Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer recenty announced the appointment of Russ Kavalhuna to the Michigan Council for Rehabilitation Services.
Kavalhuna is the president of Henry Ford College. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Science from Western Michigan University and a law degree from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School.
Kavalhuna is appointed to fill a vacancy representing the Michigan Workforce Development Board for a term commencing April 30, 2021 and expiring December 31, 2021.
The Michigan Council for Rehabilitation Services reviews, analyzes, and advises Michigan's rehabilitation programs and services. The council works to improve public vocational rehabilitation services delivered by the Bureau of Services for Blind Persons (BSBP) and Michigan Rehabilitation Services (MRS).
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Strobl Sharp PLLC is excited to announce the addition of two new attorneys to its team of lawyers: Mike Scullen and Sean Scullen.
Mike Scullen represents a wide variety of individuals and businesses, focusing his practice on estate planning and probate avoidance, tax minimization strategies, business law and business succession planning. Mike has also developed cross-border experience representing individuals and businesses throughout Ontario, Canada. In addition, Mike is a NFLPA Certified Contract Advisor.
Prior to joining Strobl Sharp PLLC in 2021, Mike owned and operated his own firm, Scullen Law Offices PLLC, for 16 years while also serving as Of Counsel to Siegel, Greenfield, & Hayes, PLC from 2018 to 2021. He started his legal career in Washington, D.C. where he attended law school at American University and moved home to Michigan in 1996 to raise his now adult children near family and friends.
Sean Scullen focuses his transactional practice on private wealth and estate planning including revocable and irrevocable trusts, financial and medical powers of attorneys, wills, deeds, and cottage trust planning. In addition, he will handle corporate transactions, including service agreements, stock or asset purchase agreements, employee and independent contractor agreements and document review, real estate, tax, banking and sports law. Sean will work closely with a variety of closely held companies, families, individuals and professional athletes.
Sean graduates from Penn State Law in May 2021. During law school, he worked part-time with Scullen Law Offices PLLC. Sean was also a clinic member with Penn State Law's Entrepreneur Assistance Clinic, where he advised small businesses and entrepreneurs across the state of Pennsylvania.
Prior to law school, Sean graduated from Cornell University where he studied economics and business and played football.
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Michigan Lawyers Weekly recently announced that Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer, & Weiss PC partner Peter M. Alter has been named to the Hall of Fame. Alter was recognized for his years of meaningful contributions to the legal community. Jaffe CEO Jeffrey M. Weiss made the announcement.
As partner and a member of the firm's Litigation Practice Group, Alter specializes in complex commercial litigation matters, including banking, restructuring, real estate, partnership, insurance, and shareholder and royalty disputes, and various types of alternate dispute resolution. He has been selected by courts (or by counsel) to serve as a facilitator, mediator or arbitrator in scores of cases.
Alter has been recognized as one of the Best Lawyers in America, as a Top Lawyer by DBusiness and a Super Lawyer.
In addition to his legal practice, Alter is a past president of The Oakland County Bar Association (2011- 2012), the past president of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit (2004-2007), the past chair of Executive Committee of The Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit (2007-2010), the past president of the Anti-Defamation League (Michigan) and a member of the Executive Committee of the (National) Anti-Defamation League. Currently, he is on the board of The Jewish Fund and the Jewish Democratic Council of America.
In addition, Paige M. Szymanski has joined the Southfield office of Jaffe as an associate in the litigation practice group. Jaffe CEO Jeffrey M. Weiss made the announcement.
Szymanski has knowledge of highly sensitive law practices as well as complex litigation management and analysis. She has represented a wide range of clients, including automotive suppliers, investment entities, publicly traded companies, large corporations, closely-held businesses, and individuals through all phases of litigation. Aspects of commercial litigation and claims Szymanski has managed include discovery, depositions, hearings, mediations, arbitrations, trials and others.
In her previous role, Szymanski developed a skill set in various areas of law and expanded her experience in client representation. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor's degree in political science in 2013 before earning her law degrees from Michigan State University College of Law in 2016 and Georgetown University Law Center in 2017.
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Butzel Long attorney Shanika A. Owens is one of 25 attorneys in the state named to Michigan Lawyers Weekly's 2021 Class of "Up & Coming Lawyers." The attorneys will be honored during a virtual program on June 10 and profiled in an upcoming edition of Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
Owens focuses her practice on business, corporate, and real estate law. She regularly informs start-ups and counsels business clients in corporate governance and issues surrounding governmental compliance.
As part of her practice, she has presented to Wayne State University's School of Social Work, Wayne Law classes, and potential clients on ethical obligations, board governance and entity selection.
Prior to law school, Owens served as a legislative assistant to several members of the Detroit City Council where she advised policymakers on several issues including economic development and matters leading up to the Detroit bankruptcy. She served as selections chair of the Detroit chapter of New Leaders Council, a national non-profit organization dedicated to training the country's next generation of progressive leaders, from March 2014 to June 2016.
Owens is a member of the Board of Directors of Avalon Healing, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing compassionate and trauma-informed care to survivors of sexual assault.
In addition, she is a board member of the Great Lakes Environmental Law Center, a Detroit-based nonprofit that offers community education, policy support, and various legal services to address environmental, resource, and energy issues affecting communities throughout the Great Lakes region.
Owens also serves as a member of the State Bar of Michigan's Representative Assembly, a policy-making body created by the Supreme Court to improve the proportion of members who actively participate in setting policies for the Michigan bar.
She is a member of Detroit Sisters in Law, a collective of black women attorneys who gather regularly to support each other. She also is a member of the African American Associates Collaborative, a group of associate attorneys dedicated to retention and support of attorneys of color at Detroit's largest law firms.
Owens is co-chair of Butzel Long's Pro Bono Committee. In this role, she coordinates pro-bono projects, suggests firm-wide policies, and encourages all attorneys to service indigent clients throughout Michigan with free legal support.
At the same time, Owens mentors several young attorneys and law students interested in practicing law in Detroit. She regularly devotes her time to pro bono matters including advising local non-profits and participating in the Pope Francis Legal Clinic.
Owens was awarded the Michigan Chronicle's 40 Under 40 Award in 2013 for her outstanding service as a policy analyst to the Detroit City Council.
Owens is a graduate of Wayne State University Law School and Michigan State University (B.S., Economics).
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Plunkett Cooney appellate attorney Mary Massaron was recently selected by the executive committee of the Lawyers for Civil Justice (LCJ) to receive its 2021 Al Cortese Award.
The Al Cortese Award, which will be presented at the LCJ virtual meeting on May 6 at 5 p.m., recognizes outstanding contributions to the promotion of excellence and fairness in the civil justice system. The award is named in honor of Alfred W. Cortese Jr. whose tenacious pursuit of balance and fairness in the civil justice system made a lasting contribution to the way in which civil justice is administered in the United States.
Massaron was selected in recognition of her work with establishing the LCJ's Amicus Committee and program, and for her work on advocacy, including the amicus briefs she wrote, titled: "In re: National Prescription Opiate Litigation."
This brief asked the appellate court to issue a writ of mandamus to correct the lower court's rulings because they were inconsistent with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and, therefore, violated the fundamental principles required for a court operating under the rule of law. This is an important ruling, not only for this high-stakes Multi-District Litigation (MDL), but also because it holds that MDLs must comply with the rules just like in any other case a position the LCJ has been advocating strongly as part of its Rules4MDLs project.
Massaron is one Plunkett Cooney's most accomplished appellate attorneys with more than 400 appeals to her credit, approximately 50 of which are published decisions. She is a past president of DRI The Voice of the Defense Bar, and she has the distinction of being inducted into the prestigious American Academy of Appellate Attorneys. Massaron is a past chair of the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Amicus Briefs, and she is perennially identified as a top appellate attorney in Michigan by Martindale-Hubbell, Best Lawyers in America, and other peer review organizations.
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Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer recently announced the appointments of Sean B. Perkins and Millicent D. Sherman to the Wayne County 36th District Court in Detroit.
Perkins is an attorney with the Perkins Law Group PLLC where he handles a wide range of cases including felony and misdemeanor criminal cases, personal injury and no-fault civil cases, and bankruptcy cases.
Perkins is also a benefits representative for the UAW Local 387 at Woodhaven Stamping. Prior to attending law school, he worked at Woodhaven Stamping as an assembly line worker, Hi-Lo driver, journeyman, and pipefitter.
Perkins earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Wayne State University and his lawdegree from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School. He is a member of the Wayne County Defense Bar Association, Oakland County Bar Association, and the Black Women Lawyers Association of Michigan.
"To be able to serve the citizens of this great city, my hometown, the city that I have loved since birth, is a euphoric moment. This is a God-sent moment," said Perkins. "I promise to be hard-working, studious, and compassionate. I am grateful for the love of my wife, my children, my parents, and my family and I humbled by the trust of the Governor and her staff. Thank you, I will make you proud."
This appointment was made to fill a partial term, which expires at twelve o'clock noon on January 1, 2023, after the passing of Judge B. Pennie Millender. If Perkins wishes to seek a full six-year term, he would be required to run for reelection in November of 2022.
Sherman currently serves as the chief magistrate with the 36th District Court. As a magistrate, Sherman presides over civil infraction hearings, felony and misdemeanor arraignments, search and arrest warrant approval, accepts pleas on in-custody misdemeanor traffic cases, small claims, parking violations, and weddings. Prior to her time with the court, she was a sole practitioner attorney with Millicent D. Sherman PC and an associate attorney with Kitch, Drutchas, Wagner, & Kenny.
Sherman earned a Bachelor of Liberal Arts in Political Science from the University of Michigan and her law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. She is a member of the Michigan Association of District Court Magistrates and a former member of the Detroit Bar Association, Wolverine Bar Association, and Association of Black Judges of Michigan.
"I want to thank Governor Gretchen Whitmer for the honor of this appointment to the bench at the 36th District Court," said Sherman. In 2006, I joined the 36th District Court as a magistrate, and now, almost 15 years to the date, I get to serve the citizens of Detroit in this new capacity. I want to thank the best group of people with whom I've ever had the pleasure of working-my fellow magistrates, members of the bench, and the entire 36th District Court family as I continue on in this new chapter of service to the citizens of Detroit."
This appointment was made to fill a partial term, which expires at twelve o'clock noon on January 1, 2023, after Judge Nancy Blount stepped down effective February 23, 2021. If Sherman wishes to serve the remainder of Blount's term, expiring January 1, 2027, she would be required to run for reelection in November of 2022.
Judicial appointments are not subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.
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Oakland County 45th District Court Chief Judge Michelle Friedman Appel is the new president of the Michigan District Judges Association (MDJA), the only statewide all volunteer organization of district court judges focused on and committed to improving the administration of justice in the district courts. Currently there are more than 230 district court judges in Michigan and over 90% of these judges belong to the organization.
Appel has served as a judge in the 45th District Court for 18 years. She was first elected in 2002 and has been re-elected three times. Her district includes the cities of Oak Park, Huntington Woods, Pleasant Ridge, and the Charter Township of Royal Oak. Prior to becoming a judge, she was the Oakland County commissioner for the same cities that make up her judicial district. Appel has resided in her judicial district her entire life, growing up in Oak Park and currently living in Huntington Woods.
Appel has been a pioneer in establishing and supporting specialty courts. She established one of the first Veterans Treatment Courts in Oakland County and also has helped develop a Mental Health Treatment Court at the 45th District Court. She was previously appointed by the governor to represent the Michigan judges on the Trial Court Funding Commission headed by Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Bridgett McCormack.
Appel has been a frequent presenter/lecturer for the Michigan Judicial Institute on a variety of topics including presiding over cases with self-represented litigants and pre-trial release issues. She is also a frequent presenter at the annual new Judges School run by the MJI. She is also the incoming president of the of State Bar of Michigan Judicial Council.
As president of MDJA, Appel is focusing on the challenges that the COVID-19 virus have caused regarding the administration of justice. She is also working on implementing judicial reform and legislative changes regarding the criminal justice system.
What most appeals to Appel about the district courts, is that they have multiple resources, including strong and effective probation departments to deal with first time criminal offenders providing an opportunity to make sure that this is their first and last interaction with the criminal justice system She also appreciates the importance of being the local community judge, maintaining active involvement in the cities that are part of her jurisdiction.
For Appel, being an attorney and judge is a family tradition. Her husband Jeffrey is a private attorney specializing in disability law. Her father, Benjamin Friedman, is a retired district court judge. Her sister, Susan Lichterman, is a partner at the Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer, & Weiss law firm and heads up the firm's family law practice group.
Appel looks forward to the challenges of her presidency and to continuing to work to improve the administration of justice in the State of Michigan.
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Bankruptcy attorneys Michael D. Lieberman and Steven J. Cohen have joined the Bloomfield Hills based Lipson Neilson law firm. Previously with the Lieberman Cohen law firm, both Lieberman and Cohen are distinguished for their strong legal ability and high ethical standards with the AV-Preeminent® rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
Their expertise includes:
• Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, Representation of Debtors and Creditors.
• Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Representation of Debtors and Creditors.
• Sub-Chapter V Chapter 11.
• Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, Representation of Debtors and Creditors.
• Out of Court Workouts.
• Business Wind-downs/Asset Liquidations.
• Representation of Creditors, including auto finance companies and Landlords in Chapter 7, 11 and 13 cases.
• Defense of preference actions.
• Pursuing and defending adversary proceedings.
Lieberman has more than 30 years of experience practicing bankruptcy, insolvency, and creditor's rights law. He primarily specializes in representing individuals and small businesses in chapter 7, 11, and 13 bankruptcies, out of court workouts, business wind-downs, asset liquidations and Insolvency matters.
Lieberman has spoken at seminars on various bankruptcy related topics, including Bankruptcy and Elder Law; Bankruptcy and Divorce Law; Dischargeability of tax in Bankruptcy and Individual Chapter 11 Bankruptcy cases. He has spoken at the MICPA annual summer seminar on bankruptcy and insolvency topics. He also co-authored an article for the Michigan State Bar Journal on Elder Law and Bankruptcy and has appeared on radio and television shows discussing various bankruptcy related issues.
Lieberman also regularly provides voluntary services through the Eastern District of Michigan Bankruptcy Court's pro bono and Access to Bankruptcy Court (ABC) programs and Jewish Family Service.
Cohen has 30 years of experience practicing law, the last 26 of which he has spent primarily in the areas of Bankruptcy and Insolvency law representing individuals and businesses in chapters 7, 11, and 13 bankruptcy cases, out of court workouts, business wind-downs and asset liquidations.
Cohen presented at the ABI's 11th Annual Detroit Consumer Bankruptcy Conference on the topic "Student Loans A to Z." He has also presented to the MICPA on the topic of cancellation of debt through bankruptcy. When not practicing law, Cohen serves as the sponsorship chairperson for the South Oakland County American Cancer Society Relay for Life.
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Dickinson Wright PLLC is pleased to announce that the firm has been ranked as the #1 Bond Counsel in Michigan and the #5 Bond Counsel in the Midwest in The Bond Buyer's Midwest Year-End Review.
Rankings are based on dollar volume of deals in 2020 and included issues maturing in 13 months or more. In issues with multiple book-runners, each firm is credited with its actual allocation and in issues with multiple co-advisers or co-counsel; the par amount of the issues is divided equally among the firms. The Midwest region includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
Below are Dickinson Wright's rankings in The Bond Buyer's Midwest Year-End Review:
Michigan
#1 Bond Counsel with a deal volume of $4,075,300,000.
Midwest
#5 Bond Counsel with a deal volume of $4,093,500,000.
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