Class Notes

Vergara, Claire D., an associate attorney with Plunkett Cooney in Detroit, Michigan, was appointed to the executive board of the Michigan Asian-Pacific American Bar Association. She was also elected by her colleagues to serve as the board’s secretary. She will serve a one-year term on the board and in her executive leadership role. With Plunkett Cooney, she focuses her litigation practice in the areas of medical liability, trucking litigation, first-party No-Fault auto insurance law, the third-party motor vehicle negligence claims.

2012 Washington Class Mennie, John A., an associate attorney with Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard, P.C. in Chicago, Illinois, was named an Illinois Super Lawyer “Rising Star” for 2023.

2013

Marshall Class

Levine, Jacob H., has joined Plunkett Cooney as a member of the firm’s Torts & Litigation Practice Group, in the firm’s Columbus, Ohio, office. He concentrates his practice in the area of insurance defense litigation, focusing on motor vehicle liability claims, employment disputes, and claims involving premises and product liability. He also has experience in the areas of estate planning, tax preparation and probate matters.

2013

W. Johnson Class Giletto, Anthony, was named a partner at Goldberg Segalla in the firm’s Workers’ Compensation Group, in Philadelphia.

Hamor, Rob, was elected a shareholder with Foster Swift Collins & Smith, P.C. He is a member of the firm’s Finance, Real Estate, and Bankruptcy practice group in the firm’s Southfield, Michigan office. His work includes general counsel representation, corporate transactions and governance, commercial real estate, finance, and related litigation matters. He is the firm’s go-to attorney regarding the Corporate Transparency Act, as well as the impact of artificial intelligence on businesses and the law.

2015 Story Class Westlake, Jennifer, published a novel, Sand Moon.

2015

Trimble Class Morrell, Taneashia R., was appointed to the San Diego County Bar Association’s newest division: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as the vice-chair of program and events for 2023. She oversees two of the four major subdivision groups: Anti-Racism and Dialogue on Diversity. She is a senior contracts and licensing associate in the Office of Technology Development at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California.

2017

Vinson Class Shamara, Arjun, an attorney with Fredson Statmore Bitterman LLC, was selected as a New Jersey Super Lawyer Rising Star for 2023. He has been practicing for five years. He litigates civil matters for personal injury plaintiffs, focusing his practice on motor vehicle collisions, dog bites, and premises liability.

2017

Warren Class Martin, Joe, was named Chief of Staff for Michigan State Sen. Joseph Bellino, R-Monroe. Martin previously served as Chief of Staff for two former senators, and as a legislative aide and constituent relations aide for a former state representative.

2017

Burger Class Zajac, Mitchell, was appointed vice chair of the WMU-Cooley Law School Board of Directors. He is a member of the Butzel Long Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice Group. He was named to DBusiness magazine’s 2022 Class of “30 in Their Thirties.”

2019

Curtis Class Moore, Andrew, joined Fraser Trebilcock, as an attorney in the firm’s litigation practice group. He focuses on general litigation matters, insurance defense, estate and trust administration, real estate transactions, family law, and criminal defense.

2020

Field Class

Cacci, Krystle, joined the Florida Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office in January 2023 as a senior attorney in the group’s appellate division. She is also the office’s newly created assistant director of pro bono operations.

Diogo, Thamara, joined the firm of Goldberg Segalla in the firm’s Workers’ Compensation Group in Manhattan. She focuses her practice on workers’ compensation matters, counseling and defending employers, insurers, and third-party administrators.

2021

Matthews Class von Dinger, Nicholas C., has been accepted to Oxford’s Diplomatic Studies Programme for Fall 2023.

2021

Gray Class

Upward, Susan E., is serving as a judge advocate in the U.S. Marine Corps. She is the Legal Services Support Team Officer-In-Charge at Marine Corps Air Station in Cherry Point, North Carolina. She earned her LL.M. in Homeland and National Security Law at WMU-Cooley. She is a frequent author, speaker and panelist. In July 2022, she received the Marine Corps Major Megan McClung Leadership Award.

2022 Blatchford Class Buehner Smith, Katherine, joined Collins Einhorn Farrell, in Southfield, Michigan. She is a member of the firm’s professional liability group. She focuses her practice on the defense of professionals in the legal, medical and dental, insurance, accounting, architectural, engineering, and real estate fields.

WMU-Cooley encourages all graduates to contribute information to Class Notes. We want to learn about your law career and other accomplishments in the legal profession. E-mail communications@cooley.edu

1976

Campbell Class

Steeno, David L., 77, of Big Rapids, Michigan, died May 4, 2022, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He worked in private practice before entering teaching. He was a criminal law professor at Ferris State University and one of the founding members of the Ferris State Law Enforcement Academy. He was a military veteran, having served as a Blue Beret (Air Police) in the U.S. Air Force, 1966-1970. He completed two tours during the Vietnam War and served as Chief of Operations of an 800-person security police squadron while stationed at Minot Air Force Base.

1984

Carr Class

Sullivan, Patricia “Patty,” 67, died Oct. 25, 2022. She was an attorney at Patricia J. Sullivan, Attorney at Law, in Livonia, Michigan, where she operated an immigration practice. She was also an adjunct professor of Immigration Law at WMU-Cooley. From 20132016, she was also a member of the board of directors for the Michigan Irish American Chamber of Commerce.

1985

T. Smith Class

O’Dwyer, Sister Margaret M., 68, died Feb. 7, 2023, at St. Louise House in Albany, New York. She entered the Daughters of Charity as a postulant in 1992, followed by Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland. She served for seven years as a patient advocate at St. Thomas Hospital, in Nashville, Tennessee; then was missioned to the Human Resources Department at St. Anthony Hospital in Chicago. From 2005-2014, she ministered in the Cook Islands working with remedial high school students, as well as working to improve the educational status of prisoners. She returned to the United

States in late 2014, where she assumed a role as representative of the Daughters of Charity to the United Nations, collaborating on the passage through the General Assembly of a resolution on homelessness.

1986

Miles Class

Soffin, Margaret Fisher, 75, died Oct. 17, 2022, in Switzerland. She worked as a policy analyst for the Michigan Senate Democratic Caucus and then as director of policy administration for the American Bar Association in Chicago.

1987

Morse Class

Tazelaar, Peter, 72, of Sanford, Michigan, and formerly of Newberry, Michigan, died Sept. 10, 2022 at MyMichigan Medical Center in Midland, Michigan. His career included time in private practice, starting with opening his own law firm upon graduation. In 2000, he became the Luce County Prosecutor, a position he held until his retirement in 2012. He became a pilot at age 16 and enjoyed flying and inspiring young pilots. Before entering law school, he worked at and later owned CummingsMcCraney Real Estate in Newberry.

1988

Pratt Class

Graham, Stephen Bruce, 60, of Harbor Springs, Michigan, died March 27, 2023. He worked as a defense attorney for 32 years, then went on to work as an Assistant and Chief Assistant Prosecutor for Emmet County in 2020.

1990

Witherell Class

Fisher, Donald Walter, 65, of Nashville, Tennessee, died Jan. 31, 2023. He operated his own law firm and was a veteran of the U.S. Army.

1994

Ostrander Class

Harter, The Hon. Mathew Paul, 56, died Nov. 9, 2022, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He became a district court judge in the Family Law Division, Department N., in 2008 and held that position until his death.

1995

Steere Class

Krupp, Stephen P., 63, of Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, died Jan. 14, 2023. He was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1996 and became a registered U.S. Patent Attorney in 1997. In 2010, he retired from Dow and joined Molecular Rebar Design in Austin, Texas, as Chief Patent Counsel, a position he held until his death. In 2015, he relocated to a home he built in the Lake of the Ozarks, and in 2016, he became a member of the Missouri Bar.

1996

Black Class

Rogers, Cheryl, 55, of Windsor Locks, Connecticut, died Dec. 22, 2022, after a battle with ovarian cancer. She was formerly of Longmeadow, Massachusetts. Her career focused on serving as legal counsel for higher education and working for nonprofit organizations with social justice missions.

2000

Rutledge Class

Morley, Scott M., 54, of Albany, New York, died Feb. 16, 2023. He practiced law for 20 years at the Morley Law Firm, and formerly with Martin Shudt. He was a Marine

Corps veteran, deployed to South America and the Middle East. He also participated in operations in Cuba and Somalia. He was also a hockey player and a certified Level 4 USA youth hockey coach.

2001

Iredell Class

Ito, Kimberly Lynn Moon, 64, of Houston, Texas, died Feb. 6, 2023. She was formerly of Midland and Otisville, Michigan. She worked as a senior assistant prosecuting attorney with the Midland County Prosecutor’s Office, specializing in criminal sexual conduct cases. After moving to Texas in 2008, she continued working for children, women, and families in both her career and her volunteer work. She was campus president of the Career Colleges Texas School of Business and Corinthian College in the Houston area 2008-2014. In 2014 she founded the BC Project to help people “Break the Code” and achieve better communication skills. Outside of work, she dedicated herself to several civil rights, social action and children’s advocacy groups.

2021

Matthews Class

Joslin, Arthur (Art), 60, of Pinckney, Michigan, died Feb. 21, 2023. He was trained as an operatic baritone and enjoyed singing in a variety of genres. He appeared in leading roles, concerts, and recitals throughout the United States, Toronto and Kenya. He was also a volunteer firefighter, reserve police officer, chaplain, professional scuba diver, and more. He had over 35 years of experience in a variety of martial arts.