SBM Blog

Marc Lipton Named To Multi-District Meningitis Plaintiffs' Committee

National Law Journal (reg. req.) reports that a Massachusetts federal judge has chosen several lawyers, including Michigan's Marc Lipton, to lead multidistrict litigation against the compounding pharmacy associated with the fungal meningitis outbreak that caused 14 deaths and 259 infections in Michigan, and many more nationwide. Here's the order. Thomas Sobol, a Boston partner at Seattle's Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro, was appointed lead counsel, with Boston associate Kristen Johnson Parker as his alternate. The other appointees are Mark Chalos, a Nashville partner at San Francisco's Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, with partner Elizabeth Cabraser as his alternate; Kim Dougherty, a Boston lawyer at Baltimore-based Janet, Jenner & Suggs; Patrick Fennell of Crandall & Katt in Roanoke, Va.; J. Gerard Stranch IV, a partner at Nashville's Branstetter, Stranch & Jennings; and Mark Zamora, the founding partner of Mark Zamora and Associates of Atlanta.

On April, Attorney General Bill Schuette announced his attention to seek a grand jury to probe to  whether the compounding pharmacy broke any state laws when it distributed tainted steroid injections to Michigan patients; to seek truth for victims, and to restore public faith in healthcare system.

From Michigan Lawyer To NHL's Newest Coach

Congratulations to Jon Cooper, the Cooley law school grad recruited in 1999 by Judge Thomas E. Brennan, Jr.  to coach his son's hockey team, on being chosen by Steve Yzerman as Tampa Bay Lightning's new coach. Read Tampa Bay's "Passion Takes Cooper From Lawyer to Lightning Coach." Dreams do come true. 

Congratulations To George Sinas, Michigan Lawyers Weekly 2013 Lawyer Of The Year

First, Michigan Lawyers Weekly set the stage by picking a very impressive crop of of thirty lawyers for its 2013 class of Leaders in the Law.  The criteria for selection included success in the legal profession, a passion for the law, client and community service, and a record of achievement demonstrating the strength of character and ability to be a leader in the Michigan legal community.  The 2013 class included lawyers from throughout the state, from a wide range of practice areas, and diverse demographics, and ideologies:

• Nicholas Andrews - Liss, Seder & Andrews PC, Bloomfield Hills
• Joseph Aviv - Honigman Miller Schwartz & Cohn LLP, Bloomfield Hills
• Robert Brower - Miller, Johnson, Snell & Cummiskey PLC, Grand Rapids
• Cheri Chandler - Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge, Ann Arbor
• Bruce Courtade - Rhoades McKee PC, Grand Rapids
• Eric Dobrusin - The Dobrusin Law Firm PC, Pontiac
• Daljit Doogal - Foley & Lardner LLP, Detroit
• Alan Gocha - Oakland Law Group PLLC, Farmington Hills
• Sean Fitzgerald - Kreis, Enderle, Hudgins, & Borsos PC, Grand Rapids
• William Hampton - Secrest Wardle, Troy
• Ronald Hodess - Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone PLC, Tro
• Tracy Larsen - Barnes & Thornburg LLP, Grand Rapids
• Michael Lee - Law Offices of Lee & Correll, Southfield
• Aileen Leipprandt - Hilger Hammond PC, Grand Rapids
• Rodney Martin - Warner Norcross & Judd LLP, Grand Rapids
• Paul McKenney - Varnum LLP, Novi
• Kristin Murphy - Rader, Fishman & Grauer PLLC, Bloomfield Hills
• Lawrence Nolan - Nolan, Thomsen & Villas PC, Eaton Rapids
• Richard Paige - Bush Seyferth & Paige PLLC, Troy
• Michael Pitt - Pitt, McGehee, Palmer, Rivers & Golden PC, Royal Oak
• Stephen Postema - Office of the City Attorney, Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor
• Brian Potestivo - Potestivo & Associates PC, Rochester Hills
• Matthew Schneider - Michigan Supreme Court, Lansing
• Harold Schuitmaker - Schuitmaker, Cooper, Schuitmaker, Cypher & Knotek PC, Paw Paw
• Hon. Angela Kay Sherigan - Wojnecka & Sherigan PC, Shelby Township
• George Sinas - Sinas, Dramis, Brake, Boughton & McIntyre PC, Lansing
• Stuart Sklar - Fabian Sklar & King PC, Farmington Hills
• Kester So - Dickinson Wright PLLC, Lansing
• Michael Sullivan - Collins Einhorn Farrell PC, Southfield
• Sen. Gretchen Whitmer - Michigan Senate, Lansing

Next, they asked membes of the class to vote on the 2013 Lawyer of the Year. And their choice, announced Thursday at the Leaders in the Law luncheon in Troy, was greeted with hearty applause and smiles -- George Sinas, past chair of the State Bar's Negligence Section.  Congratulations to all.

Michigan Attorney Named One Of Lawyers USA's Top Seven Lawyers Of the Year

Michigan's Valerie Newman has several accomplishments to be proud of in 2012, including her victory in her first case before the U.S. Supreme Court, Lafler v. Cooper.  That's the reason Lawyers USA cited for recognizing her as one of the seven lawyers who made a significant impact in the legal world during 2012. Not to brag, but the State Bar of Michigan has recognized Newman's exceptional talents for some time now.  Along with past SBM president Nancy Diehl, Newman has chaired both the Bar's Custodial Interrogation Task Force and its Eyewitness Identification Task Force, yet one more way in which she is having a significant impact in the legal world.

HT: MiLW Blog

Breaking: Jocelyn Benson Named Interim Dean of Wayne State Law School

Wayne State University has announced the appointment of Jocelyn Benson as interim dean of the Law School effective today. Robert Ackerman did not seek reappointment to a new five-year term, and left the deanship on Nov. 28,  the last day of law classes. He will return to full-time teaching next semester.  John Rothchild, associate dean and associate professor of law, has served as acting dean.

Dean Benson is the associate director of the Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights, and founded and is the executive director of the nonpartisan Michigan Center for Election Law and Administration, which hosts projects that support transparency and integrity in elections. Prior to joining Wayne's law faculty, she clerked for Judge Damon J. Keith on the U.S. Court of Appeals. Like Dean Ackerman, she is a graduate of Harvard Law School.  

Breaking: Governor Appoints James Erhart To 90th District Court, Emmet County

Governor Snyder has appointed James N. Erhart to the 90th District Court judgeship to fill the seat being vacated the Hon. Richard May. Mr. Erhart practices family law and general litigation with Stroup, Erhart, & Lyons, P.C. in Petoskey. He also serves as a commissioner of the State Bar of Michigan.

The Judges Behind Michigan's Jury Reforms Honored

The Michigan Supreme Court and the twelve judges who pilot tested jury reforms over two years have been awarded the the National Center for State Courts'  2012 G. Thomas Munsterman Award for Jury Innovation. The Munsterman Award recognizes states, local courts, organizations or individuals that have made significant improvements or innovations in jury procedures, operations and practices. The judges were honored yesterday at the opening session of the new term in the State Capitol.  The judges are:

• Thomas P. Boyd, 55th District Court, Mason, Ingham County
• William J. Caprathe (retired), 18th Circuit Court, Bay County
• Judge Kenneth W. Schmidt, 18th Circuit Court, Bay County
• Richard J. Celello, 41st Circuit Court, Dickinson/Iron/Menominee
• counties
• Beth Gibson, 92nd District Court, Newberry, Luce/Mackinac counties
• Timothy G. Hicks, 14th Circuit Court, Muskegon County
• Richard W. May, 90th District Court, Charlevoix/Emmet counties
• Wendy L. Potts, 6th Circuit Court, Oakland County
• Donald L. Sanderson, 2B District Court, Hillsdale County
• Paul E. Stutesman, 45th Circuit Court, St. Joseph County
• David Viviano, 16th Circuit Court, Macomb County
• Peter J. Wadel, Lake County Trial Court/79th District Court, Ludington

Congratulations to MLW's 2012 Woman Of the Year, Justice Marilyn Kelly

To her many honors, Justice Marilyn Kelly can now add a new tribute -- designation by Michigan Lawyers Weekly as the 2012 Woman Of The Year. Congratulations to Justice Kelly and the 19 distinguished honorees:

• Hon. Louise Alderson — 54A District Court
• Hon. Susan Dobrich — Cass County Probate Court
• Audrey Forbush — Plunkett Cooney PC
• Julie Gafkay — Gafkay & Gardner PLC
• Denise Glassmeyer — Young Basile Hanlon & MacFarlane PC
• Cynthia Haffey — Butzel Long
• Monica Labe — Dickinson Wright PLLC
• Marilyn Lankfer — Varnum LLP
• Marla Linderman — Linderman Law PC
• Anna Maiuri — Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone PLC
• Cary McGehee — Pitt, McGehee, Palmer, Rivers & Golden PC
• Valerie Newman — State Appellate Defender Office
• Rosalind Rochkind — Garan Lucow Miller PC
• Carol Rosati — Johnson, Rosati, Schultz, & Joppich PC
• Sangeeta Shah — Brooks Kushman PC
• Amy Timmer — The Thomas M. Cooley Law School
• Ann Marie Uetz — Foley & Lardner LLP
• Rebecca Walsh — Reiter & Walsh PC
• Linda Wasserman — Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP

Belle Isle Aquarium: Come On In, The Water's Fine, Thanks To Michigan Lawyer

The Belle Isle Aquarium, closed for seven years due to lack of operating funds, reopened Saturday thanks to the efforts of the nonprofit Belle Isle Conservancy. Conservancy founder Jennifer Boardman, judicial staff member for Court of Appeals judge Elizabeth Gleicher, was instrumental in raising funds and negotiating an agreement with the city of Detroit to reopen Aquarium free of charge to the public, every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For her efforts, Boardman received the Governor John B. Swainson Award for outstanding contributions to preserving Michigan's history.

Congratulations to MLW's 2012 Women in the Law Honorees

Michigan Lawyers Weekly's 2012 Women in the Law honorees have been announced.  Congratulations to all!

• Hon. Louise Alderson — 54A District Court
• Hon. Susan Dobrich — Cass County Probate Court
• Audrey Forbush — Plunkett Cooney PC
• Julie Gafkay — Gafkay & Gardner PLC
• Denise Glassmeyer — Young Basile Hanlon & MacFarlane PC
• Cynthia Haffey — Butzel Long
• Hon. Marilyn Kelly — Michigan Supreme Court
• Monica Labe — Dickinson Wright PLLC
• Marilyn Lankfer — Varnum LLP
• Marla Linderman — Linderman Law PC
• Anna Maiuri — Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone PLC
• Cary McGehee — Pitt, McGehee, Palmer, Rivers & Golden PC
• Valerie Newman — State Appellate Defender Office
• Rosalind Rochkind — Garan Lucow Miller PC
• Carol Rosati — Johnson, Rosati, Schultz, & Joppich PC
• Sangeeta Shah — Brooks Kushman PC
• Amy Timmer — The Thomas M. Cooley Law School
• Ann Marie Uetz — Foley & Lardner LLP
• Rebecca Walsh — Reiter & Walsh PC