LEGAL PEOPLE

National Default Exchange (NDeX), a provider of technology and processing support for default servicing law firms nationwide, recently announced that John Smith has been named chief operating officer. The announcement was made by NDeX Chairman David A. Trott and President Scott Goldstein. As chief operating officer, Smith will be responsible for operational oversight and will help drive the strategic direction of the company, while overseeing and managing day-to-day NDeX operations. He will report to Goldstein. Prior to joining NDeX, Smith spent more than 14 years in the mortgage servicing industry. Until recently he was senior vice president of Countrywide Home Loans/Bank of America, and previously he was vice president of default servicing for CitiFinancial Mortgage. His responsibilities included management of foreclosures, bankruptcies, mediations, default litigation and vendor relations. "John is an accomplished mortgage servicing executive who will help implement a valued strategic direction for our company," said Trott. "His experience and leadership with Fortune 500 companies in the banking and mortgage industry will undoubtedly benefit our organization. Together Scott and John bring valuable assets to a company with a bright future." Smith served in the U.S. Navy, received his bachelor of arts degree in economics and business from the University of North Texas, and received his law degree from the University of Texas School of Law. * * * Anessa Owen Kramer, a partner in the Intellectual Property (IP) and Technology Department at Honigman, Miller, Schwartz, and Cohn LLP, has been elected to The Roeper School's Board of Trustees. Roeper is a coeducational school for gifted and talented children in preschool through grade 12 with campuses in Bloomfield Hills and Birmingham. Kramer, who is the co-managing partner for Honigman's Bloomfield Hills office, is a trademark attorney who represents a number of owners of well-known brands, counseling them on issues such as global clearance and filing strategies, IP management, trademark enforcement and litigation, anti-cybersquatting, and trademark licensing. She has also handled more than 100 U.S. trademark oppositions, and frequently negotiates successful settlements on behalf of her clients. Kramer is a frequent speaker and author on IP issues. Aside from her volunteer work with The Roeper School, Kramer is a Board Member of The Jewish Fund, on the Board of Governors for the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit and a member of the Board of Directors for its Women's Division. She has been recognized as one of Detroit's "40 Under 40" people to watch by Crain's Detroit Business, one of 25 "Leaders in the Law" by Michigan Lawyers Weekly, a Michigan Super Lawyer in 2010 and 2011 and a DBusiness Top Lawyer for 2012. Kramer earned her law degree from George Washington University Law School and a B.A. from Michigan State University. In addition, Emily J. Zelenock, a Partner in Honigman's Intellectual Property (IP) and Technology Department, was named as co-chair of the Scholarship Committee for the Federal Circuit Bar Association (FCBA). The committee manages the Bar's scholarship selection process and announcements, as well as develops and implements ways of obtaining new scholarships. Zelenock concentrates her practice on patent, copyright and trade secret litigation and related counseling. She also advises clients on licenses, joint venture agreements and intellectual property aspects of mergers and acquisition transactions. In addition to co-chairing the Scholarship Committee, Zelenock serves on the Amicus Committee for the Federal Circuit Bar Association and is a member of the Patent Litigation Committee of the American Intellectual Property Law Association. She is also a member of the Michigan Intellectual Property Law Association. Zelenock earned her law degree from the University of Michigan Law School and her B.S.from the University of Michigan. * * * Mark D. Rubenfire, a partner at Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer, & Weiss PC. has been appointed to the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit (JCC). Jaffe CEO Bill Sider made the announcement. This is the first time Rubenfire will serve on the executive committee. He previously was appointed to the board of directors in 2011. The mission of The JCC is to support unity, continuity and enrich Jewish life while conveying the importance of well being within the Jewish and general community and the people of Israel. With locations in Oak Park and West Bloomfield, each facility provides people of all ages with a place to socialize, participate in sports and recreation, receive a quality Jewish education, attend a variety of cultural events and more. Rubenfire serves as the practice group coordinator for the real estate practice group at Jaffe, and specializes in real estate law, leasing, lending and workouts. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and aWayne State University Law School. Additionally, Elizabeth L. Luckenbach, a partner at Jaffe Raitt, has been installed as president of the Oakland County Bar Foundation. Jaffe CEO Bill Sider made the announcement. Luckenbach is a member of Jaffe's estate planning, probate and litigation practice group, and specializes in probate litigation, special needs planning and elder law. A frequent speaker and published author in this practice area, Luckenbach also taught at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law as an adjunct professor. Serving on several state bar associations for elder law and estate planning, Luckenbach is also active on the Oakland County Bar Association's membership committee and probate, estates and trust committee. Throughout her career she has received numerous accolades, including Michigan Super Lawyer awards in 2010 and 2011 and Michigan Lawyer's Weekly's "Leaders in the Law" in 2005. Luckenbach earned her bachelor's degree from Michigan State University and her law degree from DePaul University College of Law. * * * Fakhoury Law Group, a Troy-based business immigration law firm, announced that immigration attorney Joel Stewart has joined the firm as Of Counsel on PERM matters. Stewart brings more than 30 years of experience in immigration law to Fakhoury Law Group. Stewart is a nationally recognized authority on employment-based immigration matters and a popular speaker at immigration seminars for national and local bar associations throughout the country. He writes the monthly BALCA Case Summaries for Immigration Law Today and authors official publications of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, including the Visa Processing Guide for Procedures at U.S. Consulates and Embassies in Brazil and Portugal. Before earning his law degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law, Stewart specialized in Romance and Slavic linguistics and is fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, French, and Russian. He currently practices in the area of immigration law with Fowler, White, Burnett in Miami. * * * Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co. LPA (WWR) is excited to announce the expansion of the Real Estate Default Group (REDG) leadership team with the recent addition of Michele Stockdale and Ryan Stewart. Stockdale joins WWR as the director of the Real Estate Default Group with more than 20 years of experience in default mortgage servicing, which includes loss mitigation, foreclosure, bankruptcy, investor and insurer claims. Throughout her career, Stockdale held key positions with JPMorgan Chase, National City Bank, ABN Amro and Washington Mutual. Stockdale's knowledge of investor and insurer processing requirements allows her to bridge the needs of clients while ensuring regulatory compliance. She is active in industry work groups having served on numerous initiatives with the Mortgage Banking Association (MBA): FHA Preservation, FHA Claims and Vacant Property Registration and currently serves as chair of the MBA FNMA working group. Stewart, bringing more than 20 years of banking and real estate experience to REDG, will manage the real estate default operations of the Cleveland and Detroit offices. Located in the Cleveland office, Stewart is responsible for overall foreclosure workflow and QA excellence. Prior to joining the firm, Stewart held key positions with large regional institutions where he focused his efforts on cost management and excellent service to clients. * * * Sommers Schwartz is pleased to announce that Jesse Young was elected to a three-year term with the Habitat for Humanity of Western Wayne County Board of Directors. Young is a licensed builder and has regularly volunteered his time to Habitat as a site supervisor since 2010. Young is an associate with the firm in its Business Litigation Department. * * * Dykema has been named to MultiCultural Law magazine's 2012 list of Top 100 Law Firms for Diversity. This marks the sixth consecutive year that the firm has earned this honor. Dykema has also been recognized for the first time in a specialized category: Top 25 Law Firms for African-Americans. Peter M. Kellett, Dykema's chairman and CEO, said, "We're proud to be named one of the Top 100 Law Firms for Diversity. The honor recognizes our long-standing efforts to create and to maintain a work environment that's open and welcoming to all." Sherrie Farrell, chairman of the firm's Diversity Committee and Office Managing Member of Dykema's Detroit office, adds, "Ours has long been a culture of inclusion. We embrace the differing perspectives and unique experiences that diversity provides. In doing so, we mirror the communities in which we live and better understand the clients whom we serve." Dykema attorneys regularly participate in programs that champion diversity, including the American Bar Association's Minority Counsel Program, the National Bar Association and the National Association of Women Lawyers. Dykema lawyers are also active in such organizations as the Hispanic Bar Association, Black Women Lawyers Association, the Chicago Bar Association Alliance for Women, the State Bar of Michigan Indian Law Committee, the Korean American Bar Association, the Asian Pacific American Bar Association and the Wolverine Bar Association. * * * Jackson Lewis LLP is pleased to announce that Maurice G. Jenkins is one of 58 attorneys from the firm recognized in the 2012 edition of Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business. Jenkins is the managing partner of the Detroit office of Jackson Lewis LLP. Jenkins has practiced labor and employment law for more than 29 years. He has litigated labor and employment cases in various states around the country, and has extensive experience in preventive counseling to management with respect to legal compliance, labor issues arising from corporate reorganizations, and wrongful discharge and discrimination issues. * * * Gov. Rick Snyder recently recognized recipients of the Governor's Service Awards for their exemplary volunteer work throughout Michigan. The evening event, titled "An Evening with the Stars," was hosted at the Gem Theatre in Detroit. This year's Governor George Romney Lifetime Achievement Award for Volunteerism was presented to Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Edward Sosnick. This award honors an individual who has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to community involvement and volunteer service. For more than 50 years, Sosnick has been dedicated to helping vulnerable populations. Since the 1970s, he has been assisting HAVEN, previously known as the Oakland County Center for Rape and Sexual Abuse, to train volunteers and service providers on how to best support victims of sexual assault and domestic violence through the criminal justice system. As a result of his work with HAVEN, Sosnick was appointed by Gov. John Engler to serve on the Michigan Domestic Violence Prevention Treatment Board in 1991 and has served on the board for 18 years. Sosnick also is a co-founder of the Oakland County Coordinating Council Against Domestic Violence, and was a driving force behind the creation of the SAVE program, which focuses on the issue of elder abuse. In addition, Sosnick's commitment to at-risk populations led him to create two unique programs during his time as an Oakland County judge: SMILE, an education program for parents going through divorce, and OPTIONS, a program for youth convicted of drug offenses. The Governor's Service Awards ceremony is an annual event coordinated by the Michigan Community Service Commission, the state's lead agency on volunteerism. This year's honorees were selected from more than 130 nominations submitted by friends, relatives and colleagues to pay tribute to individuals, organizations and businesses who exemplify the spirit of volunteer service. An objective peer review panel and the board of the Michigan Community Service Commission selected the finalists and winners, with final approval of the selections from Snyder. Published: Mon, Jul 30, 2012