SBM Blog

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

Patrick A. Miles, Jr. Sworn In As U.S. Attorney For The Western District Of Michigan

Patrick A. Miles, Jr. was sworn in today as the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan. Miles is the first African American to hold the post of U.S. Attorney for Western Michigan. Miles began his legal career as an associate at the Grand Rapids-based law firm of Varnum, Riddering, Schmidt and Howlett in 1991 after graduating from Harvard Law School. He became a partner at the age of 29 and was the first African American partner in Varnum’s 110-year history. Miles joined the national law firm of Dickinson Wright PLLC in 2006 as a partner based in the Grand Rapids office. He succeeds Donald A. Davis, who was appointed as the U.S. Attorney by the court in October, 2008.

Fathers Day Sampler of Michigan Father-Son/Daughter Lawyer Combos

This list is the attorney father-child combinations, historic and current, made known to SBM Blog. The list is in no meaningful order and certainly just scratches the surface.  SBM Blog extends an invitation to all Michigan lawyers to salute their father-lawyers through comment to this post. Happy Fathers Day, all.

The Fitzgeralds. The Googasians. The Griffins. The Archers. The Boyle-Pernicks. The Brickleys. The Ryans. The Sawyers. The Bernsteins. The Baughman-Palmers.  The Danhofs. The Cavanaghs. The Brennans. The Levins. The Brakes. The Neckerses. The Rodgerses. The Peterson-Rodgerses. The Granos. The McCrees. The Crowleys. The Charfooses. The Brickleys.  The Diehls. The Kaufmans. The Evanses. The Honigmans. The Van Dusens. The Aboods. The Smiths. The Achos. The Kallmans. The Vivianos. The Adamses. The Kellys. The Witherells. The Agers. The Kaupers. The Allens. The Andarys. The Andersons. The Antkoviaks. The Bairds. The Hathaways. The Jacksons. The Arnolds. The Barrs. The Basiles. The Dingells. The Websters. The Mossners. The Bellancas. The Gilleses. The Bensons. The Lewises. The Johnsons. The Hoffiuses. The Dillons. The Kennedys. The Keatings. The Blacks. The Hersteins. The Bransdorfers. The Callahans. The Demings. The Borchards. The Dressers. The Borrellos. The Bradys. The Haroutunians. The Whitmers. The Browns. The Brundages. The McGinnises. The Camerons. The Badgleys. The Farhats. The Buessers. The Buitewegs. The Burgesses. The Toys. The Butzbaughs. The Campbells. The Dunningses. The Horns. The Hoods.  The Buchanans. The Hathaways. The Murrays. The Murphys. The Sullivans.  The Clarks. The Rashids. The Collinses.  The Colombos. The Conlins. The Burtons. The Szymanskis. The Hurands. The Coopers. The Dobsons. The Grants. The Bishops. The Coxes. The Smiths. The Rutherfords. The Goodmans. The Carmodys. The Butzels. The Cummingses. The Maceronis. The Davises. The Schwedler-Kokotoviches. The Allens. The Fiegers. The McDonalds. The O'Briens. The Jamiesons. The Lesinskis. The Hare-Harwels. The Broderick-McCloreys. The Reids. The Stockmeyer-Shaughnessys. The Hallmarks. The Nebels. The Tilstads. The Lambroses. The Cobbses. The McCloreys-Bernard-McLaughlins. The Rosatis. The Fershtmans. The Jolliffes. The Feikens. The Roumells. The LeVasseurs. The Vercruysse-Welches. The Schuitmakers. The Thompson-Nuckolls. The Rothstein-Minns. The Miller-Browns.

Portraits: James Witherell, Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, 1808-1828,  and his son, Benjamin Witherell, Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court in 1857. They are the only father-son Justices of the Michigan Supreme Court.

Michigan Lawyer-Mothers Rock – Pass It On

Happy Mothers Day, everyone.  Time to celebrate or remember the mothers who helped us become lawyers.  Carrying on a tradition SBM Blog started last Fathers Day, we salute mothers of Michigan lawyers and recognize the mother-lawyers who produced more Michigan lawyers.  Given the growing ranks of women lawyers in Michigan, we realize that this is just a small sample.  If we missed you, let us know!

• Marjorie Basile and Andrew Basile
• Patty Boyle and David and Jason Pernick
• Maura Corrigan and Daniel Grano
• Judy Cunningham and Jacob Cunningham
• Barbara Hackett and Carol Hackett Garagiola
• Diane Hathaway, Ryan Hathaway, and Dana Hathaway
• Linda Hallmark and Jessica Hallmark
• Kathy Hoogstra and Jonathan Hoogstra
• Jean King and Nancy King
• Kathleen Lewis and Aaron Lewis
• Susan Paletz, Amanda Paletz, and Matthew Paletz
• Florence Schoenherr, Kim Cahill, and Dana Warnez
• Zoe Schuitmaker and Tonya Schuitmaker
• Susan Weinberg and David Weinberg
• Janet Welch and Andrew Harwel
• Pauline Woll, Jessica Woll, and Allison Woll Parr
• Etta Zivian, Robert Zivian, and Sara Zivian Zwickl

For you lawyer-moms who are still raising your children, it turns out there's a veritable cottage industry of lawyer-moms writing blogs about being lawyer-moms. Just for example, PT Law Mom, Motherly Law, Law Mom Blog, Attorney Diaries, Blue Suit Mom, Mommy Blawg, But I Do Have A Law Degree, and Attorney At Mom.  Keep up the good work.

All In The Family: Join Our Mother/Offspring Lawyer Tribute

Last year's Father's Day post on Father/Son- or Daughter-lawyer combos was such a big hit that we promised a Mother's Day follow-up this year. So if you are the Michigan mother-lawyer of a lawyer, or the Michigan lawyer-child of a mother-lawyer, tell us so we can include you in the Mother's Day compendium. You can let us know by a comment to this post, or by an email to [email protected].  While you're at it, you might consider making a donation to the Access to Justice Fund in your mother's name.

Pictured here is a trifecta -- the family lawyer team of mother Etta Zivian, son Robert Zivian, and daughter Sara Zivian Zwickl. Together, they helped change a young mother's life through their pro bono work. Etta represented the young mother in her divorce from her abusive husband and had her name removed from the CPS records that cited her for failure to protect her children. Robert  helped to terminate the father’s parental rights. Sara assisted with drafting a will and assigned the person whom Christine wanted to be guardian of her children if anything were to happen to her.

Miller Canfield Lawyer To Be Serenaded By Bernadette Peters

Miller Canfield's Mark J. Bennett, along with his co-authors of "New ASTM Standard May Serve as a Safe Harbor for Emerging Building Energy Labeling, Transactional Disclosure, and Benchmarking Regulations," will receive a Burton Award for Legal Achievement on June 11 at the Library of Congress.  The award is presented to partners and counsel in law firms who have written outstanding articles which are clear, concise, and comprehensive. John Paul Stevens will be there too, to pick up a Book of the Year Award.  And for entertainment? The incomparable Bernadette Peters.  Award winners in other categories have yet to be announced.  Last year, Cooley Law School's Joe Kimble won a Burton legal writing award, for the second time.

HT: International Law Prof Blog