Secrest Wardle is pleased to welcome five attorneys formerly of the Ogne, Alberts, & Stuart PC law firm: Jeffrey Bullard Sr., John M. Conway, Dennis D. Alberts, Jared J. Andrzejewski, and Michael A. Ross.
Bullard is an attorney whose specialty is personal injury defense and environmental law. He has taken more than 90 jury trials to verdict, including a no-cause verdict on a million dollar offer.
Conway is a litigator whose focus is on the representation of self-insured corporations and insurance company/insureds in all matters including personal injury defense, asbestos litigation, and commercial litigation. He practices in both Michigan and Ohio.
Alberts is a litigator who has been trying litigated matters since 1977 and performs all aspects of claims and pretrial preparations including investigations, negotiations, and discovery. His areas of specialty include premises liability, insurance issues, construction liability, as well as product liability and commercial litigation. He has tried a variety of cases involving contract matters, auto accidents, slip and falls, food poisoning, real estate disputes, employment discrimination, product liability, and construction accidents.
Andrzejewski is an attorney whose practice focuses on defending clients in various third-party negligence claims, premises liability, and no-fault bodily injury claims. Additionally, he has experience representing insurance companies and their insureds against predatory tow companies. His litigation work has taken him to more than 100 courts across Michigan.
Ross is an attorney whose practice has focused on insurance defense and other civil litigation, but his forte is appellate work. He has argued appeals in a wide variety of civil cases in Michigan, Ohio, and the Sixth Circuit.
• • •
Zausmer attorney Talitha Mahome has been appointed to the Chippewa Valley Schools Board of Education, bringing legal expertise and a commitment to community service to the district.
Mahome first sought a seat on the board in the November 2024 election. Although she narrowly missed being elected, her campaign garnered significant community support. After two board members resigned following their elections to other township positions, Mahome was selected to fill one of the vacancies through an application and interview process.
Mahome previously served as an assistant prosecuting attorney in Wayne County and currently works as an attorney specializing in civil litigation and insurance defense. As the mother of two, Mahome has been involved in the Chippewa Valley community for years, participating in PTO activities, school events, and community initiatives.
During her tenure, Mahome plans to focus on equitable resource allocation, supporting educators, and addressing students’ mental health. She has also expressed her dedication to fostering stronger connections between families and the district to ensure transparency and collaboration.
Zausmer congratulates Mahome on her appointment.
• • •
Attorney Mikhail Perkins has been promoted to director of public affairs for the Executive Office of the Governor. The promotion was announced by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
Perkins joined the administration as a legislative affairs specialist, providing expert policy and legal analysis on legislative matters to the governor and executive leadership. Prior to this, he served as a policy advisor for the Michigan Senate Majority Democratic Staff, specializing in finance, economic and community development, and judiciary and civil rights. He also worked as a legal extern at the Saginaw Defenders Office, led former state Representative Byrd’s office as chief of staff and legislative director, and was a law clerk at White & Wojda Attorneys and Counselors.
Perkins received his law degree from Michigan State University College of Law and undergraduate degree in political science from Michigan State University.
• • •
Honigman LLP is pleased to announce that the firm’s board of directors has elected the following local attorneys as partners, effective January 1:
Morgan L. Esters (Detroit) is a member of the Litigation Department who focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation. Esters earned her law degree from Michigan State University College of Law.
Tucker R. Hunter (Detroit) is a member of the Litigation Department who concentrates his practice on complex commercial litigation matters. Hunter earned his law degree from Harvard Law School.
Tyler J. Kemper (Bloomfield Hills) is a member of the Corporate Department. He focuses his practice on estate planning and estate and trust administration. Kemper earned his law degrees from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law and Wayne State University Law School.
Ahmad H. Sabbagh (Detroit) is a member of the Corporate Department who focuses his practice on commercial and technology transactions. Sabbagh earned his law degree from Wayne State University Law School.
Katelyn M. Young (Detroit) is a member of the Litigation Department. Her practice focuses on complex commercial litigation matters. Young earned her law degree from Wayne State University Law School.
• • •
Clark Hill recently announced the promotion of 29 attorneys to member, effective January 1. The 2025 class of member promotions is the largest in firm history and represents 13 offices and 10 practice areas.
“We’re thrilled to be promoting such a large and accomplished group of attorneys to start the new year,” Clark Hill CEO John Hensien said. “It’s fantastic to see this class come from a wide variety of locations and practice groups. They’ve already been tremendous leaders and representatives of the firm, and we’re excited to elevate them to our membership.”
The local promoted attorneys are:
Steve Campbell – Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources – Detroit
Lindsey Medina – Immigration – Detroit
Jonathan Roffe – Litigation – Birmingham
Althea Simpson – Litigation – Detroit
Ilya Smith – Corporate – Detroit and Chicago
Peter Valiotis – Litigation – Detroit
Clark Hill also announced the promotion of 13 attorneys to senior attorney. The local attorneys promoted are:
Mariah Mumford – Litigation – Birmingham
Stephanie Romeo – Labor and Employment – Detroit
Lauren Smith – Labor and Employment – Detroit
• • •
Taft is pleased to announce that the following local attorneys have been elected to the firm’s partnership:
Salvatore Amodeo, Litigation, Detroit
Kim Clayson, Bankruptcy, Detroit
Jeff Izzard, Business, Detroit
Amodeo is a member of Taft’s Commercial Litigation group and has experience representing his clients’ interests at the state and federal levels in all areas of business litigation, limited liability company membership and shareholder disputes, construction litigation, contract disputes, employment disputes, civil rights and constitutional claims, and business torts. He received his law degree from Wayne State University Law School and his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan.
Clayson serves a diverse client portfolio in the areas of insolvency law, creditors’ rights, bankruptcy matters, bankruptcy-related litigation, business law, and health law. She also advises financially distressed companies and nonprofit organizations in bankruptcy restructuring, out-of-court wind ups and dissolutions. She received her law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and her bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University.
Izzard is a transactional attorney assisting clients with mergers, sales and acquisitions, equity and debt-based fundraising, and corporate reorganizations. He provides counsel for clients of all sizes from established businesses, private equity funds, and automotive suppliers to renewable energy providers, medical practice groups, and early-stage ventures. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School.
• • •
Brooks Kushman Shareholder Christopher Smith was recently re-appointed as the vice chair of IP Licensing and Related Issues for the Intellectual Property Owner Association (IPO) Patent Licensing Committee for 2025 by the IPO Board. The committee includes several members from across the country who focus on intellectual property licensing and related matters and issues.
As vice chair, Smith will help prepare and promote programming offered by the committee. During previous terms, he participated on panels that examined licensing issues such as: best practices for supplier agreements; issues pertaining to standard essential patents for 5G; and unintended consequences of certain IP licensing provisions/language. Smith has been a member of the IP Licensing Committee for eight years and has also held the role of secretary in the committee.
Smith concentrates his practice on intellectual property litigation, with a primary emphasis on patent litigation. In addition to litigation, he is involved with the preparation of invalidity and infringement opinions and licensing disputes. Smith has represented clients from Fortune 500 companies to startups and individual inventors in a wide variety of industries and technologies including: (1) automotive, including infotainment; (2) medical devices; (3) internet, including content delivery networks; and (4) telecommunications, including fiber optics.
Bullard is an attorney whose specialty is personal injury defense and environmental law. He has taken more than 90 jury trials to verdict, including a no-cause verdict on a million dollar offer.
Conway is a litigator whose focus is on the representation of self-insured corporations and insurance company/insureds in all matters including personal injury defense, asbestos litigation, and commercial litigation. He practices in both Michigan and Ohio.
Alberts is a litigator who has been trying litigated matters since 1977 and performs all aspects of claims and pretrial preparations including investigations, negotiations, and discovery. His areas of specialty include premises liability, insurance issues, construction liability, as well as product liability and commercial litigation. He has tried a variety of cases involving contract matters, auto accidents, slip and falls, food poisoning, real estate disputes, employment discrimination, product liability, and construction accidents.
Andrzejewski is an attorney whose practice focuses on defending clients in various third-party negligence claims, premises liability, and no-fault bodily injury claims. Additionally, he has experience representing insurance companies and their insureds against predatory tow companies. His litigation work has taken him to more than 100 courts across Michigan.
Ross is an attorney whose practice has focused on insurance defense and other civil litigation, but his forte is appellate work. He has argued appeals in a wide variety of civil cases in Michigan, Ohio, and the Sixth Circuit.
• • •
Zausmer attorney Talitha Mahome has been appointed to the Chippewa Valley Schools Board of Education, bringing legal expertise and a commitment to community service to the district.
Mahome first sought a seat on the board in the November 2024 election. Although she narrowly missed being elected, her campaign garnered significant community support. After two board members resigned following their elections to other township positions, Mahome was selected to fill one of the vacancies through an application and interview process.
Mahome previously served as an assistant prosecuting attorney in Wayne County and currently works as an attorney specializing in civil litigation and insurance defense. As the mother of two, Mahome has been involved in the Chippewa Valley community for years, participating in PTO activities, school events, and community initiatives.
During her tenure, Mahome plans to focus on equitable resource allocation, supporting educators, and addressing students’ mental health. She has also expressed her dedication to fostering stronger connections between families and the district to ensure transparency and collaboration.
Zausmer congratulates Mahome on her appointment.
• • •
Attorney Mikhail Perkins has been promoted to director of public affairs for the Executive Office of the Governor. The promotion was announced by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
Perkins joined the administration as a legislative affairs specialist, providing expert policy and legal analysis on legislative matters to the governor and executive leadership. Prior to this, he served as a policy advisor for the Michigan Senate Majority Democratic Staff, specializing in finance, economic and community development, and judiciary and civil rights. He also worked as a legal extern at the Saginaw Defenders Office, led former state Representative Byrd’s office as chief of staff and legislative director, and was a law clerk at White & Wojda Attorneys and Counselors.
Perkins received his law degree from Michigan State University College of Law and undergraduate degree in political science from Michigan State University.
• • •
Honigman LLP is pleased to announce that the firm’s board of directors has elected the following local attorneys as partners, effective January 1:
Morgan L. Esters (Detroit) is a member of the Litigation Department who focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation. Esters earned her law degree from Michigan State University College of Law.
Tucker R. Hunter (Detroit) is a member of the Litigation Department who concentrates his practice on complex commercial litigation matters. Hunter earned his law degree from Harvard Law School.
Tyler J. Kemper (Bloomfield Hills) is a member of the Corporate Department. He focuses his practice on estate planning and estate and trust administration. Kemper earned his law degrees from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law and Wayne State University Law School.
Ahmad H. Sabbagh (Detroit) is a member of the Corporate Department who focuses his practice on commercial and technology transactions. Sabbagh earned his law degree from Wayne State University Law School.
Katelyn M. Young (Detroit) is a member of the Litigation Department. Her practice focuses on complex commercial litigation matters. Young earned her law degree from Wayne State University Law School.
• • •
Clark Hill recently announced the promotion of 29 attorneys to member, effective January 1. The 2025 class of member promotions is the largest in firm history and represents 13 offices and 10 practice areas.
“We’re thrilled to be promoting such a large and accomplished group of attorneys to start the new year,” Clark Hill CEO John Hensien said. “It’s fantastic to see this class come from a wide variety of locations and practice groups. They’ve already been tremendous leaders and representatives of the firm, and we’re excited to elevate them to our membership.”
The local promoted attorneys are:
Steve Campbell – Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources – Detroit
Lindsey Medina – Immigration – Detroit
Jonathan Roffe – Litigation – Birmingham
Althea Simpson – Litigation – Detroit
Ilya Smith – Corporate – Detroit and Chicago
Peter Valiotis – Litigation – Detroit
Clark Hill also announced the promotion of 13 attorneys to senior attorney. The local attorneys promoted are:
Mariah Mumford – Litigation – Birmingham
Stephanie Romeo – Labor and Employment – Detroit
Lauren Smith – Labor and Employment – Detroit
• • •
Taft is pleased to announce that the following local attorneys have been elected to the firm’s partnership:
Salvatore Amodeo, Litigation, Detroit
Kim Clayson, Bankruptcy, Detroit
Jeff Izzard, Business, Detroit
Amodeo is a member of Taft’s Commercial Litigation group and has experience representing his clients’ interests at the state and federal levels in all areas of business litigation, limited liability company membership and shareholder disputes, construction litigation, contract disputes, employment disputes, civil rights and constitutional claims, and business torts. He received his law degree from Wayne State University Law School and his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan.
Clayson serves a diverse client portfolio in the areas of insolvency law, creditors’ rights, bankruptcy matters, bankruptcy-related litigation, business law, and health law. She also advises financially distressed companies and nonprofit organizations in bankruptcy restructuring, out-of-court wind ups and dissolutions. She received her law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and her bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University.
Izzard is a transactional attorney assisting clients with mergers, sales and acquisitions, equity and debt-based fundraising, and corporate reorganizations. He provides counsel for clients of all sizes from established businesses, private equity funds, and automotive suppliers to renewable energy providers, medical practice groups, and early-stage ventures. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School.
• • •
Brooks Kushman Shareholder Christopher Smith was recently re-appointed as the vice chair of IP Licensing and Related Issues for the Intellectual Property Owner Association (IPO) Patent Licensing Committee for 2025 by the IPO Board. The committee includes several members from across the country who focus on intellectual property licensing and related matters and issues.
As vice chair, Smith will help prepare and promote programming offered by the committee. During previous terms, he participated on panels that examined licensing issues such as: best practices for supplier agreements; issues pertaining to standard essential patents for 5G; and unintended consequences of certain IP licensing provisions/language. Smith has been a member of the IP Licensing Committee for eight years and has also held the role of secretary in the committee.
Smith concentrates his practice on intellectual property litigation, with a primary emphasis on patent litigation. In addition to litigation, he is involved with the preparation of invalidity and infringement opinions and licensing disputes. Smith has represented clients from Fortune 500 companies to startups and individual inventors in a wide variety of industries and technologies including: (1) automotive, including infotainment; (2) medical devices; (3) internet, including content delivery networks; and (4) telecommunications, including fiber optics.
