Wayne Law News

Members of the Wayne Law class of 1984 gathered for a 30th Reunion on Oct. 18 at the Detroit Institute of Arts.

Wayne Law is looking for attorneys to be mentors for third-year students.

Distinguished Professor Alan Schenk has begun research for a book on the history of Wayne Law that will include a video archive; he needs alumni input.

Wayne Law has announced a tuition freeze and changes to its scholarship program that effectively amount to a 14 percent tuition cut for all incoming students. The Law School also is offering nearly $1 million in new scholarship opportunities to its current students.

“Women in the Law” will be the topic of next Alumni Speaker Series event Wednesday, Nov. 5, at Wayne Law.

A draft treaty to address crimes against humanity will be the topic of a free lecture Tuesday, Nov. 11, sponsored by the Program for International Legal Studies at Wayne Law.

Howard Hertz has blended his love of music with his love of the law into a thriving legal practice – but he didn’t start out with that in mind.

Dean Jocelyn Benson and three Wayne Law alumnae – Judge Nanci Grant, Shirley Kaigler and Judge Wendy Potts – have been selected as four of 27 Esteemed Women of Michigan 2014.

Alumni, students, faculty and friends of Wayne Law attended the Law School Showcase on Oct. 9 as part of the launch of Pivotal Moments: Our Campaign for Wayne State University

Twenty-six leaders from local organizations working in different ways for racial equality have been selected to be part of the first year’s cohort for Wayne Law's Detroit Equity Action Lab.

Activist Julian Bond presented Wayne Law’s sixth Damon J. Keith Biennial Lecture on Oct. 23.

Labor law was the topic Oct. 2 for the opening presentation of the 2014-15 Wayne Law Alumni Speaker Series.

Wayne Law’s dean and several alumni are among presenters for the People’s Law School, programs in East Lansing and Grand Rapids to help the community learn about the legal system.

Nancy J. Schiffer, board member of the National Labor Relations Board, was the keynote speaker at the 22nd annual Bernard Gottfried Memorial Labor Law Symposium on Oct. 16 at Wayne Law.

"Brothers on the Line," an award-winning labor movement documentary about the Reuther brothers – Walter, Roy and Victor – had its Detroit debut Oct. 16 at Wayne Law.

The Wayne Law Review 2014 Symposium, “Sentencing White Collar Defendants: How Much Is Enough?” was Oct. 24.

Current Issues in International Commercial Arbitration was the topic of a panel discussion Oct. 2, sponsored by the Program for International Legal Studies at Wayne Law.

"Legal Aspects of Investment in Three Emerging Markets: China, India and the Middle East" was the topic of a panel discussion Oct. 30, sponsored by the Program for International Legal Studies at Wayne Law.

WSU's Department of Political Science presented “The Use of Force against ISIS: Political and Legal Perspectives” on Oct. 20 at Wayne Law, sharing insights into the politics, policy considerations and legal frameworks relating to the U.S. use of force in Iraq and Syria.

Wayne Law’s American Civil Liberties Union, Student Chapter, presented a Voters’ Rights: Panel Discussion on Oct. 30.

On Oct. 10, Assistant (Clinical) Professor Nick Schroeck traveled to China for a month of teaching at the Northwest University of Politics and Law in Xi'an. 

Professor Julia Qin gave an Oct. 8 presentation at the World Trade Organization in Geneva, commenting on its Appellate Body’s recent decision in the China – Rare Earths case.

Wayne Law Dean Jocelyn Benson, an expert on civil rights law, is the newest member of the Southern Poverty Law Center Board of Directors.

How to construe the duration of retiree health care benefits under collective bargaining agreements is before the U.S. Supreme Court, and Associate Professor Susan Cancelosi is weighing in.

The Michigan Muslim Bar Association has awarded a scholarship to Mahde Youssef Abdallah, a third-year student at Wayne Law.

Wayne Law students, faculty, staff, family and friends celebrated Halloween with a Costume Contest & Potluck.

Upcoming Events

Nov. 5 - Wayne Alumni Speaker Series - Women in the Law

Nov. 11 - A Convention for Crimes Against Humanity

Nov. 14 - Hastings Street Jazz Party to benefit Morcom scholarship

Nov. 15 - Hastings Street Jazz Party to benefit Morcom scholarship

Nov. 18 - Land Forum workshop

Nov. 29 - Wayne Law - Class of 2004 - 10th Reunion

More Events

Alumni Accomplishments

Jordan Bolton, '03, a partner in the Commercial Litigation Practice Group of Clark Hill PLC, was honored as the Pro Bono Attorney of the Year by the Legal Aid and Defender Association.

Lori Buiteweg, '90; Margo Nichols, 77; Monika Holzer Sacks, '78; and Eileen Slank, '87, of the law firm of Nichols, Sacks, Slank, Sendelbach & Buiteweg celebrated the firm's 20th anniversary.

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.  

Rebecca Davies, '95, of Butzel Long is co-instructing a nine-week Human Resources Certification and Exam Prep Program at Walsh College's Novi campus. She concentrates her practice in the areas of employment law and commercial litigation.

Pauline Doohan, '89, has joined concentrated solar power developer SolarReserve as the company's vice president and general counsel. 

Eugene Driker, '61, and his wife, Elaine, have been honored with the George W. Romney Award for Lifetime Achievement in Volunteerism. He is a founding partner at Detroit-based Barris Sott Denn & Driker PLLC and has served on the WSU Board of Governors for 12 years.

Stephen Dunn, '05, of Howard & Howard Attorneys PLLC was named by Crain's Detroit Business to its 2014 Class of "40 Under 40."

Benjamin Glazebrook, '06, has joined Plunkett Cooney's Transportation Law Practice Group. He focuses his practice in the areas of first- and third-party motor vehicle liability claims.

Gerald Gleeson II, '95, a principal in Miller Canfield's Litigation and Dispute Resolution, has been elected as a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. The college is composed of the best of the trial bar from the United States and Canada. Fellowship in the college is extended by invitation only to those experienced trial lawyers who have mastered the art of advocacy and whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, civility and collegiality. Lawyers must have a minimum of 15 years trial experience before they can be considered for fellowship. Membership in the college cannot exceed 1 percent of the total lawyer population of any state or province.

Michelle Harrell, '93, of Maddin Hauser Roth & Heller PC has been appointed to the Board of Directors of Living Arts, a nonprofit organization with the purpose of strengthening the urban neighborhood of southwest Detroit through the arts and community development initiatives. She manages Maddin Hauser's Complex and General Litigation Practice Group.

Lee Hornberger, '82, LL.M., an arbitrator and mediator, was honored with the George N. Bashara Jr. Award by the State Bar of Michigan's Alternative Dispute Resolution Section at its annual meeting and conference in Ann Arbor. The award is given annually to an individual, program or entity in recognition of exemplary service to the section and its members.

Thomas Kabel, '99, of Butzel Long has been admitted as a fellow of the American College of Mortgage Attorneys. He is chairman of the firm's corporate and real estate departments.

Patrick Karbowski, '87, was elected to membership of McDonald Hopkins LLC, a business advisory and advocacy law firm.

Mary Mansfield, '03, of Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP was recognized for the pro bono service she provided to Legal Aid and Defender Association Inc.'s clients in 2014. Mansfield is a partner in Honigman's Trusts and Estates Practice Group. Her practice is focused on the administration of complex probate estates and trusts.  

Daniel Matson, '68, was honored with the Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys' James H. Epps III Longevity of Service to a Community Award. Matson has served as DeWitt's city attorney since 1970 and as assistant prosecutor for Clinton County since 1968. He is a solo practitioner in DeWitt.

Derek Meinecke, '01, was appointed chief judge of the 44th District Court. Meinecke won election to the court in 2012, after serving for more than 10 years in the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office in the special victims unit, focusing on domestic violence, elder abuse, child abuse and sexual assault.

Anthony Paris, '07, and the band Blue Pontiac performed songs written by attorney-activist Maurice Sugar in the 1930s and other songs as well as telling some stories Oct. 17 at Lefty's Lounge in Detroit in conjunction with the North American Labor History Conference at WSU. Paris is lead attorney with Detroit's nonprofit Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice.

Rasul Raheem, '84, LL.M. '03, hosted the National Bar Association Commercial Law Section Executive Committee's Fall Planning Retreat on Sept. 28 and 29 in Detroit. He is senior vice president and assistant general counsel for Bank of America and president of the D. Augustus Straker Bar Foundation. Raheem serves on the National Bar Association President's Corporate Advisory Board and is serving his second year on the Commercial Law Section's Executive Committee. He is a hearing panelist for the State of Michigan Attorney Discipline Board, as well.

Neil Rockind, '93, founder of criminal defense law firm Neil Rockind PC, participated in a scientific forensics course held by the American Chemical Society in Chicago from Oct. 14 through 17. The hands-on class educated attending attorneys on the use of blood testing instruments and the science behind forensics chromatography, a method used to separate organic and inorganic compounds in both liquid and gas. After separating the compounds, police, FBI and other authorities then can analyze the chemicals, such as drugs or alcohol, that are present in breath, blood and urine. Only 200 attorneys in the nation have completed this coursework and are qualified to explain the science of gas chromatography in DUI ethanol-based cases.

Mark Sadoff, '86, founded MJS Legal of Paris, a law firm concentrating on assisting companies in their international operations. Formerly, he was general counsel of Saint-Gobain Building Distribution and Saint Gobain Isover.

Matt Szalach, '04, has joined the Intellectual Property Department at Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP as a partner. He is a member of the firm's Patent Practice Group and is located in its Bloomfield Hills office.  


More Alumni Accomplishments

Faculty Accomplishments

Jocelyn Benson spoke on the state of Michigan's campaign finance law in the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in McCutheon v. Federal Election Commission. Her talk was at the University of Michigan Law School in Ann Arbor, where she was a guest of the Michigan Election Law Project.

Anthony Dillof presented a paper at the Buffalo Criminal Law Colloquium. The paper was "Possession, Child Pornography and Proportionality: Criminal Liability for Aggregate Harm Offenses."

Peter Hammer was honored at The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee Michigan Office's 12th annual Guardian of Justice Judges Night Dinner. ADC-Michigan Director Attorney Fatina Abdrabboh said, "We are honored to present an award to Peter Hammer for being a tireless advocate for the voiceless and the marginalized and for constantly advancing constitutional values of justice, equality and tolerance for all. Peter Hammer is an excellent example of a leader dedicated to empowering and serving others."

Peter Henning presented "Bitcoin & White Collar Crimes" at the Investigative Techniques Fraud Conference of the International Association of Financial Crimes Investigators at VistaTech in Livonia.


More Faculty Accomplishments

Professors in the News

Laura Bartell continues to be in the spotlight as the go-to expert on Detroit's bankruptcy proceedings. She was quoted in three different Michigan Radio reports on three different dates, including the most recent one, Detroit's bankruptcy trial is over; judge to rule on restructuring plan Novmber 7th, and in articles in The Detroit News, Detroit Free Press and Bridge magazine.

Jocelyn Benson was interviewed for a Let It Rip segment on Fox 2 Detroit about the state's emergency manager law.  

Anthony Dillof was quoted in a VICE News article, Computer Generated 10-Year-Old Girl Ignites Ethical Debate with First Pedophile Conviction.

Peter Hammer was quoted in a Bloomberg News report, Gilbert's Plan for Downtown Detroit Has No Room for Jail.

Peter Henning was interviewed by Swiss radio station SRF for a report (in translation), No walk in the park for former UBS banker Raoul Weil.

Wayne Miller was quoted in an article in nerdwallet.com, Does Michigan Pay Too Much for Auto Insurance?

John Mogk was quoted in a Detroit News report, Detroit's recovery taps riverfront's potential.

Nick Schroeck was interviewed for an Asked & Answered column in the Detroit Legal News about his teaching trip to China.

Robert Sedler was quoted in an MLive report, Michigan gay marriage advocates prepare celebrations, but ruling may not go their way.

Michael Steinberg was quoted in a Huffington Post report, Graphic Video Released In 2012 Police Shooting Of Michigan Man Milton Hall.

Jonathan Weinberg was interviewed for a Bloomberg Radio report on a request by Aereo for the FCC to change the definition of a video service provider to help the company find a way to resume operations.

Peter Hammer was quoted in a Metro Times report, Here's what Detroit's proposed ‘Urban Development Agreements' ordinance is about.

Peter Henning was quoted in a Chicago Tribune story, Fannie-Freddie appeal seen as loser as case advances.

John Mogk was quoted in a Detroit News article, Detroit property auction winner has outstanding liens.

Michael Steinberg was quoted in a Newsweek article, Two Years Later, No Charges After Police Kill Homeless Man in Barrage of 46 Shots.


More Professors in the News