D. Scott Brinkmann, former City of Detroit director of Development and Special Projects for the Housing & Revitalization Department, has joined Butzel's Real Estate Practice. Brinkmann is a shareholder practicing in the firm's Troy and Detroit offices.
Brinkmann's principal areas of practice with Butzel will include all aspects of commercial real estate and real estate-related finance with an emphasis on the development, acquisition, disposition, leasing and financing of real property.
During his career with the City of Detroit, Brinkmann played a role in several transformative development projects that include: 1) negotiation of a lease for the first state park in the City of Detroit (Tri-Centennial State Park, now William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor), 2) negotiation of municipal agreements and real estate support for the Gordie Howe International Bridge Project, 3) community benefits and tax abatements for FCA US LLC's expansion of their Mack 1, Mack 2 and Jefferson North automotive manufacturing assembly plants, and 4) community benefits, tax abatements, and real estate support for the Detroit Pistons NBA franchise relocation from Auburn Hills to the City of Detroit.
In 2016, Brinkmann was recognized as one of DBusiness magazine's "30 in Their Thirties" for his legal work in the City of Detroit.
Brinkmann is a graduate of Wayne State University Law School (2005). He also graduated from Michigan State University (1999).
In addition, Butzel attorney and shareholder Claudia Rast was a featured speaker during the World Justice Forum 2022, which took place from May 30-June 3 at The Hague in the Netherlands. Rast was one of five presenters and served as the rapporteur for the session titled, "The Law's Role in Protecting the Most Vulnerable Populations from Climate Change."
The presentation focused on those most harmed by the impacts of climate change-vulnerable populations who are the least responsible and, although the most deserving, frequently lack the legal protections or tools to address their harms. As a result, climate change impacts are emerging as growing human rights and rule of law issues. Cases in point are Kivalina, Juliana, the Netherlands case against Shell, and the constitutional recognition of environmental rights.
Rast, who chairs Butzel's Intellectual Property, Cybersecurity and Emerging Technology Practice Department, blends her expertise in law, business, and science to assist companies in their strategic use of technology, counseling clients in the areas of privacy, cybersecurity, data security and governance, intellectual property licensing and registration, and the forensic preservation and analysis of electronically stored information.
Rast is an experienced environmental lawyer, focusing on alternative energy and sustainability practices, including work on the development of a global Rule of Law Index for environment and energy with the World Justice Project.
Rast was appointed to a three-year term to co-chair the American Bar Association (ABA) Cybersecurity Legal Task Force in 2020. Prior to that, she had been appointed to successive one-year terms since 2013.
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JoAnn Lank has been appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer to the Michigan Appellate Defender Commission.
Lank is the district clerk for the Michigan Court of Appeals in Detroit. She earned her bachelor of arts from the University of Virginia and her law degree from the University of Tulsa College of Law.
Lank is appointed to represent the Michigan Court of Appeals for a term that commenced May 26 and expires May 24, 2026. She succeeds Douglas Messing whose term expired May 24.
The Michigan Appellate Defender Commission is responsible for the development of a system of indigent appellate defense services which shall include services provided by the office of the state appellate defender and locally appointed private counsel. The commission will be responsible for the development of minimum standards to which all indigent criminal defense appellate services shall conform and will compile and keep current a statewide roster of attorneys eligible for and willing to accept appointment by an appropriate court to serve as criminal appellate defense counsel for indigents.
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Dykema recently announced the addition of Dana White as senior counsel in the firm's Real Estate Practice Group in the Bloomfield Hills office.
White joins Dykema from McDonald Hopkins LLC. Her practice covers a broad spectrum of commercial real estate disciplines, focusing on industrial, office, multifamily, luxury residential, and retail development. She represents real estate developers, investors, and owner/operators in acquisitions and dispositions, construction and development, construction and acquisition financing, and negotiating real estate joint ventures. White also has experience negotiating office, retail, restaurant, and industrial leases nationally for both landlords and tenants.
Before her legal career, White worked at a civil engineering firm specializing in transportation, where she focused on complex proposal coordination and submission for privately funded projects and those funded at the local, state, and federal levels.
White earned a law degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and a B.A. from Indiana University.
In addition, Dykema recently announced that it received 25 individual attorney rankings and 14 practice area rankings in the 2022 edition of Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business guide. Nationally, the firm received recognition in three practice areas and six individual attorney rankings; including as one of the top firms for Product Liability: Automobile.
Chambers USA recognized the following Dykema practices in Michigan:
• Corporate/M&A
• Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
• Labor & Employment
• Litigation: General Commercial
• Real Estate
Chambers USA recognized the following Dykema attorneys in Michigan, as identified by jurisdiction and practice area:
J. Michael Bernard - Corporate/M&A
Robert A. Boonin - Labor & Employment
Amy M. Christen - Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
Adam M. Fishkind - Real Estate
James P. Feeney - Litigation: General Commercial
Kyle R. Hauberg - Real Estate
James F. Hermon - Labor & Employment
Margaret Adams Hunter - Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
Jin-Kyu Koh - Corporate/M&A
Thomas S. Vaughn - Corporate/M&A
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Dickinson Wright PLLC is pleased to announce that Chambers & Partners has ranked eight of the firm's practices in Michigan and 31 of the firm's Michigan attorneys in the 2022 Chambers USA Guide.
Below is a list of Dickinson Wright Michigan practices that are listed in Chambers USA 2022:
Banking & Finance (Band 1)
Bankruptcy & Restructuring (Band 1)Corporate/M&A
Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
Intellectual Property
Labor & Employment
Litigation: General Commercial (Band 1)
Real Estate (Band 1)
Below is a list of local Dickinson Wright attorneys who are listed in Chambers USA 2022:
• Banking and Finance
Craig W. Hammond, Troy
William P. Shield Jr., Detroit (Band 1)
Rachel Wolock, Detroit
• Banking and Finance: Bankruptcy
Steven G. Howell, Detroit (Band 1)
James A. Plemmons, Detroit
Theodore B. Sylwestrzak, Detroit (Band 1)
• Corporate/M&A
Richard M. Bolton, Detroit
Mark R. High, Detroit
• Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
Deborah L. Grace, Troy
Roberta P. Granadier, Troy
Eric W. Gregory, Troy
Cynthia A. Moore, Troy
• General Commercial Litigation
Thomas G. McNeill, Detroit (Band 1)
Edward H. Pappas, Troy
Daniel D. Quick, Troy
• Intellectual Property
William H. Honaker, Troy
• Labor & Employment
Angelina Delmastro, Detroit
Timothy H. Howlett, Detroit (Band 1)
• Real Estate Law
James N. Candler Jr., Detroit
Stephen E. Dawson, Troy
Monica J. Labe, Troy
Katheryne L. Zelenock, Troy
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Bodman PLC is pleased to announce that Marc M. Bakst, a member of the firm practicing in the Detroit office, has been named chair of the board of directors of Jewish Family Service of Metropolitan Detroit (JFS). He will also chair the board's Executive Committee.
Bakst has served in various leadership positions with JFS. In addition to serving as chair-elect of the board of directors for the past year, he has served as board treasurer and as chair of the Finance Committee.
Established more than 90 years ago, JFS provides critical health and social services to more than 12,000 Jewish and non-Jewish people throughout metro Detroit each year. The organization's services are uniquely tailored to the specific needs of each individual or family, and center around three core areas: services for older adults, mental health and wellness, and safety net services.
Bakst has served previously on the Advisory Board to Michigan Israel Business Accelerator, on the Community Advisory Board for the Detroit Jewish News, on the board of directors of the Detroit chapter of the American Jewish Committee, and on the City of Oak Park Zoning Board of Appeals. He also volunteers through Lakeshore Legal Aid to provide pro bono representation to individuals entitled under Michigan law to expungement of criminal records.
His legal practice is focused on creditors' rights, bankruptcy, reorganization, and insolvency matters, representing major financial institutions, automotive suppliers, health care providers, and a variety of other business clients. Bakst has been recognized as a distinguished practitioner in his field of specialty by the leading journals that rank business attorneys, including The Best Lawyers in America, Michigan Super Lawyers, and DBusiness Top Lawyers.
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Harness IP is proud to announce that it has been ranked among top law firms for intellectual property in Michigan and Missouri by Chambers and Partners.
Additionally, the firm is pleased that two of its local attorneys are also ranked for their outstanding level of client representation as well as practice area leadership:
Glenn Forbis, a principal working in the Detroit Metro office.
Lisabeth Coakley, senior counsel in the Detroit Metro office
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Foley & Lardner LLP is pleased to announce that it has again been recognized by Chambers & Partners as one of the top law firms in the 2022 edition of Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers for Business.
The firm received 40 practice rankings, including eight national rankings and nine in Band 1. Additionally, 104 Foley attorneys are recognized, with 13 ranked nationally and 18 listed in Band 1.
Foley is also recognized in Michigan for:
• Practices
Corporate/M&A
Litigation: General Commercial
• Attorneys
Daljit Doogal, Corporate/ M&A
Steven Hilfinger, Corporate/ M&A
Norman Ankers, Litigation: General Commercial
Jennifer Belveal, Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations
