Honigman Miller Schwartz
and Cohn LLP
HONIGMAN, MILLER, SCHWARTZ, AND COHN LLP partners JUNE SUMMERS HAAS and LYNN A. GANDHI were speakers at the American Bar Association (ABA) and Institute for Professionals in Taxation's (IPT) advanced tax seminar. The event was held in New Orleans, from March 22-26. Haas and Gandhi were the only Michigan attorneys to speak at this national conference.
Haas, who is a co-chair of the IPT's Advanced Income Tax Seminar Committee was the moderator for two related sessions entitled "Fair Apportionment: (Part I) What is It?" and "Fair Apportionment (Part II) Now That We Know What It Is, How Do We Prove It?" Haas, a Partner in the firm's Tax Appeals Department, was recently named by State Tax Notes magazine to its "All-Decade State Tax Team." The "Team" was selected from tax experts around the country by the magazine's Contributing Editor David Brunori as the people "who were the most influential in the state and local tax world over the past 10 years."
Haas litigates state tax cases, works to resolve tax disputes, represents clients in audits and advises clients on a nationwide basis regarding multistate and Michigan tax strategies. Her practice also focuses on managing state income, value-added, sales and use tax issues for business entities. In addition, she is a nationally-recognized authority on issues relating to state jurisdiction to tax, also known as nexus.
Haas earned her law degree from the University of Virginia and a B.S. from George Mason University.
Gandhi's speech covered "Green Initiatives in the States - Certification & Compliance," regarding incentives available under the recent federal Recovery Act. As a partner in Honigman's Tax Appeals Department, she advises clients on a national basis regarding multistate tax strategies, tax disputes and litigates state tax cases.
Gandhi's areas of concentration are state income and gross receipts taxes, sales and use taxes, the Michigan Business Tax (MBT) and other excise taxes. She is also experienced in unclaimed property processes and audits, from both the preventive and defensive postures, and deeply engaged in investment incentive opportunities. She is a Certified Public Accountant recognized in Michigan and Illinois.
Gandhi earned her law degrees from Wayne State University and New York University Law School. She earned her B.A. from Kalamazoo College.
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Trott & Trott, P.C.
Farmington Hills-based TROTT & TROTT PC recently announced the addition of attorneys KARL BORGQUIST, TARA GAVIOLI, DOREEN HOFFMAN, and ROSE MERITHEW to the firm's Litigation and Title Departments. Trott & Trott President and Managing Partner David A. Trott made the announcement.
Borgquist joins Trott & Trott as a title attorney from Raymond James Associates in Auburn Hills where he worked in personal finance planning. Borgquist is a member of the State Bar of Michigan and earned his law degree in 2007 from the Cleveland Marshall College of Law.
Gavioli joins Trott & Trott as a litigation attorney. She is a 2009 graduate of Wayne State University Law School and is a member of the State Bar of Michigan.
Hoffman joins Trott & Trott as a litigation attorney from Mann Bracken LLP where she worked as a managing attorney in consumer debt collection. Hoffman is currently the State of Michigan's compliance chair for The Association of Credit and Collection Professionals and is a member of the State Bar of Michigan. She is a graduate of the Detroit College of Law.
Merithew joins Trott & Trott as a title attorney. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and her law degree in 2009 from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. She is a member of the State Bar of Michigan.
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Wachler & Associates PC
JESSE ADAM MARKOS has joined WACHLER & ASSOCIATES, PC as an associate. Wachler & Associates Managing Partner Andrew B. Wachler made the announcement.
Markos earned his law degree from Wayne State University Law School in 2008. Markos earned his Bachelor of Arts in political science from Western Michigan University in 2004.
He practices in all areas of healthcare law and devotes a substantial portion of his practice to representing providers in the Medicare and other third-party-payor audit appeals process. He also provides assistance to clients in transactional, corporate, and regulatory matters. He is admitted to the State Bar of Michigan as well as the United States District Courts for the Eastern District of Michigan.
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Warner, Norcross,
& Judd LLP
MARY JO LARSON and LISA B. ZIMMER were among 10 attorneys at WARNER NORCROSS to be acknowledged by Chambers, which is published annually by London-based Chambers and Partners and highlights top firms and attorneys in each state. Both were recognized for their experience in employee benefits and executive compensation.
For the eighth consecutive year, Warner Norcross was recognized as one of the leading law firms in the state. In addition to its strength in employee benefits, the firm was acknowledged in the areas of banking and finance, corporate, mergers and acquisitions, labor and employment law and commercial litigation.
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Plunkett Cooney
CHARLES W. BROWNING, a partner of PLUNKETT COONEY was recently selected for membership in the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC), an international organization whose members dedicate their practice to the representation of corporations and insurance companies in the defense of civil litigation. FDCC membership is by invitation only following an extensive peer review selection process.
A member of the Plunkett Cooney's Board of Directors, Browning is known nationally for his experience and expertise in the area of insurance coverage litigation. He has the distinction of serving as coverage counsel for several major property and casualty insurance companies, and he serves as co-chair of the firm's Insurance Coverage Practice Group.
Browning is listed among "The Best Lawyers in America" and "Michigan Super Lawyers" as a top practitioner in his area of expertise. He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan; the Defense Research Institute (Insurance Law Committee); International Association of Defense Counsel (Casualty Insurance Committee (chair 2006 to present) and Reinsurance and Excess and Surplus Lines Committee); and the American Bar Association (Litigation Section and Torts and Insurance Practice Section). He is also a member of the Board of Editors of the Defense Counsel Journal.
Admitted to practice law in several federal courts and pro hac vice in more than 25 states, Browning earned his law degree from University of Detroit School of Law in 1981 and his undergraduate degree from Michigan State University in 1978.
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Fabian, Sklar & King
STUART A. SKLAR, with Farmington Hills-based FABIAN, SKLAR, KING PC, a law firm specializing in fire injury, explosion and property damage claims, spoke at the National Fire, Arson and Explosion Investigation Training Program on March 8, in Boston.
Sponsored by the National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the extensive training program invites internationally recognized industry experts to present illustrated and detailed lectures regarding fire and explosion investigations to fire investigators from both the private and public sectors as well as engineers and attorneys.
Sklar earned the credential of Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI) through the National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI). He is the only attorney representing policyholders and those injured or killed in fires and explosions as a principal member of the National Fire Protection Association's Technical Committee on Fire Investigations. The committee is responsible for NFPA 921, Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations.
"Protecting the rights of those impacted by fires and explosions is extremely important to me and serves as our firm's mission," said Sklar. "In our constantly evolving industry, it is absolutely necessary to participate in events like this to share information with other experts and to obtain it."
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Miller Canfield
OLIVIA DENG, manager of Wayne County's economic development China Program from 2005-2009, has joined the law firm of MILLER CANFIELD as a manager of global business, focusing on the China market. She has more than 10 years of international business and economic development experience, particularly with companies seeking to establish operations in automotive, engineering and R&D centers including in Southeast Michigan.
Lawyers in Miller Canfield's China practice help Chinese companies expand to North America and Europe. In addition, the firm assists clients with their business expansion plans in Asia.
Deng will be an integral part of the firm's China team promoting trade and investment. In February, lawyer Shusheng Wang joined Miller Canfield as co-director of global business, focusing his practice on global corporate transactions, mergers and acquisitions, dispute resolution, China business counseling, and U.S. taxation of international operations.
Deng is fluent in English and Mandarin, as well as the U.S. and Chinese business cultures. As manager of Wayne County's China program, she helped attract over $200 million investments in Southeast Michigan, build business partnerships with seven Chinese cities, and organized five trade missions to China.
Deng is a member of the Detroit Chinese Business Association. She received a B.S. in electrical engineering from Oakland University.
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Dickinson Wright PLLC
DICKINSON WRIGHT PLLC is pleased to announce that JAMES P. SPICA has joined the firm's Trusts, Estates and Private Client Services team as a member in the Detroit office.
Spica specializes in estate and tax planning for private clients requiring sophisticated wealth management, advises corporations and individuals on the formation and operation of tax-exempt organizations, provides general and special representations to bank trust departments, private trust companies and public charities and serves as expert witness in litigation involving estate administration and tax planning issues.
Spica earned his law degree from New York University, has been a clerk on the U.S. Tax Court and has held a series of law professorships at Wayne State University and the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law where he lectured, most recently as a tenured associate professor, on taxation, trusts and decedents' estates.
He is listed in "The Best Lawyers in America," is co-author of the Michigan Estate Planning Handbook (2nd ed. 2006 & Supp.), is a member of the Council (governing body) of the Probate and Estate Planning Section of the State Bar of Michigan and a consultant to the Trust Counsel Committee of the Michigan Bankers Association.
Before joining Dickinson Wright, Spica was a partner in the law firm of Honigman, Miller, Schwartz, and Cohn LLP.
Additionally, the firm is pleased to announce that real estate attorney KATHERYNE L. ZELENOCK has been named to the American College of Mortgage Attorneys. Zelenock is a member in the firm's Bloomfield Hills office.
The American College of Mortgage Attorneys (ACMA) is a national organization of real estate attorneys from each state who are nominated by their peers as skilled and experienced in the negotiation of real estate mortgages, lending transactions secured by real estate, and related practice.
Zelenock leads a team that closes commercial mortgages on behalf of leading national lenders, including multi-family and manufactured housing community loans originated for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Over the past several years, she has acted as closing or supervising counsel for several billion dollars in commercial mortgage loans destined for securitization or portfolio, including a variety of loan sizes and property types. As part of that practice, Zelenock developed and uses innovative transaction management and document automation software that improves the efficiency of loan closings.
She recently adapted that software to the commercial leasing practice.
She also is experienced in matters related to troubled properties and owners, and the restructuring and workout of financing arrangements, including related litigation and due diligence.
Zelenock is recognized by Chambers USA, Michigan Super Lawyers, and DBusiness Magazine as a leading lawyer in Real Estate in Michigan.
Additionally, HENRY M. GRIX of Dickinson Wright is proud to announce he has become a community partner of the Southeast Michigan program of LEAVE A LEGACY®. Through this partnership, Grix maintains his commitment to the community by supporting and promoting the need for individuals to support their favorite charities in their wills or estate plans.
Founded in 1997, the Southeast Michigan program of LEAVE A LEGACY is a public awareness campaign conducted by the Planned Giving Roundtable of Southeast Michigan to inspire people to make charitable bequests, a type of planned gift to be distributed sometime in the future to a charity meaningful to the donor. LEAVE A LEGACY is a national broad-based community campaign that involves all types of nonprofit groups and is conducted by professionals, who assist donors with charitable estate planning.
Grix is a fellow of the American College of Trust & Estate Counsel, (elected in 1992), and was named by "Best Lawyers in America" as the, 2010 Detroit-area Trusts and Estates Lawyer of the Year. He also appears among the Top 100 Michigan Super Lawyers.
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Nemeth Burwell P.C.
Attorney PATRICIA NEMETH, the founding partner of Detroit-based employment law firm NEMETH BURWELL PC, was recently featured on "Due Process," a long- running legal news talk show hosted by Detroit attorney Henry Baskin of the Baskin Law Firm. Nemeth was featured on the Friday, March 12, program highlighting current employment law issues in Michigan. The program, which airs each Friday on Detroit Public Television Channel 56, will be repeated on July 2 and October 22. It is available for viewing online at http://www.dueprocess.tv/show_archive.htm
Nemeth is a member of the State Bar of Michigan - Labor and Employment Section and International Section, and the American Bar Association - Labor Section and Alternative Dispute Resolution Section. In addition to being a litigator, Nemeth is certified as a mediator. She has been named a "Michigan Super Lawyer" since the honor began in the state in 2006 and was included in the 2010 edition of the "Best Lawyers in America®" in the specialty area of labor and employment law and in DBusiness magazine's exclusive 2010 Martindale-Hubbell list of metro Detroit's finest barristers. Nemeth was also named one of 25 Leaders in the Law in 2009 by "Michigan Lawyers' Weekly" magazine.
Nemeth earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan and her law degrees from Wayne State University School of Law. In 2009, she received the Distinguished Alumni award from Wayne Law. Nemeth is also a member of the Illinois Bar.
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Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy,
& Sadler PLC
SCOTT SCHMUNK of DAWDA, MANN, MULCAHY, & SADLER PLC was a panelist at the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and Michigan Law Symposium on March 5, in Columbus, Ohio.
Schmunk spoke about the proper drafting of letters of intent in connection with new leases and/or the renegotiation of existing leases and issues in connection with rights of first refusal.
Schmunk concentrates his practice in real estate transactions and business and entertainment law.
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Weltman, Weinberg,
& Reis Co. LPA
WELTMAN, WEINBERG, & REIS CO. LPA (WWR) is pleased to welcome new associate JONATHAN A. VANGEMERT. VanGemert will be working in the Collection Services department of the Detroit office.
VanGemert earned a B.A. in Economics from Albion College (1999) and his law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law (2007).
He was previously employed at Roosen, Varchetti, & Olivier PLLC. A member of the State Bar of Michigan, VanGemert is licensed in the state court of Michigan and is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court (Eastern and Western Districts of MI). VanGemert can be reached at (248) 786-3162 or via e-mail at jvangemert@weltman.com.
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Barris, Sott, Denn
& Driker PLLC
Detroit law firm BARRIS, SOTT, DENN, & DRIKER PLLC is pleased to announce that one of its members, REBECCA SIMKINS, gave a presentation for the State Bar of Michigan's Practice Management Resource Center at Cooley Law School in Lansing on March 19. Her topic was "The Top Ten Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring Support Staff."
Simkins is an employment lawyer who represents businesses in civil litigation and drafts employment policies and contracts. She served on the Board of the Northville Chamber of Commerce from 2004 to 2008. She is a 1988 graduate of Detroit College of Law, now Michigan State University College of Law.
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Sommers
Schwartz PC
SOMMERS SCHWARTZ PC is pleased to announce the following to its board of directors.
JOSEPH BOURGON was elected to serve as the chief operating officer; DANIEL D. SWANSON was elected to serve as chairman of the Board of Directors, and MATTHEW G. CURTIS was elected to serve as vice chairman.
Bourgon is partner in the business finance, real estate and commercial loan transactions practice group with widespread knowledge in advising borrowers; Swanson is partner with extensive experience in employment litigation, and Curtis is partner who practices personal injury and medical malpractice.
In addition, the Board of Directors will consist of Sommer Schwartz attorneys ANDREW KOCHANOWSKI, STEVEN J. SCHWARTZ, and ROBERT B. SICKELS who will serve throughout 2010.
Published: Mon, Apr 5, 2010
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