McDonald Hopkins
McDonald Hopkins is proud to announce the addition of attorney Saili Hernandez to its national Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice Group. Hernandez said she chose McDonald Hopkins as her destination firm of choice because of its reputation within the data privacy and cybersecurity world.
“McDonald Hopkins is a fantastic firm where associates can grow and meaningfully contribute to this exciting and ever-evolving field. I am thrilled to work alongside such a talented group of attorneys who are committed to providing exceptional client service,” Hernandez said.
Her practice focuses primarily on incident response, where she works closely with clients to navigate data breaches and cybersecurity incidents, helping them comply with state, federal, and international notification laws, mitigate risk, and ensure operational continuity. Hernandez is a certified information privacy professional and an active member of the International Association of Privacy Professionals, where she serves as a KnowledgeNet young privacy professional.
Prior to joining McDonald Hopkins, Hernandez worked on general liability and data privacy matters, including advising on international data protection regulations and drafting updated privacy policies for clients with global operations.
Earlier in her career, Hernandez served as a legal researcher and writer for ERMProtect Cybersecurity Solutions, where she focused on cybersecurity regulations, compliance frameworks, and emerging legal trends affecting the technology sector. Her legal background also includes internships with Judge Mary S. Scriven at the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, GTE Financial Credit Union, and Raymond James Financial.
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State of Michigan
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer recently announced the appointment of Aisha Farooqi to the Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board.
Farooqi is an attorney and former assistant prosecutor at the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office. Farooqi is a lifelong public servant and has spent her legal career practicing family and immigration law in both the private and public sectors. Farooqi earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of Michigan – Dearborn and a law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law.
Farooqi is appointed to represent the legal community for a term commencing May 22, 2025, and expiring December 19, 2027. Farooqi succeeds Stanley Hannah, whose term has expired.
The Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board, also known as Children Trust Michigan, was established by the Michigan Legislature in 1982 and serves as a voice for Michigan’s children and families and promotes their health, safety, and welfare by funding effective local programs and services that prevent child abuse and neglect.
This appointment is subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.
In addition, Gov. Whitmer announced the appointment of Russ Kavalhuna to the Michigan Aeronautics Commission.
Kavalhuna was recently named president of Western Michigan University and currently serves as president of Henry Ford College. Kavalhuna was previously a commercial airline pilot, assistant U.S. attorney, and executive director of Western Michigan University’s College of Aviation. Kavalhuna earned a Bachelor of Science in aviation science from Western Michigan University and a law degree from Cooley Law School.
Kavalhuna will be reappointed for a term commencing May 28, 2025, and expiring May 27, 2029.
The Michigan Aeronautics Commission is responsible for the general supervision of all aeronautics within the state. The commission is empowered by state law to make rules and regulations governing all airports, flight schools, and other aeronautical activities.
This appointment is subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.
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Plunkett Cooney
The Bloomfield Hills office halls of Plunkett Cooney were recently buzzing as the five members of the firm’s 2025 class of summer associates arrived for their first day.
This year’s class includes law school students Dino Bucci III, Scout Ciora, and Lizbeth Lopez-Bermudez from Wayne State University Law School, as well as Grace Reilly and Rima Saad from Michigan State University College of Law.
Throughout the summer, Plunkett Cooney partners and associate attorneys will work with the summer associates in the areas of business law, general liability, governmental law, labor and employment law, and professional liability. The 12-week program features two six-week sessions during which participants will receive hands-on experience with legal assignments along with opportunities to attend numerous professional organization and firm social events held throughout the metropolitan Detroit area. The program concludes on Aug. 14.
A former intern for the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office and in the Michigan State Senate, Bucci is scheduled to receive his law degree in 2026. He received his undergraduate degree from Michigan State University in 2022.
Ciora, who previously clerked at two southeast Michigan law firms, is scheduled to graduate in 2026. He received his undergraduate degree from San Diego State University in 2021.
A former paralegal at two southeast Michigan law firms, Lopez-Bermudez is set to receive her law degree in 2026. She recently worked as a judicial intern in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. Lopez-Bermudez received her undergraduate degree in 2017 from the James Madison College at Michigan State University.
Reilly is scheduled to receive her law degree in 2026. She received her undergraduate degree from Loyola University Chicago in 2022.
A former legal assistant and paralegal, Saad is set to receive her law degree in 2026. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan in 2022.
In addition, a blog hosted by Plunkett Cooney has been selected as one of the Top 10 best transportation law blogs in the nation.
FeedSpot, an online platform that aggregates and organizes for its subscribers content from blogs, podcasts, news websites and other resources like YouTube, has selected Plunkett Cooney’s Transportation Law Hub based on the blog’s relevancy, authority, social media followers, and freshness. In compiling the 2025 Top 10 list, a panel of FeedSpot experts reviewed and then ranked thousands of blogs.
Plunkett Cooney’s Transportation Law Hub is listed at number six, right behind the transportation law blogs hosted by Law360, Holland & Knight, Russell Mirkovich & Morrow, Truck Law, and Ship Law Log.
The Transportation Law Hub is designed to keep readers abreast of the many issues impacting the trucking and transportation industries, including news, legislative updates, case law and industry trend analysis. Published by Plunkett Cooney’s Transportation Law Practice Group, the blog covers a range of issues from trucking liability, to no-fault insurance coverage, to regulatory issues and other related topics.
Plunkett Cooney’s Transportation Law Practice Group includes attorneys in the firm’s four-state footprint who provide litigation and risk management services, including expertise in the areas of first- and third-party motor vehicle liability, cross-border claims with Canada, trucking liability, fraud investigations, and emergency accident response.
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Maddin Hauser
Maddin Hauser is pleased to announce that Mark R. James and Breanne N. Gilliam have joined the firm.
James focuses on transactional, corporate, and real estate matters. He joins Maddin Hauser’s Real Estate and Corporate and Business practice groups as counsel. James brings expertise, including mergers, acquisitions, strategic partnerships, facilitating the purchase, sale, or financing of commercial or residential real estate transactions, and assisting business owners with their day-to-day challenges. He also represents lenders and borrowers in complex financing and secured transactions.
An associate in the Employment and Workforce Management group, Gilliam dedicates her practice to a range of employee relations matters, ensuring clients remain compliant with evolving employment laws and internal policies. She advises HR teams on resolving sensitive employment matters and defends employers against EEOC and state-level equivalent administrative charges. Gilliam, a certified facilitative mediator, conducts thorough internal workplace investigations and provides training and coaching for managers and supervisors.
In addition, Maddin Hauser is proud to announce that Michael W. Maddin was honored as one of Jewish Senior Life’s 2025 Eight Over 80.
Selecting these award winners is a tradition that brings together friends, family, and community to honor individuals whose dedication to Tikkun Olam—repairing the world—has profoundly shaped lives across generations. Each honoree embodies resilience, compassion, creativity, and an unwavering commitment to Jewish values.
One of Maddin Hauser’s longest practicing shareholders, Maddin served as president emeritus and an executive committee member until he retired in 2024. Throughout his more than 50 years of practice, he focused on real estate, corporate and business, estate planning, and probate law.
Maddin earned numerous professional accolades throughout his career. He is a Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and has enjoyed special recognition by Best Lawyers in America, Chambers USA, and Michigan Lawyers Weekly for many years. He also devoted significant time as president or chairman of many civic and charitable organizations.
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State Court Administrative Office
The State Court Administrative Office (SCAO) has named Judge Donald Coleman as its new Region 1 administrator, effective June 30. In this role, Coleman will serve as SCAO’s liaison to the 26 trial courts (circuit, probate, district, and municipal) in Wayne County. Coleman has served on the bench in Detroit’s 36th District Court since 1992. He has served in every division of the court and is currently the presiding judge of the Civil Division. The 36th District Court is the largest district court in the state of Michigan and one of the busiest courts in the United States.
Coleman’s primary responsibilities as Region 1 administrator will include providing management assistance to all trial courts within the region regarding judicial assignment, funding and policy disputes, complaint investigation, and acting as a resource to judges and court staff as the State Court administrator’s representative. Coleman will also develop and implement plans and goals and direct the personnel and operational activities of the Region 1 Office.
As presiding judge of the Civil Division, Coleman oversees the management of in-court and behind-the-scenes staff, works in collaboration with other judges in the division, and executes progressive strategies across a wide variety of civil cases. According to SCAO data, the 36th District Court received nearly 280,000 case filings in 2024.
Coleman serves as the founding pastor of New Breakthrough Church International in Detroit and has been a minister for more than 40 years. Prior to joining the bench, Coleman co-founded his own full-service law firm and worked in the Macomb County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office as an assistant prosecuting attorney. In addition to state and federal bar associations, he is a member of the Michigan District Court Judges Association, the Association of Black Judges of Michigan, as well as many other civic and community organizations.
“During my judicial tenure, I have witnessed the vital role that SCAO has played in bringing significant improvements to the operations and oversight of our court system,” Coleman said. “I look forward to fulfilling this new role and continuing to build on SCAO’s cutting-edge innovations to strengthen the trust and confidence in our judicial institutions.”
Coleman earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the Eli Broad Graduate School of Management at Michigan State University, a law degree from University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, and a bachelor of arts degree in Political Science from University of Detroit Mercy.
McDonald Hopkins is proud to announce the addition of attorney Saili Hernandez to its national Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice Group. Hernandez said she chose McDonald Hopkins as her destination firm of choice because of its reputation within the data privacy and cybersecurity world.
“McDonald Hopkins is a fantastic firm where associates can grow and meaningfully contribute to this exciting and ever-evolving field. I am thrilled to work alongside such a talented group of attorneys who are committed to providing exceptional client service,” Hernandez said.
Her practice focuses primarily on incident response, where she works closely with clients to navigate data breaches and cybersecurity incidents, helping them comply with state, federal, and international notification laws, mitigate risk, and ensure operational continuity. Hernandez is a certified information privacy professional and an active member of the International Association of Privacy Professionals, where she serves as a KnowledgeNet young privacy professional.
Prior to joining McDonald Hopkins, Hernandez worked on general liability and data privacy matters, including advising on international data protection regulations and drafting updated privacy policies for clients with global operations.
Earlier in her career, Hernandez served as a legal researcher and writer for ERMProtect Cybersecurity Solutions, where she focused on cybersecurity regulations, compliance frameworks, and emerging legal trends affecting the technology sector. Her legal background also includes internships with Judge Mary S. Scriven at the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, GTE Financial Credit Union, and Raymond James Financial.
—————
State of Michigan
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer recently announced the appointment of Aisha Farooqi to the Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board.
Farooqi is an attorney and former assistant prosecutor at the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office. Farooqi is a lifelong public servant and has spent her legal career practicing family and immigration law in both the private and public sectors. Farooqi earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of Michigan – Dearborn and a law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law.
Farooqi is appointed to represent the legal community for a term commencing May 22, 2025, and expiring December 19, 2027. Farooqi succeeds Stanley Hannah, whose term has expired.
The Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board, also known as Children Trust Michigan, was established by the Michigan Legislature in 1982 and serves as a voice for Michigan’s children and families and promotes their health, safety, and welfare by funding effective local programs and services that prevent child abuse and neglect.
This appointment is subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.
In addition, Gov. Whitmer announced the appointment of Russ Kavalhuna to the Michigan Aeronautics Commission.
Kavalhuna was recently named president of Western Michigan University and currently serves as president of Henry Ford College. Kavalhuna was previously a commercial airline pilot, assistant U.S. attorney, and executive director of Western Michigan University’s College of Aviation. Kavalhuna earned a Bachelor of Science in aviation science from Western Michigan University and a law degree from Cooley Law School.
Kavalhuna will be reappointed for a term commencing May 28, 2025, and expiring May 27, 2029.
The Michigan Aeronautics Commission is responsible for the general supervision of all aeronautics within the state. The commission is empowered by state law to make rules and regulations governing all airports, flight schools, and other aeronautical activities.
This appointment is subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.
—————
Plunkett Cooney
The Bloomfield Hills office halls of Plunkett Cooney were recently buzzing as the five members of the firm’s 2025 class of summer associates arrived for their first day.
This year’s class includes law school students Dino Bucci III, Scout Ciora, and Lizbeth Lopez-Bermudez from Wayne State University Law School, as well as Grace Reilly and Rima Saad from Michigan State University College of Law.
Throughout the summer, Plunkett Cooney partners and associate attorneys will work with the summer associates in the areas of business law, general liability, governmental law, labor and employment law, and professional liability. The 12-week program features two six-week sessions during which participants will receive hands-on experience with legal assignments along with opportunities to attend numerous professional organization and firm social events held throughout the metropolitan Detroit area. The program concludes on Aug. 14.
A former intern for the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office and in the Michigan State Senate, Bucci is scheduled to receive his law degree in 2026. He received his undergraduate degree from Michigan State University in 2022.
Ciora, who previously clerked at two southeast Michigan law firms, is scheduled to graduate in 2026. He received his undergraduate degree from San Diego State University in 2021.
A former paralegal at two southeast Michigan law firms, Lopez-Bermudez is set to receive her law degree in 2026. She recently worked as a judicial intern in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. Lopez-Bermudez received her undergraduate degree in 2017 from the James Madison College at Michigan State University.
Reilly is scheduled to receive her law degree in 2026. She received her undergraduate degree from Loyola University Chicago in 2022.
A former legal assistant and paralegal, Saad is set to receive her law degree in 2026. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan in 2022.
In addition, a blog hosted by Plunkett Cooney has been selected as one of the Top 10 best transportation law blogs in the nation.
FeedSpot, an online platform that aggregates and organizes for its subscribers content from blogs, podcasts, news websites and other resources like YouTube, has selected Plunkett Cooney’s Transportation Law Hub based on the blog’s relevancy, authority, social media followers, and freshness. In compiling the 2025 Top 10 list, a panel of FeedSpot experts reviewed and then ranked thousands of blogs.
Plunkett Cooney’s Transportation Law Hub is listed at number six, right behind the transportation law blogs hosted by Law360, Holland & Knight, Russell Mirkovich & Morrow, Truck Law, and Ship Law Log.
The Transportation Law Hub is designed to keep readers abreast of the many issues impacting the trucking and transportation industries, including news, legislative updates, case law and industry trend analysis. Published by Plunkett Cooney’s Transportation Law Practice Group, the blog covers a range of issues from trucking liability, to no-fault insurance coverage, to regulatory issues and other related topics.
Plunkett Cooney’s Transportation Law Practice Group includes attorneys in the firm’s four-state footprint who provide litigation and risk management services, including expertise in the areas of first- and third-party motor vehicle liability, cross-border claims with Canada, trucking liability, fraud investigations, and emergency accident response.
—————
Maddin Hauser
Maddin Hauser is pleased to announce that Mark R. James and Breanne N. Gilliam have joined the firm.
James focuses on transactional, corporate, and real estate matters. He joins Maddin Hauser’s Real Estate and Corporate and Business practice groups as counsel. James brings expertise, including mergers, acquisitions, strategic partnerships, facilitating the purchase, sale, or financing of commercial or residential real estate transactions, and assisting business owners with their day-to-day challenges. He also represents lenders and borrowers in complex financing and secured transactions.
An associate in the Employment and Workforce Management group, Gilliam dedicates her practice to a range of employee relations matters, ensuring clients remain compliant with evolving employment laws and internal policies. She advises HR teams on resolving sensitive employment matters and defends employers against EEOC and state-level equivalent administrative charges. Gilliam, a certified facilitative mediator, conducts thorough internal workplace investigations and provides training and coaching for managers and supervisors.
In addition, Maddin Hauser is proud to announce that Michael W. Maddin was honored as one of Jewish Senior Life’s 2025 Eight Over 80.
Selecting these award winners is a tradition that brings together friends, family, and community to honor individuals whose dedication to Tikkun Olam—repairing the world—has profoundly shaped lives across generations. Each honoree embodies resilience, compassion, creativity, and an unwavering commitment to Jewish values.
One of Maddin Hauser’s longest practicing shareholders, Maddin served as president emeritus and an executive committee member until he retired in 2024. Throughout his more than 50 years of practice, he focused on real estate, corporate and business, estate planning, and probate law.
Maddin earned numerous professional accolades throughout his career. He is a Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and has enjoyed special recognition by Best Lawyers in America, Chambers USA, and Michigan Lawyers Weekly for many years. He also devoted significant time as president or chairman of many civic and charitable organizations.
—————
State Court Administrative Office
The State Court Administrative Office (SCAO) has named Judge Donald Coleman as its new Region 1 administrator, effective June 30. In this role, Coleman will serve as SCAO’s liaison to the 26 trial courts (circuit, probate, district, and municipal) in Wayne County. Coleman has served on the bench in Detroit’s 36th District Court since 1992. He has served in every division of the court and is currently the presiding judge of the Civil Division. The 36th District Court is the largest district court in the state of Michigan and one of the busiest courts in the United States.
Coleman’s primary responsibilities as Region 1 administrator will include providing management assistance to all trial courts within the region regarding judicial assignment, funding and policy disputes, complaint investigation, and acting as a resource to judges and court staff as the State Court administrator’s representative. Coleman will also develop and implement plans and goals and direct the personnel and operational activities of the Region 1 Office.
As presiding judge of the Civil Division, Coleman oversees the management of in-court and behind-the-scenes staff, works in collaboration with other judges in the division, and executes progressive strategies across a wide variety of civil cases. According to SCAO data, the 36th District Court received nearly 280,000 case filings in 2024.
Coleman serves as the founding pastor of New Breakthrough Church International in Detroit and has been a minister for more than 40 years. Prior to joining the bench, Coleman co-founded his own full-service law firm and worked in the Macomb County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office as an assistant prosecuting attorney. In addition to state and federal bar associations, he is a member of the Michigan District Court Judges Association, the Association of Black Judges of Michigan, as well as many other civic and community organizations.
“During my judicial tenure, I have witnessed the vital role that SCAO has played in bringing significant improvements to the operations and oversight of our court system,” Coleman said. “I look forward to fulfilling this new role and continuing to build on SCAO’s cutting-edge innovations to strengthen the trust and confidence in our judicial institutions.”
Coleman earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the Eli Broad Graduate School of Management at Michigan State University, a law degree from University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, and a bachelor of arts degree in Political Science from University of Detroit Mercy.
