Wayne Law News

For the second year in a row, Wayne Law has been recognized as a Best Value Law School by The National Jurist and its sister publication, preLaw magazine.

Alumni gathered for a Wayne Law Reunion on Friday, Oct. 16, at the Westin Book Cadillac in Detroit.

Wayne Law’s state bar exam passage rate surpassed the state average for those who took the exam in July.

Wayne Law alumni gathered for a reception with Wayne Law Dean Jocelyn Benson, faculty, staff, alumni and friends Thursday, Oct. 8, during the State Bar of Michigan annual meeting.

Students will be able to earn a bachelor’s degree and a law degree in six years through a partnership announced Tuesday, Oct. 6, by Oakland University and Wayne Law.

Adam Shakoor has been called throughout his life to make a difference, especially for the people of Detroit.

A video is available online of the Levin Center at Wayne Law’s half-day conference, “Congressional Oversight of Classified Programs – 40 Years after the Church Committee.”

Just two weeks after launching its app for golfers, Detroit-based tech startup Golfler won the Top Buyers Choice Award out of the more than 200 exhibitors at the 2015 PGA Fashion & Demo Experience.

Two student groups at Wayne Law will present a panel discussion Wednesday, Nov. 4, about safe drinking water in Michigan.

For Zachée Pouga Tinhaga, practicing international tax law continually stimulates his intellect and creativity.

John Cerone, a noted international law expert, will present “International Humanitarian Law in the News: Recent Developments in Syria, Ukraine and Afghanistan” on Thursday, Nov. 12, at Wayne Law.

Susan Haack delivered the I. Goodman Cohen Lecture in Trial Advocacy on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at Wayne Law.

The Great Lakes Environmental Law Center honored a U.S. senator and journalists from Detroit and Toledo on Thursday, Oct. 15, for their outstanding work on Great Lakes and environmental matters.

Four attorneys discussed corporate counsel Thursday, Oct. 29, as part of Wayne Law’s Alumni Speakers Series. Panelists were Terrence B. Larkin, ’79; Aleksandra Miziolek, ’80; Angelo Vitale,’83; and Amy Peterson.

A top legal adviser to the U.S. Department of State discussed the evolving relationship between Cuba and the United States on Thursday, Oct. 22, at Wayne Law.

LeRoy Paddock, associate dean of environmental law studies at George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C., spoke Thursday, Oct. 22, at Wayne Law.

The 2015 Wayne Law Review Symposium brought together a former associate U.S. attorney general, corporate counsel and academic experts to discuss “Corporate Counsel as Gatekeepers.”

Richard F. Griffin Jr., general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board, was the keynote speaker at the 23rd annual Bernard Gottfried Memorial Labor Law Symposium on Thursday, Oct. 15, at Wayne Law.

Elliot Diringer, executive vice president of the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions in Washington, D.C., presented “Paris Preview: How the New Global Climate Agreement is Shaping Up” on Tuesday, Oct. 13, at Wayne Law.

Wayne Law Assistant Professor Blanche Cook spoke at the American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section’s Fall Institute on Thursday, Oct. 22, in Washington, D.C.

Upcoming Events

Nov. 4 - Water as a Human Right: The Water Crisis in Michigan

Nov. 4 - Humanities Center - An American Academic in Dublin: Reflections on Almost Four Years in the Irish Government

Nov. 12 - International Humanitarian Law in the News: Recent Developments in Syria, Ukraine and Afghanistan

Nov. 12 - Race and Society: The Dignity of People, the Destiny of Detroit

Nov. 19 - Wayne Law Alumni Speaker Series: Law in the Health Industry

Dec. 3 - Race and Society: The Dignity of People, the Destiny of Detroit

More Events

Alumni Accomplishments

Anton Anderssen, '94, was named vice president of the Poetry Society of Michigan.

Laura Baucus, '00, has been appointed as the office managing member of Dykema's Bloomfield Hills office. She is a member of the firm's Litigation Department, Financial Industry Group and Automotive Industry Group. 

Matt Binkowski, '06, has joined Quinn Law Group PLLC, an intellectual property law firm in Novi, as a principal. He will focus on the preparation and prosecution of patent applications.

Terry Bonnette, '04, has spoken on a variety of employment law topics throughout Michigan during third quarter 2015. He is a partner with Nemeth Law. 

Judy Calton, '86, a partner in the Litigation Department and the Bankruptcy, Reorganization and Creditor Rights Practice Group of Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP, has been elected treasurer of the Business Law Section Council of the State Bar of Michigan.  

Alexander Domenicucci, '98, a shareholder at Southfield-based Maddin Hauser Roth & Heller, has been elected vice chair of the State Bar of Michigan's Taxation Section. He also was appointed chair of the Oakland County Bar Association Tax Committee.

Mike Hindelang, '04, has been elected to Honigman's board of directors. He is leader of the firm's data security and privacy litigation and its Ediscovery and Information Management practice groups. He is in Honigman's Detroit office.

Michael Hluchaniuk, '72, will retire as a magistrate judge for the Eastern District of Michigan, a position he's held since 2007.

Harold Hood, '59, on Nov. 6 will receive the ninth annual Dennis W. Archer Award for Public Service presented by the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association Foundation. A lifelong Michigander, Hood has spent his adult life serving the community as a soldier, attorney, public servant, educator and as chief judge pro tem of the Michigan Court of Appeals.

Lee Hornberger, '82, presented "2015 Michigan Arbitration and Mediation Case Law Update" at the State Bar of Michigan Alternative Dispute Resolution Section annual meeting and conference Oct. 2 in Traverse City. He is an arbitrator and mediator in Traverse City.

Kathryn Humphrey, '80, member of Dykema Gossett PLLC in Detroit, spoke to students in Professor Laura Bartell's Effective Oral Communication for Lawyers Seminar. Humphrey is chair of the Wayne Law Board of Visitors.

Hala Jarbou, '97, was appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder to fill a vacancy as judge of Oakland County Circuit Court. Prior to this appointment, she was a federal prosecutor in the Drug Task Force Unit under U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade in Detroit.

Eric Jones, '10, has been named interim fire commissioner for the city of Detroit.

Steven Lefkofsky, '90, has joined Jaffe Raitt Heuer and Weiss PC as a partner in the firm's Litigation Practice Group. 

John Loeks, '70, was elected chair of the National Assocation of Theater Owners. He is CEO of Celebration Cinemas, which owns and operates movie theaters throughout Michigan. 

Mary Massaron, '90, is co-editor of a newly updated American Bar Association book, Sword and Shield: A Practical Approach to Section 1983 Litigation, Fourth Edition. She is a partner with Plunkett Cooney PC in Bloomfield Hills.

Reuben Metreger, '11, was promoted to the leadership team of Detroit Cristo Rey High School.

Marilyn Mullane, '79, will receive the Michigan State Bar Foundation's 2015 Access to Justice Award, which honors those who have significantly advanced access to justice for the poor in Michigan.

William Murphy, '70, chief judge of the Michigan Court of Appeals, is the recipient of the National Center for State Courts 2015 Distinguished Service Award. It is one of the highest awards the organization presents. 

Patricia Nemeth, '84, LL.M. '90, shared her employment law expertise with industry trade groups in Michigan and Connecticut over the past several months. She is founder of Detroit-based employment law firm Nemeth Law.

Robert Parker, '80, was profiled in the Traverse City Record Eagle. He is CEO of Smith Haughey Rice and Roegge, which is celebrating 25 years in Traverse City. 

Linda Ross, '88, has been reappointed to the Quality and Accountability Committee of the Michigan Health and Hospital Association. She is a partner with Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP in Detroit and leader of the firm's Healthcare Practice Group.

Stephen Sinas, '07, a shareholder in the Sinas Dramis Law Firm in Lansing, gave a presentation on the Affordable Care Act during a People's Law School session in East Lansing. People's Law School, sponsored by the Sinas Dramis Law Firm, Wayne Law and Michigan Association for Justice, is open to the community. He also was elected to the board of the Michigan Brain Injury Provider Council.

Nicholas Tloczynski, '14, has taken a position as a research assistant for the Michigan Court of Appeals in Lansing.

Mallory Tomaro, '12, has joined Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP as an associate in its Real Estate Department. She will be in the firm's Detroit office.

Ruth Swartout Tyszka, '01, will be part of an art exhibit, Just Desserts, at the Janice Charach Gallery in West Bloomfield. It will run through Thursday, Dec. 10. Tyszka's primary medium is sculptural mixed media mosaic.

Ann Marie Uetz, '93, has been named to the Crain's Detroit Most Connected List, which highlights the 100 most influential business leaders in the greater Detroit area. She is a partner with Foley and Gardner and a vice chair of the firm's Bankruptcy and Business Reorganization Practice.

John Wright, '10, founded John Wright Law PLLC, a solo law practice based in Detroit focusing on trademark, copyright and business law.

Kimberly Yourchock, '08, has joined Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP as a partner in its Labor and Employment Department's Wage and Hour Practice Group. She will be in the firm's Detroit office.


More Alumni Accomplishments

Faculty Accomplishments

Linda Beale was accepted for fellowship in the American College of Tax Counsel.

Stephen Calkins gave a presentation for the WSU Department of Political Science Colloquium Series. He spoke about his experiences working for the Irish government as a member of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.

Noah Hall gave a presentation on environmental law and the Great Lakes during a People's Law School session in East Lansing. People's Law School, sponsored by the Sinas Dramis Law Firm, Wayne Law and Michigan Association for Justice, is open to the community.

Peter Hammer spoke at a WSU workshop on "Integrative and Sustainable Food, Energy and Water in Transitioning Urban Landscapes."

D'lorah Hughes was appointed to the State Bar of Michigan's Equal Access Initiative Committee, which has a mission to develop policies and programs to benefit underserved populations.

Carl Levin received the 2015 Milliken Distinguished Leadership Award. The award recognizes leaders who embody the legacy of former Gov. William Milliken and the late Helen Milliken, and the belief that a clean, healthy environment is necessary for a prosperous economy.

Lawrence Mann and David Moss spoke at the 30th annual Midwest Clinical Conference at Case Western Reserve University School of Law. They presented "Team Teaching Live-Client Clinics: The Benefits of Pairing Instructors from Diverse Teaching & Practice Backgrounds."

Hon. Gerald Rosen is the recipient of the 2015 John Hensel Award from the State Bar of Michigan Arts, Communication, Enterntainment and Sports Section. The award recognizes an attorney or judge who has contributed significantly to the arts, entertainment or sports in Michigan. Rosen is receiving the award to recognize the "grand bargain" he achieved as chief judicial mediator for the Detroit bankruptcy case, saving the Detroit Institute of Art's world-class collection from the threat of liquidation. 

Nick Schroeck spoke on "Current Trends in Environmental Law" at the Sierra Club of Southeast Michigan's October meeting.

Rachel Settlage served as a panelist during the 2015 Latina and Latino Critical Legal Theory Inc. conference in southern California. Her panel's topic was "Victim/Survivor-Based Immigration Relief and the Realities of Immigration Enforcement."

Noah Hall spoke about how the public trust doctrine fits with state sovereignty and property rights to shape the law of water at a symposium hosted by the University of Detroit Mercy Law Review.  

Peter Hammer participated in a roundtable discussion, "How can Michigan cities be more inclusive and resilient?" It was part of an event, People Building Better Cities, at the University of Michigan.

D'lorah Hughes spoke about "Curriculum Innovation in Experiential Education" at the 30th annual Midwest Clinical Conference at Case Western Reserve University School of Law.

Nick Schroeck, in his role as co-chair of the Great Lakes and Inland Waters Committee of the State Bar of Michigan Environmental Law Section, hosted a webinar, "Dire Straits: A Legal and Policy Update on the Line 5 Straits of Mackinac Oil Pipeline."


More Faculty Accomplishments

Professors in the News

Jocelyn Benson  was quoted by The Detroit News in Oakland U., WSU partner to fast-track law degrees, interviewed by WWJ radio and widely quoted in other local media about a partnership between Wayne Law and Oakland University to offer students the option to earn both a bachelor's degree and law degree in six years.

Noah Hall was interviewed by Michigan Public Radio for a report, Federal appeals court orders EPA to rewrite ballast rules for ships.

Peter Hammer was quoted in a Detroit News report, Reforms pushed for $500 foreclosure auction. 

Peter Henning was quoted in a Bloomberg Business article, Spoofing Law Gets Biggest Test Yet Before a Chicago Jury.

Carl Levin was quoted  in and was the focus of an article, Former U.S. senator receives high honor during Harvest at the Commons event, by UpNorthLive.com. He was the 2015 recipient of the Milliken Distinguished Leadership Award.

John Mogk was quoted in a Detroit Free Press report, Why lawsuit over Flint water is a long shot.

Nick Schroeck was interviewed by Fox 2 Detroit TV for a report, Coke breeze causes concern on Detroit waterfront.

Robert Sedler was interviewed by Michigan Radio for its report, Can emergency managers be held accountable for their bad decisions?

Peter Hammer was quoted in a Detroit News report, Detroit activist Grace Lee Boggs dies at 100.

Peter Henning was quoted by The American Lawyer for its report, Round One Goes to Dewey & LeBoeuf Defendants.

John Mogk was quoted in a Detroit News report, Bids start at $500 for AMC headquarters in tax sale.

Nick Schroeck was interviewed by WDET radio for its report, EPA Facing Trouble Over Clean Water Act and Ballast Water Permits.

Robert Sedler was cited in a Crain's Detroit Business report, Only 2 cases remain in more than a dozen filed over new bridge to Canada.

Peter Henning was quoted in a New York Daily News report, Supreme Court ruling on rackateering statute would affect FIFA federal fraud case in Brooklyn.

John Mogk was quoted in a Detroit Free Press report, $3.7M extra paid in Detroit's blight fight.

Robert Sedler was quoted in a Detroit Free Press report, ACLU: Teen ban at Birmingham theater is wrong. 


More Professors in the News