Alumni Accomplishments
Elizabeth Hardy, '84, was named a Power Lawyer by Crain's Detroit Business. She is a founding partner of Kienbaum, Opperwall, Hardy & Pelton PLC and has won several significant Michigan Supreme Court decisions that helped reshape legal doctrines in the state in favor of employees.
February 9, 2009Kevin J. Cox, '84, of McKeen and Associates PC has been named senior associate. Cox specializes in medical malpractice and birth trauma litigation. Prior to joining the firm, Cox was a senior partner at Weiner and Cox, where he represented clients in medical malpractice and personal injury litigation. He is also a member of the Michigan Association for Justice (MAJ) and American Association for Justice (AAJ).
December 1, 2008Thomas J. McGraw, '84, of Dykema, was ranked as a leader in the “Best Lawyers in America” guide. McGraw practices health care law, and is the leader of the firm’s Health Care Practice Group.
November 13, 2008Patricia Nemeth, '84, the founding partner of Detroit-based employment law firm Nemeth Burwell, P.C., has been named one of Michigan’s 25 Leaders in the Law by the legal trade publication Michigan Lawyers Weekly. Nemeth and her fellow honorees from throughout the state’s legal community were celebrated at an awards luncheon at the Marriott in Troy.
March 27, 2009Randall R. "Randy" Adams, '84, a Poyner Spruill attorney, has been named to the 2010 edition of Best Lawyers in America, the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession. He was recognized in the Insurance Law category.
August 12, 2009David Masson, '84, has been appointed associate vice president and deputy general counsel in the University of Michigan Office of the Vice President and General Counsel, pending approval by the Board of Regents.
March 16, 2010
Patricia Nemeth, '84, founding partner of Detroit-based employment law firm Nemeth Burwell, P.C., has been named to the 2011 edition of the Best Lawyers in America® in the specialty area of labor and employment law.
August 26, 2010Elizabeth A. Silverman, '84, was featured in the On the Stand section of the Michigan Lawyers Weekly August 30, 2010 issue.
November 4, 2010
Kenneth R. Marcus, '84, a partner with Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP's Health Care Department, recently moderated a webinar panel entitled "Graduate Medical Education Payment Implications of the Healthcare Reform Law Part II: CMS Issues Final Regulations." The webinar was sponsored nationally by the American Health Lawyers Association and drew an audience from law firms and teaching hospitals located throughout the country.
December 16, 2010
Jonathan R. Borenstein, '84, a partner with Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP, has been appointed to serve as an executive board vice president for the Apartment Association of Michigan.
March 2, 2011
Kenneth R. Marcus, '84, a partner in Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP's Health Care Department, recently addressed attendees at the Institute on Medicare and Medicaid Payment Issues program sponsored by the American Health Lawyers Association.
April 14, 2011
Patricia Nemeth, '84, LL.M. '90, founding partner of Detroit-based employment law firm Nemeth Burwell PC, has received the Outstanding Board Leadership Award from Dearborn Heights-based Vista Maria, the oldest and largest private, not-for-profit child welfare agency in Michigan for girls and young women. She will be honored at Vista Maria's annual meeting and special recognition breakfast on Tuesday, June 28 at the Dearborn Inn.
June 23, 2011
Patricia Nemeth, '84, LL.M. '90, founding partner of Detroit-based employment law firm Nemeth Burwell PC, is included in a recently published book by the American Bar Association (ABA) titled, The Road to Independence: 101 Women's Journeys to Starting their Own Law Firms.
July 26, 2011
Patricia Nemeth, '84, LL.M. '90, founding partner of Detroit-based employment law firm Nemeth Burwell PC, addressed social networking issues affecting employers in a presentation entitled, Emerging Issues of Liability Arising from the Use of Social Networking in the Workplace. The presentation was held in Connecticut before a large industry group.
August 2, 2011
William A. Beluzo Jr., '84, a Plunkett Cooney estate planning attorney, was recently named a "Detroit Five Star Wealth Manager" for 2011 by FIVE STAR Professional, an independent client satisfaction research firm. Beluzo, who works in Plunkett Cooney's Bloomfield Hills office, has more than 30 years of experience in the areas of probate and estate planning, trusts, wills, estate and trust administration, probate and trust litigation, tax law, wealth strategy planning, asset protection planning, and family and elder law. In 2010, the Institute of Business and Finance honored him with the prestigious estate planning designation of Board Certified in Estate Planning.
August 9, 2011
Patricia Nemeth, '84, LL.M. '90, founding partner of Detroit-based employment law firm Nemeth Burwell PC, was interviewed by R. J. King, editor of DBusiness magazine, for the video series View from the Top. View from the Top features the Southeast Michigan region's leading business owners, CEOs and thought leaders discussing a variety of business issues affecting the Detroit Metropolitan region.
September 7, 2011
Patricia Nemeth, '84, LL.M. '90, a founding partner of Nemeth Burwell PC, co-wrote an article with Terry Bonnette, '04, entitled, "Don't be Blind-Sided by GINA: The Surprisingly Wide Reach of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act," which was published in the October/November issue of Executive Counsel Magazine.
November 3, 2011
Randall Adams, '84, was named to "The Best Lawyers in America 2013," a peer-review publication. He focuses his practice on tort liability with an emphasis in transportation, health care and product liability. He is with Poyner & Spruill in North Carolina.
September 10, 2012
Bernadette Dennehy, '84, was listed in Best Lawyers in America and Michigan Super Lawyers for 2012. Dennehy is a member in Dickinson Wright PLLC's office in Detroit. She focuses her practice in the areas of corporate, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, real estate, and real estate finance.
October 22, 2012
Kevin Cox, '84, was elected in November to the Wayne County Third Circuit Court bench. Previously, as an assistant attorney general in the labor division of the office of Attorney General Bill Schuette since 2010, Cox represented the state of Michigan in state courts and administrative hearings.
November 26, 2012
Michael Fishman, '84, was named Best Lawyer 2013 in the area of trademark law. Moreover, he was named Lawyer of the Year in the area of trademark law for his geographic location, one of the most prestigious awards granted by Best Lawyers in America. Fishman has filed, prosecuted and maintained thousands of trademark applications and registrations in more than 200 jurisdictions worldwide. He is a founding member of Rader Fishman and Grauer PLLC.
December 4, 2012The Hon. Donald Allen Jr., '83, was honored by the Lansing Black Lawyers Association for outstanding his leadership and accomplishments.
June 8, 2009Anne Widlak, '83, a partner with Nemeth Burwell, was included in DBusiness magazine's exclusive 2010 Martindale-Hubbell list of metro Detroit's finest barristers.
November 17, 2009James S. Fontichiaro, '83, was named to the 2010 edition of "Best Lawyers Real Estate Lawyer of the Year" for 2009.
November 24, 2009James Fontichiaro, '83, of Barris, Sott, Denn & Driker, was named to the 2010 edition of "Best Lawyers in America."
December 14, 2009Kent Siegel, '83, has been appointed as chief financial officer and senior vice-president of Zion Oil & Gas, Inc. Siegel has been a member of the board of directors of Zion Oil & Gas, Inc. since November 2003 and served, until very recently, as lead independent director, chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and a member of both the Audit Committee and Compensation Committee.
July 12, 2010
James S. Fontichiaro, '83, was named to the 2011 edition of Best Lawyers.
September 29, 2010Anne Widlak , '83, partner in the Detroit-based employment law firm Nemeth Burwell, P.C., have been included in the November/December issue of DBusiness magazine's exclusive 2011 list of metro Detroit's Top Lawyers in the specialty areas of labor and employment.
November 4, 2010
Charles "Chip" Berschback, '83, was recently named as one of Metro Detroit's "Top Lawyers" for 2011 by DBusiness magazine. Berschback was honored in the municipal law category. He is a city attorney and prosecutor for Grosse Pointe Woods.
November 23, 2010Patricia Stamler, '83, a partner at Hertz Schram, PC, was profiled in the December 6 issue of Crain's Detroit Business "Focus: Best Lawyers" section. Crain's worked with industry publication Best Lawyers to create a report on outstanding metro-Detroit area attorneys as identified by peer review surveys.
December 9, 2010Patricia Stamler, '83, a partner at Hertz Schram PC, will receive the 2nd annual Women's Bar Association Award at the WBA's annual dinner on May 18, 2011, at The Townsend Hotel in Birmingham, Mich.
April 26, 2011
Dirk Beckwith, '83, a shareholder at the law firm of Foster Swift Collins and Smith PC, was named as the first vice president of the Transportation Lawyers Association (TLA). TLA is an independent international organization of attorneys, serving the transportation industry since 1937. The new officers of the TLA were elected at its annual meeting on May 12, 2011.
June 6, 2011
Candyce Abbatt, '83, was appointed by Attorney General Bill Schuette to the Board of Trustees of Legacy DMC, formerly the Detroit Medical Center (DMC). Abbatt joins 18 other trustees of Legacy DMC and will serve an indefinite term at the will of the current Attorney General. Born and educated in Michigan, Abbatt has extensive experience as a nonprofit director and advisor, including serving for many years as a member of the Henry Ford Health System's West Region Board. She was the first woman president of the Wayne Law Alumni Board and remains active as a member of the Wayne Law Board of Visitors (trustee). She is a member of the Southfield firm of Fried Saperstein Abbatt PC, specializing in family and business law.
August 23, 2011
James S. Fontichiaro, '83, of Barris Sott Denn and Driker PLLC, was recently selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2012. Fontichiaro was honored for his excellence in real estate law.
September 22, 2011Henry J. Brennan III , '83, of the law firm Howard and Howard, has been named to DBusiness Top Lawyers 2012.
November 2, 2011
Joel D. Applebaum, '83, an attorney with Clark Hill, was appointed chairman of the board of directors of Legal Aid and Defender Association (LAD), effective January 1, 2012. Applebaum is a member in Clark Hill’s Birmingham office where he practices in the firm’s Corporate Restructuring and Bankruptcy Practice Group. He previously served as Secretary of LAD, and has served on the Board of Directors for more than a decade, beginning in 2000.
January 10, 2012
John Trentacosta, '83, was recognized in "The Best Lawyers in America 2013." The listings are based on peer review. Trentacosta is a partner with the Detroit office of Foley & Lardner LLP.
September 4, 2012
James Fontichiaro, '83, was selected for "Best Lawyers in America 2013" for excellence in real estate law. He is a member with Barris Sott Denn & Driker PLLC.
October 8, 2012
Deborah Grace, '83, was listed in Best Lawyers in America and Michigan Super Lawyers for 2012. Grace is a member in Dickinson Wright PLLC's office in Troy. She focuses her practice in the areas of employee benefits, estate planning and administration, mergers and acquisitions, schools and education, and taxation.
October 22, 2012
Joseph Richert, '83, was selected to participate in the Detroit Regional Chamber's Leadership Detroit program to bring about positive change in the region. Richert is CEO of Special Tree Rehabilitation System, a leader in brain injury and spinal cord injury rehabilitation with over 25 locations throughout Michigan.
October 31, 2012
Eric Flessland, '83, was recognized as a Top Lawyer in Metro Detroit 2013 in the practice areas of Construction Law and Construction Litigation by DBusiness magazine. He is with Butzel Long.
December 6, 2012
Anne Widlak, '83, has been named a 2013 Top Rated Lawyer in Labor & Employment by American Lawyer Media, a provider of news and information to the legal industry, and Martindale-Hubbell, a legal peer review organization. American Lawyer Media and Martindale-Hubbell joined forces on this rating effort to highlight the "Top Rated Lawyers" in the February issue of The National Law Journal. Widlak is included in the listing as a result of achieving the AV Preeminent peer review rating, the highest rating in legal ability and ethical standards. She is a partner at Detroit-based employment law firm Nemeth Burwell PC. As a litigator and counselor, Widlak defends cases in state and federal courts involving a comprehensive array of claims, including workplace harassment; discrimination based on age, disability, sex, race, national origin and other protected categories; retaliation; violations of the Family and Medical Leave Act; wrongful discharge; and intentional interference with an at-will employment relationship. Active in the legal community, Widlak has been a volunteer hearing panel member of the Michigan Attorney Discipline Board since 1998 and was appointed a panel chairperson in 2006, a position she continues to hold. Additionally, Widlak was the first female chair of the Litigation Section of the State Bar of Michigan, serving from 2002 to 2003. She is a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America (LCA), a trial lawyer honorary society comprised of less than one-half of one percent of lawyers in the United States. Widlak is the fourth generation of lawyers in her family to have been members of the legal community in the City of Detroit and is the first female in her family to have practiced law in the city as part of that long tradition. She was named one of Michigan's 25 Leaders in the Law in 2012, Michigan Lawyers Weekly and has also been named a Michigan Super Lawyer each year since 2008. She serves as a volunteer attorney at a Detroit warming center for the homeless as part of Project H.E.L.P. (Homeless Experience Legal Protection), which partners with local homeless service programs to offer clinics that provide free legal advice and assistance to homeless individuals.
February 5, 2013
Stephen Gross, '83, was awarded a Crain's Detroit Business M&A Award for guiding client Kazi Foods through several bankruptcies, restructuring the business and selling it to save more than 2,000 jobs. He is co-chairman of business-restructuring services for Bloomfield Hills-based McDonald Hopkins.
April 16, 2013Lee Hornberger, '82, Arbitration and Mediation Office of Lee Hornberger, has been appointed to the Awards Committee of the State Bar of Michigan. The Awards Committee recommends recipients of State Bar of Michigan awards, including the annual Liberty Bell Award made to non-attorneys. Hornberger is the Immediate Past President of the Grand Traverse-Leelanau-Antrim Bar Association.
November 18, 2008Peter M. Kellett, '82, of Dykema, was ranked as a leader in the “Best Lawyers in America” guide. Kellett is director of the Litigation Department. He focuses his practice in the areas of alternative dispute resolution, commercial litigation and product liability litigation.
November 13, 2008Lee Hornberger, '82, of the Arbitration and Mediation Office of Lee Hornberger, was appointed by the Traverse City City Commission to the Traverse City Human Rights Commission. In addition, Hornberger's article "Supreme Court Crawford Retaliation Decision" was recently published in the Grand Traverse-Leelanau-Antrim Bar Association newsletter. He is immediate past president of the Grand Traverse-Leelanau-Antrim Bar Association.
May 12, 2009Samuel Stahl, '82, a partner and chair of the Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP Private Equity and Venture Capital practice group, will be a featured panelist at the Association for Corporate Growth's Third Annual M&A Conference on June 2, 2009 at the Detroit Athletic Club. Stahl will serve on a panel addressing "Completing Transactions in the Hot Sector."
May 19, 2009Samuel Stahl, '82, was a featured panelist at the Association for Corporate Growth's 3rd annual M&A Conference at the Detroit Athletic Club.
June 8, 2009Lee Hornberger, '82, of the Arbitration and Mediation Office of Lee Hornberger, was recently included on the Michigan Employment Relations Commission's panel of grievance arbitrators. He earned an LLM from Wayne Law in 1982.
August 6, 2009Kathleen Wilson-Thompson, '82, was appointed senior vice president and chief human resources officer of Walgreens. Wilson-Thompson also received an LL.M. degree (1996) from Wayne Law.
November 24, 2009Sandra D. Glazier, '82, was named a partner with Lipson, Neilson, Cole, Seltzer & Garin, PC. Glazier is an estate planning, family and probate lawyer working in the Estate Planning Group and Center for Estate Planning with Lipson Neilson.
February 25, 2010
Peter M. Kellett, '82, of Dykema, was ranked by his peers as a leader in alternative dispute resolution, commercial litigation and product liability litigation in the 2010 edition of Best Lawyers in America.
June 25, 2010
Lee Hornberger, LL.M, '82, of the Arbitration and Mediation Office of Lee Hornberger was recently elected to the Representative Assembly of the State Bar of Michigan. The Assembly is the final policy-making body of the State Bar.
July 1, 2010Dennis J. Donohue, '82, a partner with the law firm Warner Norcross and Judd LLP, has been named to The Best Lawyers in America® 2011.
October 14, 2010
Lee Hornberger, '82, LL.M., with the Arbitration and Mediation Office of Lee Hornberger, was the featured speaker at the Oct. 20 Community Mediation Services Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony in Gaylord, Mich. His presentation focused on ethics in mediation.
While serving in South Vietnam, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Army Commendation Medals. The unit he was in was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation and the Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm.
He is a past president of the Grand Traverse-Leelanau-Antrim Bar Association. Lee is a member of the Traverse City Human Rights Commission, a Michigan Civil Rights Commission hearing referee, a Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians hearing officer; and on the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians hearing officer list.
October 26, 2010
Lee Hornberger, '82, LL.M., recently had two articles published. "Leave Provisions of the Labor Code of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam" was published in the Winter 2011 edition of the State Bar of Michigan's Labor and Employment Lawnotes. "Back in Indochina, Things Are a Bit Different" was published in the Feb. 13, 2011, Traverse City Record-Eagle.
February 18, 2011Kenneth L. Gross, '82, managing shareholder and co-founding shareholder with Thav Gross Steinway and Bennett PC, has been named one of 25 "Leaders in the Law" for 2011 by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
February 28, 2011
Robert W. Stevenson , '82, a partner with Caesar Rivise Bernstein Cohen and Pokotilow, was a featured speaker at the Sixth International Pharmaceutical R&D Summit in Shanghai, China, in April 2011.
May 19, 2011
Lee Hornberger, '82, LL.M., of the Arbitration and Mediation Office of Lee Hornberger has been admitted to the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service's Roster of Arbitrators.
January 3, 2012
Lee Hornberger, '82, LL.M., of the Arbitration and Mediation Office of Lee Hornberger has been appointed chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee of the Grand Traverse-Leelanau-Antrim Bar Association. Lee is a former president of the Grand Traverse-Leelanau-Antrim Bar Association.
February 16, 2012
David Rogers, '82, was named a 2013 DBusiness Top Lawyer in the Health Care Law category. A shareholder with Rogers Mantese & Associates PC, Rogers focuses his practice primarily on representing Michigan health care organizations, professionals and businesses in matters including contracts, third party payer audits and reimbursement, and legislative issues. He is the former chair of the State Bar of Michigan Health Care Law Section, of which he was named a Fellow in 2011. In addition, Rogers is a former faculty member in the Department of Internal Medicine Residency Program at the Wayne State University School of Medicine, chair of the University's Irvin D. Reid Honors College Board of Visitors, and member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association, American Health Lawyers Association, and Federal, Detroit Metropolitan and Oakland County Bar Associations.
November 27, 2012
Lee Hornberger, '82, of the Arbitration and Mediation Office of Lee Hornberger, moderated the Conflict Resolution Services' in-service on "How Judges Treat Mediated Settlement Agreements" in Traverse City on Oct. 25, 2012. Hornberger, an arbitrator and mediator in Traverse City, is a member of the Representative Assembly of the State Bar of Michigan, Chair of the ADR Committee of the Grand Traverse-Leelanau-Antrim Bar Association, and a former President of the Grand Traverse-Leelanau-Antrim Bar Association. He is an arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Michigan Employment Relations Commission, National Arbitration Forum, and National Futures Association.
December 7, 2012
Jay Welford, '82, was named the practice group coordinator for the insolvency and reorganization group at Southfield-based Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss PC, where he is a partner. Welford has more than 30 years of experience in corporate representation and restructuring. His practice encompasses multiple industry sectors, including banking, construction, manufacturing, logistics, servicing and leasing. In addition to this new role, Welford is also co-practice group coordinator for the franchise law practice group with a specific expertise in developing franchise systems. Throughout the years, Welford has received multiple legal honors and awards from Michigan Super Lawyer, Best Lawyers and DBusiness magazine. He is an active member in multiple business and legal associations, including the American Bar Association, American Bankruptcy Institute, Commercial Law League of America Bankruptcy and Insolvency Section and the International Franchise Association. He also serves as president of the nonprofit organization ALS of Michigan.
March 22, 2013
Michael Khoury, '82, was named co-practice group coordinator for Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss PC's Emerging and Growth Business Practice Group. He is a partner with the firm. Khoury is also a member of the Corporate and Intellectual Property and Information Technology Practice Groups, specializing his practice in commercial, business and technology matters including start-ups and emerging businesses. He is a former chair of the State Bar of Michigan's Business Law Section and Information Technology Law Section, as well as a member of advisory boards for several entrepreneurial organizations.
May 17, 2013Joseph E. Kozely, '81, has become a shareholder of Foster, Swift, Collins & Smith PC. His practice includes medical malpractice defense, general liability litigation, and third party audits, health care, mental health, and child advocacy law.
February 9, 2009Connie Marie Kelley, '81, formerly Connie Marie Skinner, was elected to the Wayne County Circuit Court in November 2008.
November 3, 2008Gregory J. DeMars, '81, chair of Honigman, Miller, Schwartz and Cohn, LLP's Workout, Foreclosure and Distressed Property Practice Group in the Real Estate Department, spoke at the "Commercial Real Estate Workout Strategies for Lenders and Servicers" forum sponsored by Grubb & Ellis. The event was held on June 23, 2009 at the Townsend Hotel.
June 26, 2009Gregory DeMars, '81, spoke at a forum titled "Commercial Real Estate Workout Strategies for Lenders and Servicers" on June 23, 2009.
July 7, 2009Gerald Acker, '81, shareholder and senior partner with Goodman Acker, PC, in Southfield, Mich., was elected as treasurer of the Michigan Association for Justice. Acker specializes in personal injury litigation, including catastrophic automobile negligence claims, no-fault claims, medical malpractice, premises liability and nursing home negligence.
August 18, 2009Gregory DeMars, '81, of Honigman, Miller, Schwartz and Cohn, LLP, led a "discussion of experts on issues surrounding troubled affordable housing properties" at the recent Michigan Housing Council's 2009 Fall Conference in Brighton, Mich.
November 17, 2009Stanley Pitts, '81, a partner with Honigman, Miller, Schwartz and Cohn, LLP, has been appointed to the State Bar of Michigan Professional Ethics Committee for a term that continues through Sept. 30, 2012.
November 17, 2009Pamela Enslen, '81, a principal with Miller Canfield, will serve another three-year term in the American Bar Association's House of Delegates, the policy-making body of the ABA. She has served the ABA for 10 years.
November 24, 2009Steven Chester, '81, was featured in the Traverse City Record Eagle in an article titled "Chester: DEQ accomplished much." More information here.
January 11, 2010
Stanley Pitts, '81, a partner in Honigman, Miller, Schwartz and Cohn, LLP's Labor and Employment Department, has been appointed to the State Bar of Michigan's District H (Wayne, Monroe and Lenawee Counties) Character and Fitness Committee for a two-year renewable term. The Committee is charged with investigating and determining whether applicants for admission to the Bar meet its character and fitness qualifications.
February 19, 2010
Stanley H. Pitts, '81, a partner in Honigman's labor and employment department, has been appointed chair of the State Bar of Michigan's Professional Ethics Committee beginning on Oct. 1, 2010, through Sept. 30, 2011. The Committee prepares written opinions regarding professional ethical conduct by request, recommends amendments to the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct and other standards of professional conduct, as well as reviews proposed amendments. Pitts has served as a member of the Professional Ethics Committee since 2009.
July 16, 2010
Pamela C. Enslen, '81, Miller Canfield principal in the Kalamazoo, Mich. office, has been appointed by American Bar Association (ABA) president Stephen N. Zack to serve on the ABA's Center for Human Rights Advisory Council.
October 15, 2010
Martin D. Sommerness, '81, is senior professor of journalism in Northern Arizona University's School of Communication. His collection, Communication Writing: Some Beginnings, has just been published by Kendall-Hunt of Dubuque, Iowa.
November 2, 2010
Scott L. Mandel, '81, has been named "Lansing Best Lawyers Insurance Lawyer of the Year" for 2011 by Best Lawyers. Mandel, a shareholder at Foster Swift Collins and Smith PC, is the co-leader of the General Litigation Practice Group. Mandel has experience in a number of areas, including: business litigation, civil rights defense, personal injury litigation, insurance company insolvency proceedings; and licensing and regulation of health care professionals. Much of Mandel's practice concerns complex litigation, including representation of governmental entities as large corporations.
November 8, 2010William McCandless , '81, joined the law firm of Smith Haughey Rice and Roegge in its Ann Arbor office as an of counsel attorney practicing in the areas of medical malpractice defense and product liability defense.
March 17, 2011Francyne B. Stacey, '81, joined Butzel Long as a shareholder to the firm in the Ann Arbor office. Stacey counsels clients in the areas of employment and immigration law.
April 6, 2011
Michael A. Robbins, '81, a sole practitioner in Bloomfield Hills who practices exclusively in divorce and family law, was recently included in the 2012 edition of "The Best Lawyers in America" in the area of family law. Robbins was also named in 2011 by the New York Times and Super Lawyers as one of the top 100 attorney's in Michigan. He is also past president of the Michigan Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and past chairperson of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan.
September 27, 2011Pamela C. Enslen, '81, a principal in the Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids, Mich. offices of the law firm of Miller Canfield, has been elected to a three-year term on the board of trustees of the Michigan Women's Foundation (MWF).
February 14, 2012
Gerald Acker, '81, was voted president-elect of the Michigan Association of Justice's 2012-13 leadership team. He is senior partner at Southfield-based Goodman Acker PC, and specializes in personal injury litigation. The Michigan Association of Justice is a nonprofit organization dedicated to furthering civil justice and access to the courts for the people of Michigan. He also serves on the National Finance Committee for President Barack Obama.
August 20, 2012
G. Frank Glabach, '81, joined Freedman Weisz in Los Angeles as a partner. He focuses his practice on taxation law and estate planning.
August 27, 2012
Pamela Enslen, '81, has been named resident director of the Kalamazoo office of Miller Canfield, overseeing the overall operations of the 34 lawyer and 25 staff member-office. Enslen is a principal at Miller Canfield and a member of the firm's Litigation and Trial Group. She originally joined the firm in 1985. In 2001, she left to be a public defender in federal courts before returning to Miller Canfield in 2003. She now represents companies and executives in various commercial disputes, including employment cases and white collar criminal defense.
May 7, 2013Robert E.L. Wright, '80, an attorney-mediator in Miller Canfield’s Grand Rapid’s office, was elected to a one-year term as secretary of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section of the State Bar of Michigan. Wright is a facilitative mediator and neutral arbitrator, resolving commercial, construction, divorce and employment disputes. He is a volunteer mediator for the Western Michigan Dispute Resolution Center in Grand Rapids and received its Trail Blazer Award for his leadership role in making peaceful resolution of disputes a possibility for citizens of West Michigan. He was recently appointed to the ADR Oversight Committee of the Kent County Circuit Court and to the Mediation Advisory Board of the Institute of Continuing Legal Education.
November 13, 2008Daniel R. Kubiak, '80, of Mika, Meyers, Beckett and Jones, PLC, was included in the 2010 edition of the Best Lawyers in America. Lawyers are selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers solely on the basis of a nationally-conducted peer-review survey in which more than 25,000 leading lawyers vote on the legal abilities and professional achievements of other lawyers in their specialties.
August 4, 2009Alan M. Greene, '80, of Dykema, has been ranked in the newly published Best Lawyers In America guide. Greene is a member of the real estate practice group and is the firm's director of professional personnel. Greene's practice focuses on real estate development and construction projects, including zoning and land use matters, regulatory proceedings and litigation involving real estate and construction matters.
August 31, 2009Noreen Slank, '80, was selected for inclusion in the 16th edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Slank has practiced in the state and federal appellate courts since 1980 with an emphasis on the defense of medical and legal malpractice actions, insurance coverage disputes, and the defense of catastrophic personal injury cases. The Huntington Woods resident practices both in appellate and trial courts (particularly during post-verdict proceedings). She is a past chair of the Appellate Practice Section of the State Bar of Michigan and is a frequent author, editor, and lecturer on a variety of procedural and substantive legal issues. Michigan Lawyers Weekly regularly seeks Slank's commentary on topics ranging from new cases released by appellate courts to judicial appointments, frequently quoting her in front page stories.
September 4, 2009George W. Gregory, '80, of the Birmingham offices of George W. Gregory PLLC, was recently included in the 2010 edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the specialty of Trusts and Estates for the 10th year in a row. Mr. Gregory also practices in the areas of tax, tax controversy, and business succession planning and acts as an expert witness in these areas as well. He is a frequently-invited lecturer and moderator for the Insitute of Continuing Legal Education, the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants, and other continuing education groups throughout Michigan. He holds an AV rating with Martindale Hubbell.
September 15, 2009Leslie Stein, '80, a banking law attorney in private and corporate in-house practice for over 29 years, recently joined Plunkett Cooney, one of the Midwest's oldest and largest law firms, as a partner in the firm's Bloomfield Hills office.
December 16, 2009
Deborah Brouwer, '80, has been named a partner at Nemeth Burwell, P.C. Brouwer joined Nemeth Burwell in 2005. Prior to joining the firm, she served as in-house counsel for the UAW Legal Services Plans, an employee benefit plan funded by the automobile companies in order to provide prepaid legal services to eligible auto workers.
February 11, 2010Deborah Brouwer, '80, was named a partner in the firm Nemeth Burwell, P.C. Brouwer joined Nemeth Burwell in 2005 and has extensive experience in employment litigation and arbitration as well as ERISA compliance and litigation.
February 21, 2010
Aleksandra A. Miziolek, '80, of Dykema, was ranked by his peers as a leader in corporate governance and compliance law and corporate law in the 2010 edition of Best Lawyers in America.
June 25, 2010
Robert E. L. Wright, '80, of Miller Canfield, has been appointed to the State Court Administrative Office's (SCAO) Case Evaluation and Meditation Study Advisory Committee. The committee will deliberate on proposed amendments and oversee the design and methodology of a study that will provide important conclusions for Michigan's legal policies and practices.
June 25, 2010
Craig S. Schoenherr , '80, served on the planning committee for the American Bankruptcy Institute's 2010 Detroit Consumer Bankruptcy Conference. Topics of the conference include Supreme Court and lower court case law updates, good faith in bankruptcy, exemptions, tax laws, means testing, debtor remedies, claims, legal writing and oral argument and mortgage loan modification. Schoenherr specializes in creditors' rights, bankruptcy law, collections and commercial litigation.
July 20, 2010
Noreen L. Slank, '80, of Collins, Einhorn, Farrell and Ulanoff PC in Southfield, Mich., was among 20 attorneys recognized by Michigan Lawyers Weekly for its inaugural Women in the Law honors. Slank has practiced in the state and federal appellate courts since 1980 with an emphasis on the defense of medical and legal malpractice actions, insurance coverage disputes and the defense of catastrophic personal injury cases. She practices both in appellate and trial courts (particularly during post-verdict proceedings).
August 5, 2010Daniel R. Kubiak, '80, of Mika Meyers Beckett and Jones PLC, was included in the 2011 edition of the Best Lawyers in America.
August 5, 2010Kevin S. Macaddino, '80, a partner with Williams, Williams, Rattner and Plunkett, PC, participated in the 2010 Summer Conference of the Real Property Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan. He was the discussion leader on the topic of "Michigan Law and Boundary Disputes."
August 9, 2010Alan M. Greene, '80, a member of Dykema's real estate practice group and the firm’s director of professional personnel, was included in the 2011 edition of Best Lawyers in America.
September 2, 2010Robert E. L. Wright, '80, an attorney with Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC, was profiled in the "On the Stand" section of the July 26, 2010, issue of Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
July 26, 2010David Liner, '80, vice president, general counsel and secretary of Roper Industries, Inc., in Sarasota, Fla., was profiled in the In-House Counsel section of the National Law Journal on November 22. http://www.law.wayne.edu/liner_in_natl_law_journal.pdf
December 6, 2010Teresa Stanek Rea, '80, a longtime intellectual property law professional, was named deputy director of the U.S. Patent Office. Rea is currently a partner at Crowell and Moring and was president of the AIPLA from 2008-2009 and previously with Burns Doane. Rea has been practicing patent law for more than 25 years. Before that, she practiced as a pharmacist. Her technology focus has primarily been biotechnology. According to the release, her leadership in that area will be a welcome addition to the USPTO management team. In her role as AIPLA director, Rea has been involved in many of the recent major patent cases, including Tafas v. Kappos, Ariad v. Eli Lilly, Prometheus v. Mayo, and Cardiac v. St. Jude.
February 18, 2011
Lawrence C. Mann, '80, managing partner with Bowman and Brooke LLP, has been named one of 25 "Leaders in the Law" for 2011 by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
February 28, 2011Tom R. Pabst, '80, of Tom R. Pabst PC, has been named one of 25 "Leaders in the Law" for 2011 by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
February 28, 2011Deborah Brouwer , '80, of Nemeth Burwell PC, spoke on the topic of "Privacy, Social Media and Employment Law" at a January 25th presentation for Sterling Educational Services (SES) in Detroit.
March 23, 2011
Ronald Baylor, '80, a principal in the Kalamazoo office of Miller Canfield, has been elected to the board of directors of the Kalamazoo Regional Chamber of Commerce. At Miller Canfield, Baylor counsels individuals, businesses and local governments on a broad range of environmental issues, including compliance and permitting, waste and wastewater disposal, clean-ups and environmental issues arising in the purchase, sale and redevelopment of real property. In addition he handles injury, commercial and environmental litigation, disputes about cost recovery and insurance coverage, and defends against regulatory enforcement actions before state and federal courts and administrative agencies.
June 13, 2011Deborah Brouwer, '80, made a presentation titled Strategies for Dealing with the Problem Employee at Nemeth Burwell PC's Raising the Bar seminar in May 2011.
August 2, 2011
Noreen L. Slank, '80, has been selected for inclusion in the 18th edition of The Best Lawyers in America (2012) for her work in the area of Appellate Practice.
September 21, 2011Daniel R. Kubiak, '80, an attorney with Mika Meyers Beckett and Jones PLC, was included in the 2012 edition of Best Lawyers in America.
December 22, 2011George W. Gregory, '80, of George W. Gregory PLLC, was named one of the top 100 lawyers in the specialty of trusts and estates by Super Lawyers of America for the sixth year in a row.
January 18, 2012George W. Gregory, '80, of George W. Gregory PLLC, was elected chairperson of the State Bar of Michigan Probate and Estate Planning Committee.
January 18, 2012
Carol Rosati, '80, of Johnson Rosati Schultz & Joppich PC was named one of 20 awardees of Michigan Lawyer Weekly's Women in the Law 2012.
July 30, 2012
Robert Wright, '80, spoke to the business law classes at Northern Michigan University, Marquette, on alternate dispute resolution, arbitration and mediation. He is the incoming chairman of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section of the State Bar of Michigan, and has presented numerous seminars on mediation and related topics. He is founder of The Peace Talks Mediation Services PLC.
September 24, 2012
Laurel McGiffert, '80, was chosen by the Michigan Association of Justice as winner of its 2012 Respected Advocate Award. She is a partner at Plunkett Cooney, concentrating in medical malpractice, employment law and municipal law. She serves on the firm's Board of Directors and is involved in many charitable activities.
October 1, 2012
Candace Crowley, '80, received the Michigan State Bar Foundation's Access to Justice Award, honoring individuals who have significantly advanced access to justice for the poor in Michigan. Crowley is director of external development at the State Bar, and served as liaison to the Access to Justice Committee of the State Bar's Judicial Crossroads Task Force. Her long history of legal advocacy includes serving as executive director of Lakeshore Legal Aid. She also served as a volunteer on the State Bar's Access to Justice Task Force and as chair of the Michigan Integration and Merger Committee, which helped produce the seminal 1995 Michigan Plan to guide statewide delivery of legal services to the poor. She also is a member of the Michigan Poverty Law Program Advisory Board.
October 1, 2012
Noreen Slank, '80, was selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America 2013 for the seventh consecutive year. An attorney with Southfield-based Collins Einhorn Farrell & Ulanoff, she was honored for her work in appellate practice and insurance law.
October 23, 2012
Ulysses Hammond, '80, received the 2012 William Crawford Distinguished Service award, which is given annually by the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut. Hammond is vice president for administration at Connecticut College, president of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Trust Fund and chairman of the Lawrence & Memorial Hospital Board of Directors. He also tutors at a middle school and mentors young men at his church. In the past, he served as associate state court administrator for the Michigan Supreme Court and as court executive for the Third Judicial Circuit Court in Detroit.
November 5, 2012
Noreen Slank, '80, was selected as the 2013 Best Lawyers in America Detroit Appellate Practice "Lawyer of the Year." Slank has practiced in the state and federal appellate courts since 1980 with an emphasis on the defense of medical and legal malpractice actions, insurance coverage disputes, and the defense of catastrophic personal injury cases. She practices both in appellate courts and in the trial courts (particularly during post-verdict proceedings). Slank is a past chair of the Appellate Practice Section of the State Bar of Michigan and frequent author, editor and lecturer on a variety of procedural and substantive legal issues.
November 7, 2012Judge Jessica Cooper, '79, takes oath of office as Oakland County prosecutor during public swearing-in ceremony on Wednesday, Jan. 21.
February 9, 2009I. W. (Bill) Winsten, '79, was recently named chair of the Wayne State University Law School Board of Visitors. A partner in the litigation department of Honigman Miller, Schwartz, and Cohn LLP, Winsten has served the community with his leadership and expertise for more than 30 years.
February 9, 2009Steven Grob, '79, a leader of Dykema’s Taxation and Estate Practice Group, was recently ranked the “Best Lawyers in America” guide. Grob focuses on federal and state tax planning for corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, and individuals, and federal and state tax litigation.
November 13, 2008