A monthly newsletter devoted to informing and

RAISING THE BAR
A monthly newsletter devoted to informing and engaging Wayne Law alumni and friends
• December 2007
CONTENTS
2
Wayne Law Celebrates Student
Success at the 2007 Honors
Convocation
3
Wayne Law Featured in Princeton
Review’s 2008 Edition of “Best 170
Law Schools”
4
Ronald Keefe Named President of
Michigan Bar, Congratulations to
Wayne Law Alumni on a 95% Bar
Passage Rate
5
6
Alumni Profile: Mercedes Varasteh,
Heather Joy Thompson to work for
Hip-hop Mogul
Student Profile: Matthew
Goodman, Students Win Moot
Court Regionals
7
Introducing: Colette Routel, Dean
Wu Wins Trailblazer Award
8
Monthly Alumni Wrap-Up
10
Mark your Calendars: Wayne Law
Upcoming Events
Carl Ziemba Annual Scholarship recipients Dandridge Floyd, Karla Velikah and Lisa Zatyko pose for a
picture with Aynne Zazas.
WAYNE LAW CELEBRATES STUDENT SUCCESS
AT 2007 HONORS CONVOCATION CEREMONY
“I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to all our
wonderful alumni and friends who helped make the ceremony
possible. It is through their generous philanthropic efforts that
students are offered recognition and financial support.”
– Dean Frank H. Wu
Wayne Law celebrated student success at its
annual Honors Convocation Ceremony on
Friday, Nov. 16, 2007.
success, involvement in law school and
community activities, financial need, or
future career interests.
More than 70 scholarships and awards
were given to students. Eligibility for the
awards was determined by academic
A number of donors were present to meet
and mingle with award recipients.
Visit Wayne Law online at
www.law.wayne.edu today!
This publication was produced by the Law School
Dean’s Office in conjunction with the Law School
Development and Alumni Relations Office. Your
comments are welcome. Feel free to email the
editor at [email protected] or send your
correspondence to:
Editor, Raising the Bar
Wayne State University Law School
471 W. Palmer, Detroit, MI 48202
www.law.wayne.edu
Has your address recently changed? If so, please send
updated information to [email protected].
* On the cover: 2007 Honors Convocation
* Photography by MJ Murawka and Rick Bielaczyc
Joseph Grano Endowed Scholarship recipient
Manuel Haddad poses for a picture with
Professor John Dolan, Daniel
Grano and Eugene Driker.
Michael L. Pitt and Peggy Goldberg Pitt
Endowed Award recipient Andrew Maurer poses
for a picture with Michael Pitt, Peggy Goldberg
Pitt and Eugene Driker.
2
WAYNE LAW FEATURED IN PRINCETON REVIEW’S 2008 EDITION
OF ‘BEST 170 LAW SCHOOLS’
The professors at Wayne are the perfect balance between scholars and practicing lawyers. They
help you develop the analytical/theoretical tools you need for a long legal career while also
breaking it down to what you really need to know in the real world.
Wayne Law was recently featured as one of
the nation’s most outstanding law schools,
according to The Princeton Review. The New
York-based education services company
featured the school in the just-published
2008 edition of its “Best 170 Law Schools.”
According to Robert Franek, Princeton
Review VP of Publishing, “We select
schools for this book based on our high
regard for their academic programs and
offerings, institutional data we collect from
the schools, and the candid opinions of
students attending them who rate and
report on their campus experiences at the
schools. We are pleased to recommend
Wayne Law to readers of our book and
users of our Web site as one of the best
institutions they could attend to earn a law
school degree.”
“Best 170 Law Schools” has two-page
profiles of the schools with write-ups
on their academics, student life and
admissions, plus ratings for their academics,
selectivity and career placement services.
The Princeton Review’s 80-question survey
asked 18,000 students about themselves,
their career plans, and their schools’
academics, student body and campus
life. Some of the comments included the
following:
general because it is so close to the courts and
major MI law firms, as well as very close to
Canada. That location alone opens up many
opportunities that other MI law schools just
cannot compete with.
The professors at Wayne are the perfect
balance between scholars and practicing
lawyers. They help you develop the analytical/
theoretical tools you need for a long legal
career while also breaking it down to what
you really need to know in the real world.
If you want to be a lawyer or a judge in
Michigan, Wayne is a great place to be. Half
of the judges and 75 percent of the lawyers
practicing in southeast Michigan are Wayne
graduates. The alumni are very active and
willing to help other graduates.
The law library is well-equipped, and
Wayne State is continually improving the
technological resources. With [in-state] tuition
costs of only $13,000 or so a year, Wayne
State deserves even greater recognition as an
excellent value in education.
The Princeton Review does not rank the
schools in the book on a single hierarchical
list from 1 to 170, or name one law school
best overall. Instead, the book has 11
ranking lists of the top 10 law schools in
various categories. Conducted during the
2006-07, 2005-06, and 2004-05 academic
years, the student surveys were primarily
completed online. The lists are posted at
www.PrincetonReview.com.
There is an incredible internship program at
Wayne that gives students such great realworld exposure to the legal profession…I had
a judicial internship at the Federal District
Court this semester and am participating
in the Urban Housing and Community
Development Clinic next semester!
It is a fabulous location for a law school in
INTRODUCING: FELICIA THOMAS
DIRECTOR OF RECRUITMENT & ENROLLMENT, OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS
“We are fortunate to have Ms. Thomas leading our recruitment and
enrollment efforts and wish her the best in her new role.”
Wayne Law recently strengthened
recruitment and enrollment efforts by
appointing Felicia Thomas, former Director
of Academic Success, as the Director of
Recruitment & Enrollment in Admissions.
As director, Thomas will attend law school
recruiting fairs; coordinate prospective
student open houses and informational
sessions; provide consultation to prospective
students with regards to the Admissions
process; and assist in the development of a
comprehensive marketing plan to increase
outreach and recruitment efforts, among
other duties.
“Ms. Thomas offers the Admissions Office
a wealth of knowledge and experience that
will help to identify and recruit high caliber,
qualified candidates to Wayne Law,” said
Dean Frank H. Wu. “We are fortunate to
have Ms. Thomas leading our recruitment
and enrollment efforts and wish her the best
in her new role.”
Thomas is a 2002 graduate of the University
– Dean Frank H. Wu
of Michigan Law School and has served as
a law clerk to Judge Daphne Means Curtis
(WSU Law ‘73) in the Wayne County 3rd
Circuit Court, Civil Division.
Thomas also worked in the Division of
Student Affairs at the University of Michigan,
Office of Student Activities and Leadership,
and taught as a graduate student instructor
in the UM Sociology department. She can
be reached at (313) 577-8040.
3
CONGRATULATIONS TO WAYNE LAW
M
ALUMNI ON A 95% BAR PASSAGE RATE
Official passage rates for first-time takers
of the July 2007 Michigan Bar Examination
have been released, and Wayne Law
graduates far outperformed the field with
95 percent passing on the first try.
With 130 out of 137 Wayne Law graduates
passing the July 2007 bar examination on
the first try, students who graduated from
a law school other than Wayne Law were
three times as likely to fail the exam on the
first try as Wayne Law’s first-time takers.
RONALD KEEFE, ’72,
NAMED PRESIDENT OF
STATE OF MICHIGAN BAR
The three other law schools with large
numbers of graduates taking the Michigan
bar exam, Michigan State University,
the University of Detroit Mercy, and the
Thomas M. Cooley Law School, had firsttime pass rates of 90 percent, 87 percent
and 74 percent, respectively. The overall
first-time passage rate was 86 percent. Of
the other law schools in the state, only the
University of Michigan Law School, which
had fewer takers than Wayne Law, had
a bar passage rate comparable to
Wayne Law’s.
“As witnessed by such a high passage
rate, Wayne Law truly prepares graduates
for the real world by providing them with
the tools and resources needed to pass
the bar examination and enter into the
legal community,” said Dean Frank H. Wu.
“On behalf of Wayne Law, I would like to
congratulate our recent alumni on a job
well done.”
The high passage rate marks the second
consecutive year that approximately 95
percent of Wayne Law graduates have
passed the bar examination on the first try.
Ronald D. Keefe, ’72, was recently named
the 73rd president of the State Bar of
Michigan.
“On behalf of Wayne Law, I’d like to
congratulate Mr. Keefe on being named
president of the State Bar of Michigan,”
said Dean Frank H. Wu. “Mr. Keefe has
had an exceptional career in law and
is highly acclaimed among his peers.
His experience as a leader in the legal
community will certain bode well for the
State Bar of Michigan.”
Keefe was sworn in by Michigan Supreme
Court Chief Justice Clifford W. Taylor. The
ceremony took place at DeVos Place in Grand
Rapids and was held in conjunction with the
State Bar of Michigan 72nd Annual Meeting.
Since 1998, Keefe has been a member of the
State Bar Board of Commissioners and he has
chaired many committees including those
dealing with member services, professional
standards, justice initiatives and finance.
He has also been a commissioner liaison
to numerous sections and committees
of the Bar and was elected to the bar’s
Representative Assembly from 1995 to 1998.
Keefe started his career as an assistant
prosecuting attorney in Marquette County
over three decades ago. He served in the
United States Army from 1969 to 1971.
In 1976, he joined Kendricks, Bordeau,
Adamini, Chilman and Greenlee P.C. where
he is a shareholder. Mr. Keefe focuses on civil
litigation, mediation and municipal law. He is
also the Marquette city attorney.
Recent Notable Gifts to Wayne Law
• $50,000 from the Charles H. Gershenson Trust
4
ALUMNI PROFILE: MERCEDES VARASTEH, ’07
“I am deeply appreciative for the quality of the education I received at
Wayne – I did not just receive a law degree, but I was actually taught
to be a lawyer.”
Mercedes Varasteh, ’07
Associate, Frank, Haron, Weiner and Navarro
Why did you choose Wayne Law? I chose
Wayne for its excellent reputation in the
Michigan legal community, and based on
the recommendations of the numerous
Wayne Law alumni with whom I spoke.
How did you find your first job? An attorney
I knew posted a message on the Michigan
Trial Lawyers Associate listserv asking if
anyone was looking for a law clerk. A
partner at my current firm responded to
the message, and I started work at Frank,
Haron, Weiner and Navarro in June 2005.
I enjoyed the work and attorneys there so
much that I decided to stay; I worked there
part-time through law school and began as
an associate this November.
Was there one thing, one class, one
professor at Wayne Law that was particularly
important to you? Professor David Moran
and Professor Katherine White were both
amazing instructors. During my extremely
challenging first year, Professor White
constantly encouraged me and was always
available to answer questions about her
class or law school in general. Professor
Moran’s classes were always engaging and
highly informative – he has a unique way
of capturing his students’ attention and
making them really think through the cases
and hypotheticals.
How did involvement in student
organizations affect your law school
experience? I was a member of the Wayne
Law Review, and being an editor not only
sharpened my legal writing and analytical
abilities but I met several of my best
friends on the Law Review. I could not
have imagined my last two years of law
school without the support and friendship I
received from the other editors.
You recently passed the Michigan Bar
Examination. How prepared did you feel? I
honestly believe that no matter how much
you study, the Bar exam is such a daunting
experience and the stakes are so high that
you can never really feel prepared! However,
I was able to apply a great deal from the
courses I took at Wayne to the topics
covered on the Bar exam – for example,
I could not have imagined studying for
the Bar without having previously taken
Criminal Procedure I and II.
Do you plan on staying involved with Wayne
Law in the future? I am definitely planning
on remaining connected with the law school
– right now I am mentoring a second-year
law student, and I would love to continue
working with students in the future.
What advice do you give someone
considering law school? You have to be
prepared to work incredibly hard – if there
is one thing I have learned from practicing
law, it is that there are no shortcuts or easy
ways out. However, I truly believe that
the law is an exceptionally interesting,
rewarding field to be a part of. Every day I
learn something new or help someone meet
a goal or resolve a conflict, and although it
was an immeasurably challenging endeavor,
going to law school was the best decision I
ever made.
What do you think sets Wayne Law apart
from other law schools? Throughout my
years at Wayne, I was constantly amazed
at the caliber of the faculty members.
Before starting at Wayne, I thought I was
going to have to endure endless lectures by
boring old men in tweed jackets. However,
I was amazed at the diversity of the faculty
members and their array of professional
experiences. I truly felt that the professors
cared about their students and wanted them
to develop into insightful, ethical, prepared
attorneys. I am deeply appreciative for the
quality of the education I received at Wayne
Law – I did not just receive a law degree, but
I was actually taught to be a lawyer.
Click here to join the Law Alumni Association
HEATHER JOY THOMPSON, ’05
HIGHLIGHTED ON OPRAH AND NAMED PERSONAL ASSISTANT TO SEAN ‘DIDDY’ COMBS
Thompson, the youngest of three children,
was born in Detroit and raised in Southfield.
She attended The Roeper School in
Bloomfield Hills, earning her diploma in
1995. Upon graduation, she enrolled at
Spelman College in Atlanta, Ga., and earned
a Bachelor of Arts in studio art in 1999.
Heather Joy Thompson, ’05, was recently
selected as hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy”
Combs’ personal assistant after winning
Combs’ YouTube contest. She was featured
as the winner on the Nov. 6, 2007, episode
of the Oprah Winfrey Show.
After Spelman, Thompson enrolled at
Wayne Law, where she was the recipient
of the Kenneth V. Cockrel Scholarship
and a member of the Jessup International
Moot Court Team, The Black Law Students
Association (BLSA), Executive Board, and a
student attorney at Wayne State’s Free Legal
Aid Clinic (FLAC). She has been a member
of the State Bar of Michigan since 2005.
In addition to her scholastic achievements,
Thompson served in the Peace Corps in
Burkina Faso, West Africa, from May 1999
to October 2000 where she worked at
a local health clinic and initiated several
high-profile programs to combat HIV/AIDS
and other communicable diseases. She has
also served as a policy analyst for Detroit
City Councilwoman Sheila M. Cockrel and
as a press secretary for the Greg Hecht for
Lt. Governor of Georgia campaign. She
competed and won the reality television
competition, “The Intern,” and, in 2006,
she passed the Foreign Service Written Exam
and Oral Assessment.
5
STUDENT PROFILE: MATTHEW GOODMAN, 1L
“I think in terms of getting prepared for the whole law school
experience, the orientiation was very helpful here at Wayne Law. And,
from stories I’ve heard, Wayne Law doesn’t seem as ultra-competive as
other law schools. It seems very student oriented.”
Matthew Goodman, 1L
What made you decide to go to law school?
I think I always knew I wanted to go to law
school. I graduated from McGill University
in Montreal, Canada, in December 2006
with a degree in political science. I decided
to attend Wayne Law due to a combination
of personal factors and because it seemed
like a place I could receive a very worthwhile
education.
Is there one experience or encounter that
stands out thus far? I think in terms of
getting prepared for the whole law school
experience, the orientiation was very helpful
here at Wayne Law. And, from stories I’ve
heard, Wayne Law doesn’t seem as ultracompetive as other law schools. It seems
very student oriented.
Are you finding the work very hard? The
biggest adjustment was not in terms of
the reading, but the outlining concept for
exams and condensing everything. I’m
getting used to it. It’s something I’ve never
done in my other studies. There’s no real
expectation of what it’s going to be.
What are first-year classes like at Wayne
Law? So far, so good. I really enjoy the
professors. Professor Findlater is the most
organized and well-structured professor.
When you walk out of her class, you really
don’t have any questions of where the class
is going. She’s very into making the learning
experience what it’s meant to be.
Are you thinking of going into any particular
area of law at this point? It’s still a gray
area. I dreaded Contracts at first. As soon
as I started reading it, though, it was a
lot more interesting than I thought. That
demonstrated to me that I need to keep my
options open at this point.
How is the social life in law school?
Most people are pretty friendly. And there’s
usually a lot of stuff going on. I’m a member
of the Jewish Law Students Association
and Professor Moss’ Volunteer Advocacy
Group and I have met people through those
groups.
What advice do you have for incoming
students? I’m just hoping to keep my head
above water and keep my scholarships.
I think the best advice I could give
to incoming students is to get some
information and talk to people, but don’t
get overwhelmed with everything everyone
else is doing. So many things are going on
when you enter law school. If you worry
about too much, you get a little lost.
STUDENTS WIN REGIONALS
Wayne Law students Paul Dickerson,
AJ Kochis and Dan Williams recently
won the 6th Circuit Regional Moot
Court Competition in Cleveland,
Ohio. As the number one team in
the 6th Circuit, they will travel
to New York in January 2008 to
represent Wayne Law in the national
championship hosted by the Bar
Association of the City of New York.
Are you interested in mentoring a Wayne Law student? Your knowledge and experience could assist a law student on their journey into the legal
community. For more information on how to get involved, please send a message to [email protected] today.
6
INTRODUCING: COLETTE ROUTEL
“We are pleased to have Professor Routel joining us this semester at
Wayne Law. She brings with her a wealth of knowledge and experience
that will be a tremendous benefit to our students.”
Dean Frank H. Wu
Colette Routel is a Visiting Assistant Professor
of Law at Wayne Law for the 2007-08
academic year. She will teach American
Indian Law (Fall 2007), Natural Resources
Law (Winter 2008) and Civil Procedure
(Winter 2008).
After graduating from law school, Professor
Routel spent several years working at Faegre
& Benson in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
In 2007, Ms. Routel joined the Indian
law boutique firm of Jacobson, Buffalo,
Magnuson, Anderson & Hogen in St. Paul,
Minnesota. Her practice includes both
litigation and transactional work for Indian
tribes, tribal members and businesses. Her
work has spanned the gamut of federal
Indian law, with representative matters
involving tribal sovereign immunity, taxation,
housing, the Indian Child Welfare Act, labor
and employment, and gaming. She has
also worked on tribally related financings
involving more than 25 Indian tribes
throughout the country.
Professor Routel also maintains a substantial
pro bono practice in family law, wildlife law,
wilderness law, civil rights law and asylum
refugee law. She has successfully represented
environmental organizations in litigation
seeking to preserve wilderness areas and
has worked on several matters involving the
protection of charismatic species such as the
gray wolf, grizzly bear and dolphin under
the Endangered Species Act and the Marine
Mammal Protection Act. Professor Routel
has a substantial asylum/refugee practice,
and has represented clients from Guatemala,
Laos, Togo and Gabon in proceedings before
the IJ, BIA and U.S. Court of Appeals for
the Eighth Circuit. In 2002 and 2004 she
received the Sierra Club North Star Chapter
Award for her pro bono work, and in 2005,
she was nominated for the Minnesota Justice
Foundation’s Outstanding Service Award.
During the past six years, she has provided
more than 2,500 hours of pro bono service
to Indian tribes, low-income individuals and
non-profit organizations.
Professor Routel graduated magna cum laude
from Ithaca College with a Bachelor of Music.
She received her J.D. magna cum laude
from the University of Michigan Law School,
where she served as a Contributing Editor on
the Michigan Law Review and was elected
to the Order of the Coif. While in law school,
Professor Routel received the Tapestry Award
(awarded by the University of Michigan for
leadership activities promoting social justice)
and the Jane L. Mixer Award (awarded by the
Law School for community service).
DEAN WU WINS TRAILBLAZER AWARD
Dean Wu has served as the ninth dean of
the Law School since 2004. He also serves
as a Trustee of Gallaudet University, the
only university in the United States serving
primarily deaf and hard of hearing.
Wayne Law Dean Frank H. Wu was recently
selected as a 2007 National Asian Pacific
American Bar Association (NAPABA)
Trailblazer Award recipient. The Trailblazer
Award recognizes the outstanding
achievements, commitments and leadership
of NAPABA lawyers who have paved the
way for the advancement of Asian Pacific
American attorneys and community.
Dean Wu was honored at the 19th Annual
NAPABA Convention on Nov. 16, 2007.
His professional experiences in academia
include serving on the law faculty of Howard
University, as an adjunct professor at
Columbia University, as a visiting professor
at the University of Michigan, as a teaching
fellow at Stanford University, and as a scholar
in residence at Deep Springs College.
Prior to his academic career, Dean Wu held
a clerkship with the late U.S. District Judge
Frank J. Battisti in Cleveland and practiced
law with the firm of Morrison & Foerster in
San Francisco. In addition, he served briefly
by appointment of the D.C. Court of Appeals
on its Board of Professional Responsibility,
was appointed by Mayor Anthony Williams
For more Wayne Law news, click here!
as Chair of the D.C. Human Rights
Commission for 2001-02, and joined the
Board of the Leadership Conference on Civil
Rights Education Fund in 2004. He is also
an elected member of the American Law
Institute, and a member of the Committee
of 100.
Since becoming Dean, he has received
numerous other awards and honors. They
include the Arthur A. Fletcher Award from
the American Association for Affirmative
Action; a Special Recognition Award from the
Wolverine Bar Association; the Walton
A. Lewis Brotherhood Award from Bethel
A.M.E. Church, and the Janet A. Helms
Mentoring Award from Columbia University
Teachers College.
7
MONTHLY ALUMNI WRAP-UP
50s
Retired Warren District Court Judge Don
Binkowski, ‘56, was listed in Who’s Who in
American Law, 2007-2008.
70s
Harold G. Schuitmaker, ’70, of
Schuitmaker, Cooper, Schuitmaker &
Cypher, PC, Paw Paw, Mich., has been
elected vice-chair of the Probate and Estate
Planning Section Council of the State Bar of
Michigan.
Robert A. Berlow, ’71, a member of
Kickham Hanley P.C., has been named in
the 25th anniversary edition (2008) of “The
Best Lawyers in America.” A resident of
West Bloomfield, Berlow, prior to joining
the firm, was Executive Vice President,
Chief Administrative Officer and General
Counsel of Perry Drug Stores, Inc. Berlow
is also a former chairperson of the Real
Property Law Section of the State Bar of
Michigan.
Ronald D. Keefe, ‘72, was recently named
the 73rd president of the State Bar of
Michigan.
Philip A. Grashoff, Jr. and Alan M. Kanter,
’72 and ’76, respectively, are among the
four shareholders of Strobl & Sharp P.C.
who have again been selected for inclusion
in “The Best Lawyers in America 2008.”
Loren M. Opper, ’73, senior counsel in
the Detroit Miller Canfield office, recently
received a Meritorious Service Award
from the Tax Executives Institute (TEI),
the preeminent, international professional
organization of in-house tax professionals.
Donald Wilson, ’76, has moved to Australia
and now works as Senior International Tax
Counsel at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Ltd.
in Sydney.
Howard Hertz, ’76, co-founder of
Bloomfield Hills-based Hertz, Schram P.C.
(www.hertzschram.com), was recently
recognized for two prestigious legal honors.
For the second consecutive year, Hertz was
named one of Michigan’s Super Lawyers by
Law & Politics in its 2007 issue of Michigan
Super Lawyers as an Entertainment and
Sports Law practitioner. He was also
selected for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in
America 2008.
Stephen G. Schaffer, ’77, a partner in the
Southfield office of Michigan-based Jaffe,
Raitt, Heuer, & Weiss P.C., has been named
one of “The Best Lawyers in America for
2008.”
80s
Catherine B. LaMont, ’80, founder and
president of LaMont Title Coporation,
has been named to the “Michigan Super
Lawyers” list for the second consecutive
year. Additionally, LaMont is included on
the 2007 Super Lawyers list of the “Top 50
Women Lawyers” in the state.
Robert E.L. Wright, ’80, an attorneymediator in the Grand Rapids Miller
Canfield office, was recently elected to the
Executive Committee of the ADR Section of
the State Bar of Michigan for the 20072008 year. Wright is a Harvard-trained
facilitative mediator and neutral arbitrator,
resolving commercial, construction, divorce
and employment disputes. He has more
than 25 years’ experience in litigation for
plaintiffs and defendants with particular
emphasis in alternative dispute resolution
and commercial litigation, including
bankruptcy. He is listed in “The Best
Lawyers in America,” 2006, 2007 and 2008
editions, as well as Michigan Super Lawyers
2006 and 2007 editions, for his work as a
mediator.
Steven R. Cole, ’81, a partner of the firm
Lipson, Neilson, Cole, Seltzer, & Garin
P.C., has been named by “Michigan Super
Lawyers” magazine as a top attorney in
Michigan for 2007.
Michael S. Khoury, ’82, has been elected
chair of the State Bar of Michigan Business
Law section.
Jay L. Welford, ’82, a partner in the
firm Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer, & Weiss P.C., has
been named one of “The Best Lawyers in
America for 2008.”
Janet Anderson-Davis, ’83, recently
released a book titled “Dance of The
Warriors.” The book includes a compilation
of poems, each dedicated to a player
involved in the Detroit Recount of 2005.
Kenneth F. Silver, ’83, partner at
Bloomfield Hills-based Hertz Schram PC,
co-founded a recently launched website
that was designed to connect business
owners and entrepreneurs with potential
business partners and investors called The
Deal Gateway (www.thedealgateway.com).
Silver co-founded the site with the goal of
helping diversify Michigan’s economy by
enabling people to identify new investment
opportunities and business contacts.
Linda G. Burwell, ’85, a partner at Detroitbased employment law firm Nemeth
Burwell, P.C., spoke in New York City this
month at a large conference of corporate
in-house counsel attorneys on the topic
of e-discovery and identity theft in the
workplace. Burwell continues to be sought
after for her expertise in this emerging
sector of the law. She also co-authored an
article on identity theft in the workplace,
along with Nemeth Burwell attorney
Terry Bonnette, which appeared in the
November issue of the respected legal trade
publication, In-House Counsel.
Kathleen J. McCarthy, ’87, associate
professor and reference librarian at Seton
Hall University School of Law, will be
volunteering as a short-term legal specialist
for the American Bar Association Rule of
Law Initiative, Europe and Eurasia program
in the Republic of Armenia. Professor
McCarthy will be assisting the Armenian
Court of Cassation Judicial Department in
developing topical indexing systems for
its written decisions. In the fall of 2004,
Professor McCarthy was in Armenia as a
Fulbright Senior Specialist as part of an
ongoing partnership between Seton Hall
University and Armenia especially Yerevan
State University following up on the Rule of
Law project to strengthen Armenia’s Rule of
Law through reforming legal education at
Yerevan State University.
8
90s
Esther “Lynise” Bryant-Weekes, ’91, was
appointed judge of the 36th District Court.
Lawrence Bryant Shulman, ’91, recently
founded the firm of Draper, Rubin &
Shulman PLC, with offices in Southfield and
Grosse Pointe Farms. He is a former Wayne
County Assistant Prosecutor, most recently
a member of the Major Crimes Section. He
specializes in defending white collar and
general criminal matters in federal and state
courts, nationwide. He is also a member
of the National Association of Criminal
Defense Lawyers, the First Amendment
Lawyers Association, and the Litigation
and Criminal Law Sections of the State Bar.
The firm focuses its practice on business
litigation.
Mark W. Peters, ’93, was elected to serve
as secretary of World Services Group for
2007-2008.
Thomas Schramm, ’99, a Senior Attorney
at Detroit-based employment law firm
Nemeth Burwell, P.C., has been named
a co-chair of the Labor and Employment
Law Section of the Detroit Metropolitan
Bar Association (DMBA). Schramm joined
Nemeth Burwell, P.C. as an associate
in 1999, and focuses his practice on
employment litigation and labor law.
00s
Jim Harlan, ’00, joined Siemens Corp. as IP
Counsel, and is based in Plano, Texas.
Mark C. Rossman, ’01, of Mantese and
Rossman, Troy, was selected for inclusion
in the Michigan Lawyers Weekly 2007 “Up
and Coming Lawyers” edition.
Shanta Driver, ’02, wrote an article
concerning Prop 209 in California,
called “Combating the New Jim Crow in
California.”
Association. Mindy will be handling Clean
Water Act litigation in addition to being
the lead attorney for the proposed Carbon
Sequestration Regulations under the Safe
Drinking Water Act.
Neil Pioch, ’04, has joined Draper, Rubin &
Shulman PLC as a litigation associate. The
firm’s website is www.drsplc.com.
Stephen P. Dunn, ’05, has joined Howard
and Howard Attorneys, P.C.
Jon T. Emaus, ’06, was recognized at the
Association of Fundraising Professionals
Greater Detroit Chapter’s National
Philanthropy Day dinner at the Dearborn
Inn on Nov. 15, 2007. The citation reads:
“A 2006 graduate of the Law School, Mr.
Emaus’ dedicated stewardship as president
of the Student Board of Governors
continues today with his service as secretary
of the Law Alumni Association. An attorney
with a young family, Mr. Emaus keeps
volunteerism alive at the Law School by
taking the lead on activities and issues
related to the well being of students,
alumni and the campus community.
He serves beyond the call of duty in
his commitments.
Mark Erman, ’07, of Pepper Hamilton LLP,
has been admitted to the Michigan Bar. Mr.
Erman is an associate in the Environmental
Practice Group resident in the Detroit office.
Daniel Borst and Madelaine Lane, both
‘07 alumni, were welcomed as associates
to Warner Norcross & Judd LLP in Grand
Rapids.
Submit your alumni updates and
accomplishments to Kristin Copenhaver,
Law School Communications Director, at
[email protected]!
Wayne State University Board of Governors
Tina Abbott
Richard Bernstein
Debbie Dingell
Eugene Driker
Diana Dunaskiss
Wayne Law Board of Visitors
Executive Committee
Thomas T. Huff
Earle Erman Co-Chair
Erman, Teicher, Miller, Zucker
& Freedman
Kathryn J. Humphrey
Dykema Gossett PLLC
David M. Hempstead Co-Chair
Bodman, LLP
Candyce Ewing Abbatt
Fried Saperstein Abbatt, PC
Hon. Nancy G. Edmunds
U.S. District Court, Eastern
District of Michigan
Thomas G. Kienbaum
Kienbaum Opperwall Hardy
& Pelton, PLC
Michael L. Pitt
Pitt, Dowty, McGehee &
Mirer, PC
William A. Sankbeil
Kerr, Russell & Weber, PLC
I.W. Winsten
Honigman Miller Schwartz and
Cohn, LLP
Members
Henry Baskin
Baskin Law Firm, PC
C. David Bargamian
Barris, Sott, Denn & Driker,
PLLC
Roger C. Bauer
Gillard, Bauer, Mazrum, Florip,
Smigelski & Gulden
Maurice S. Binkow
Honigman Miller Schwartz and
Cohn, LLP
Roger Boesky
Monte D. Jahnke
Kerr, Russell and Weber, PLC
David D. Joswick
Miller, Canfield, Paddock and
Stone, PLC
Peter M. Kellett
Dykema Gossett, PLLC
Hon. Marilyn J. Kelly
Michigan Supreme Court
Carol H. Lesnek-Cooper
General Motors Corporation
Lawrence D. McLaughlin
Honigman Miller Schwartz and
Cohn, LLP
Michael W. Maddin
Maddin, Hauser, Wartell, Roth
& Heller, PC
Hon. Donna R. Milhouse
36th District Court
E. Powell Miller
Miller Shea, PC
Albert T. Quick
Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge
James K. Robinson
Cadwalader, Wickersham
& Taft
David L. Rogers
Rogers Mantese & Associates,
P.C.
Hon. Gerald E. Rosen
U.S. District Court Eastern
District of Michigan
Garry G. Carley
Paul A. Rosen
Rosen & Lovell, PC
Robert M. Carson
Carson Fischer, PLC
John E. S. Scott
Dickinson Wright, PLLC
Ina C. Cohen
Paul M. Shirilla
Munson Healthcare
John J. Collins, Jr.
Champion Enterprises, Inc.
Krishna S. Dighe
U.S. Department of Justice
Hon. Edward Ewell, Jr.
Third Circuit Court of
Michigan
Tyrone C. Fahner
Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw
Sherrie L. Farrell
Dykema Gossett, PLLC
Cynthia B. Faulhaber
Michael D. Fishman
Rader, Fishman & Grauer
Mindy Nigoff, ‘03, has joined the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency Water
Law Office as an Attorney-Adviser. She
is located at the U.S. Headquarters in
Washington, D.C. Before joining she
was a Presidential Management Fellow
with the National Oceanic Atmospheric
Paul Massaron
Annetta Miller
Jacquelin Washington
Irvin Reid, Ex-Officio
Julie Miller, Secretary
David Galbenski
Lumen Legal
Miriam L. Siefer
Federal Defender’s Office
Barry P. Waldman
Sachs Waldman, PC
John J. Wallbillich
Lexvista LLC
Prof. Jonathan Weinberg
Wayne State University Law
School
Marcy H. Wolfson
Ford Motor Company
Hon. Joan E. Young
6th Circuit Court
Edward M. Zelenak
City Attorney, Lincoln Park
Honorary Consul, Slovakia
Hon. Elizabeth L. Gleicher
Gleicher & Patek, P.C.
David M. Hayes
Clark Hill, PLC
Paul W. Hines
Sommers, Schwartz, Silver &
Schwartz, PC
9
UPCOMING WAYNE
CHECK OUT WAYNE LAW FACULTY BLOGS AT:
LAW EVENTS
A Taxing Matter (Prof. Beale)
Dean Blog (Dean Wu)
Izumi Lecture
Thursday, Jan. 10, 2008
4 p.m.
Spencer M. Partrich Auditorium
Wayne Law School
Info/Law (Prof. Bambauer)
Mergers and Acquisitions (Prof. Davidoff)
Taxation and Development (Prof. McIntyre)
Jazz Night
Thursday, Jan. 24, 2008
5:30 p.m.
Spencer M. Partrich Auditorium
Wayne Law School
White Collar Crime (Prof. Henning)
Wayne Law, the Asian Pacific American Law
Students Association, and the Black Law
Students Association invite members and
alumni to attend their annual
Speaker Series - Kristen Clarke-Avery
Monday, Feb. 11, 2008
4 p.m.
Spencer M. Partrich Auditorium
Wayne Law School
“Jazz Night”
I. Goodmen Cohen Lecture
Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2008
4 p.m.
Spencer M. Partrich Auditorium
Wayne Law School
Law Review Symposium
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Spencer M. Partrich Auditorium
Wayne Law School
An evening of music, food and conversation
Thursday, Jan. 24, 2008, 5:30 p.m.
Wayne State University Law School
Spencer M. Partrich Auditorium
471 W. Palmer St., Detroit
Treasure of Detroit
Saturday, April 5, 2008
5:30 p.m.
Location yet to be determined
For more information regarding Wayne Law
events, please contact Robin Dortenzio at
[email protected] or at (313) 577-3934.
CHECK OUT THE LATEST
NEWS AND UPCOMING
EVENTS ONLINE AT
WWW.LAW.WAYNE.EDU!
EMAIL KCOPENHAVER@
WAYNE.EDU WITH ANY
ALUMNI ANNOUNCEMENTS
OR EVENT INFORMATION!
Your RSVP to this event is requested by Jan. 18 to
(313) 577-0300 or [email protected]. For further information,
please contact Tammy Bynum at (313) 577-3113. Be sure to
spread the word to other law school alumni and friends!
Please consider a donation to the Damon J. Keith Center of Civil Rights or the Student Organizations Fund. A donation slip is
below. Please send it and your contribution to the Advancement Office at: 471 W. Palmer St., Detroit, MI 48202.
Name:
Address:
Gift Options:
Payment method:
Account Number:
Signature:
Email Address:
City:
State:
$1,000
$500
$100
$75
$50
Other
check enclosed (payable to Wayne State University)
Visa
Mastercard
Expiration Date:
Please use my gift toward:
Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights
Student Organizations Fund (supporting law student groups, administered by Dean of Students)
Zip:
10