Columns

Butzel recently hosted two key events, the firm’s Annual Attorney and Paralegal Meeting and the Staff and Administrative Retreat and Annual Meeting respectively.

Butzel recently hosted two key events, the firm’s Annual Attorney and Paralegal Meeting and the Staff and Administrative Retreat and Annual Meeting respectively. Both events took place at the Detroit Athletic Club. A highlight of each event was the presentation of Butzel’s Internal Awards.

—Core Values Award

Honors a Butzel attorney recognized for exemplifying the firm’s values of Excellence. Drive. Trust. and Teamwork.  Honoree: Claudia Rast, shareholder

—Excellence in Service & Stewardship

Honors a Butzel attorney recognized for excellence in service and stewardship. Honoree: Reggie Pacis, shareholder

—Litigation Matter of the Year Award

Recognizes teams demonstrating exceptional advocacy, creativity, teamwork, and outstanding litigation results for Butzel’s clients

• Winners

Lead attorneys: Barbara Eckert Buchanan, shareholder; Terrence Miglio, shareholder

Team: Regan Dahle, shareholder; Joanne Brighton, senior paralegal; Megan Fisher, paralegal

—Transactional Matter of the Year Award

Recognizes teams demonstrating exceptional advocacy, creativity, teamwork, and outstanding transactional results for Butzel’s clients

• Winners

Lead Attorney: Justin Klimko, shareholder

Team: Jennifer Consiglio, shareholder; Shanika Owens, shareholder; Thomas Kabel, director; Laura Johnson, shareholder; Susan Johnson, shareholder; Daniel Soleimani, shareholder; Rebecca Davies, shareholder; Lynn McGuire, shareholder; Aaron Kamlay, shareholder; Clara DeMatteis Mager, Director; Linda Armstrong, shareholder; Jeanne Balint, paralegal

—Core Values Award

Honors a Butzel employee recognized for exemplifying the firm’s values of Excellence. Drive. Trust. and Teamwork.  Honoree: Teresa Diles, client accounting manager

—2026 Butzel Milestones

• 25 Years at Butzel

Honoree: Penny Anderson, legal assistant

• 35 Years at Butzel

Honorees:
Lorie Johnson, legal assistant
Pam Hensley, senior billing specialist

• 40 Years at Butzel

Honoree: Therese Pawlik, legal assistant

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Bodman is proud to share that David M. Walker, member and chair of the firm’s Detroit Business Advocacy Team, has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Michigan Black Business Alliance (MBBA).

Founded in 2021, MBBA works to help close the racial wealth gap by developing programs and advocating for policies that support profitable and sustainable Black-owned businesses connected to public and private economic opportunities. The organization provides access to capital and co-working space, holds networking and educational events, and advocates for business-focused policies at the local, state and federal levels.

As chair of Bodman’s Detroit Business Advocacy team, Walker represents Detroit business owners as outside general counsel on a wide range of legal and business matters. His practice focuses on corporate and securities law, including mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, private placements of securities, and general corporate advice.

Outside of his legal practice, Walker serves as vice president of Business Engagement with the University of Michigan Club in Atlanta, and as a member of the Board of Directors of University of Detroit Mercy Law School Alumni Association.

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Honigman LLP recently announced that Michael E. Carter is joining the firm as senior counsel in the Investigations and White Collar Defense Practice Group within the Litigation Department. Based in Detroit, Carter joins Honigman after serving as executive director of the Federal Community Defender Office (FCDO) of the Eastern District of Michigan.

In transitioning to private practice, Carter will focus on white collar defense—representing individuals in investigations and prosecutions and advising on complex criminal proceedings.

In his previous role, Carter led an office of approximately 45 professionals, managed a multi-million-dollar budget, and supervised the handling of complex, high-volume federal cases.  He has represented clients in federal and state courts and handled hundreds of criminal defense cases, including during his tenure with the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia.

Carter earned a law degree from Wayne State University Law School and received his B.A. from the University of Michigan. He began his career as a criminal defense attorney in Michigan before spending four years with the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, returning to Detroit in 2016 to join the Federal Defender Office and later the Neighborhood Defender Service of Detroit.

Honigman is also pleased to announce that Timothy Lee has been recognized in DBusiness’ 30 in Their Thirties listing. 

Lee is a partner in Honigman’s Supply Chain & Advanced Manufacturing Transactions practice and concentrates his practice on domestic and cross-border corporate transactions, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and general corporate governance and compliance. He regularly represents businesses and financial institutions in a variety of complex commercial transactions.

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Dickinson Wright is pleased to announce that Thomas Fabbri, Kevin Fanning, Thomas MacFarlane, Jonathan Martone, and Nicholas Papasifakis have joined the firm’s Troy office as members.

Fabbri advises individuals and families on estate planning, probate, charitable planning, estate and trust administration, and related tax matters. He also represents beneficiaries and fiduciaries in estate contests, trust disputes, and other probate litigation matters. 

Fabbri works primarily with high net worth individuals and business owners to develop estate plans that address long-term family, financial, and business goals. 

His practice includes planning for incapacity, business succession, creditor protection, wealth transfer, estate and generation-skipping transfer tax strategies, and the efficient transfer of assets during life and after death. He regularly prepares wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, powers of attorney, and other estate planning documents tailored to each client’s circumstances and priorities. 

Fabbri is recognized as a leader in his field by Best Lawyers in America, Michigan Super Lawyers “Rising Stars,” and DBusiness Top Lawyers. He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan’s Probate and Estate Planning Section, the State Bar of Michigan’s Tax Section, and the Financial and Estate Planning Council of Metropolitan Detroit. He received his B.A. from Michigan State University and his law degree from Wayne State University Law School.

Fanning is an experienced commercial litigator who represents companies in the manufacturing, technology, electronics, transportation, financial services and securities industries in complex disputes. He has trial experience serving as lead counsel in jury and bench trials before state and federal courts nationwide, and regularly appears before AAA, ICDR, JAMS and FINRA panels in arbitrations throughout the United States and internationally. He has trial experience serving as lead counsel in jury and bench trials and has represented clients before state and federal courts and arbitration panels throughout the country. 

Fanning’s practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, real estate disputes, securities litigation, commercial loan enforcement matters, receiverships, and transportation-related litigation. In addition, he advises clients on emerging legal issues involving unmanned aerial systems (UAS/drone law), accessibility litigation under the ADA, FHA, website compliance under WCAG, and healthcare-related disputes and investigations. 

Fanning is recognized as a leader in his field by Best Lawyers in America, Michigan Super Lawyers, and Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s “Go To Lawyer” for Business Litigation. He has been a member of the Board of Directors and Co-Chair of the Membership Committee for the Federal Bar Association, Eastern District of Michigan Chapter, a member of the Commercial Litigation Committee, State Bar of Michigan’s Business Law Section, and served as a barrister in the Oakland County Bar Association Chapter of the American Inns of Court. He received his B.A. from Western Michigan University and his law degree from University of Detroit Mercy School of Law.

MacFarlane works with individuals and business owners on estate planning, wealth transfer, and business succession. He focuses on helping clients put plans in place for the transfer of family wealth, the transition of closely held businesses, and the practical issues that come up as those plans are carried out over time. 

MacFarlane’s work includes estate and trust planning, with attention to tax considerations and structure. He also represents beneficiaries and fiduciaries in probate and trust matters, including will contests, fiduciary disputes, and contested estate and trust administrations. These matters often involve family relationships and long-standing expectations, and he works with clients to move through those disputes while keeping the legal and personal issues in view. 

MacFarlane is recognized as a leader in his field by Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s “Hall of Fame,” Best Lawyers in America, DBusiness Top Lawyers, Leading Lawyers, and Michigan Super Lawyers. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan’s Probate and Estate Planning Section, the State Bar of Michigan’s Tax Section, the Financial and Estate Planning Council of Metropolitan Detroit, and a charter member of Michigan Leading Lawyers Advisory Board. He received his B.A. from Alma College, his M.B.A. from Wake Forest University, and his law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law.

Martone provides strategic counsel to business and entrepreneurial clients, guiding them through daily operational matters and complex legal challenges. He represents businesses and individuals alike in all areas of business and commercial disputes and litigation, including commercial contract and warranty actions, real estate, zoning, and landlord and tenant disputes, shareholder disputes, and municipal law litigation. Martone is also certified by the Michigan State Court Administrative Office as a Civil Facilitative Mediator and has experience in alternative dispute resolution proceedings. He has experience counseling and representing fiduciaries and interested parties in a wide range of probate, trust, and estate matters, including high-net-worth trust and estate proceedings. 

Martone is recognized as a leader in his field by Best Lawyers in America and Michigan Super Lawyers. He is Past President of the Italian American Bar Association of Michigan, a Fellow in the Oakland County Bar Foundation, a member of the State Bar of Michigan, and a past president of the Oakland County Bar Association New Lawyers Section. He received his B.A. from James Madison College, Michigan State University and his law degree from Wayne State University Law School.

Papasifakis advises individuals, families, and business owners on estate planning, asset protection strategies, business matters, and probate and trust administration and litigation. He works closely with clients to design estate plans that reflect their goals around wealth transfer, tax planning, asset protection, probate avoidance, and charitable giving. 

Papasifakis is recognized as a leader in his field by Best Lawyers in America and Michigan Super Lawyers “Rising Stars.” He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan’s Probate and Estate Planning Section, the State Bar of Michigan’s Tax Section, Tax Council, and the Hellenic Bar Association. He received his B.B.A. from Western Michigan University and his law degrees from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and New York University School of Law.

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Maddin Hauser is pleased to announce that three attorneys have been elevated to the shareholder level.  Krista Cotter Ranta, David T. Lin, and Kevin C. Majewski joined the firm’s Financial Services and Real Property Litigation group in early 2025 and made an immediate positive impact. Lin is also a member of the Bankruptcy, Restructuring, and Debtor-Creditor Rights group. 

Ranta represents corporate and commercial clients in civil litigation and post-judgment collection matters. Versed in state and federal laws affecting the banking and collections industry, she has a track record of creating and implementing effective post-judgment collection strategies. 

Ranta represents clients in all phases of contested litigation at the trial and appellate levels in state and federal courts, as well as in alternative dispute resolution proceedings. She earned her law degree from Michigan State University College of Law.

Lin has a record of achieving favorable outcomes for lenders facing distressed loans or borrower insolvencies. He guides lenders and other creditors through all stages of the bankruptcy process after a debtor files for bankruptcy relief. 

Lin represents his clients’ diverse interests at the pre- and post-judgment stages of commercial litigation. He earned his law degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.

Majewski concentrates his practice on disputes involving real property, construction, mortgages, financial services, and other business matters. He is a methodical advocate, conducting thorough analyses of every detail for each case before devising a strategy to achieve his clients’ goals. Majewski graduated from Michigan State University College of Law.

Henrietta Rosenthal has been highlighted in the Detroit Legal News at least twice: first, in the publication’s 1995 “Legal Legends” feature commemorating its centennial anniversary, and again in a 2020 “My Turn” op-ed by its editor-in-chief Tom Kirvan.

By Zenell Brown

Henrietta Rosenthal has been highlighted in the Detroit Legal News at least twice: first, in the publication’s 1995 “Legal Legends” feature commemorating its centennial anniversary, and again in a 2020 “My Turn” op-ed by its editor-in-chief Tom Kirvan.

This feature is in honor of Jewish American Heritage Month, acknowledging Henrietta’s contribution to the Detroit legal community and to support the Jewish Women’s Archive’s efforts to complete an entry on Rosenthal in its encyclopedia.

Rosenthal put her pen to creative use. At the 1953 annual Women Lawyers Association of Michigan Dinner, a cast of members performed Henrietta Rosenthal’s skit entitled “Court’s in Session” or “Give the Lady Your Seat.” Rosenthal had plenty of evidence on which to create her spoof on the lack of women in the judiciary.

At that time, Rosenthal was working at Detroit Recorder’s Court. The number of women judges was sub-negligible. The first woman judge of the Detroit Recorder’s Court, Martha Wright Griffiths, was appointed in 1953. In 1953, Judge Lila Neuenfelt was in her 12th year of service as still the first and only woman on the Third Circuit Court.

Susan Borman, who was also Jewish, was elected in 1972, becoming the second woman judge on the Detroit Recorder’s bench. And, it would be another 13 years before Cornelia Groefsema Kennedy would become the second woman on the Third Circuit Court in 1966. It would be a decade before there would be women in the highest roles at these courts.

Rosenthal was fortunate as a woman lawyer. She earned her law degree in 1918 from the University of Michigan. After graduation, she joined the practice in her brothers’ firm. Most women lawyers during that time were lucky to find employment as legal secretaries.

Like any good Detroit attorney of her day, Rosenthal joined the Detroit Bar Association (DBA). The Detroit Bar Association had existed since 1836, and in 1919 membership was open to women. It would be decades before its leadership roles would open to women lawyers. Judge Cornelia Kennedy would become the first woman to join the DBA Board of Directors in 1964.

In 1919, while women were disenfranchised, women lawyers were treated with second-class status. On March 24, 1919, Rosenthal and four other women acted boldly and urgently. They founded the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan. Rosenthal served as the second WLAM president from 1921-23, a term where women attorneys had to challenge entrenched exclusionary traditions.

Rosenthal is undeniably one among the earliest Jewish to argue before the Michigan Supreme Court women lawyers in Michigan. But her immortal mark was made as legal advisor, “The brains behind the judges she served.” Rosenthal began working at the Detroit Recorder’s Court in the 1940s and worked there for approximately 27 years, retiring as its director of legal research.

Rosenthal died in 1975. By then, Griffiths had served as Michigan’s first woman lieutenant governor and women comprised at least 5% of Michigan’s judiciary.

Rosenthal had helped blaze a trail, and women of all religions, races, and backgrounds were making their way and taking their seats in legal and judicial careers.

Carole Chiamp would be elected as the first woman president of the Detroit Bar Association in 1982. Chiamp championed access to women lawyers and advanced equality and parity for women throughout society.

The late Vera Massey Jones became the first woman Chief Judge in Detroit Recorder’s Court in 1995 and remained in that role until the 1997 merger into the Third Circuit Court. Mary Beth Kelly became the first woman Chief Judge of Third Circuit Court in 2002 and served through 2007.

There has been a long line of women legal advisors to Third Circuit Court judges. Attorneys Kimberly Reed, Elizabeth Kocab, Diane Lemanek, and Fran Yturri are some of the women attorneys who would follow in Rosenthal’s legal counsel role and provide legal services for the Recorder’s Court which later became the Criminal Division of the Third Circuit Court. They used their intellectual prowess to solve internal and external disputes.

As of 2026, women comprise 46% of sitting Michigan judges, compared to just 5% in 1979 when the statistic was first tracked.

Progress does not just happen. It happens when an attorney picks up her pen to write a skit that challenges the circumstances of her time, or to sign a document envisioning a better future. It happens when a retiring judge pens remarks filled with gratitude for the 108th Annual Meeting of the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan. It happens when we as the Detroit legal community pick up our pens and make a donation to help preserve the legacy of Henrietta Rosenthal in the Jewish Women’s Archives.

For more info on the encyclopedia project: 

• https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/rosenthal-henrietta

• Jewish Women’s Archive1860 Washington Street, Suite #204Newton, MA 02466
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Zenell B. Brown is the fairness and accountability administrator  for the State Court Administrative Office. Brown previously served for more than 25 years in various roles at the 3rd Circuit Court culminating in nearly a decade as executive court administrator.

Once a lawsuit is filed, the defendant must be served with the summons and complaint so he or she can prepare a defense and respond appropriately. 

By Marie E. Matyjaszek

Once a lawsuit is filed, the defendant must be served with the summons and complaint so he or she can prepare a defense and respond appropriately. 

In addition, both sides have an obligation to serve the other with pleadings filed throughout the life of the case. In family law cases, most parties know the contact information for their likely now insignificant other – addresses, phone numbers, emails and usually a sprinkling of family members’ contact information too. 

Occasionally the other side may be a real Houdini and disappear, making it difficult to serve the required pleadings and provide notice. Michigan Court Rules (MCR) 2.105, 2.106 and 2.107 provide information and options for serving a dodgy defendant or private plaintiff. Like most things in law, you need permission before you can serve someone by alternate means.

You can use SCAO form MC 303 to explain why you can’t meet the service requirement by ordinary means. Your motion should tell the court what you have done to ascertain the opposing party’s current contact information, including verification by a process server if applicable. If the court believes you’ve made a real effort to locate and serve the other side without success, request for alternate service may be granted.

Alternate service can include: tacking paperwork to a door; delivering at a specific address where it is believed a member of the household is old enough to accept the process; by email; messaging apps; and publication in a newspaper, usually one that is local to the area the opposing party last lived, and for multiple weeks in a row. Posting the order at the courthouse and two or more public places may also be required. The nitty gritty of what’s required for alternate service is spelled out in the MCR, and ultimately the court will set forth the requirements for your case.  You are still required to provide proof of service for the court file to verify that the alternate service was executed.

Alternate service is not perfect, and it is likely that the opposing party may not see the paperwork because they aren’t looking for it, fail to check messages regularly, or don’t frequent the location where the posting is placed. Like many other matters in the legal system, you can only do so much when your options are limited.  If the other side decides to play hide-and-seek, look for alternative relief in the court rules.
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Marie E. Matyjaszek is a judicial attorney at the Washtenaw County Trial Court; however, the views expressed in this column are her own. She can be reached by emailing her at matyjasz@hotmail.com.

Scaffolding is essential on construction and renovation projects, but when something goes wrong, the consequences can be devastating. Fires, collapses, and structural failures involving scaffolding often lead to serious injuries, major property damage, and complex insurance disputes.

By Rabih Hamawi

Scaffolding is essential on construction and renovation projects, but when something goes wrong, the consequences can be devastating. Fires, collapses, and structural failures involving scaffolding often lead to serious injuries, major property damage, and complex insurance disputes.

A recent large-scale construction fire in Denver—where more than 100 firefighters battled a multi-alarm blaze at an apartment project—highlights how quickly a construction-related incident can escalate into a multimillion-dollar loss affecting property owners, contractors, neighboring businesses, and insurers.

For businessowners, property owners, and policyholders in Michigan and across the United States, understanding scaffolding insurance coverage is critical. The question is not just what happened, but who is insured, under which policy, and for what damages.

Why Scaffolding Insurance Coverage Matters

Scaffolding incidents often involve multiple parties and layered insurance policies. When a loss occurs, insurers may dispute responsibility, deny coverage, or shift blame to other parties. 

Scaffolding-related claims commonly arise from:
• Fires at construction or renovation sites
• Structural collapse or instability
• Falling tools, debris, or materials
• Damage to adjacent buildings or vehicles
• Injuries to workers, pedestrians, or residents 

In dense areas like Detroit, Chicago, or surrounding Midwest cities, a single scaffolding incident can affect an entire block—leading to evacuations, business interruption, and regulatory investigations.

Common Insurance Policies Implicated In Scaffolding Losses 

Understanding which insurance policies may apply is the first step toward protecting your interests.

1. Commercial General Liability (CGL) 

CGL policies often serve as the primary coverage for bodily injury and property damage caused by scaffolding accidents. But coverage disputes frequently arise over:

• Whether the damage resulted from ongoing operations or completed work
• Policy exclusions related to construction defects or fire
• Additional insured status for property owners or developers

2. Builder’s Risk Insurance 

Builder’s risk policies may cover damage to the structure under construction, including losses caused by fire. Insurers may still deny claims by arguing:

• Improper installation or maintenance of scaffolding
• Violations of safety codes or project specifications
• Excluded causes of loss

3. Professional Liability / Errors and Omissions (E&O) 

When scaffolding design, supervision, or inspection is involved, claims may extend to engineers, architects, or project managers. These cases often hinge on whether professional judgment or a construction defect caused the loss.

4. Excess and Umbrella Policies

Large losses frequently exceed primary policy limits. Excess and umbrella insurers may resist paying, leading to high-stakes litigation over policy language and trigger of coverage.
 
Key coverage disputes after a scaffolding incident 

Scaffolding claims often raise complex legal questions, including:

• Who qualifies as an insured or additional insured?
• Was the fire or collapse accidental or tied to an excluded peril?
• Do multiple insurers owe defense and indemnity?
• Can insurers shift responsibility through subrogation or contribution claims?

In large-scale fires like the Denver construction blaze, disputes often expand to include neighboring property owners, municipalities, and utility providers—each with separate insurance interests.

Practical Steps After a Scaffolding-Related Loss

If you are a property owner, contractor, or business affected by a scaffolding incident, early action is critical. Immediate steps to protect your claim include:

• Preserve contracts, insurance policies, and certificates of insurance
• Document damage with photos, videos, and expert reports
• Notify all potentially applicable insurers promptly
• Avoid recorded statements without legal guidance
• Consult counsel experienced in insurance coverage litigation
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Attorney and counselor Rabih Hamawi has expertise in insurance coverage, business negotiations, and commercial litigation. He focuses his practice on representing businessowners, homeowners, property owners, and other insurance policyholders in fire, property damage, and insurance-coverage disputes with insurance companies and in errors-and-omissions cases against insurance agents. He can be reached at 248-905-1133.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. This month-long campaign aims to raise awareness about mental health, fight stigma, educate the public, and advocate for policies that prioritize mental health.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. This month-long campaign aims to raise awareness about mental health, fight stigma, educate the public, and advocate for policies that prioritize mental health. It also encourages open and honest conversations about mental health. By normalizing these conversations, we move toward empathy and understanding rather than stigma and judgment. These efforts help create an environment in which people feel more confident seeking help and support for their mental health needs. 

In the legal profession, these conversations carry particular significance. Research conducted by the American Bar Association and the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation drew attention to the mental health challenges facing lawyers. The 2016 study found that roughly 1 in 3 attorneys struggle with problems related to alcohol use, more than a quarter experience symptoms of depression, and nearly 20% report symptoms of anxiety. These findings have contributed to a growing conversation about lawyer well-being and the need to address mental health within our profession. 

Our Shared Experience 

There is a shared understanding among those who practice law. We understand the pressure of deadlines, the demands of billable hours, and the weight of decisions that affect other people’s lives. The profession often asks us to be sharp, composed, and decisive, even when we may not feel up to the task. That shared understanding can create a sense of connection. 

The nature of our profession also tends to attract individuals who are ambitious, driven, and highly self-reliant. Those traits serve our profession well, but they can also make it difficult for us to acknowledge strain or ask for help. There is an emotional and psychological toll that accompanies the role, and the pressures accumulate. Strength and composure are often valued in adversarial environments, and vulnerability can feel risky in a profession built on competition and credibility. These realities are part of why conversations about mental health in our profession matter. 

Even within these shared pressures, the experience of practicing law is not the same for everyone. We may appear in the same courtrooms and navigate the same professional demands, but each person carries their own lived experiences into that space. The shared experience of practicing law can make it easy to assume we understand one another, but the truth is that much of what shapes a colleague’s day or their capacity to carry the demands of the profession remains unseen. In many ways, we get each other. And yet, in other ways, we don’t. 

Beyond Our Shared Experience

Each of us brings our lived experience into our practice. We may carry burdens and responsibilities that others cannot see. We may be grieving a loss, facing financial strain, managing health concerns, or navigating challenges at home. Some of us are balancing the demands of the profession while caring for young children, aging parents, or sometimes both. Others may be navigating illness, loss, or struggles that remain largely invisible to the people around them. Those realities do not disappear simply because we are at work. 
Much of what shapes how someone shows up on a given day is not visible to those around them. We meet one another in professional roles, across conference tables, in courtrooms, and through emails, often seeing only a small part of the person in front of us. As lawyers and advocates, we have a job to do. But we are also human beings whose lives extend far beyond the roles we occupy in the practice of law. 

Try Walking in My Shoes 

Most of us have had that moment when we felt misunderstood or judged and said to ourselves, “They should try walking in my shoes.” The phrase is often an expression of frustration, but beneath it lies something deeper: a desire to be seen, heard, and understood — one of our most basic human needs. 

Depeche Mode captured this idea in the song “Walking in My Shoes.” The song suggests that if we tried walking in someone else’s shoes, we might stumble in their footsteps. Its message is simple but powerful: Before we judge another person’s struggles, we should pause and consider how little we may truly know about what they are carrying. 

At its core, the song is a plea for empathy, a reminder of how easy it is to judge another person’s struggles without fully understanding what they are experiencing. For some, empathy comes naturally. For others, it is a skill that must be intentionally cultivated. Empathy asks us to feel with someone rather than feel for them. It differs from sympathy. It requires perspective-taking, nonjudgmental listening, emotional awareness, and a willingness to communicate understanding. 

Empathy also requires vulnerability. In her book “Dare to Lead,” Brené Brown explains that empathy is not about connecting to someone’s experience but rather connecting to the emotions that underpin that experience. In truth, none of us can fully walk in another person’s shoes, but we can lean in with curiosity and compassion. There is real power in sitting with someone in their dark moments without trying to fix the problem or offer a silver lining. As the song reminds us, “Before you come to any conclusions, try walking in my shoes.” 

Walking Together 

Practicing law is only one part of our lives. We each have roles and responsibilities beyond the profession, and those experiences shape the lives we bring with us into our work. While we may share a professional role and the pressures that come with it, we do not share the same lived experiences. That is why it is possible to sit in a room full of colleagues who “get it” and still feel alone, appearing self-assured while quietly wondering whether you truly belong. 

Mental health affects all of us. Mental Health Awareness Month offers an opportunity to reflect on the realities within our profession. It reminds us to care for our own well-being, challenge the stigma that still surrounds mental health struggles, and look out for one another with greater awareness and compassion. At the same time, mental health struggles are not always visible. People may suffer quietly, and the signs may be subtle — or not apparent at all. For those who have lost someone to mental illness, it can be easy to look back and wonder whether something more should have been seen or done. Hindsight often makes things appear clearer than they ever were in the moment. 

Practicing law does not remove us from the human experience. Rather, it simply unfolds within it. Remembering that makes room for empathy and quiets our impulse to judge. While we each walk in our own shoes, we are still walking this journey together. 
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Sarah E. Kuchon, of Hohauser Kuchon, is the 93rd president of the Oakland County Bar Association.

Butzel will be part of the MEMA OE/ GAMA/ SCMC Southern Supplier Summit taking place from June 22-23 at Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR), located in Greenville, South Carolina.

Butzel will be part of the MEMA OE/ GAMA/ SCMC Southern Supplier Summit taking place from June 22-23 at Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR), located in Greenville, South Carolina. This in-person gathering is focused on the evolving challenges and opportunities facing automotive suppliers. Butzel, a 20-plus year member of MEMA, is proud to be a presenting sponsor. 

As part of the program, Butzel will be leading an panel discussion centered on the legal and business issues impacting suppliers right now. Attorneys representing Butzel’s Automotive Industry Team will share practical insights and perspectives on navigating today’s complex supply chain environment, alongside critical workforce issues such as wage pressures, non-compete developments, talent mobility and availability, and the labor movement in the Southeast.

Speaking on the panel will be Butzel shareholders David J. DeVine and Blake Padget, along with Monica S. Batsford, associate general counsel, Forvia; Nicoletta Milanesio Berrino, director of legal, general counsel and corporate secretary North America MAHLE Industries Inc.; and Mark Hebert, chief commercial officer, Carlex Glass America LLC.

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The online legal industry platform Leading Lawyers recently named several local Plunkett Cooney attorneys to its 2026 list of top Michigan attorneys:

D. Jennifer Andreou (Detroit) - Medical Malpractice Defense Law

Michael P. Ashcraft Jr. (Bloomfield Hills) - Professional Malpractice Defense: Including Legal/Technical/Financial

Douglas C. Bernstein (Bloomfield Hills) - Banking & Financial Institutions Law / Bankruptcy & Workout Law: Commercial / Creditor’s Rights/Commercial Collections Law

Matthew J. Boettcher (Bloomfield Hills) - Commercial Litigation

Charles W. Browning (Bloomfield Hills) - Insurance, Insurance Coverage & Reinsurance Law 

Henry B. Cooney (Bloomfield Hills) - ADR Law: Commercial Litigation / ADR Law: Personal Injury / Commercial Litigation / Products Liability Defense Law

Jeffrey C. Gerish (Bloomfield Hills) - Civil Appellate Law / Insurance, Insurance Coverage & Reinsurance Law

Howard B. Goldman (Bloomfield Hills) - Real Estate Law: Commercial / Real Estate Law: Finance

Jeffrey S. Hengeveld (Bloomfield Hills) - Professional Malpractice Defense Law: Including Legal/Technical/Financial

Willard S. Holt III (Bloomfield Hills) -  Association & Non-Profit Law / Tax Law: Business / Tax Law: Individual / Trust, Will & Estate Planning Law

Mark S. Kopson (Bloomfield Hills) - Health Law

Scott K. Lites (Bloomfield Hills) - Closely & Privately Held Business Law / Corporate Finance Law /Mergers & Acquisitions Law

Frank T. Mamat (Bloomfield Hills) - Labor Law: Management

Mary Massaron (Bloomfield Hills) - Civil Appellate Law / Appellate Law

Kenneth C. Newa (Bloomfield Hills) - Insurance, Insurance Coverage & Reinsurance Law / Toxic Torts Defense Law

Michael K. Sheehy (Detroit) - Transportation Defense Law: Including Aviation/FELA/Maritime

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Assistant Attorney General Eric Sterbis was recently awarded a Merit Service Award by the Troy Police Department, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. The award recognizes Sterbis’ work in dismantling a large-scale criminal organization responsible for the thefts of hundreds of vehicles in Southeast Michigan and losses exceeding $40 million.

The Troy Police Department began investigating the auto theft ring in August 2023 and partnered with Sterbis and the Attorney General’s FORCE Team in early 2024 to bring down the expansive criminal organization. The ring targeted new vehicle storage lots at manufacturing facilities, car dealerships, parking lots, and individual residences. To date, more than 40 individuals have been charged in connection with the criminal organization and several members have been sentenced.

Having served as an assistant prosecuting attorney for more than 17 years, Sterbis has experience prosecuting a variety of criminal offenses. He began working at the Department of Attorney General in 2021 and is currently assigned to the attorney general’s FORCE Team, which targets criminal organizations that steal products from retailers to repackage and sell for a profit. 

Sterbis is one of the two assistant attorneys general who serve the unit full time, working with special agents within the Department of Attorney General and Michigan State Police detectives to investigate and prosecute these crimes. The FORCE team also partners with the FBI’s Detroit Fraud and Financial Crimes Task Force and the Postal Inspection Service. This is a first-in-the-nation unit, unique in the 50 states as being the first such unit with embedded, dedicated staff from the Department of Attorney General.

Sterbis earned his bachelor’s degree in law enforcement and justice from Western Illinois University before receiving his law degree at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. 

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Foster, Swift, Collins, & Smith PC welcomes attorney Allison M. Morris.

Morris is in the firm’s Southfield office, representing her clients through all phases of insurance defense litigation. She concentrates her practice on matters in Third and First-Party No-Fault litigation, transportation and insurance law. Prior to attending law school, she had previously spent a number of years on an insurance defense team as a legal assistant and law clerk.

Morris earned her law degree from Cooley Law School and her undergraduate degree from Michigan State University.

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Bush Seyferth is proud to congratulate attorney Heather Gin on her election as president-elect of the Detroit Bar Association (DBA) Barristers—the DBA’s section dedicated to new lawyers.

Gin previously served as secretary for the 2025–2026 Barristers Board. In her new role as president-elect, she will also serve as an ex-officio member of the Detroit Bar Association’s Board of Directors—with full voting rights on matters before the DBA Board.

Gin will begin exercising her duties this September. She will then succeed to the role of president beginning June 2027.

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American Bonanza Society has published an article by Brooks Kushman attorney, and aviation expert, William G. Abbatt on utilizing artificial intelligence in aircraft use.

Abbatt is a shareholder at Brooks Kushman with more than 35 years of experience in intellectual property law. His practice encompasses all aspects of domestic and foreign patent preparation and prosecution, IP-related due diligence, client counseling, licensing, and patent litigation. 

Abbatt has worked with a range of technologies and industries, including aeronautics, automotive, medical devices, computer software, and consumer products. He regularly advises inventors, startups, and multinational companies on the development and strategic management of global patent portfolios and has been recognized as a leading patent practitioner in Michigan.

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Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer recently announced the appointment of Judge Melissa Pope to the Michigan Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention and Treatment Board. 

Pope is chief judge of the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi Tribal Court. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in history from the University of Michigan and a law degree from Cooley Law School. 

Pope is reappointed as a person with experience handling the problems of domestic violence and/or sexual violence for a term commencing May 14, 2026, and expiring December 4, 2028. 

The Michigan Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention and Treatment Board coordinates and monitors programs and services for the prevention of domestic and sexual violence and the treatment of victims of domestic and sexual violence. The Board administers grants awarded under the Violence Against Women Act, the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, and other governmental and non-governmental grants.  

This appointment is subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.

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The Oakland County Bar Assocition is pleased to announce its 2026 Board of Directors election results.  Those elected to three-year terms ending June 30, 2029, are:

Kari L. Melkonian, Fieger Law
Syeda F. Davidson, ACLU of Michigan
Emily E. Long, Long Law PLLC
Matthew P. Allen, Miller, Canfield, Paddock, and Stone PLC
Moheeb H. Murray, Bush Seyferth PLLC