Varnum
Varnum is pleased to announce Jessica Kingston has joined Varnum as an associate attorney in the Novi office.
Kingston is a recent graduate of the University of Michigan Law School. Prior to obtaining her law degree, she earned a bachelor of arts in criminal justice from Michigan State University.
Outside of her practice, Kingston is involved in a variety of community athletic programs; she is an official for the Michigan High School Athletic Association as well as the director of Cheer! Michigan, a top cheerleading training camp.
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Trott & Trott, P.C.
Trott & Trott PC, a Farmington Hills-based law firm serving the mortgage banking industry, has been named the recipient of the National Association of Retail Collection Attorneys (NARCA) 2010 Community Service Award. Trott & Trott President and Managing Partner David A. Trott made the announcement.
The Community Service Award, presented annually at the NARCA Fall Conference, is given to the law firm that best demonstrates an implementation of activities and overall firm commitment toward the betterment of its community.
“We are honored to be recognized for our contributions and commitment to our local community,” said Trott. “We are truly privileged to have such dedicated and generous individuals on the Trott & Trott team.”
In honor of the award, NARCA will donate $1,000 to Trott & Trott’s charity of choice.
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Butzel Long
Several Butzel Long attorneys have been named to the 2010 “Michigan Super Lawyers” list. Moreover, three Butzel Long attorneys from its Detroit office were named “Michigan Rising Stars” 2010 including:
•David J. Devine – Business Litigation.
•Thomas D. Noonan – Business Litigation.
•Donald V. Orlandoni – Business Litigation.
The following Butzel Long attorneys were selected as “Super Lawyers:”
Bloomfield Hills office
•Stephen A. Bromberg – Real Estate.
•Frederick G. Buesser III – Family Law.
•Gordon W. Didier – Business/Corporate.
•Edward D. Gold – Family Law.
•Howard B. Goldman – Real Estate.
•Beth S. Gotthelf – Energy & Natural Resources.
•Roberta G. Granadier – Employee Benefits/ERISA.
•D. Stewart Green – Real Estate.
•Allan Nachman – Real Estate.
•Max J. Newman – Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights.
•Thomas B. Radom – Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights.
•Richard A. Shapack – Real Estate.
•David W. Sommerfeld – Estate Planning & Probate.
Detroit office
•James C. Bruno – Business/Corporate.
•Robert G. Buydens – Employee Benefits/ERISA.
•Herbert C. Donovan – Business Litigation.
•Arthur Dudley II – Mergers & Acquisitions.
•David F. DuMouchel – Criminal Defense: White Collar.
•John P. Hancock Jr. – Employment & Labor.
•Robert A. Hudson – Business/Corporate.
•Justin G. Klimko – Mergers & Acquisitions.
•Phillip C. Korovesis – Business Litigation.
•Edward M. Kronk – Business Litigation.
•Michael J. Lavoie – Business Litigation.
•Laurie J. Michelson – First Amendment/Media/Advertising.
•ReginalD A. Pacis – Immigration.
•Carl Rashid Jr. – Real Estate.
•Richard E. Rassel – Business Litigation.
•James S. Rosenfeld – Employment & Labor.
•Louis Theros – Employment Litigation: Defense.
•Daniel B. Tukel – Employment Litigation: Defense.
•James W. Wynne – Business Litigation.
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Mackey, Komara, & Dankovich LLC
John Dankovich is proud to announce he has become a community partner of the Southeast Michigan program of LEAVE A LEGACY®. Through their partnership, Dankovich maintains his commitment to the community by supporting and promoting the need for individuals to support their favorite charities in their wills or estate plans.
Dankovich is a wealth coach and partner at Mackey, Komara, & Dankovich LLC in Auburn Hills. He has experience as a CPA in public accounting and as an attorney in private practice in the areas of taxation, estate planning and closely held corporations. Dankovich serves on the executive committee at the Detroit Science Center and serves on the planned giving advisory committee for the Southeast Michigan Red Cross, Karmanos Cancer Institute and Eastern Michigan Salvation Army.
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Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy, & Sadler PLC
Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy, & Sadler PLC is pleased to announce that founder Edward C. Dawda has been named “Detroit Area Best Lawyers Real Estate Lawyer of the Year” for 2011 by Best Lawyers, the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession.
Dawda specializes in a broad range of business, corporate and real estate transactional matters and has been an advisor and counsel to nationally known private and publicly traded companies in major corporate transactions as well as retail, commercial and industrial real estate development projects across the United States. He earned his law degree from Michigan State University College of Law. He also earned his B.A. from Michigan State University.
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Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss, P.C.
Ethan R. Holtz has joined Southfield-based Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer, Weiss P.C. as an associate in the firm’s litigation practice group. Jaffe CEO Richard Zussman made the announcement.
Holtz earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Middle Eastern and North African Studies from the University of Michigan. He is also a graduate of Fordham University School of Law.
Holtz previously served as an associate with Morrison Cohen LLP, in New York City where he concentrated his practice in litigation.
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Warner, Norcross, & Judd LLP
For the second year in a row, the law firm of Warner, Norcross, & Judd LLP has been named one of the Top Work Places by The Detroit Free Press.
The survey, which was expanded beyond Metro Detroit to be statewide this year, evaluated companies on a number of criteria, including career opportunity, compensation and benefits, management, direction, execution and related areas. Attorneys and staff from the law firm’s six offices were surveyed for the award.
“As a law firm, we strive to provide excellent client service and to offer an exceptional work environment for our attorneys and staff,” said Managing Partner Doug Wagner. “We are pleased to be recognized again by The Detroit Free Press as one of the top places to work in the state of Michigan.”
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Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP
Honigman, Miller, Schwartz, and Cohn LLP is pleased to announce that 64 of its attorneys were recognized in the 2010 edition of “Michigan Super Lawyers.”
“Michigan Super Lawyers” named Honigman Partners Norman C. Ankers and Joseph Aviv, both in the firm’s Litigation Department, to its list of “Top 10” attorneys. A total of 15 of the firm’s attorneys were listed in the “Top 100” Michigan Super Lawyers and three female attorneys were included in the “Top 50 Women.” Thirty-five Honigman attorneys under the age of 40 were named as “Rising Stars.”
Listed below are the Honigman attorneys recognized by “Michigan Super Lawyers” and their areas of practice.
Top 10
•Norman C. Ankers – Business Litigation.
•Joseph Aviv – Business Litigation.
Top 50 Women.
•Denise J. Lewis – Real Estate.
•Julie E. Robertson – Insurance Coverage.
•Linda S. Ross – Health Care
Top 100.
•David A. Ettinger – Antitrust Litigation.
•Herschel P. Fink – First Amendment/Media/Advertising.
•David Foltyn – Business/Corporate.
•Kenneth C. Gold – Environmental.
•Michael A. Indenbaum – Tax.
•Donald J. Kunz – Securities & Corporate Finance.
•Stuart M. Lockman – Health Care.
•Lawrence D. McLaughlin – Real Estate.
•Joseph M. Polito – Environmental.
•William D. Sargent – Employment & Labor.
•I.W. Winsten – Business Litigation.
Additional Honigman attorneys recognized as “Super Lawyers” are:.
•Joel S. Adelman – Real Estate.
•Richard A. Barr – Environmental.
•Donald F. Baty Jr. – Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights.
•Maurice S. Binkow – Real Estate.
•Kenneth T. Brooks – Business Litigation.
•Richard J. Burstein – Real Estate.
•Judy B. Calton – Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights.
•William M. Cassetta – Insurance Coverage.
•Roger Cook – Tax.
•Gregory J. DeMars – Real Estate.
•Patrick T. Duerr – Securities & Corporate Finance.
•Eric J. Eggan – Government/Cities/Municipalities.
•Cameron J. Evans – Employment & Labor.
•Carol A. Friend – Immigration.
•Margaret E. Greene – Construction/Surety.
•Andrew M. (Jake) Grove – Intellectual Property Litigation.
•June S. Haas – Tax.
•Raymond W. Henney – Securities Litigation.
•Carl W. Herstein – Real Estate.
•Karl A. Hochkammer – Information Technology/Outsourcing.
•William O. Hochkammer – Insurance Coverage.
•Ann T. Hollenbeck – Health Care.
•Alan M. Hurvitz – Real Estate.
•Robert M. Jackson – Business Litigation.
•S. Lee Johnson – Environmental.
•Timothy S. Knowlton – Insurance Coverage.
•Anessa Owen Kramer – Intellectual Property.
•Joel M. Krugel – Real Estate.
•Howard N. Luckoff – Real Estate.
•Kenneth R. Marcus – Health Care.
•Cyril Moscow – Securities & Corporate Finance.
•Steven C. Nadeau – Environmental.
•Charles Nida – Estate Planning and Probate.
•Joshua F. Opperer – Mergers & Acquisitions.
•David N. Parsigian – Securities & Corporate Finance.
•John D. Pirich – Insurance Coverage.
•J. Adam Rothstein – Real Estate.
•E. Todd Sable – Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights.
•Alan S. Schwartz – Business/Corporate.
•Michael B. Shapiro – Tax.
•Richard S. Soble – Tax.
•Mark A. Stern – Business Litigation.
•Stuart H. Teger – Construction Litigation.
•Phillip D. Torrence – Securities & Corporate Finance.
•Patrick R. Van Tiflin – Tax.
•Robert B. Weiss – Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights.
•Sheldon P. Winkelman – Real Estate.
•Richard E. Zuckerman – Criminal Defense: White Collar.
Additionally, Honigman partner Lynn A. Gandhi has been named secretary of the State Bar of Michigan’s governing body of the Tax Section known as the Tax Council. Gandhi is a partner in Honigman’s Tax Appeals Department.
In her law practice, Gandhi advises clients on a national basis regarding multistate tax strategies, tax disputes and litigates state tax cases. Her areas of concentration are state income and gross receipts taxes, sales and use taxes, the Michigan Business Tax (MBT) and other excise taxes. She is also experienced in unclaimed property processes and audits, from both the preventive and defensive postures, and deeply engaged in investment incentive opportunities. She is a Certified Public Accountant recognized in Michigan and Illinois.
Gandhi was named in the 2010 and 2011 editions of Best Lawyers in America. She earned her law degrees from Wayne State University and New York University Law School. She received her B.A. from Kalamazoo College.
Also, Lawrence D. McLaughlin, chair of the firm’s Estate Department, has been elected to the Board of Governors of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL). McLaughlin has been a member of ACREL for 10 years. He also is a member of its Program Planning Committee and most recently served the organization as chair of its Member Selection Committee.
McLaughlin’s legal practice focuses on representing developers of commercial, industrial and residential real estate. He has more than 30 years of experience in acquisitions, land use, entitlements, development incentives, partnerships and joint ventures, financing, construction, leasing, taxation, sales, workouts and restructuring.
McLaughlin has been recognized as a “Star” in the legal field by Chambers USA, America’s Leading Lawyers for Business in 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 and a “Leading Individual Attorney” in 2004 and 2006.
He also has been on the “Best Lawyers in America” list for 20 years and on the “Michigan Super Lawyers” listing since 2006. His leadership as chair of the Real Estate Department has helped lead to its recognition by Chambers as the number one Real Estate Practice in Michigan since 2004.
In addition to ACREL, his professional involvement includes serving for seven years on the Law Conference Planning Committee for the International Council of Shopping Centers’ annual meetings, where more than 1,000 legal professionals gain knowledge and insight from the country’s leading authorities.
McLaughlin has been an attorney at Honigman since he earned his law degree from Wayne State University Law School in 1977. He also earned a B.S.M.E. from the General Motors Institute.
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Brooks Wilkins Sharkey & Turco PLLC
“Best Lawyers” has named Keefe A. Brooks as the “Detroit Area Best Lawyers’ Ethics and Professional Responsibility Lawyer of the Year” for 2011. Brooks is a founding partner of Brooks, Wilkins, Sharkey, & Turco PLLC in Birmingham.
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Bodman LLP
Charles J. Thomas III has joined Bodman LLP as a senior attorney practicing in the firm’s Troy office.
Thomas is a member of Bodman’s Business Practice Group. He concentrates his legal practice in all aspects of corporate and business law, including purchases and sales of businesses, entity formation, contract review and preparation, real estate matters, and employment matters. He has served clients in numerous industries, including automotive, manufacturing, entertainment, private equity, construction, retail, real estate, and franchise.
Prior to joining Bodman Thomas was a shareholder in another large southeast Michigan business law firm. His previous experience includes service as in-house general counsel to a Tier-1 auto supplier and as in-house corporate counsel to a well known local retail business. He has served as outside general to many privately held companies across several industries.
Thomas earned his law degree from Michigan State University College of Law and his undergraduate degree from Albion College. He is co-organizer of the Annual “Capuchin Souper Summer Celebration” which benefits the Capuchin Soup Kitchen of Detroit and a member of Operation Give which benefits the Children’s Hospital of Michigan Foundation.
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May, Simpson & Strote PC
Ronald P. Strote of May, Simpson, & Strote PC. in Bloomfield Hills, has been named Detroit Area Best Lawyers’ Construction Lawyer of the Year for 2011 based upon peer review surveys of ability, professionalism, and integrity.
Strote has also been recognized as a “Michigan Super Lawyer” in construction law for each year the designation has been available to Michigan attorneys and has been designated as one of the top 100 lawyers in the state for the past 3 years.
In addition to his client representation, Strote is an active arbitrator and mediator on the panels for the American Arbitration Association and certified as a mediator by the International Mediation Institute, The Hague, Netherlands.
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Foster, Swift, Collins, & Smith, P.C.
Foster, Swift, Collins, & Smith P.C. is pleased to announce the addition of attorney, and shareholder, Julie I. Fershtman. Fershtman concentrates her law practice in the areas of general insurance defense, insurance coverage, premises liability, business litigation, and sporting and recreational liability. Her clients range from major insurance companies and businesses to individuals. In addition, she is considered to be one of the nation’s leading developers of and experts in the field of equine law.
Fershtman is currently the president-elect of the State Bar of Michigan for 2010-2011 and will become its president for 2011-2012. In the American Bar Association, she is a vice-chair of the Animal Law Committee of the Tort, Trial & Insurance Practice Section. She is a past officer of the Oakland County Bar Association. She is also a trustee of the Michigan State Bar Foundation and a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and Oakland County Bar Foundation.
Her professional distinctions include being selected by Crain’s Detroit Business as one of the “Top 15 Women to Watch” in 2010 and as one of “Metro Detroit’s Most Influential Women” in 2007. In 2000 she received the Oakland County Bar Association’s “Professionalism Award.” In 1996 she was named one of “40 Outstanding Business Leaders Under 40” by Crain’s Detroit Business and in 1995 the American Bar Association’s Barrister Magazine named her in “21 Young Lawyers Leading Us into the 21st Century.”
She has lectured at seminars, conventions, and conferences in 27 states on issues involving law, liability, risk management, and insurance. In addition, she has authored more than 190 published articles and three books, the third book of which was published by the ABA in 2009.
She graduated from Emory College in 1983 and Emory Law School in 1986.
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Collins, Einhorn, Farrell & Ulanoff P.C.
Collins, Einhorn, Farrell, & Ulanoff P.C. has been recognized by U.S. News – “Best Lawyers®” “Best Law Firms” in its inaugural rankings.
The Southfield-based law firm was listed for this honor as a Tier 1 firm in the Detroit metropolitan rankings in professional malpractice law – defendants; and as a Tier 2 firm in product liability litigation – defendants.
“For many years, Collins Einhorn has been at the forefront of the professional liability practice area,” said President Michael Sullivan. “To be honored among the 'Best Law Firms’ for our work in this field is indeed an honor.”
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Michigan Supreme Court/Court of Appeals
John O. Juroszek has been named Reporter of Decisions for the Michigan Supreme Court and Michigan Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court announced recently.
Chief Justice Marilyn Kelly said that Juroszek “brings a wide range of experience to this important position, including six years as Legal Editor working under the Reporter of Decisions. The Court is pleased to have someone of his expertise as Reporter.”
The Reporter of Decisions is responsible for editing and publishing decisions of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals. The Reporter also publishes Michigan court rules, evidence rules, and Supreme Court administrative orders.
As Legal Editor, Juroszek was responsible for editing Supreme Court and Court of Appeals opinions. Before joining the Reporter of Decisions office, he was a prehearing attorney and law clerk with the Court of Appeals, then joined the Lansing law firm of Loomis, Ewert, Ederer, Parsley, Davis, & Gotting PC. He subsequently served as legal counsel to the Legislative Service Bureau.
Juroszek’s undergraduate degree is from Michigan State University, where he majored in geology and also earned a master’s degree in chemistry. He earned his law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 1984.
Juroszek, who has served as an adjunct professor at Cooley Law School, is a member of the Association of Reporters of Judicial Decisions. He is also a member of the Publications and Website Advisory Committee of the State Bar of Michigan.
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Dykema
Dykema announces that several of its Michigan attorneys have been recognized as “Lawyer of the Year” for 2011 by Best Lawyers.
“We are especially pleased that so many of our Dykema colleagues are receiving this important peer recognition,” said Dykema Chairman Rex Schlaybaugh. “The bar is set high, and these lawyers have clearly met it.”
Local lawyers being honored include:
Bloomfield Hills Office
• Maria B. Abrahamsen – Health Care Law.
Detroit Office
• Joseph A. Ritok – Labor and Employment Law.
