LEGAL PEOPLE

The Michigan Supreme Court has appointed Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Victoria A. Valentine to serve on the bench of the Oakland County Business Court. Created by statute in 2013, business courts dockets in 17 circuit courts statewide “... allow business or commercial disputes to be resolved with the expertise, technology, and efficiency required by the information age economy.” Valentine succeeds Judge Martha Anderson and joins Judge Michael Warren on the Business Court bench.

A graduate of the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, Valentine was first elected to the bench in 2016. She first had a family court docket and now presides over a civil/criminal docket.

Prior to joining the bench, Valentine practiced law for more than 17 years with a focus on civil litigation, particularly complex commercial litigation. She also worked with experts to present on business litigation issues and even developed and delivered client business litigation seminars, which she called “Valentine University.”
Valentine is a past member of the Advisory Board for Institute of Transnational Arbitration, and a past member of the State Bar of Michigan Representative Assembly.

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Collins Einhorn Farrell PC is pleased to announce that attorney Jerry Yacoo has joined the firm’s General & Automotive Liability Practice Group. His practice focuses on no-fault auto cases. Before joining Collins Einhorn, he represented no-fault carriers in first party claims. Yacoo has also represented injured workers in workers’ compensation cases.

With his experience in workers’ compensation and no-fault cases, Yacoo can assist no-fault insurance carriers in complicated matters involving the intersection of workers’ compensation and no-fault law. He also has knowledge on issues related to priority, carrier liability, and reimbursement.

Yacoo earned his law degree from Wayne State University Law School in 2019. While in law school, he gained legal experience as an intern for the Legal Advocacy for People with Cancer (LAPC) Clinic, and as a law clerk for a general practice law firm. In these positions, he assisted attorneys in areas like estate planning, housing, public benefits, and claims for Social Security disability benefits.  Yacoo is bilingual, fluent in English and Chaldean.

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Dickinson Wright is pleased to announce that Dennis Archer, chairman emeritus of the firm, received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2022 Burton Awards Ceremony. The ceremony took place at the Library of Congress on June 13.

“I’m honored and humbled to receive the Lifetime Achievement award from the Burton Foundation and its partners. This year’s list of honorees exemplify the best in the legal profession and it is my privilege to be among them,” says Archer.

Archer served two four-year terms as mayor of the City of Detroit (1994-2001) and earned national and international respect for his success in changing Detroit’s image and direction. He is past president of the American Bar Association, breaking the color barrier as the first African-American ABA president in 2003, and has been active in several bar associations, eventually serving as president of the State Bar of Michigan, the Wolverine Bar Association, and the National Bar Association. In addition to his service to the legal profession, Archer serves on the Board of Directors for Alix Partners Inc. and has served on numerous charitable and civic boards, including the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Bipartisan Policy Center, and the Community Foundation of Southeastern Michigan.

The Burton Awards program, annually held at the Library of Congress, recognizes jurists, outstanding general counsel, legal writers, lawyers in the military, attorneys in the executive branch of government, legal journalists, law firm and law school writers, managing partners in the nation’s finest law firms and public service recipients. To learn more about the Burton Awards, visit www.burtonawards.com.

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Butzel continues to grow with the addition of tax law attorney Daniel Soleimani. He joins the firm as a shareholder in the firm’s Troy office.

He specializes in tax matters related to merger and acquisition and commercial real estate transactions. Soleimani’s work is focused on maximizing tax efficiencies, maintaining protections for his clients and structuring transactions.

Soleimani’s honors include recognition by Super Lawyers Magazine, Michigan “Rising Star” 2021, and he was named to the Detroit Jewish News/The Well, “36 Under 36” 2021.

He serves on the Board of Directors of the Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit. He also is a member of the State Bar of Michigan.

Soleimani received his law degrees from the Emory University School of Law and New York University and his undergraduate degree from the University of Buffalo.

In addition, Butzel attorney Beth S. Gotthelf was featured during a panel program presented by the Michigan Association of Environmental Professionals (MAEP) on Wednesday, June 29, in Howell.

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.

Gotthelf started her career in the environmental law arena. 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.

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Kemp Klein has welcomed attorney Stavroula (Stavi) Varlamos.

Varlamos will focus on probate litigation, helping clients navigate the probate process and handling conflicts that sometimes arise when a loved one passes away. Also, she will assist with family law issues such as divorce and custody as well as estate planning.

Varlamos graduated from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and earned a B.A. in Adertising and International Relations from Michigan State University. She has a passion for her Greek roots and serves as head coordinator of the Hellenic Society for the Performing Arts.  Varlamos is a member of the State Bar of Michigan and the Detroit Bar Association.

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Dykema is proud to announce that Adam Fishkind was selected by Michigan Lawyers Weekly as a “Go To Lawyer” for Real Estate and Condominium Law.

Fishkind serves as the office managing member of the firm’s Bloomfield Hills office and is a co-team leader of the firm’s Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities Special Servicer group. He is an advisor for all parties involved in real estate-based transactions including investors, lenders, developers, owners, and operators.

Fishkind earned a law degree from DePaul University and a B.A. from Michigan State University.

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The Appellate Defender Commission (ADC) has selected Michigan Appellate Assigned Counsel System (MAACS) roster attorney Gary D. Strauss, of Strauss & Strauss PLLC, as the recipient of the 2021 “Barbara R. Levine Award for Excellence in Appellate Advocacy.” The Appellate Defender Commission is a seven-member board statutorily charged with oversight of the appellate defense system, consisting of the State Appellate Defender Office and the Michigan Appellate Assigned Counsel System.

The annual award, which was presented to Strauss on June 15, honors a MAACS roster member whose appellate advocacy achieves outstanding results or who demonstrates extraordinary commitment on behalf of appellate assigned clients.  

After graduating from the University of Michigan, Strauss moved to San Francisco and worked as a professional guitarist doing studio work, playing guitar, and performing for the flamboyant rock group Sylvester.  Strauss eventually returned to Detroit and taught in the Detroit Public schools while attending night school at Detroit College of Law (now Michigan State University College of Law).