally Ill or Disabled Client,” 30th Annual Practitioners Conference Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants (August 2007); and “Buy-Sell Agreements for the Closely Held Business,” 2nd Annual Closely Held Business Institute, ICLE (November 2006).

Labe is a co-presenter of the Tax Update for the Financial and Estate Planning Council of Metropolitan Detroit. He practices in the areas of business law, business succession planning, estate planning, trusts and estates, and tax. Labe sits on the ICLE Business Law Advisory Board. He has served as chair of the Oakland County Bar Association Business Law Committee and as chair of the OCBA Probate, Estate and Trust Committee. Labe is included in Michigan Super Lawyers, Leading Lawyers, and Martindale Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, receiving its highest proficiency rating since 1993.

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Twelve attorneys in the Southfield office of the law firm Warner, Norcross, & Judd LLP have been named Super Lawyers in the ninth annual publication of Michigan Super Lawyers Magazine.

Southfield office attorneys featured on the Michigan Super Lawyers list are:

• Michael G. Brady
• Kurt M. Brauer
• Sean H. Cook
• William R. Jansen
• Steven C. Kohl
• Mary Jo Larson
• Sarah C. Lindsey
• Thomas J. Manganello
• Linda Paullin-Hebden
• Alan T. Rogalski
• Nazli G. Sater
• Lisa B. Zimmer

Larson was also selected to the Top 50 Women list.

Additionally, Jennifer A. Watkins was recognized as a Rising Star. 

Two partners in the Macomb County office of Warner Norcross have been named Super Lawyers in the ninth annual publication of Michigan Super Lawyers Magazine.

Matthew K. Casey and Frank E. Henke were among 55 Warner Norcross attorneys named to Michigan Super Lawyers. 

Additionally, Joseph R. Owens was recognized as a Rising Star.

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The Best Lawyers in America 2015 has recognized Honigman, Miller, Schwartz, and Cohn LLP as a “Top-Listed” firm in Michigan in 23 key practice areas. 

Honigman has the most Best Lawyers® of any law firm in Michigan in the following 11 key practice areas:

• Corporate Governance.
• Corporate Law.
• Health Care Law.
• Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law.
• Litigation and Controversy – Tax.
• Mergers and Acquisitions Law.
• Nonprofit/Charities Law.
• Real Estate Law.
• Securities/Capital Markets Law.
• Tax Law.
• Venture Capital Law.

Best Lawyers® also paid special tribute to attorneys who have been named since the inception of The Best Lawyers in America 30 years ago. The Honigman attorneys noted are:

• Maurice S. Binkow – Real Estate Law – Detroit.
• Cyril Moscow – Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities Regulation, Venture Capital Law – Detroit.
• Alan E. Schwartz – Corporate Law, Merger and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law – Detroit.
• Stevan Uzelac – Tax Law – Detroit.
• Sheldon P. Winkelman – Real Estate Law – Detroit.

Overall, 102 Honigman attorneys were selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2015 list.  Local Honigman attorneys include:
Bloomfield Hills

• Joseph Aviv – Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Family Law, Litigation – Mergers and Acquisitions, Litigation – Securities.
• Jonathan D. Block – Real Estate Law.
• Jonathan R. Borenstein – Real Estate Law.
• Richard J. Burstein – Real Estate Law.
• Regis A. Carozza – Trusts and Estates.
• Howard B. Goldman – Real Estate Law.
• Andrew (Jake) M. Grove – Litigation – Intellectual Property.
• Rebecca Donnini Grove – Tax Law.
• David J. Jacob – Real Estate Law.
• Martin L. Katz – Real Estate Law.
• Anessa Owen Kramer – Trademark Law.
• Michael A. Lisi – Copyright Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Patent Law, Trademark Law.
• Howard N. Luckoff – Real Estate Law.
• Jeffrey H. Miro – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Tax Law.
• Charles Nida – Non Profit/Charities Law, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates.
• Karen R. Pifer – Real Estate Law.
• J. Adam Rothstein – Real Estate Law.
• Lowell D. Salesin – Real Estate Law.
• Alan J. Salle – Real Estate Law.
• Richard S. Soble – Tax Law.
• Linda A. Wasserman – Non-Profit/Charities Law, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates.
• Brian D. Wassom – Litigation – Intellectual Property.
• L. Jeffrey Zauberman – Banking and Finance Law.

Detroit
• Joel S. Adelman – Real Estate Law.
• Norman C. Ankers – Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law.
• Richard A. Barr – Economic Development Law, Environmental Law.
• Donald F. Baty Jr. – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law.
• Jennifer L. Benedict – Health Care Law.
• Maurice S. Binkow – Real Estate Law.
• Mark A. Burstein – Real Estate Law.
• Judy B. Calton – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law.
• William M. Cassetta – Health Care Law, Insurance Law.
• Jason Conti – Commercial Litigation, Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Litigation – Real Estate.
• Roger Cook – Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Tax Law.
• Gregory J. DeMars – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law Litigation – Real Estate, Real Estate Law.
• Michael W. Domanski – Tax Law.
• Patrick T. Duerr – Corporate Law.
• David A. Ettinger – Antitrust Law, Franchise Law, Litigation – Antitrust.
• Cameron J. Evans – Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment.
• David Foltyn – Corporate Compliance Law, Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation.
• Carol A. Friend – Immigration Law.
• Lynn A. Gandhi – Corporate Law, Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Tax Law.
• Kenneth C. Gold – Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental.
• Margaret E. Greene – Construction Law, Real Estate Law.
• Raymond W. Henney – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Mergers and Acquisitions, Litigation – Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy), Litigation – Securities.
• Carl W. Herstein – Real Estate Law.
• William O. Hochkammer – Health Care Law, Insurance Law.
• Ann T. Hollenbeck – Health Care Law.
• Michael A. Indenbaum – Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Tax Law.
• Robert M. Jackson – Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Environmental.
• Philip J. Kessler – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Antitrust, Litigation – Intellectual Property.
• Robert J. Krueger Jr. – Securities/Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation.
• Donald J. Kunz – Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation, Venture Capital Law.
• Denise J. Lewis – Project Finance Law, Real Estate Law.
• Russell S. Linden – Employment Law – Management.
• Stewart L. Mandell – Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Tax Law.
• Kenneth R. Marcus – Health Care Law.
• Lawrence D. McLaughlin – Litigation – Real Estate, Real Estate Law.
• Mitchell R. Meisner – Real Estate Law.
• Cyril Moscow – Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities Regulation, Venture Capital Law.
• Lawrence J. Murphy – Commercial Litigation.
• Steven C. Nadeau – Environmental Law.
• Arthur T. O’Reilly – Commercial Litigation.
• Alex L. Parrish – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law.
• Julie E. Robertson – Health Care Law, Insurance Law.
• G. Scott Romney – Corporate Law, Government Relations Practice.
• Linda S. Ross – Health Care Law, Information Technology Law.
• E. Todd Sable – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation - Bankruptcy.
• William D. Sargent – Employment Law – Individuals.
• Gregory R. Schermerhorn – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law.
• Alan E. Schwartz – Corporate Law, Merger and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law.
• Alan S. Schwartz – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law.
• Joseph R. Sgroi – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law.
• Michael B. Shapiro – Litigation - Real Estate.
• Tricia A. Sherick – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law.
• Samuel T. Stahl – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law.
• Mark A. Stern – Appellate Practice, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation.
• Stuart H. Teger – Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Construction.
• Stevan Uzelac – Tax Law.
• Alan M. Valade – Tax Law, Trusts and Estates.
• Sheldon P. Winkelman – Real Estate Law.
• I. W. Winsten – Appellate Practice, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation.
• Jeffrey L. Woolstrum – Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental.
• Richard E. Zuckerman – Appellate Practice, Criminal Defense: White-Collar, Litigation and Controversy - Tax, Litigation – Securities.

Honigman is also pleased to announce that Aaron E. Bass, an attorney in the firm’s Real Estate Department, is featured in a DBusiness article titled “Top of Their Game,” which highlights six attorneys under the age of 40. The attorneys featured were nominated by their peers in the Detroit area legal community and by the magazine’s readers. The article appears in the July/August issue of DBusiness magazine and can be found on the magazine’s website in September.

Bass focuses his practice on development, financing, restructuring and leasing. He represents real estate owners and developers in the retail, industrial and office markets. Before attending law school, Bass structured real estate securitizations and bundled commercial mortgages for real estate and investment management company Gramercy Property Trust Inc. in New York City.

He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan’s Real Property Law Section and of the Urban Land Institute. Bass also is a member of the Detroit Next Generation Program Planning Committee of the International Council of Shopping Centers.

Bass earned a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School and a B.B.A. from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.

In addition, Honigman is pleased to announce that nine new attorneys have joined Honigman in its Detroit and Bloomfield Hills offices. All were summer associates in 2013. They are all anticipating admission to the State Bar of Michigan.

Elizabeth Allen joins Honigman’s Real Estate Department and will be located in the firm’s Detroit office. She earned a law degree from Washington University Law School in St. Louis and a B.A. in English and art history from Rutgers University.

David Axelson joins Honigman’s Corporate Department and will be located in the firm’s Detroit office. He earned a law degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and a B.A. in English from the University of Michigan.

Andrew W. Clark joins Honigman’s Litigation Department and will be located in the firm’s Detroit office. He earned a law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center and a B.A. in political science from the University of Notre Dame.

Nola Garcia joins Honigman’s Corporate Department and will be located in the firm’s Detroit office. She earned a law degree from Michigan State University College of Law and a B.A. in political science and Spanish from Saginaw Valley State University. Garcia was a summer associate in 2012 and 2013.

Elizabeth Gotham joins Honigman’s Labor and Employment Department and will be located in the firm’s Detroit office. She earned a law degree from Wayne State University Law School and a B.A. in international relations from the James Madison College at Michigan State University.

Maryam H. Karnib joins Honigman’s Real Estate Department and will be located in the firm’s Detroit office. She earned a law degree from the Wayne State University Law School and a B.A. in mathematics from Wayne State University.

Erik Lange joins Honigman’s Intellectual Property Department and will be located in the firm’s Bloomfield Hills office. He earned a law degree from Case Western Reserve School of Law and an M.S. in civil engineering from the University of Toledo and a B.S. in civil engineering from Ohio Northern University. Before attending law school, Lange worked as a project engineer for Jones & Henry Engineers in Toledo.

Andrew M. Pauwels joins Honigman’s Litigation Department and will be located in the firm’s Detroit office. He earned a law degree from the University of Notre Dame Law School and a B.A. in American studies from the University of Notre Dame.

Jeremy M. Scherlinck joins Honigman’s Corporate Department and will be located in the firm’s Detroit office. Jeremy earned a law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center and a B.A. in liberal arts from West Liberty University in West Virginia.

Honigman welcomed nine new attorneys to its Detroit and Bloomfield Hills offices including (front row, left to right) Elizabeth Gotham, Nola Garcia, Elizabeth Allen, and Maryam H. Karnib; along with (back row, left to right) Andrew W. Clark, David Axelson, Andrew M. Pauwels, Jeremy Scherlinck, and Erik Lange.

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