Wayne Law News

Wayne Law's growing Student Trial Advocacy Program, also known as mock trial, is in need of practicing attorneys to conduct trials as judges.

Chief Judge Nanci Grant noticed a few years ago that some of the defendants before her in Oakland County Circuit Court were veterans, who, before their deployment, had never been in trouble with the law.

Dean Jocelyn Benson cordially invites you and a guest to join her at a cocktail reception Wednesday, Feb. 11, in Bonita Springs, Fla., for alumni of Wayne Law.

 “Fresh Perspectives on International Law” will be the topic of the Tuesday, Feb. 17, installment of the Wayne Law Alumni Speaker Series.

As part of Black History Month, a panel of black judges will talk about their careers and issues of diversity in the judiciary Tuesday, Feb. 10, at Wayne Law.

A reception Jan. 29 at the Bodman law offices in Detroit announced and celebrated a new strategic partnership between Bodman and Wayne Law

Wayne Law and the State Bar of Michigan presented “Professionalism in Action,” a program for first-year law students, Jan. 23.

Experts discussed the legal, social, moral and practical implications of events in Ferguson, Mo., and New York City during a presentation Jan. 21 at Wayne Law. 

Law students from the metro Detroit area came to a panel discussion Jan. 15 at Wayne Law to learn about judicial clerkship and externship opportunities for summer 2015.

Students working in Wayne Law’s clinics for winter semester 2015 participated in a swearing-in ceremony Jan. 22. 

Wayne Law Professor Gregory Fox will return to his roots at noted international law firm WilmerHale as a scholar-in-residence in June.

Upcoming Events

Feb. 4 - Public Service Internship Fair

Feb. 4 - Detroit Regional LGBT Chamber of Commerce Panel & Film Screening – The Economics of Marriage Equality

Feb. 5 - The Legal Training System of Japan

Feb. 10 - Black Judges Panel

Feb. 11 - Dean's Reception - Bonita Springs, Fla.

Feb. 14 - Small Business Legal Academy

Feb. 17 - Wayne Law Alumni Speaker Series - Fresh Perspectives on International Law

Feb. 18 - Good Governance Lecture Series - Evaluating Mayor Duggan's Year One

Feb. 19 - Annual Soul Food Café Fundraiser and Film Screening

Feb. 19 - Panel Discussion: Police Issues Affecting the Black Community

Feb. 23 - Black History Month Teach-In with Adele Morrison

Feb. 25 - "Seeking the Truth in the Balkans" film screening and panel discussion

More Events

Alumni Accomplishments

Vikki Bayeh-Haley, '90, is the new judge on the 67th District Court bench in Genesee County. She was assistant county prosecutor.

Brad Brelinski, '05, an attorney with Curtis & Curtis PC in Jackson, was confirmed to a term on the Jackson County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority Board by the Jackson County Board of Commissioners.

Edward Ewell, '85, Wayne County Circuit Court judge, will receive the Purple Sport Coat Award at the sixth annual Tertzag Tribute Dinner in March. The award is given to those who exemplify Judge Kaye Tertzag's motto: "Be prompt. Be prepared. Be polite."

Danielle Graceffa, '06, was elected a member of Dykema by the firm's executive board. She is a Detroit-based attorney in Dykema's real estate practice group.

Melissa Graves, '02, was elected partner with Collins Einhorn Farrell PC. She focuses her practice on the defense of professional liability claims and is involved in the defense of judicial disciplinary matters. In the general liability arena, she defends claims arising out of auto and trucking accidents.  

Dwight Hamilton, '95, was named chief diversity officer at Smith College in Northampton, Mass. He had been serving as associate vice president for affirmative action and Title IX officer at Grand Valley State University.

Lee Hornberger, '82, LL.M., arbitrator and mediator, has been elected chair of the Traverse City Human Rights Commission.

Robert Horwitz, '94, was elected a member of Dykema by the firm's executive board. He is a Detroit-based attorney in Dykema's financial services practice group.

Timothy Monsma, '08, has been elected to partnership at Varnum. He joined the Grand Rapids law firm in 2008 and is a member of its trial law group, focusing on complex business disputes including commercial tort and contract litigation, trade secret and unfair competition matters, and corporate governance issues. 

Matthew Moussiaux, '09, was elected partner at Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP. He is a member of the corporate department in the firm's Detroit office.

Julie Nichols, '98, was elected partner with Collins Einhorn Farrell PC. Her practice focuses on a broad range of general liability, construction, automobile, homeowners, professional liability, umbrella/excess and other specialty coverage matters. Her practice also has included a wide variety of civil matters, including premises liability, the Michigan No-Fault Act, employment defense and general negligence cases.

Eric Novetsky, '08, was named partner at Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss PC in Southfield. He joined Jaffe in 2008 and is a member of the firm's finance and insolvency and reorganization practice groups.

Rodney Ploucha, '06, was elected partner at Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP. He is a member of the real estate department in the firm's Detroit office.

Kelly Ann Ramsey, '86, was appointed to the Governor's Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect. The 11-person board promotes the health, safety and welfare of Michigan's children and families by funding local programs and services that prevent child abuse and neglect.

Neil Rockind, '93, founder of Southfield-based criminal defense law firm Rockind Law has been named among the Top 10 Criminal Defense Attorneys in Michigan by the National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys. Separately, Rockind also was named a Leading Lawyer in the Michigan debut of that listing for 2014-15. He also marked the 15th anniversary of his criminal defense firm, Rockind Law.

Glenn Ross, '11, joined Tomkiw Mackewich in Royal Oak.

Melanie Van Antwerp, '10, was elected partner at Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP. She is a member of the corporate department in the firm's Kalamazoo office.

Joseph West, '06, joined Pear Sperling Eggan & Daniels PC and is based in the firm's Ann Arbor office. He specializes in commercial litigation at both the trial and appellate levels, business law, and a broad range of issues relating to real property.

Nicole Wilinski, '00, has joined Collins Einhorn Farrell PC in its Insurance Coverage practice group. Wilinski will focus her practice in the area of insurance coverage litigation and has extensive experience in representing insurance providers in coverage cases throughout Michigan and the Midwest.

John Willems, '80, principal of Miller Canfield Paddock and Stone in Detroit, was elected chairman of the Creative Many Michigan, formerly ArtServe Michigan.

Ian Williamson, '04, was appointed to the Ferndale Planning Commission. Williamson is a partner with Mantese Honigman Rossman and Williamson PC, where his practice is primarily focused on complex commercial litigation, shareholder litigation and health care law. Williamson also serves as a member of the Ferndale Zoning Board of Appeals.


More Alumni Accomplishments

Faculty Accomplishments

Christopher Lund wrote an amici brief on behalf of five North American Islamic scholars. The brief, filed May 29, 2014, was cited by the U.S. Supreme Court in its Jan. 20, 2015, decision reversing an appellate court ruling in the religious freedom case of Gregory Houston Holt aka Abdul Maalik Muhammad v. Ray Hobbs, director, Arkansas Department of Correction, et al. 

Robert Sedler spoke on "The Constitution and Presidential Power" during a "Power Lunch" event sponsored by the RISE Committee of the Federal Bar Association, Eastern District of Michigan Chapter, in the Theodore Levin U.S. Courthouse in Detroit. Sedler discussed the often misunderstood principles of "justiciability," including standing, mootness and the case-or-controversy requirement.


More Faculty Accomplishments

Professors in the News

Blanche Cook was quoted by The South End in Wayne Law hosts panel on post-Ferguson legal, social implications.

Peter Henning was quoted in a Detroit News story, Beatty dodges Detroit, IRS; Kilpatrick launches appeal, and in a Fox 2 Detroit story, Appeals court takes on former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's appeal, and in other media on the same topic.

Christopher Lund was quoted in a Deseret News article, State lawmakers eye expanding religious freedom protections.

John Mogk wrote a column, Why Detroit needs eminent domain, published in The Detroit News.

Robert Sedler wrote a commentary, Michigan Must Recognize "Stay Window" Marriages, published in Jurist.

Kathryn Smolinski was quoted in The National Jurist article on The Most Innovative Clinics as director of the Legal Advocacy for People with Cancer Clinic, which was named to the magazine's Top 15 list.

Savala Nolan Trepczynski was quoted in an opinion column, It's time to demystify the process of acquiring land in the city of Detroit, in Model D.

Eric Williams was the subject of a column, Tougher for blacks to join city's rebirth, in The Detroit News.

Peter Henning was quoted in a Bloomberg News report: Capital One Pair Accused of Trading on What's in Your Wallet.

John Mogk was quoted in a Detroit News story, WSU business school exploring a downtown move.

Robert Sedler was quoted in a Detroit News report, ACLU files suit against Campus Martius Park operators.

Peter Henning was quoted in a Reuters report, U.S. federal safety regulators seek Takata whistleblowers, published by Yahoo.com, CNBC and Automotive News, as well as other news outlets.


More Professors in the News