LEGAL PEOPLE

Bowman and Brooke LLP announced its most recent recognition by The Legal 500 for product liability litigation work in automotive, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices. For the fifth year in a row, Bowman and Brooke was recommended as a top tier firm in the practice area of litigation - product liability and mass tort defense in automotive/transport. The firm was also recommended in the practice area of litigation - product liability and mass tort defense in pharmaceuticals and medical devices. This recognition comes on the heels of Bowman and Brooke's recent announcement that it was ranked by Chambers USA for product liability and mass tort litigation. The firm was recognized in Band 2 of the Nationwide Product Liability category for the second consecutive year. * * * Butzel Long attorney Rebecca S. Davies recently conducted a series of supervisor training sessions (A Mission of a Supervisor) for The Library Network, a public library cooperative serving 65 libraries in southeast Michigan. Davies presented training sessions at the Wayne Public Library, Ypsilanti District Library and the Berkley Public Library. Davies, who is based in the firm's Detroit office, concentrates her practice primarily in the areas of employment law and commercial litigation. She represents employers in federal and state court litigation and before state and federal administrative agencies. She regularly counsels employers regarding compliance under federal and state employment laws (including FLSA, FMLA, ADA and Title VII), drafts policies and procedures, and advises on preventative strategies. Her objective is to assist clients in implementing preventative strategies to avoid lawsuits. To accomplish this goal, she is a frequent author and lecturer, not only for client in-house trainings and publications, but also outside organizations, such as Walsh College, the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, Automation Alley and American Society of Employers. Additionally, Butzel Long attorney and shareholder Angela Emmerling Boufford will be a featured panelist during the Michigan Defense Trial Counsel (MDTC) Annual Meeting and Conference June 21-22, 2013, which takes place at Crystal Mountain Resort. The theme of the Conference is "Winning Litigation - The Masters Speak." Boufford, who also serves on the MDTC Board of Directors, will serve as a panelist during a presentation titled, "Effective Expert Examination - A Live Demonstration." She specializes in complex business and commercial litigation and is also a member of Butzel Long's Technology & eDiscovery practice. In addition to traditional litigation, Boufford has extensive arbitration experience having defended securities brokers and broker/dealers in customer arbitrations (NASD/FINRA) across the country. She also has served as an adjunct securities regulations professor at Ave Maria School of Law. Boufford is a graduate of Michigan State University (1994) and the Michigan State University College of Law (1998). She is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, the American Bar Association, the Oakland County Bar Association, and the Federal Bar Association and is admitted to practice in Michigan and in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court. * * * R. Ian Hunter has joined the Holmquist Employment Law Firm as Of Counsel. Hunter was formerly a shareholder and president at Dean and Fulkerson where he served as chair of the Labor and Employment Law Practice Group. In addition, he has received an AV Peer Review rating from Martindale Hubbell and has been selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers for Michigan and Best Lawyers in Detroit in labor and employment law. Hunter has focused his practice on management side labor and employment law for more than 40 years and has worked with a cross-section of employers in a wide array of industries. His practice includes traditional labor litigation before the National Labor Relations Board and courts, contract negotiation, and representation of employers in all aspects of collective bargaining and contract administration. Hunter has served as the chief negotiator for a national multi-employer unit in the transportation industry. He argued in the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of the employer in Complete Auto Transit v. Reis. He also counsels employers on a wide- range of employment matters including Title VII, Occupational Health & Safety Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, The Age Discrimination in Employment Act and workplace employment issues. * * * Howard & Howard Attorneys PLLC is pleased to announce that Gina Staudacher has joined the firm. She will practice out of the firm's Royal Oak Office. Staudacher concentrates her practice in the area of taxation with an emphasis in international economic tax incentives, global research tax credits, IRS controversy, accounting methods and fixed assets. Staudacher spent nearly 10 years in-house with a global OEM and a worldwide automotive supplier. Following her years in industry as senior tax counsel to the automotive, aerospace and information technology sectors, Staudacher moved her talents to the consultative sector where she has spent the last 10 years advising private and public companies on tax planning strategies and efficient tax management techniques, including the monetization of valuable tax credits incentives in the United States and around the world. Staudacher received her law degree from Detroit College of Law at Michigan State University in 1993 and her B.A. from the University of Michigan in 1989. She is a board member of the Michigan Women's Tax Association and active participant and member of the Detroit Economic Club, the Michigan Chamber of Commerce Taxation Section, International Women's Forum and the Chicago Finance Exchange, as well as many charitable organizations. Staudacher is licensed to practice in Michigan. * * * Doug Van Epps, director of the Office of Dispute Resolution for the Michigan Supreme Court - is the recipient of the Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) Michigan Southeast Chapter 2013 Pioneer Award for his significant work and contributions to the conflict resolution field and to the Alternative Dispute Resolution community. "Michigan is widely viewed as having an advanced conflict resolution system, both in courts, and increasingly, in schools. The system was built through years of efforts by organizations like the SE Michigan ACR Chapter, and its incredibly talented and visionary members. I'm honored to be recognized by the chapter, but the true recognition goes to the many professionals who collectively have built one of the most advanced ADR systems in the country," Van Epps said. His 23 year tenure has included serving as the director of numerous programs, including the Community Dispute Resolution Program, Permanency Planning Mediation Program, Michigan Agricultural Mediation Program, and Michigan Special Education Mediation Program. Van Epps oversees grants totaling approximately $2 million to 18 non-profit organizations that provide dispute resolution services throughout the state, as well as oversees the development of training for all specialized mediation services. Van Epps received the ACR Pioneer Award at the ACR Summer Soiree on June 11 at Fishbone's Restaurant in Southfield. * * * The law firm of Dean & Fulkerson is pleased to announce that Richard C. Bruder has joined the firm as Of Counsel. He is the founder of Enterprise Law Partners PLLC, specializing in corporate financial transactions, including traditional bank financing, mezzanine lending, venture capital, seed and start-up financing, mergers and acquisitions. "Dean & Fulkerson consists of seasoned professionals with expertise in a wide variety of areas. This new affiliation will give me an increased capacity to better serve my clients' needs," says Bruder. * * * Attorney James E. Clegg has joined Honigman, Miller, Schwartz, and Cohn LLP as a member of its Tax Practice Group in the firm's Corporate Department. He will be located in Honigman's Detroit office. Clegg has experience in a variety of tax transactions. He earned his law degrees from New York University School of Law and Cornell Law School. He also earned a B.A. in English from the University of Utah. Clegg is admitted to practice in New York and he will be sitting for the Michigan bar exam in July. He joins Honigman from Mayer Brown LLP in New York. * * * Attorney Joseph J. Baumann, who has served as counsel to the state House of Representatives Majority Caucus and deputy legal counsel to the Department of Community Health (DCH), has been named General Counsel to the Michigan Supreme Court, the court recently announced. Baumann was the court's unanimous choice "for his legal skills and experience in government, both of which are considerable," said Chief Justice Robert P. Young Jr. Young served on the Court's vetting committee for the General Counsel position, along with Justice Bridget M. McCormack and Justice Brian K. Zahra. Baumann served as House Majority Legal Counsel, starting in 2011. From 2010-2011, he was Assistant Director of the DCH Office of Legal Affairs. From 2006-2010, Baumann was an associate with the law firm of Dykema Gossett PLLC in Lansing, where he specialized in health care, real property, and energy litigation; his practice areas also included public policy and governmental relations. Baumann served as a legal analyst in DCH's Office of Legal Affairs from 2003-2006, and also served as the DCH's emergency management coordinator for mental health. He was the 2006 recipient of the Michigan State Police's "Award for Professional Excellence" for the DCH's Hurricane Katrina response. From 2002-2003, he was executive assistant to DCH's deputy director; from 2000-2002, he served as special assistant to DCH's director. From 1998- 2000, he was legislative assistant to Rep. Terry Geiger. Baumann is a graduate of Michigan State University's James Madison College, where he earned a B.A. in international relations. He earned his law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. As the Supreme Court's counsel, Baumann will provide legal advice to the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, and State Court Administrative Office. He will also serve as a liaison to the executive and legislative branches, representing the court on various policy and legislative issues. * * * Adrienne Dresevic, Jessica Gustafson and Clinton Mikel of Southfield -based The Health Law Partners were recently appointed to multiple positions for the American Bar Association - Health Law Section. Founding Shareholder Robert Iwrey made the announcement. Dresevic, a founding shareholder of the firm, will serve in multiple roles, including co-chair for the Publications Committee, chair of the Stark & Anti-Kickback Toolkit Editorial Board, liaison to The Health Law Editorial Board, vice chair for the Revenue Committee, and vice chair for the Physicians Legal Issues Conference. An avid writer and speaker, Dresevic has published more than 60 articles on health care law and presents at national conferences throughout the year. Dresevic's practice encompasses the full spectrum of health care law with a substantial portion of her practice dedicated to Stark & Anti-Kickback Fraud and Abuse. She received her law degree from Wayne State University Law School. Also a founding shareholder, Gustafson will serve as vice chair of the Physician Issues Interest Group. Gustafson has experience in all areas of health care law, where she specializes her practice in Recovery Audit Contractor and Medicare audit appeals, as well as regularly assisting clients with compliance and reimbursement issues. She routinely publishes articles and advises the health care industry in this area of law at conferences and speaking engagements across the country. Gustafson graduated from Miami University and earned her law degree from Wayne State University Law School. Mikel will serve as chair of the eHealth, Privacy and Security Interest Group and vice chair of the Publications Committee. A partner with the firm, Mikel practices in all areas of health care law, garnering critical attention in state and federal compliance and telehealth/telemedicine matters. A frequent speaker and author in this area of law, Mikel routinely holds educational sessions for clients interested in telemedicine and the legalities surrounding this new and growing area of health care. Mikel received his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School and completed his undergraduate degree at Cornell University. Published: Mon, Jun 17, 2013