LEGAL PEOPLE

Varnum attorney Thomas H. Bergh has become a community partner of the Southeast Michigan LEAVE A LEGACY® program. Through his partnership, Bergh 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. Bergh is the chairperson of Varnum's Estate, Tax & Benefits Practice Group. His practice focuses on estate and business planning with an emphasis on qualified plan and IRA issues. He has experience in asset protection planning, ERISA and probate litigation, and business formation, sale and acquisitions. Outside of his practice, Bergh is an adjunct professor of law for the Thomas Cooley Law School at the Oakland University campus, and participates on many community boards, including the Chamber Music Society of Detroit, the Michigan Council on Economic Education, the Community Outreach Committee of the Detroit Athletic Club, and the Planned Giving advisory boards for the Community Foundation of Southeastern Michigan, the Salvation Army, and Wayne State University. * * * Southfield-based Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer, & Weiss PC has been recognized by Super Lawyers magazine for having some of the top attorneys in the state of Michigan in 2011. Jaffe CEO Richard Zussman made the announcement. The publication recognized the following Jaffe attorneys as Michigan Rising Stars in 2011: * Marko Belej - Tax. * Jeremy Bisdorf - Intellectual Property. * John Decker - Business/Corporate. * Paul Hage - Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights. * Lee Kellert - Mergers & Acquisitions. * Richard Kruger - Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights. * Jennifer Oertel - Business/Corporate. * Kevin Plumstead - Real Estate. * James Rose - General Litigation. * Alicia Schehr - Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights. * * * Miller Canfield principal Kathryn L. Ossian was honored as a 2012 Women in the Law by Michigan Lawyers Weekly at a special luncheon and awards ceremony on Sept. 26. At Miller Canfield, Ossian heads up the legal team that counsels Fortune 500 companies, second-stage businesses and technology companies in all aspects of information technology, web-related agreements, internet use and e-records policies. She earned her law degree from Michigan State University College of Law and B.A. from Michigan State University. In addition, Miller Canfield associate Joseph Uhl will be presented with the 2011 Pro Bono Attorney of the Year Award by the Legal Aid and Defender Association, Inc. (LAD) at the upcoming inaugural "Laddys" Pro Bono Award Ceremony in November. At Miller Canfield, Uhl specializes in litigation, compliance, training, counseling and planning in all employment-related matters. He is active in the State Bar of Michigan and was a 2010 Pro Bono Honoree for the Federal Bar Association, Eastern District of Michigan Chapter. Uhl earned his law degree from Wayne State University Law School and his M.A. and B.A. from Western Michigan University. Also, Miller Canfield recently announced that 113 of its lawyers were selected by their peers for inclusion in the pre-eminent legal referral guide, Best Lawyers® 2012. Miller Canfield has 26 more lawyers earning this designation than the next most recognized Michigan firm. Miller Canfield ranks number one in Michigan with the most lawyers named in 22 categories including Banking and Finance, Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense, Energy, Information Technology Litigation, Employment Law, and Public Finance. Following is a list of local Miller Canfield attorneys honored in Best Lawyers 2012. Nine lawyers were named for the first time this year (*). Four lawyers have been recognized in Best Lawyers since its inception in 1983 (**). Detroit office * Frederick A. Acomb, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Intellectual Property. * Marjory G. Basile, Litigation - Intellectual Property, Litigation - Patent, Trademark. * Bruce D. Birgbauer**, Corporate and International Trade and Finance. * Orin D. Brustad, Employee Benefits (ERISA). * Harold W. Bulger Jr., Public Finance. * Beverly Hall Burns, Education, Employment - Management, Labor - Management. * Michael P. Coakley, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Intellectual Property, Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy), Litigation - Securities. * Thomas D. Colis, Public Finance. * Donna J. Donati, Employment - Management, Labor - Management. * Lawrence M. Dudek, Litigation - Construction, Litigation - Real Estate. * W. Mack Faison, Commercial Litigation. * Adam S. Forman, Employment - Management, Labor - Management. * Brant A. Freer, Public Finance, Tax. * Joseph F. Galvin, Land Use & Zoning, Litigation - Land Use & Zoning, Litigation - Municipal, Litigation - Real Estate. * Leonard D. Givens, Employment - Management, Labor - Management. * Jonathan S. Green, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization. * Michael W. Hartmann, Commercial Litigation, Legal Malpractice - Defendants, Professional Malpractice - Defendants. * Donald J. Hutchinson*, Litigation - Bankruptcy. * Donald W. Keim, Public Finance. * Douglas M. Kilbourne, Banking and Finance. * Stephen S. LaPlante, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and organization, Litigation - Bankruptcy. * Thomas W. Linn, Banking and Finance. * Anthony J. Mavrinac, Banking and Finance. * Michael P. McGee, Public Finance. * Patrick F. McGow, Public Finance. * Jeffrey M. McHugh, Public Finance. * Samuel J. McKim III**, Litigation & Controversy - Tax. * Christopher A. McMican, Employee Benefits (ERISA). * Megan P. Norris, Employment - Management, Litigation - Labor & Employment. * Kathryn L. Ossian, Information Technology. * A. Michael Palizzi, Litigation - Intellectual Property. * Joel L. Piell, Public Finance. * Clarence L. Pozza Jr., Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Intellectual Property, Litigation - Mergers & Acquisitions, Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy), Litigation - Securities. * Steven A. Roach, Banking and Finance, Litigation - Banking & Finance. * Jerry T. Rupley, Education and Public Finance. * Jennifer L. Sabourin*, Litigation - Labor & Employment. * Larry J. Saylor, Litigation - Antitrust. * Richard J. Seryak, Employment - Management, Labor - Management. * Kent E. Shafer*, Securities Regulation. * Amanda Van Dusen, Banking and Finance, Education, Public Finance. * Carl H. von Ende, Commercial Litigation, Bet-the-Company Litigation, and Banking and Finance. * Richard A. Walawender*, International Trade and Finance. * Peter W. Waldmeir, Energy. * Richard W. Warren*, Employment - Management. * Jerome R. Watson, Employment - Management, Labor - Management, Litigation - Labor & Employment. * John H. Willems, Employment - Management, Labor - Management. Troy office * James L. Allen, Litigation - Banking & Finance, Litigation - Real Estate, Real Estate. * Frank L. Andrews, Litigation - Environmental. * Thomas G. Appleman, Corporate, Securities/Capital Markets, Securities Regulation. * Brad B. Arbuckle, Corporate, Mergers & Acquisitions, Securities/Capital Markets, Securities Regulation. * Thomas W. Cranmer, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: Non-White-Collar, Criminal Defense: White-Collar, Ethics and Professional Responsibility, Litigation - Environmental, Litigation - Securities. * Gregory V. DiCenso, Litigation - Trusts & Estates, Trusts and Estates, Kalman G. Goren, Employee Benefits (ERISA). * Robert J. Haddad, Mass Tort Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions - Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, Product Liability Litigation - Defendants. * Ronald E. Hodess, Construction, Real Estate. * Amy M. Johnston, Personal Injury Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. * David D. Joswick, Banking and Finance, Corporate, Mergers & Acquisitions, Securities/Capital Markets, Securities Regulation. * Kenneth E. Konop, Litigation - Trusts & Estates. * Matthew F. Leitman, Appellate Practice, Criminal Defense: Non-White-Collar, Criminal Defense: White-Collar. * Anna M. Maiuri, Environmental. * Stephen J. Ott, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions - Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, Product Liability Litigation, Product Liability Litigation - Defendants. * James A. Simpson, Banking and Finance, Real Estate. * David M. Thoms, Litigation - Trusts & Estates, Non-Profit/Charities, Trusts and Estates. * Brian S. Westenberg, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions - Defendants. * James W. Williams, Trusts and Estates. * Mark E. Wilson, Health Care. * * * Eight attorneys from Williams, Williams, Rattner, & Plunkett PC in Birmingham have been selected for inclusion in Thomson Reuters' list of SuperLawyers 2011. Robert S. Bick is a partner whose law practice focuses on corporate law, mergers & acquisitions law, corporate governance and business planning; James P. Cunningham is a partner whose law practice focuses on family law; Robert B. Labe is a partner whose law practice focuses on business law, estate planning, estate and trust administration, tax law and tax planning; John F. Mills is a partner whose law practice focuses on family law, with an emphasis on family law alternative dispute resolution and adoption law, Thomas G. Plunkett is a partner whose law practice focuses on commercial litigation, estate and trust administration and family law; Richard D. Rattner, is partner whose law practice focuses on real estate, land use, zoning and corporate law; Richard E. Rassel III is a partner whose practice focuses on commercial litigation, real estate and business / corporate law; and R. Jamison Williams Jr. is a partner whose practice focuses on corporate law, mergers & acquisitions law, and business and estate planning. In addition, Michael W. Benoit and Susan A. Babcock have been selected for inclusion in Thomson Reuters' list of Rising Stars 2011.Benoit is a partner whose law practice focuses on real estate, banking and business / corporate law. Babcock is an associate whose law practice focuses on commercial litigation. * * * Patricia J. Boyle, a former Michigan Supreme Court justice , has been appointed by the Supreme Court to serve on the Committee on Model Civil Jury Instructions. Her term will end on Dec. 31, 2012. Boyle, who served on the Supreme Court from 1983 through 1998, is Of Counsel to the law firm of Kienbaum, Opperwall, Hardy, & Pelton PLC in its Birmingham office. From 1978 to 1983, she served as a judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. She was a judge of Detroit Recorder's Court from 1976 to 1978. The Committee on Model Civil Jury Instructions is comprised of attorneys and judges appointed by the Michigan Supreme Court. The committee is charged with ensuring that the Model Civil Jury Instructions are concise, understandable, conversational, unslanted, and not argumentative. Additionally, Kienbaum, Opperwall, Hardy, & Pelton is pleased to announce that Elizabeth Hardy was appointed as a member of the State Bar of Michigan's Judicial Qualifications Committee. Hardy was appointed to the committee by State Bar of Michigan President Julie Fershtman. "I feel extremely honored to be asked to serve on this vital State Bar of Michigan committee," said Hardy. "This committee continues to play an important role in determining whether a candidate is qualified to serve on the State judiciary and look forward to lending my knowledge and expertise to the position." Hardy previously served on this committee as a co-chair from 1998-2004 and was a member from 1991-1994 and again from 1996-2004. The appointment is a two-year term. * * * Twelve attorneys from Barris, Sott, Denn, & Driker PLLC have been selected for inclusion on the 2011 Michigan Super Lawyers list and two others have been selected for inclusion on the Rising Stars list. The attorneys on the Super Lawyers list are members Eugene Driker, William G. Barris, Todd R. Mendel, Dennis M. Barnes, Stephen E. Glazek, Daniel M. Share, Morley Witus, C. David Bargamian, James S. Fontichiaro, Robert E. Kass, Eric S. Rosenthal, and Sharon M. Woods. The attorneys on the Rising Stars list are Kevin Kalczynski and Jeffrey M. Stefan. Driker and Woods were named as two of the top 10 attorneys in the state, with Driker as the third top point-getter. An interview with Woods also appeared in the publication. The publication recognized Driker, Mendel, Rosenthal, Witus, Woods, Barnes, and Glazek for excellence in the field of business litigation; Barris, Share, Fontichiaro, and Bargamian for excellence in the field of real estate law; and Kass for excellence in the field of estate planning and probate law. Kalczynski, a member, was recognized as a Rising Star in the field of business litigation, and Stefan, an associate, was recognized as a Rising Star in the field of real estate law. * * * Several Butzel Long attorneys have been chosen by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2012 edition. The following local Butzel Long attorneys were selected for the 2012 edition: Bloomfield Hills office * Alexander B. Bragdon - Employee Benefits (ERISA Law), Litigation - ERISA. * Stephen A. Bromberg - Litigation - Real Estate, Real Estate Law. * Gordon W. Didier - Real Estate Law. * Edward D. Gold - Family Law. * Roberta G. Granadier - Employee Benefits (ERISA Law). * D. Stewart Green - Litigation - Real Estate, Real Estate Law. * Patrick A. Karbowski - Litigation - Real Estate, Real Estate Law. * Allan Nachman - Real Estate Law. * Anthony J. Saulino Jr. - Real Estate Law. * Dennis B. Schultz - Construction Law, Litigation - Construction, Litigation - Real Estate. * Thomas L. Shaevsky - Employee Benefits (ERISA Law), Litigation - ERISA. * Jack D. Shumate - Environmental Law, Litigation - Environmental. * David W. Sommerfeld - Litigation - Trusts & Estates, Trusts and Estates. Detroit office. * Justin G. Klimko - Corporate Compliance Law, Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law, Securities/ Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation. * Linda J. Armstrong - Immigration Law. * James C. Bruno - Corporate Law, International Trade and Finance Law. * Robert G. Buydens - Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law. * Carey A. DeWitt - Employment Law - Management, Litigation - Labor & Employment. * Arthur Dudley II - Corporate Law. * David F. DuMouchel - Criminal Defense: White-Collar, Ethics and Professional Responsibility Law. * Eric J. Flessland - Construction Law, Litigation - Construction. * John P. Hancock Jr. - Employment Law Management, Labor Law - Management, Litigation - Labor & Employment. * Robert A. Hudson - Corporate Law, International Trade and Finance Law. * Clara DeMatteis Mager - Immigration Law. * Reginald A. Pacis - Immigration Law. * Richard E. Rassel - Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation. * James S. Rosenfeld - Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management, Litigation - Labor & Employment. * Bruce L. Sendek - Commercial Litigation. * Nicholas J. Stasevich - Corporate Law. * Louis Theros - Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management, Litigation - Labor & Employment. * Daniel B. Tukel - Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management, Litigation - Labor & Employment. * James E. Wynne - Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. * * * Southfield-based Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer, & Weiss PC has been recognized by U.S News & World Report and Best Lawyers as a First-Tier law firm. Jaffe CEO Richard Zussman made the announcement. The firm was specifically recognized in two categories: * Appellate Practice. * Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law. * * * Dykema recently announced that Peter Kellett will assume the position of chairman and chief executive officer of the law firm for a three-year term commencing Jan. 1, 2012. Kellett succeeds Rex Schlaybaugh who has served as chairman and chief executive officer since 2001 and will continue in the role until the end of 2011. At Dykema, Kellett has been a productive lawyer and developer of new business, and has served the firm in several management positions including Litigation Practice Group leader (2003-2007) and Litigation Department director (2008-present). In those roles, Kellett was involved in the strategic growth of the firm that shaped Dykema to its current position as a national leader with more than 400 sophisticated lawyers and other professionals in 11 offices throughout the country. "Today's law firm CEO more closely emulates a corporate CEO than the traditional managing partner and it takes a uniquely intuitive and committed lawyer to lead a top law firm. Through the leadership roles Peter has held with the firm, including his most recent service as director of the Litigation Department, he has become extraordinarily familiar with the strategic opportunities for Dykema in the current environment for business," Rex E. Schlaybaugh Jr., Dykema's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "I am confident that Peter is well positioned to successfully lead Dykema into a bright future and will support him throughout the transition and beyond." Kellett has played a significant role in the relationships that Dykema enjoys with major clients such as General Motors, Chrysler, Ford, Kia Motors and Nissan, and has enjoyed many successes in courtrooms across the country. "On behalf of the membership, I thank Rex for his extraordinary years of service, deftly leading Dykema to its current market-leading position. We are a much different, and much stronger, firm than we were a decade ago thanks to Rex's keen understanding of the legal and business communities," said Kellett. "I plan to continue Dykema's commitment to providing exceptional value to clients through a combination of sophisticated practices, efficient platforms and a service-oriented culture. Dykema's cost structure, billing rates and leverage position us to continue growing the firm strategically and adding to our top-notch roster of attorneys. I am excited for the new challenge ahead of me." Kellett earned his B.A. from the University of Michigan and his law degree from Wayne State University Law School. Upon graduation from law school in 1982, Kellett joined Dykema as an associate in the Litigation Department. In 1986, he joined the legal staff at Dykema client CMI Corporation, a leasing and finance company in Bloomfield Hills. After the sale of that company in 1987, Kellett co-founded a boutique product liability litigation practice in Bloomfield Hills that ultimately grew to 24 lawyers, until 2003 when the majority of the firm joined Dykema. He is an associate member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), Michigan Chapter and a member and past-chair of the Local Rules Committee of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. * * * Attorneys Patricia Nemeth and Linda Burwell, founding partners of Detroit-based employment law firm Nemeth Burwell PC, and partners Anne Widlak and Susan Koval have been named to the Michigan Super Lawyers list for 2011 under their primary area of practice, Employment & Labor. Of Counsel attorney Ingrid Brey was named a Super Lawyer in her specialty area of immigration. Both Nemeth and Brey were again included on the top 50 Women Lawyers in Michigan section of the list. Additionally, Nemeth Burwell attorney Cliff Hammond was named a Michigan Super Lawyer Rising Star. Nemeth specializes in the labor and employment arena as a litigator, consultant, and negotiator. She is a certified mediator for all types of civil litigation matters, including employment. Nemeth earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan and her law degrees from Wayne State University School of Law. She is a member of the State Bar of Michigan and the Illinois Bar. Burwell specializes in the labor and employment arena as a litigator, arbitrator and consultant and represents management in all aspects of labor and employment law. A nationally recognized speaker and author on employment law and risk management issues, Burwell often serves as the legal expert on panels involving employment laws. She earned her law degree from Wayne State University School of Law and a Bachelor of Science degree from Michigan State University. She is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, and Federal and U.S. Supreme Court bar associations. Widlak is an employment law litigator and counselor. She serves as panel chairperson for the Michigan Attorney Discipline Board. She is a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America (LCA), a trial lawyer honorary society comprised of less than one-half of one percent of lawyers in the United States. Widlak earned both a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in English from Georgetown University. She earned her law degree from the Wayne State University School of Law. Koval focuses her practice on employment litigation and arbitration and has experience counseling private and public employers in employment and labor relations matters. Koval earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from West Liberty State College and her law degree from West Virginia University College of Law. Brey focuses her practice exclusively on immigration law. She is an active member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and has served as chair of AILA's Michigan Chapter, chair of the National Physician's Committee and on various national liaison committees, including the Department of Labor, Nebraska Service Center, and Department of State, where she was charged with liaisoning with the Waiver Review Division on J-1 visa waiver issues. Brey earned her law degrees from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School and Georgetown University Law Center. She received her bachelor's degree in social science from Michigan State University. Hammond joined Nemeth Burwell in 2007 and represents employers in labor and employment law. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Delaware and earned his law degree from Widener University School of Law. Prior to beginning his law career, Hammond was a history and social studies teacher and coached football and track and field in Detroit. Published: Mon, Oct 10, 2011