LEGAL PEOPLE

Southfield-based Collins, Einhorn, Farrell, & Ulanoff PC announced that attorney Trent B. Collier has joined the firm's appellate practice group. Collier's practice focuses on federal and state appeals, primarily in defending medical and legal malpractice actions, insurance claims, and general commercial lawsuits. He also is a frequent author, writing on subjects such as appellate practice, judicial philosophy, and constitutional matters, and has been awarded an honorary membership in Scribes, the Society of Writers on Legal Subjects. Before joining Collins Einhorn, Collier specialized in commercial litigation, appeals, and bankruptcy law. He also served as a judicial clerk for Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert P. Young Jr. Collier earned his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School. He also earned a master's degree in theological studies from Harvard Divinity School, and graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with a bachelor's degree in religion. Collier is admitted to practice in Michigan, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. He is a member of the Order of the Coif, the State Bar of Michigan Appellate Practice Section, the Federal Bar Association of the Eastern District of Michigan, and the Harvard Club of Eastern Michigan. * * * Howard & Howard Attorneys PLLC is pleased to announce that Conan D. Duda has been promoted from Intellectual Property intern to associate with the firm. He will practice out of the firm's Royal Oak Office. Duda concentrates his practice on patent preparation and prosecution as well as opinion work in the chemical and mechanical arts. He has assisted clients in protecting all aspects of their business domestically and abroad, including drafting patent applications; responding to office actions/written opinions; performing patentability searches; drafting freedom to operate opinions; and maintaining intellectual property portfolios. He also has experience in copyrights as well as legal research regarding various intellectual property issues. Duda's expertise includes a variety of technologies including alternate energy, composite articles, coatings, foams and elastomers, adhesives, encapsulants, solar panels, cleaning and detergent compositions, water purification, automotive assemblies, medicinal compositions, medical devices, biomass refinement, and semi-automatic and automatic firearms. Duda joined Howard & Howard in 2008 as an intern in its intellectual property internship program. Prior to joining Howard & Howard, he worked as a clerk for Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Michael Warren. Duda received his B.S. in Biology from Oakland University in 2004. His undergraduate course work included a chemical focus in addition to Microbial Biotechnology. * * * Brian D. Wassom, a partner in the Honigman, Miller, Schwartz, and Cohn LLP Litigation Department, recently was a featured speaker at the Mobile Augmented Reality (AR) for Smartphones and Tablets conference, a partner event to the 2011 Enterprise & Applications Conference held by CTIA-the Wireless Association in San Diego. Wassom's speech, "Navigating the Mobile AR Legal Landscape," summarized legal issues that startups and established developers may face as they create and market augmented reality products. Augmented reality is the super-imposing of graphics, audio or other digital content over a live view, such as a geographic area. His legal practice focuses on First Amendment and Intellectual Property issues, including copyright, trademark, publicity rights and entertainment, which involve free-speech protections and the boundaries of legally sanctioned monopolies over creative expression. Wassom also assists media companies and journalists in exercising their freedom of the press and advises religious organizations regarding their First Amendment rights. He authors the legal blog Wassom.com, which addresses the law of social and emerging media. A regular feature of that blog is "Augmented Legality," one of the first publications dedicated to analyzing the legal principles that will govern augmented reality technology. Wassom has presented to companies, attorneys and associations across the country on social media legal issues and has assisted several clients with drafting social media policies and litigating social media-related issues. Wassom earned his law degree at Case Western Reserve University School of Law. He also earned a B.A. in Political Science and International Studies from Wayne State University. Additionally, at the invitation of government agencies Chongqing Foreign Trade and Economic Relations Commission (COFTEC) and the Chongqing Economic and Information Commission, Robert B. Weiss, chair of Honigman's China Practice, recently spoke at a seminar in Chongqing, China. The seminar was created to inform area automotive and motorcycle businesses about "Going Global." Weiss' seminar topic was "Successfully Investing and Doing Business in the U.S.: An Achievable Goal." Officials of COFTEC and the Chongqing Economic and Information Commission informed the attendees of government policies and incentives in support of Chinese companies pursuing overseas business opportunities. A partner of the ZhongHao Law Firm, based in Chongqing and a co-sponsor of the seminar, moderated a panel of managers of three Chongqing based companies, who shared their experiences and insights into acquiring business overseas. Chongqing is one of China's most populated cities, a modern center for manufacturing. Honigman and ZhongHao recently signed an agreement to cooperatively assist companies with interests in establishing or increasing business pursuits in China and the United States. The law firms assist multinational clients in a variety of industries by providing customized service and practical solutions to help companies attain their business goals. In addition, Weiss was invited to address more than 35 senior executives at the Peking University campus in Beijing. His topic was cross-border investment practices in the United States. In addition to Honigman's China Practice, Weiss chairs the firm's Commercial Law, Bankruptcy and Reorganization Department. Weiss has been the firm's liaison partner with General Motors for more than 25 years and has counseled numerous tier 1 and tier 2 companies in the automotive industry. In addition, he has spearheaded the firm's support of cross-border transactions between China and the United States. Additionally, Honigman Partners Richard E. Zuckerman and Raymond W. Henney recently addressed attendees at the 2011 Midwest Securities Law Institute held at the Michigan State University College of Law in East Lansing. The conference focused on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Dodd-Frank laws one year after their enactment. Zuckerman, chair of Honigman's White Collar Criminal Defense and Investigation Practice Group and a partner in its Litigation Department, updated the audience on insider trading issues. Henney, co-chair of Honigman's Securities and Corporate Governance Litigation Practice and a partner in the Litigation Department, informed the attendees about the latest broker-dealer arbitration and litigation issues. Zuckerman focuses his practice on federal and state white collar criminal defense, civil and criminal antitrust and tax litigation, securities fraud defense, and environmental crimes defense. He is a former attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice's Organized Crime and Racketeering Section, where he supervised complex, multi-agency investigations and prepared and tried criminal cases developed from those investigations. He earned his law degree from Southwestern University School of Law and a B.A. from the University of Michigan. Henney litigates a wide variety of security cases in numerous state and federal courts and in arbitration tribunals across the country. He has represented major corporations in shareholder class actions, brokerage firms in bet-the-company litigation, and clearing and transfer firms in actions concerning sophisticated products and market transactions. Henney earned his law degree from Wayne State University and a B.A., with honors, from Michigan State University. Both Zuckerman and Henney have been recognized as top attorneys in their field by Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, Michigan Super Lawyers, and Best Lawyers in America. * * * Peter Alter, a partner with Southfield-based Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer, & Weiss PC, has been selected as this year's recipient of the Fred M. Butzel Award for Distinguished Community Service from the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit. Jaffe CEO Richard Zussman made the announcement. Alter served as president of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit from 2004-2007 and is the immediate past chairman of its Executive Committee. He is a member of the firm's litigation practice group and focuses his practice in the area of complex commercial litigation, with particular expertise in real estate, banking, partnership, insurance law and shareholder disputes. He is a 1969 graduate of Brandeis University and a 1972 graduate of Columbia University Law School. Alter has been regularly selected by his peers as one of the top lawyers in Michigan and was recently named one of the Top 100 Lawyers in Michigan by Super Lawyers Magazine. Alter is the current president of the Oakland County Bar Association. He also serves as Master and member of the Executive Committee of the American Inn of Court-Oakland County Chapter. * * * Dykema recently announced that dozens of the firm's lawyers won high rankings in multiple practice areas and in key regional markets in the 2012 Best Lawyers in America guide. Dykema's 2012 Lawyer of the Year recipients include Alan Greene (Litigation-Real Estate) and Joanne Lax (Health Care Law) in Bloomfield Hills; and Margaret Adams Hunter (Employee Benefits ERISA Law) in Detroit. Local Dykema attorneys recognized as Best Lawyers include: Bloomfield Hills * Maria B. Abrahamsen - Health Care Law. * Michael G. Cumming - Trusts and Estates. * Robert L. Duty - Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management. * James P. Feeney - Arbitration, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law, Product Liability Litigation - Defendants. * Alan M. Greene - Land Use & Zoning Law, Litigation - Real Estate, Litigation - Land Use & Zoning. * Dennis M. Haffey - Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Banking & Finance, Litigation - Trusts & Estates, Litigation - Securities, Litigation - Mergers & Acquisitions. * Howard B. Iwrey - Litigation - Antitrust. * Joel D. Kellman - Litigation - Real Estate, Real Estate Law. * Joanne R. Lax - Health Care Law. * Gerald T. Lievois - Securities / Capital Markets Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law. * D. Richard McDonald - Corporate Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law , Securities Regulation. * Marilyn A. Peters - Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Banking & Finance, Litigation - Securities, Litigation - Construction, Litigation - Environmental * Ronald L. Rose - Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation - Bankruptcy. * Sheryl L. Toby - Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation - Bankruptcy. * Stephen L. Tupper - Information Technology Law. Detroit * Susan Artinian - Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, Mass Tort Litigation. * J. Michael Bernard - Mergers & Acquisitions Law. * Eric T. Carver - Trusts and Estates. * Samuel C. Damren - Arbitration, Commercial Litigation, Mediation. * James M. Elsworth - Trusts and Estates. * John A. Entenman - Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management. * Robert J. Franzinger - Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy), Litigation - Intellectual, Litigation - Environmental. * Martin Jay Galvin - Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management, Litigation - Labor & Employment * Grant P. Gilezan - Environmental Law, Litigation - Environmental. * Steven E. Grob - Litigation & Controversy - Tax, Tax Law. * Patrick F. Hickey - Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Construction, Litigation - Labor & Employment, Litigation - ERISA. * Margaret Adams Hunter - Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law. * Mark D. Jacobs - Environmental Law. * Peter M. Kellett - Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Antitrust, Product Liability Litigation - Defendants, Mediation, Litigation - Securities. * Jin-Kyu Koh - Corporate Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law. * Kathrin E. Kudner - Health Care Law. * Mark A. Metz - Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation. * Aleksandra A. Miziolek - Corporate Compliance Law, Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law. * Cameron H. Piggott - Real Estate Law, Litigation - Real Estate. * Carl Rashid Jr. - Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, Litigation & Controversy - Tax, Tax Law, Real Estate Law, Litigation - Real Estate. * Joseph A. Ritok Jr. - Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management, Litigation - Labor & Employment. * Rex E. Schlaybaugh Jr. - Corporate Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law. * Wilfred A. Steiner Jr. - Real Estate Law. * Thomas S. Vaughn - Corporate Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law. * * * Cantor Colburn LLP , an intellectual property (IP) law firm, recently announced the hiring of new partner David Wood, former chief Intellectual Property counsel for Lockheed Martin's Space Systems Company, and new associates Ava Billimoria, Michael J. Kyle and Paul A. Rodriguez. The four are experienced patent attorneys with expertise in patent matters regarding mechanical engineering, aerospace, mechatronic systems, electrical technologies, and more. Wood focuses his practice on aerospace and automotive technologies, with emphasis on controls and mechatronic systems. Wood brings more than fifteen years of legal experience in corporate and law firm settings providing a full range of IP legal services from patent procurement, enforcement, and assertions to opinions and transactions. Most recently, Wood served as chief Intellectual Property counsel for Lockheed Martin's Space Systems Company, and he previously served as Lead IP Counsel and Division Counsel for Delphi's Packard Electric Division and as director of Licensing and Intellectual Property for Honeywell's Aerospace Engines and Systems Division. Prior to becoming an attorney, Wood spent ten years as an engineer, designing and analyzing gas turbine engines and related systems for General Electric and Honeywell. Wood earned his law degree from Northern Kentucky University and a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Illinois. He is admitted in Michigan, Colorado, Ohio and Arizona and is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Billimoria concentrates her practice on mechanical and electrical engineering, namely manufacturing processes; automotive technologies; engine management systems; transmissions and transmission control systems; medical devices; gas turbines; power systems; materials and material science; software; vehicle electronics; antenna technologies; and trademarks. She has prepared patentability opinions; represented clients in all aspects of patent prosecution; and has been engaged in supporting numerous litigation matters. Prior to joining the firm, Billimoria was an associate at a leading IP law firm in the Detroit area. Before that, Billimoria was employed as an automotive engineer at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Nissan Technical Center where she worked on HVAC and engine cooling systems. She received her law degree from Wayne State University Law School. She earned her B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Kettering University (formerly GMI Engineering and Management Institute) and her M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan. Billimoria is admitted in Michigan and is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Kyle concentrates his practice on the preparation and prosecution of patent applications in various mechanical and electrical technologies. Before joining the firm, Kyle was an associate with an intellectual property firm in Washington, D.C. where his practice was focused on electrical technologies including telecommunications, semiconductors, optical media and optical drives. Kyle's practice also included the preparation and prosecution of design patent applications. While attending law school, he was a law clerk with a Virginia firm where his practice included the prosecution of patent applications in various mechanical arts including automotive technologies, flooring, food packaging, seals and medical devices. Kyle began his career in intellectual property at the PTO, where he served as a patent examiner for more than five years. His law degree is from the Catholic University of America - Columbus School of Law and his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering is from the University of Michigan. He is admitted in Illinois and is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Rodriguez joins the firm as an associate in the Troy office. Rodriguez's practice covers a range of mechanical technology areas, including automotive, refrigeration, and office furniture. Before joining Cantor Colburn, Rodriguez was an associate at a Grand Rapids law firm where he represented clients in all aspects of patent prosecution and litigation, including drafting new applications, conducting interviews with patent examiners, preparing and filing appeal briefs, and preparing memoranda and briefs for litigation. He has also assisted clients by meeting with in-house counsel regarding patent portfolios and by providing freedom-to-practice and non-infringement opinions. His law degree is from DePaul University College of Law and his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering is from University of Michigan. Rodriguez is licensed to practice law in Michigan, as well as before various U.S. District Courts, and is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Published: Mon, Nov 7, 2011