LEGAL PEOPLE

John F. Schaefer, founder and managing partner of The Law Firm of John F. Schaefer, attended Harvard Law School's 2017 Negotiation Seminar for Family Law Lawyers on May 5 and 6 in Cambridge, Mass.

Professor Robert C. Bordon, director of the Harvard Negotiation and Mediation Clinic, led the seminar which was co-sponored by the Harvard Project on Negotiation and the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, the latter of which Schaefer is a member and past president and board member.

The course, designed for family law experts, was limited to 48 attendees.

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University of Detroit Mercy School of Law welcomes Amanda Vanover to the Alumni Relations Department. Vanover will serve as the School of Law's communications specialist, a newly-created position. In this role, she will create a comprehensive communications plan for the school. This will include social media and web strategy, as well as media relations. Vanover will also serve as editor of the school's alumni magazine, the Docket, and will debut an e-newsletter for alumni and the Detroit Mercy Law community.

A native of Grosse Pointe Park, Vanover previously managed the direct marketing program for Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law in Chicago. She holds a BA in Anthropology from DePaul University and a certification in Museum Studies from Northwestern. Her husband, Jude Vanover, earned his law degree from Detroit Mercy Law in 2012, and he is a director in PwC's Forensic Services practice. He specializes in cybercrime investigations, eDiscovery, and litigation support.

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Goodman Acker PC recently announced the addition Bart O'Neill to its team. O'Neill joins Goodman Acker PC as a trial attorney. He will practice personal injury law, with a focus on medical malpractice and birth injury claims.

O'Neill received his B.A. in Political Science with a Certificate in Business Administration from the University of Detroit in 1998, and earned his law degree in 2001 at Wayne State University Law School.

Prior to joining Goodman Acker PC, O'Neill spent many years representing hospitals and physicians. His background has given him a unique perspective to represent and serve patients, as he will in his capacity at Goodman Acker PC. O'Neill states that this work is one of the most defining moments of his legal career.

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Varnum attorney Erin Klug was officially sworn onto the Board of the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan at its 99th annual meeting on Friday, April 28. She also received the 2017 Regional Leadership Award at the event.

Klug, an intellectual property attorney who focuses on patent and trademark procurement, received the Leadership Award for her "professionalism, excellence and dedication to furthering the objectives of WLAM," according to WLAM Past President Kristen L. Pursley.

Klug was nominated "for the many years of time and effort you have dedicated to planning and executing event after event after event for the Oakland region. Your dedication to the legal community and to WLAM is well documented and respected," Pursley stated. "We are honored to have you as a Regional Leadership Award recipient."

Klug has been involved in WLAM Oakland Region (also known as the Women's Bar Association) for more than eight years. She has held every board position other than president, and will attain that post this month. She has been the organizer of a wide variety of fundraising events, mentoring events, monthly informal networking events, retreats, and the organization's annual dinner.

Klug is an experienced intellectual property law attorney focusing on patent and trademark procurement to develop both domestic and international intellectual property strategies. She has experience in both mechanical and electrical arts. She is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University School of Law and University of Michigan.

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Honigman, Miller, Schwartz, and Cohn LLP is pleased to announce the return of Kristina Maynard as a partner in the Trusts and Estates practice. Maynard, who was previously with Honigman from 2004 to 2011, rejoins the firm in its Bloomfield Hills office after a career break to focus on her family.

Maynard focuses her practice on counseling families and business owners on all aspects of estate and wealth transfer planning. She previously worked as a CPA at Deloitte & Touche LLP.

"I'm grateful for the tremendous support I've received from everyone at Honigman," said Maynard.

"This firm not only gives me the opportunity to do sophisticated work for top-tier clients, it also affords me the flexibility to take care of my family, and that is why it was the only firm I considered when deciding to return to work."

Maynard earned her law degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law. She received her B.B.A. with a concentration in accounting from Eastern Michigan University.

Published: Mon, May 15, 2017