Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer, & Weiss recently announced Mark Cooper as the new CEO, succeeding leader Jeffrey Weiss.
"I am honored and grateful for the opportunity to lead Jaffe and build upon a long track record of success delivering exceptional legal counsel to our clients," Cooper said. "Our future will continue to be guided by our founding principles, with collective efforts that ensure we are providing exceptional client service, fostering a culture of collegiality and inclusivity, and giving back to our community. I want to thank Jeff for his tremendous leadership over the past four years, including navigating the unpredictable nature of the past two years. The stage is set for continued growth and opportunity."
In his new role as CEO, Cooper will work collectively with the Board of Directors to set strategic direction for the firm and execute upon initiatives in alignment with the firm's long-term vision.
Cooper has been with Jaffe since February 2005 and has held various roles within the firm. He is currently a partner in the firm's Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Construction & Development, and Insurance practice groups. He has also been a member of the Board of Directors for five years and has served as the firm's risk management counsel for more than 10 years.
Cooper has received several local and national accolades over his career including Best Lawyers in America®, DBusiness Top Lawyers, Michigan Super Lawyers® and others. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Government, and Michigan State University College of Law where he earned his law degree.
Weiss will continue to serve on Jaffe's Board of Directors. He will be practicing law on a full-time basis, maintaining and growing his practice and client base which is mainly concentrated on mergers and acquisitions.
In addition, Michigan Lawyers Weekly recently named Jyotsna Balakrishnan, attorney and partner at Jaffe, as one of Michigan's Go To Lawyers for Business Law. Jaffe CEO Mark Cooper made the announcement.
Balakrishnan serves as the co-chair of the Jaffe Emerging & Growth Business practice group and also works in the Mergers & Acquisitions and Intellectual Property practice group-representing numerous start-ups and growth-stage companies in all aspects of their life cycle. Her approach involves understanding and addressing her client's needs while anticipating and planning for challenges that could arise in the future.
Balakrishnan graduated from the National Law School of India University with a Bachelor of Laws in 2003. She later received her Master of Laws with a focus in corporate, finance and securities law from Columbia Law School. She is also fluent in Tamil and Hindi and conversant in French.
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Maddin, Hauser, Roth, & Heller PC is pleased to announce that Rita M. Lauer has joined the firm as a senior associate. Lauer is a member of the firm's Corporate and Employment and Workforce Management group and brings a wide range of skills and experience to meet the needs of our clients.
Lauer has industry expertise servicing car dealerships, recreational vehicle dealerships, vehicle manufacturers, boat manufacturers, boat dealerships, recreational vehicle manufacturers, sporting goods manufacturers, municipalities, and non-profit entities. She has defended both dealership and manufacturing clients in regulatory matters and in litigation, especially regarding warranty and consumer protection claims. Lauer has expertise in negotiating and drafting regulatory governance agreements for clients and responding to administrative or governmental matters for her clients. She counsels clients on employment and workforce management issues.
A State Bar of Michigan member, Lauer is admitted to practice before the Michigan Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan. Before joining private practice, Lauer served as an attorney for the City of Saginaw City Attorney's Office and a litigation clerk for the New York State Attorney General's Office.
Maddin Hauser is also pleased to announce that Chambers USA recognized Michael W. Maddin and Charles M. Lax as leaders in their field in Michigan in its 2022 guide. The firm's Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation practice group is also ranked in the latest edition.
Maddin, firm co-founder and president emeritus, retained his senior statesperson status in Real Estate.
Lax maintained his Band 1 ranking, the highest recognition, in the Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation practice area. He is one of only five attorneys in Michigan to achieve Band 1 status. He is a shareholder and chairman of the firm's Tax Practice Group.
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Butzel attorney Beth S. Gotthelf was among a group of leaders who presented the keynote opening during the 11th Annual American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG) Michigan Section's Environmental Risk Management Workshop Best Practices for Groundwater Remediation and Management, June 14-15, in Roscommon. The panel discussed perspectives on the groundwater management policy in Michigan and the economic impact of institutional controls.
Gotthelf is Butzel's director of Innovation and External Relations, co-chair of the Energy & Sustainability Practice, and co-chair of the Aerospace & Defense industry team.
She was recently appointed chair of the Michigan Manufacturers Association (MMA) Environmental Policy Committee. Members actively monitor water, solid waste, remediation and other environmental issue areas to develop environmental policy priorities for MMA.
Gotthelf started her career in the environmental law arena and remains a leader to this date. She has served in a range of roles including general counsel to the Michigan Chapter of the National Association of Surface Finishers (1990-present). In 2021, Gotthelf received the National Association's Award of Merit. She created the first wetland bank in Michigan and has been active in a variety of enforcement cases both on behalf of government and industry, most involving multi-million dollar corrective actions. Her counseling includes compliance, emergency response, remediation, redevelopment, tax incentives, enforcement, occupational safety and health, and insurance coverage.
She has counselled the association and its members on a wide variety of issues throughout the years providing solid, practical and timely insight on ever changing regulations and of late, COVID issues. She also has guided members through the many challenging PFAS impacts in the facility, air, wastewater, stormwater, and soil, not to mention the financial challenges. Her guidance and advice has helped members make good decisions to help them be successful in business.
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Dickinson Wright is pleased to announce that the firm has received eight practice rankings and 18 attorneys in Michigan have been listed in this year's The Legal 500 United States 2022.
The Legal 500 United States 2022 ranked Dickinson Wright in the following practice areas:
Dispute Resolution General Commercial Disputes
Industry Focus Cannabis
Intellectual Property Patents: Licensing
Labor and Employment Labor and Employment Disputes (including Collective Actions): Defense
M&A/Corporate and Commercial M&A: Middle-Market (sub-$500m)
Real Estate Construction
Real Estate
Real Estate Finance
Dickinson Wright is also listed as a "Firm to Watch" for Intellectual Property Trademarks: Litigation.
The Legal 500 United States 2022 recognized the following local Dickinson Wright attorneys in their editorial as "Recommended Lawyers":
• Dispute Resolution General Commercial Disputes
Phillip DeRosier (Detroit)
Thomas McNeill (Detroit)
• Intellectual Property Patents: Licensing
Richard Jones (Troy)
• Labor and Employment Labor and Employment Disputes (including Collective Actions): Defense
Timothy Howlett (Detroit)
Kathryn Wood (Detroit)
• M&A/Corporate and Commercial M&A: Middle-Market (sub-$500m)
Mark High (Detroit)
Amy Kwiatkowski (Detroit)
Andrew MacLeod (Detroit)
• Real Estate Construction (including Construction Litigation)
Joseph DeLave (Troy)
• Real Estate
Monica Labe (Troy)
Michael Lusardi (Troy)
• Real Estate Finance
Katheryne Zelenock (Troy)
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On May 25, Michigan personal injury attorney and Sinas Dramis Law Firm partner Tom Sinas was sworn in as chairperson for the Brain Injury Association of Michigan's (BIAMI) Board of Directors.
Sinas is only the second attorney to hold the position of chairperson for the organization. He first joined the board in 2015 and has previously held the positions of vice-chairperson and secretary. BIAMI's self-stated mission is "to improve the lives of those affected by brain injury and reduce the incidence and impact of brain injury through advocacy, awareness, education, prevention, research, and support." Sinas considers his role with the organization an honor and is ready to help continue the good work already being done by the organization.
"It is truly an honor to be asked to serve as BIAMI Board chair," Sinas said. "The organization has played a vital role for decades in serving and advocating for those Michiganders with brain injuries, some of whom our law firm has also had the privilege of representing. I look forward to working with BIAMI's outstanding staff and my talented fellow board members to help the organization continue its important mission."
As a Michigan brain injury attorney, Sinas has always believed that there is nothing more important than a person's well-being and health. As a lawyer, he considers it a privilege to advocate on behalf of those who are injured. As chairperson, he will continue that advocacy, along with his colleagues, in supporting the organization's mission of helping brain injury survivors.
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On Friday, June 3, Zausmer hosted its second annual Insurance Law Update for carriers at Fox Hills Golf and Banquet Center in Plymouth.
Also participating in the event were ARCCA, Efi Global, ExamWorks, Sedgwick, Superior Investigative Services, and LCS Record Retrieval. The free seminar covered topics such as:
• PIP and Third-Party Auto law updates
• Accident Reconstruction
• Use of Special Investigation Units in Claims Handling
• Premises Liability Updates
• Construction Defects and Cause and Origin of Water Loss and Fire Loss Investigations• Adjusting Claims and Managing Legal Counsel
Shareholders Jim Wright, Jeremy Mullett, Danielle DePriest, Adam Post, and Nathan Scherbarth all presented on various topics, along with associates Julian Heidenreich, Nick Swider, and Brian King. In addition to the informative sessions, attendees enjoyed time networking, lunch, and an optional round of golf afterward.
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Brooks Kushman is proud to announce that eight of the firm's shareholders have been named "IP Stars" for 2022 by Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) Magazine. Brooks Kushman was also recognized in the top tier as a "Highly Recommended" firm in the United States for Trademarks.
Managing IP recognized Brooks Kushman attorneys Frank Angileri, Sangeeta Shah, Robyn Lederman, Mark Cantor, Elizabeth Janda, John LeRoy, Marc Lorelli, and Christopher Smith as IP Stars. Cantor was recognized as both Trademark Star and Patent Star; Angileri, Shah, Lorelli, LeRoy, and C. Smith were recognized as Patent Stars; and Lederman and Janda were recognized as Trademark Stars.
Angileri serves as the president of Brooks Kushman. He focuses his practice on IP litigation. He has been named an "IP Star" since 2013 and has been recognized as Michigan's "IP Litigator of the Year" in prior years.
Shah is Brooks Kushman's CEO and co-chair of the firm's Post-Grant Proceedings practice group. Her practice is primarily focused on post-grant challenges and patent opinions. She represents several Fortune 500 clients for whom she provides strategic counseling and guidance on their global IP portfolios. She has been on the list of "IP Stars" since 2014.
Lederman serves on the Executive Committee and is co-chair of the firm's Trademark practice. She has experience representing worldwide trademark portfolios for her multi-national clients. Lederman counsels on pre-filing strategies, global enforcement efforts, and brand protection programs. She works closely with clients to help the business adopt trademark use practices to bolster and support registered and common law trademark rights.
Cantor is one of the founders of the firm. His practice focuses on complex litigation matters in all technology areas, and he has been named an "IP Star" since 2013. In 2016, he was lead counsel for the team of trial attorneys who secured the largest trademark verdict in Michigan history.
Janda serves as co-chair of Brooks Kushman's Trademark practice, managing substantial trademark portfolios both domestically and internationally in a variety of industries. She has been on the list of "IP Stars" since 2013.
LeRoy serves as the co-chair of the firm's Patent Litigation practice as well as the chair of the firm's Standard Essential Patent Practice. His practice focuses on patent, trade secret, and copyright litigation in the software and electrical arts, and he also started the firm's Open Source Software Compliance practice. LeRoy was recognized as Michigan's "IP Litigator of the Year" in 2018 and has been recognized as an IP Star since 2016.
Lorelli is the co-chair of the firm's Intellectual Property Litigation practice. His practice focuses on patent, trademark, trade secret, and copyright litigation in courts throughout the United States. In addition to litigation, Lorelli is heavily involved in strategic counseling involving patent procurement and trademark protection. Lorelli was recognized as Michigan's "IP Litigator of the Year" in 2020.
Smith concentrates his practice on intellectual property litigation, with a primary emphasis on patent and trade secret litigation, including PTAB disputes. In addition to litigation, Smith is involved in IP licensing and the preparation of invalidity and infringement opinions. This is his first year being recognized on the list of "IP Stars."
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Foley, Baron, Metzger, & Juip PLLC attorney Saulius Polteraitis was recently voted as president-elect by the membership of the Michigan Society of Healthcare Risk Management (MSHRM). The results of the election were announced at the MSHRM Annual Meeting on Mackinac Island on May 19.
Polteraitis will serve his term as president elect beginning in July 2022 and will serve as president of MSHRM from July 2023 July 2024. He will then serve as a past-president for 2024-2025. Polteraitis has been an active member of MSHRM since 2008 and has served on the Board of Directors and various committees, including the Membership Committee where he held the position of co-chair for the last 5 years.
Founded in 1979, MSHRM is an organization that promotes professional development and leadership in the management of risk across various healthcare entities within the state of Michigan.
