ALUMNI MATTERS 1996 Moody Jr. Class 1986 Mundy Class (continued) Thane, Nancy L., was elected Tuscola County, DeRosier, Phillip J., was listed in Best Lawyers Mich., Probate Judge.
1988 Green Class Brown, Margaret L. M., is member of
Fellows of the Michigan State Bar Foundation.
1988 Pratt Class Forbush, Audrey, a partner
in the Flint, Mich., office of Plunkett Cooney, was selected as one of Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s “2012 Women in the Law.” The honorees were recognized in a special section of Michigan Lawyers Weekly on Sept. 10 and were honored at the third annual Women in the Law luncheon on Sept. 27, at the Detroit Marriott in Troy. Forbush focuses her practice primarily in the area of municipal liability and has particular expertise in police liability litigation. She also advises municipalities on employment matters, including employee discipline and discharge situations, and labor contract issues. In addition, Forbush defends physicians and hospitals in medical malpractice matters and attorneys facing legal malpractice claims. Forbush serves as legal adviser to the Law Enforcement Action Forum, an organization consisting of select law enforcement executives throughout the State of Michigan.
1988 Martin Class Dignan,Thomas J., was elected Probate
and Family Judge for the 35th Circuit Court in Shiawassee County, Mich.
1990 Witherell Class Knuth, Eric J., was named
managing attorney of the Civil Litigation Division with the law firm of Vernis & Bowling, P.A. in Miami, Fla. The firm has 15 offices throughout Florida, Alabama, North Carolina and Georgia. Eric practices in the field of insurance defense, specializing in wrongful death, negligent security, premises liability, construction defect litigation, products liability, commercial trucking litigation and declaratory judgment actions. Phone: (305) 895-3035; e-mail: eknuth@florida-law.com.
1991 Turner Class Pasteur, Michelyn E., of
Bernick, Radner & Ouellette, P.C., was named by The Best Lawyers in America as the “Medicaid and Elder Law Attorney of the Year” for the Greater Lansing area. She practices in the areas of elder law and Medicaid planning, estate planning, and trust and estate administration. Micki is a past chairperson of the Ingham County Bar Association Probate and Estate Planning Section, a longtime member of the Greater Lansing Probate & Estate Planning Council, and a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. She has authored several articles for the State Bar of Michigan Probate & Estate Planning Journal. She is listed in The Best Lawyers in America in the area of Elder Law and is listed in Michigan Super Lawyers in the area of Elder Law, Estate Planning and Probate, and Business/Corporate Law. Rocco, Jeffry, was hired by the Grand Blanc, Mich., School Board as business manager. He was selected from a pool of more than 20 candidates for the position. He was the controller for Koegel Meats of Flint, Mich., for the past 12 years. Rocco is also the current treasurer of the Genesee County Bar Foundation.
1992 Montgomery Class Beckley, Elizabeth S. “Liesl,” was
elected and began serving in January 2012 as a magisterial district judge in District Court in Pennsylvania. She is in private practice with Beckley & Madden in Harrisburg, Penn. Phone: (717) 233-7691 Kelley, Martin C., was elected judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County, for the 13th Judicial Subcircuit. He joined the family firm of Kelley, Kelley & Kelley in 1992, focusing on personal injury, worker's compensation, medical malpractice and probate. Martin previously served on the Board of Governors of the Northwest Suburban Bar Association (NWSBA), as a past chair of the Pro Bono Committee, and as the attorney for the NWSBA. He is also active in the Chicago Bar Association and the Illinois Worker's Compensation Lawyers Association.
1993 Hooker Class Bolser, Benjamin, was elected Probate Judge for Montmorency County, Mich.
Kolasa, Mike, of Marquette,
Mich., served as an instructor to his peers at the prestigious Cannon Financial Institute at the University of Notre Dame. Kolasa, who is Vice President & Trust Officer at The Stephenson National Bank & Trust (SNBT) Marquette Trust & Investment Services, taught approximately 30 professionals from around the country. He was chosen to be an instructor for the Trust II Course.
1995 Bird Class Myszak, Heide, was promoted to partner in
the Farmington Hills, Mich.-based Trott & Trott. Before becoming partner, she worked as a senior attorney in the title department for nearly five years.
in America and Michigan Super Lawyers as a leader in the appellate practice area. Mr. DeRosier is a member in Dickinson Wright PLLC’s office in Detroit, Mich. He focuses his practice on appellate law. He was also elected chair of the State Bar of Michigan’s Appellate Practice Section on Sept. 20.
1997 Adams Class Flynn, George, was elected
to a shareholder position with Clausen Miller, P.C., in Chicago Ill. He concentrates his practice in general and professional liability defense, including legal malpractice defense. Phone: (312) 606-7726
1997 Fellows Class Young, Gary, settled two motor vehicle
accident litigations at separate mediations for $800,000 and $900,000 respectively. He regularly handles negligence cases in Long Island and in New York City. Further, the readership of the Long Island Press voted Gary as a “Best Lawyer” for the year of 2012 and nominated him as candidate for “Best Lawyer” for the year 2013. Phone: (516) 826-8938.
1998 Sharpe Class Weinreich, Christine, was
named director of corporate and foundation relations for the Southern College of Optometry, an independent, nonprofit academic institution. She is responsible for writing grant applications, networking with potential community partners and donors, and speaking publicly, delivering presentations on behalf of the college. Weinreich practiced law in Michigan for 13 years, primarily in the areas of family law and bankruptcy, before taking on her new role in Memphis, Tenn. Weinreich volunteers for the Greater Memphis Greenline and serves on the board of a newly established nonprofit called Outreach Housing and Community Inc., which works with the homeless mentally ill population.
1999 Fead Class Poynter, Richard W., was elected Judge of
the Jackson Circuit Court, 40th Judicial Circuit, in Indiana, His six-year term began Jan. 1, 2013. Stratton,Timothy A., an attorney with Gust Rosenfeld in Phoenix, Ariz., was appointed chairman of the city of Scottsdale, Ariz., Board of Adjustment. His practice is focused on public finance and municipal law. He represents colleges and universities, special districts, cities, towns and other units of local government in all matters related to the issuance of municipal securities.
1999 Weadock Class Wilson, Michelle, program director of legal
studies for Bryant & Stratton College’s Richmond, Va., campus, has received advanced paralegal certification from NALA, the Association of Legal Assistants/Paralegals. She has been with Bryant & Stratton since 2005.
2000 Rutledge Class Smedley, Annette, was elected Circuit Court Judge in Muskegon County.
2001 Wilson Class Rattet, Kim, was promoted to partner in the
Farmington Hills-based Trott & Trott. Rattet has been with Trott since May 2002, where she served as a staff attorney before being promoted to supervising attorney in 2003.
2001 Blair Jr. Class Gardner, Katherine S., received the Pro Bono
Attorney of the Year Award from the Saginaw County Bar Association for commitment to providing services to those in need. She also helped found and serve on the board of directors of Sadie’s Dream for a Cure, Inc., a nonprofit organization which assists pediatric cancer patients and their families. She is an attorney with Gafkay & Gardner, PLC, in Frankenmuth, Mich. Phone: (989) 652-9240; e-mail: kgardner@gafkaylaw.com.
2002 T. Johnson Class Chartier, Mary, and her
law partner Natalie Alane (Chase Class, 2002) are pleased to announce that their law firm, Alane & Chartier, P.L.C., received the Pro Bono Circle of Excellence Award from the State Bar of Michigan for the third year in a row. The award is given to those firms that have shown a proven commitment to providing legal services to the poor. Mary specializes in criminal defense and appellate work in state and federal court. Phone: (517) 482-2000; e-mail: mary@alanechartier.com .
2002 Chase Class Alane, Natalie, and her
law partner Mary Chartier (T. Johnson Class, 2002) are pleased to announce that their law firm, Alane & Chartier, P.L.C., received the Pro Bono Circle of Excellence Award from the State Bar of Michigan for the third year in a row.The award is given to those firms that have shown a proven commitment to providing legal services to the poor. Natalie specializes in family law and appellate work. Phone: (517) 482-2000; e-mail: natalie@alanechartier.com.
2003 Swainson Class Hope, Kara Henigan, was
elected to a two-year term on the Ingham County Commission for District 7, beginning in January 2013. She is the founding president of the Holt Community Arts Council, and is on the board of the Michigan Victim Alliance. The MVA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the healing and protection of survivors of violence, abuse, and other forms of trauma. She has also served as an adjunct faculty member at Cooley, teaching Advanced Writing. Mead, John D., was elected as a Benzie County Probate Judge. He was previously employed as a Family Division Referee (19th Judicial Circuit) and District Court Magistrate (85th District Court). While attending Cooley, he was employed as the Undersheriff of the Benzie County Sheriff's Office.
2005 McAllister Class Engelhardt, Chad, was named a partner at
Goethel Engelhardt, PLLC, in Ann Arbor, Mich. He focuses his practice on the litigation of complex medical malpractice, catastrophic injury, and wrongful death cases. He also serves as an adjunct professor and clinical field supervisor for Cooley’s Ann Arbor campus. Phone: (734) 769-6838; e-mail: chad@cmtjustice.com. Johnson, Nicholas, has returned to Querrey & Harrow and will practice in the firm’s Waukegan, Wis., office. He focuses his practice on litigation, construction law, and contract issues. Mr. Johnson is a member of several bar associations, the Defense Research Institute, and the Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel. He also sits on the Zoning and Building Commission for the village of Antioch, where he resides with his family.
2005 Boyles Class Manolache, Gabriella, accepted a position
at the University of Michigan as the assistant director of their international center and will be managing the university's faculty and staff immigration services department.
2005 Starr Class Gower, Jason, announces the opening of a law
Latuszek, Jodi M., manage-
ment analyst, Child Welfare Services, State Court Administrative Office, was honored with the Schoolcraft College Distinguished Alumni Award for 2012 in recognition of her work in the legal accomplishments and advocacy for higher education. She was also named one of Schoolcraft College's Difference Makers. She works for the Michigan State Court Administrative Office's Child Welfare Service Division. Phone: (517) 373-4987; e-mail: latuszekj@courts.mi.gov. Zimny, Erica, was promoted to supervising attorney in the Jackson Office of Legal Services of South Central Michigan. E-mail: ericaz@lsscm.org.
2007 Boston Class Tichelaar, Jennifer M. (Endl), an attorney with the
Gallagher Law Firm in Lansing, Mich., was appointed by the Michigan State Bar Association Board of Commissioners to serve on the State Bar Character and Fitness Committee.The committee investigates the character and fitness of candidates for admission to the Bar. She resides in Grand Rapids and focuses her practice on business, real estate and probate litigation. Phone: (517) 853-1500.
2008 Sharpe Class Gruber, Kimberly A.,
married Keith L. Kleinhans (C.J. Adams Class, 2008) on Aug. 16, 2012, on St. John Island in the U.S.Virgin Islands. Keith and Kim operate their own personal injury and family law practice, The Law Office of Kleinhans Gruber, PLLC, in Austin, Texas. Phone: (512) 961-8512; e-mail: kim@lawofficeofkg.com. Reddick, Adam, was elected president of the Bay County Michigan Bar Association to serve the 2013-2014 term. He is an attorney with Gower Reddick PLC in Bay City, Mich. Phone: (989) 894-0100.
2008 C.J. Adams Class office in Grand Rapids, Mich. He continues to Frazier, Melanie T., (LL.M.), operate the Bay City, Mich., practice he opened in
2006. His once-solo practice has expanded to a team of five attorneys. Gower Reddick PLC, The People's Firm, serves clients throughout mid-Michigan, and now in the western part of the state. He has tried to jury verdict 27 criminal trials, with 23 acquittals. Recently, Mr. Gower was named a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers, and his law firm was named in first place a “Five Star Favorite” by the readers of The Bay City Times. Gower Reddick serves clients in criminal defense, administrative law-license appeals, wills/estate planning, consumer bankruptcy, & personal injury. Phone: (989) 894-0100. James, Daniel M., was elected Prosecuting Attorney for Hampshire County, W.V.
2006 Edwards Jr. Class Brush, Michael, was awarded the Direct Energy
and Dayton Daily News 2012 Volunteer Citizen of the Year Award celebrating his volunteerism and mentorship an attorney at Freund, Freeze and Arnold in Dayton. He has volunteered and been involved in fundraising initiatives for a variety of organizations in the Dayton, Ohio, area such as the American Cancer Society and its annual Gala of Hope, the Dayton Bar Association, the Children’s Organ Transplant Association, the Mark A. Kreusch Memorial Fund, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Miami Valley. He also volunteers for the Dayton Bar Association’s Leadership Development Program and the Dayton Early College Academy’s Court Camp, speaking to young students interested in the practice of law.
2006 Fitzgerald Class Goodman, Jeremy M., a
managing partner of Goodman Law in Phoenix, Ariz., graduated from the prestigious Pacific Coast Banking School upon completing a three-year masters level extension program for senior officers in the banking industry. The program is part of the Pacific Bankers Management Institute, which is the premier national graduate school of banking at the University of Washington. Mr. Goodman is one of only 165 graduates representing 21 states, and other countries, who studied risk management, financial performance and leadership to gain executive level understanding of the business of banking. He is the only private practice attorney from Arizona to ever graduate from the program and joins 180 alumni who are some of the most senior bankers and regulators in Arizona. Rowland, Matthew, managing attorney for the New Mexico Legal Aid office in Clovis, N.M., spoke at a forum on landlord rights and responsibilities. The forums were put on through New Mexico Legal Aid and the United Way of Eastern New Mexico.
2007 Fisher Class Castro, Claudia, was named as one of this
2012’s “40 Illinois Attorneys Under 40 To Watch.” Claudia E. Castro is an assistant state’s attorney with the Cook County State's Attorney’s Office, Community Justice Center-Central Office, in Chicago, Ill. Phone: (312) 325-9704; e-mail: claudia.castro@cookcountyil.gov.
of Howard & Howard Attorneys PLLC, was appointed to the Academic Committee for the International Trademark Association (INTA). She works with the professors subcommittee as a trademark practitioner to assist in the development of trademark education programs.
Kleinhans, Keith L.,
married Kimberly A. Gruber (Sharpe Class, 2008) on Aug. 16, 2012, on St. John Island in the U.S.Virgin Islands. Keith and Kim operate their own personal injury and family law practice,The Law Office of Kleinhans Gruber, PLLC, in Austin,Texas. Phone: (512) 961-8512; e-mail: keith@lawofficeofkg.com.
2010 Woodward Class Starr, Colleen, joined Morgan and Miller, P.C.,
in Lapeer, Mich., as an associate attorney. She focuses her practice on criminal, probate, family, and business law matters. Stella, Lindsay C., joined the law firm of Mirabella, Kincaid, Frederick & Mirabella, LLC in Wheaton, Ill., where she practices family law. She was appointed to Women and the Law Committee for the Illinois State Bar Association and is the chair of the New Lawyer’s Committee in DuPage County. Phone: (630) 665-7300; e-mail: lindsay@mkfmlaw.com.
2010 Witherell Class Barnaby, Kate (Fetkenhier), an attorney
2011 Sibley Class Barbadillo, Stacy, joined
Marger Johnson & McCollom, P.C. in Portland, Ore., as a patent attorney.
2011 Chipman Class Beckley, Emily (Draper), has joined
Stansbery, Schoenberger and Scheck as an associate attorney. The law firm is located in Upper Sandusky, Ohio. She practices criminal defense and domestic relations. Higgins, Christopher, joined the Woodbridge, N.J., law firm of Steven J. Sico & Associates, P.C. as an associate practicing bankruptcy law and general litigation. Fantetti, Kelly (Stewart), court counsel for the 12th Judicial Circuit Court in Bradenton, Fla., and Steve Fantetti, an independent legal consultant, married Aug. 25, 2012. Phone: (941) 749-3600 ext. 7043; e-mail: kfantetti@jud12.flcourts.org. Wiaduck,Alana L., joined the Muskegon, Mich., office of McCroskey Law with a focus on family law, personal injury, and criminal defense. Phone: (231) 726-4861; e-mail: awiaduck@mccroskeylaw.com.
2011 Wilkins Class Villaronga, Michelle, joined the Bronx, N.Y.,
District Attorney’s office as a new assistant district attorney.
2012 Hilligan Class Nemerof, Michael B., is an associate at The
Law Offices of Paul A. Herman, P.A., a consumer law litigation firm located in Boca Raton, Fla. He specializes in debt defense, student loan modification, and bankruptcy.
NOTICES 1977 Christiancy Class Page, Jean Kaser, 94, passed away on Sept. 22,
2012, in Jackson, Mich. Her legal career included time as an assistant prosecutor in Jackson County, as in-house counsel at Commonwealth Associates, and in her private law practice.
1985 T. Smith Class Grady, Delores A., 85, of Williamston, Mich. passed away on Aug. 5, 2012.
1985 Morell Class Bevins, Michael L., 54, passed away on
Aug. 3, 2012, after a battle with cancer. Following graduation from Cooley, he worked at Scholten Fant Attorneys. He spent years as a social worker in the Community Mental Health System and two years working for the Michigan Court of Appeals. After a year with Michigan Protection and Advocacy Service, practicing exclusively in special education law, he engaged in a general solo practice until 1995. As a partner in the Scholten Fant Law firm, Michael had represented school districts in the area of school law with the primary emphasis in the area of special education. Michael was an adjunct professor at Grand Valley University and Western Michigan University where he taught graduate courses in Special Education Law. Michael was also a frequent lecturer on special education law.
1988 Green Class Brundage, Matthew, passed away Nov. 3,
2011. He was the Chief Probation Officer for the 54-B District Court in East Lansing, Mich.
1993 Carpenter Class Snippen, Roger D., 65, of Sitka,Alaska, passed
away on May 18, 2012. He had a bachelor’s degree in forest engineering and an M.B.A. He served in Vietnam during 1966-67 as a sergeant with the Gallagher Law Firm, with the 173rd Airborne Infantry. He worked PLC, was selected as one of 20 in the private sector of the forest industry in “Up & Coming Lawyers” by Oregon, Washington and Alaska for several Michigan Lawyers Weekly for years. He was CEO of Shee Atika Corp., and 2012. This annual selection spearheaded the development of corporate recognizes outstanding young attorneys in the state logging on Admiralty Island. He left Shee Atika who have made a significant impact on the legal Corp to earn his law degree at Cooley, then profession and who have distinguished themselves returned to Alaska, where he worked for thenfrom thousands of other young lawyers in Michigan. Gov. Hickel as a project analyst on projectKate’s practice areas include oil and gas law, real permitting in the Alaska Coastal Management estate law, business law, and banking law. She is an Program. When this ended, he opened a law active member of The Rocky Mountain Mineral practice in Juneau,Alaska and lived there for the Law Foundation,The Michigan Oil and Gas Associa- next 11 years. In 2004, Roger returned to Sitka, tion, Legal and Legislative Committee, and The where he practiced law until the time of his death. Michigan Association of Professional Landmen.The 1996 Moody Jr. Class Gallagher Law Firm has offices in Detroit, Grand Beloff,The Hon. Adam Mitchell, 48, of Rapids, Lansing and Mt. Pleasant, Mich. Gorney, Mollie D., has become an associate of Philadelphia, Penn., passed away Dec. 1, 2012. He served as a judge in the Court of Common her father’s law firm, James J. Gorney P.C., based Pleas of Philadelphia County. Judge Beloff in La Plata, Md. She was previously employed as served as the president of the South Seventh an assistant public defender for the Maryland Office of the Public Defender in Charles County Street Redevelopment Association. He was a volunteer to the Miss Columbus Day Scholarship and will continue to practice in the area of pageant for 30 years, including service as the criminal defense. pageant’s Chairman of Judges. Judge Beloff Jabr, Mona K., serves as the vice-chair of volunteered for and judged National mock the Providing Access to Legal Services (PALS) trial competitions, including the John S. Bradway Committee for the Oakland County Bar High School Mock Trial Competition at Association. PALS is charged with implementing Temple University, and the American Mock programs that provide an understanding of the Trial Invitational at the New Jersey State legal system within the community and supports Bar Foundation. community outreach including legal aid clinics.
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY As part of Cooley’s commitment to environmental sustainability, Benchmark Column is printed on an environmentally friendly paper helping to reduce our carbon footprint. BENCHMARK COLUMN | JANUARY 2013 | VOLUME 5 | NUMBER 1