Legal People

Professor Jonathan T. Weinberg is Wayne State University Law School's inaugural associate dean for research and faculty development.

Weinberg's job as associate dean is to support and promote faculty scholarship and academic achievement. Since joining Wayne Law's faculty in 1988, he has written about subjects including privacy law, internet governance, free speech law, immigration law, communications law and administrative law.

Weinberg was a law clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and for then-Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg; a visiting scholar at the University of Tokyo's Institute of Journalism and Communication Studies; a legal scholar in residence at the Federal Communications Commission's Office of Plans and Policy; a visiting scholar at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law; a professor in residence at the U.S. Department of Justice; and a practicing lawyer in Washington, D.C. He chaired a working group created by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, the international body that administers the internet domain name system, to develop recommendations on the creation of new internet top level domains. He is a member of the editorial board of Wayne State University Press. In 2017, he received Wayne Law's Donald H. Gordon Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Weinberg earned his bachelor's from Harvard University and his law degree from Columbia Law School.

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Plunkett Cooney bankruptcy attorney Douglas C. Bernstein was one of the many professionals involved in the city of Detroit's bankruptcy, which remains the largest Chapter 9 municipal bankruptcy ever filed. To commemorate the fifth anniversary of this historic event, Bernstein participated in a panel discussion on July 18 hosted by DBusiness magazine at the Gem Theatre in Detroit.

"It's remarkable how Detroit made it through the bankruptcy process. It had a perfect cast of leaders to see the process through. It was historic and the solutions were very creative," said Bernstein who serves as the Business Law Department leader of Plunkett Cooney. "Here we are five years later, and there's still a lot of work that needs to be done. But hopefully the city will continue to have the same financial discipline in the future."

During the city's bankruptcy proceedings, Bernstein represented foundations that donated to the so-called "Grand Bargain" to ease pension cuts and spin off the Detroit Institute of Arts. He also served, and continues to serve, as a resource to local, regional and national media on Detroit's emergency financial status and issues generally related to Chapter 9 municipal bankruptcy.

A member of Plunkett Cooney's Bloomfield Hills office, Bernstein concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial litigation, loan restructuring, commercial loan documentation, bankruptcy, banking-related litigation and appeals. Prior to joining Plunkett Cooney, Bernstein worked as an in-house attorney at Michigan National Corporation for over 20 years.

Bernstein earned his undergraduate degree in 1978 from Wayne State University and his law degree in 1982 from the Detroit College of Law. Earlier this year, he became the only Michigan attorney inducted into the 2018 class of Fellows of the American College of Bankruptcy, a national organization focused on fostering excellence in bankruptcy and insolvency practice.

In addition, Plunkett Cooney is pleased to announce that Jason F. Hagelthorn has joined the firm's Transportation Law Practice Group.

Hagelthorn focuses his practice on the defense of litigation involving first- and third-party auto and trucking liability claims. A member of Plunkett Cooney's Bloomfield Hills office, he represents clients in insurance-related claims involving no-fault law and motor vehicle negligence.

Former in-house counsel for three of nation's largest insurance companies, Hagelthorn has experience in all areas of the Michigan No-Fault Act, including the defense of third-party negligence and uninsured and underinsured claims, as well as defending first-party actions involving personal injury protection benefits and property protection benefits.

Hagelthorn is a 2008 graduate of Ave Maria School of Law. Admitted to practice in state and federal courts in Michigan, he is a member of the State Bar of Michigan and the Alliance Defense Fund. He earned his undergraduate degree in 2005 from Eastern Michigan University.

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Ogletree Deakins is pleased to welcome Lori Adamcheski as senior counsel in the firm's Detroit (Metro) office. She joins Ogletree Deakins from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, where she served for seven years as assistant general counsel in the Employee Relations Law group, as well as diversity inclusion and community service coordinator of the legal department.

During her tenure at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Adamcheski concentrated on state and federal employment discrimination, wage and hour, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), labor law matters, and provided representation before a number of administrative agencies. She also advised executives, management, and human resources personnel on employment policies, procedures, and collective bargaining.

Adamcheski regularly counsels clients on minimizing legal risk and exposure on employment issues, and has provided advice on topics including disability accommodations, pre-employment background screenings, employee misconduct, and employment terminations.

Adamcheski earned her law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and her B.A. from Wayne State University.

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Dickinson Wright PLLC is pleased to announce that attorney Blair D. Gould has joined the firm's Troy office as Of Counsel.

Gould's practice focuses on commercial real estate transactions including acquisitions, dispositions, leasing, financing and real estate development as well as property tax appeals.

Gould received his B.S. from Ohio State University and his law degree from Wayne State University Law School.

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Southfield law firm Maddin, Hauser, Roth, & Heller PC and two of its attorneys have been recognized in the highly respected legal research publication, Chambers USA. The announcement was made by the firm's president and CEO, Steven D. Sallen.

Chambers USA recognized Maddin Hauser in the area of Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation.

Shareholders Charles M. Lax, first ranked in 2009, and Marc S. Wise, first ranked in 2013, were recognized by Chambers USA in the Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation practice area. Lax has a reputation among his peers for his work relating to employee retirement plans. Wise's practice primarily focuses on health and welfare benefit plan matters.

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Gov. Rick Snyder recently announced the reappointments of Fadwa Hammoud and Michael Romaya to the Commission on Middle-Eastern American Affairs.

Established by Executive Order 2015-6, the 15-member commission was created to act in an advisory capacity to the governor and is housed within the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.

Hammoud is the assistant prosecuting attorney in the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office. She was appointed to the Dearborn Board of Education in 2015 and was elected to a full six-year term in 2016. Hammoud earned a bachelor's degree in political science and communications from the University of Michigan and a law degree from Wayne State University Law School.

Romaya is a partner at Varnum LLP, a business law firm. He serves on the Board of Directors and is the secretary of the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce. Romaya also is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, Association for Corporate Growth Detroit Chapter, and the Turnaround Management Association. Romaya earned a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Michigan as well as a master's degree in business administration and a law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law.

Members will serve four-year terms expiring April 19, 2022.