Legal People

Orlans Group, a family of companies specializing in real estate services through smart technology and lean processes, announced that Gov. Rick Snyder made the appointment of Linda Orlans, founder and executive chair of Orlans Group, to the Michigan Building Authority Board of Trustees.

Orlans will join the five-person board of trustees that oversees the State Building Authority, which issues and sells bonds and notes to acquire equipment and construct facilities for the use of the State of Michigan, including public universities and community colleges. She will serve the remainder of a four-year term expiring August 21, 2015.

“As a female business owner in the Southeast Michigan area, I feel empowered and truly honored to be given this opportunity to represent the state,” said Orlans. “My knowledge and experience in real estate law is applicable to this position with the board of trustees, and I’m looking forward to adding value to the State Building Authority by utilizing this background on behalf of the organization.”

Aside from the State Building Authority, Orlans currently serves on the board of trustees for the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Michigan Opera Theatre, and is a board member of Inforum. She earned her
bachelor’s degree from Wayne State University and received her law degree from Michigan State University College of Law.

•           •            •

Collins, Einhorn, Farrell PC is pleased to announce that attorney Shannon L. H. Phillips has joined the firm’s Insurance Coverage practice group. Phillips will focus her practice in the area of insurance coverage litigation and has experience in representing insurance companies in complex coverage matters, including in the areas of environmental contamination, construction defect, product liability and claims involving allegations of bad faith, personal injury and advertising injury.

In addition to her insurance law practice, Phillips has experience working in various areas of commercial litigation including automotive liability, business torts and fraud, class action defense, ERISA, trademark infringement, unfair competition and the Uniform Commercial Code.

Phillips received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan in 2004 and went on to obtain a law degree from Wayne State University Law School in 2008. 

Phillips is a member of the Insurance and Indemnity Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan, the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, and the Defense Research Institute.
Phillips is an active volunteer at Conant Elementary School and Kirk in the Hills church.

•           •            •

Chambers USA 2015 has released its newest rankings, and has recognized two attorneys at Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy, & Sadler with its two highest rankings.

Edward Dawda received a Band 1 ranking in the practice of real estate, and was recognized for his work within retail, industrial and commercial development.

Theresa C. Joswick received a Band 2 ranking in the practice area of employee benefits and executive compensation.

•           •            •

Jackson Lewis PC is pleased to announce that Detroit and Grand Rapids Managing Shareholder Maurice G. Jenkins has been recognized among the “Nation’s Most Powerful Employment Attorneys,” an annual list prepared for Human Resource Executive® by Lawdragon. Jenkins is one of three attorneys from the firm selected to the list.

Jenkins has practiced labor and employment law for more than 30 years. He has first chaired jury trials, labor and civil rights arbitrations, NLRB hearings and state civil rights administrative cases on behalf of employers in such business sectors as automotive, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, international, national and regional consumer retailers, information technology, telecommunications, gaming, and financial services.  Jenkins also advises and represents employers with respect to strategic labor relations matters, collective bargaining and NLRB litigation.

In addition, Jenkins has conducted investigations of workplace fatalities, improper conduct on the part of procurement agents, and alleged workplace harassment. An accountant before becoming a lawyer, Jenkins began his professional career as a financial and tax analyst at General Motors Corporation and then, after graduating from law school, he advanced to become GM’s chief NLRB litigation counsel before embarking on a career in private practice.

Jenkins has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America©, Chambers USA, and Michigan Super Lawyers. He received his B.A. in Accounting from Michigan State University and his law degree from Michigan State University College of Law. He also earned a Certificate, Executive Education Program in Mergers and Acquisitions, from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business in 2001.

•           •            •

Joseph Aviv, a partner at Honigman, Miller, Schwartz, and Cohn LLP, was elected president of the prestigious American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Michigan Chapter. The AAML members, who are designated as fellows, are family law practitioners with a high level of knowledge, skill and integrity. Aviv has been a fellow for 14 years and a member of its board of managers for eight years.

At Honigman, Aviv serves as leader of the Securities and Corporate Governance Litigation; Matrimonial and Family Law; and Trusts and Estates Litigation practice groups. His is also co-managing partner of the firm’s Bloomfield Hills office.  Aviv focuses his practice on complex corporate, securities and class action litigation, constitutional law, non-routine matrimonial and divorce matters involving the valuation of family businesses, and trusts and estates litigation.

He is listed in many peer and client ranking publications including Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.

Aviv also has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America since 2006 and by Michigan Super Lawyers since 2006, as well as being named a “Top 10 Michigan Super Lawyer” since 2008. Michigan Lawyers Weekly honored him as Lawyer of the Year in 2003 and as a “Leader in the Law” in 2013.

Aviv earned a law degree from Boston University School of Law and an A.B. from Brandeis University.

•           •            •

Oakland County Probate Judge Linda Hallmark was recently honored for 35 years of service to Oakland County. 

Hallmark served as a referee for the Oakland County Friend of the Court from 1980 to 1997.  In 1997 she was appointed by the governor to the Oakland County Probate bench.  She continues to serve as a Probate and Family Division judge.