THETHOMAS M. COOLEY LAW SCHOOL

THE THOMAS M. COOLEY LAW SCHOOL ALUMNI NEWS PUBLICATIONBenchmark

INSIDE> NATIONAL CHAMPIONS / ERIN MOSS & LATOYA PALMER

> GIVING BACK: MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES

OF OTHERS / DAN WHIPPLE

> JUDGE AND JUGGLER …OF LIFE / TOM JAWORSKI

> GROWING IN SO MANY WAYS / JUANITA BOCANEGRA

NonprofitOrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDLansing, MI

Permit No. 241

300 S. Capitol Ave.P.O. Box 13038Lansing, MI 48901

Change Service Requested

ICG.0111.007.BM

JUNE 2011 • VOLUME 3 • NUMBER 2COLUMN

cooley.edu

National ChampionsErin Moss and LaToya Palmer comprise the top client counseling team in the United States. The Detroit natives recently bested teams from 95 law schools across the United States, taking first place in the American Bar Association’sLaw Student Division Client Counseling National Competition.

Cooley has done such a great job of teachingus the fundamentals of law. We had a lot ofpractical knowledge going into the competitionthat I don’t think the judges expected to seefrom law students.” LATOYA PALMER

Judge & Juggler …of LifeRecently re-elected Judge Tom Jaworksi (McAlvay Class, 1984), Eucharisticminister, racquetball junkie, hand-bell choir musician, avid outdoorsman andcommunity volunteer, couldn’t be more content with his busy and full life.The upbeat, 53-year-old simply believes that it is better to engage innew experiences than to sit on life’s sidelines.

Giving Back:Making a Difference in the Lives of OthersDavid Whipple (Butzel Class, 1979) talks enthusiastically about his work, his teaching, and his community involvement, but it’s never abouthim. It’s always centered on how his work has affected the lives of others.

SCHOOL NEWS

WELCOMETO THE BENCHMARK COLUMN

BENCHMARK COLUMN | JUNE 2011 | VOLUME 3 | NUMBER 2

ALUMNI DATABASEThe user name will always remain the word alumni. The password changes each term and will be disclosed in issues of Benchmark and Benchmark Column. Please call the Alumni Relations Office at (800) 243-ALUM (in the Lansing area, call 517-371-5140, ext. 2038), or e-mail alumni@cooley.edu if you have any problems. The current password for this term is justice.

Cooley-Sponsored Ethics SymposiumFeatured on C-SPAN

A commitment to ethics is at the core of a legal education at Cooley Law School. The school’s partner-ship with the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library andMuseum, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation,and the Grand Rapids (Mich.) Bar Association tookthat commitment to a national audience in March2011 when its symposium entitled “Ethics in OurWorld” was featured on C-SPAN.

The event opened with remarks from PresidentFord’s son, Steven, entitled “Lessons Learnedfrom My Dad.”

Ford talked at length about his dad’s struggle withthe decision of whether or not to pardon RichardNixon. In addition to knowing that it was the rightthing for the nation, Ford said that his father alsoknew that pardoning Nixon would be the end ofhis political career.

“My dad knew in his mind it wasn’t about him, itwas about the country,” Ford said.

Following Ford’s remarks, the event continued withinsightful commentary from panelists who serve asleaders in the law, government, and homeland security.Panelists included former Michigan Secretary of StateTerri Lynn Land, State Bar of Michigan Vice PresidentBruce A. Courtade, and General Michael C.H. McDaniel, a professor at Cooley and the formerdeputy assistant secretary for the U.S. Department ofDefense’s Homeland Defense Division.

Each panelist highlighted very different instanceswhere professional and personal ethics were tested.But the main point all panelists agreed on was that doing the right thing according to one’s own conscience, despite possible negative personal reper-cussions, was a trademark of the truly ethical person.

“Dad would be so pleased today that this was thetown square for such a fascinating discussion,” saidFord in closing the event, referencing the Ford Presidential Museum as the location of the event.

To view the entire symposium, visithttp://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/298513-1.

Cooley Hosts Entertainment Law Seminar Featuring Rapper Eminem’s LawyerStudents at Cooley’s Ann Arbor campus weregiven first-hand insights into the work of attorneyswho represent entertainers during a February 2011seminar featuring Howard Hertz, the attorney atHertz Schram, P.C., Bloomfield, Mich., who representsrapper and Detroit native Eminem.

“It was a great opportunity for our students,” said Joan Vestrand, associate dean and professor at Cooley’s Ann Arbor campus. “Havingreal-world professionals like HowardHertz talk with our students offersthem great insights into the legal profession and specific practice areas.”Hertz specializes in entertainment law and is thelead attorney of his firm’s entertainment practicegroup. In addition to Eminem, Hertz has representedGeorge “P Funk” Clinton, Elmore Leonard, and Atlantic Records.

Hertz reinforced that, more than anything else,relationships and experiences are vital in retainingartists, all of whom are seeking trusted advocatesand advisors to protect them and their work.

Cooley students seemed to be in tune with Hertz’smessage even before the event.

“The way I look at it is: Artists want to create,”Cooley student Charles Boike told AnnArbor.comjust before the start of Hertz’s speech. “But theyneed someone to protect their legal interests —copyrights, negotiations, forming their own businesses, everything.”

Cooley Student Wins Best OverallAdvocate Award in CompetitionBesting 43 other students from law schoolsthroughout the country, Anna White, a student at Cooley’s Grand Rapids campus, was namedBest Oral Advocate at a recent regional competitionfor the Constance Baker Motley Moot Court Competition in Constitutional Law. The event, organized by the American Constitution Society,was held in Los Angeles March 11-13.

“Presenting an argument orally is the backbone of advocacy in the legal profession,” said EvelynCalogero, associate professor at Cooley LawSchool and White’s coach for the competition.

“Anna has raw talent that she’s moldedinto a skill recognized by the judges inLos Angeles. Her success is the result ofmonths of hard work, preparation, andpractice,” Calogero said.The competition presented students with an issue of constitutional law that concerns equality, liberty,and justice. The students, competing in teams oftwo, were then asked to write a brief and argue the issue. White was singled out for the Best OralAdvocate award and her team made it all the way to the semifinal round.

Auburn Hills Campus Doubles its Library Capacity; Total Volumes inFour-Campus System Now SecondLargest in Michigan

Cooley’s Auburn Hills campus has expanded itscampus library, doubling the seating, group studyrooms, shelf space, and square footage of the facility. The resulting increase in total volumes bringsCooley’s four-campus library system to more than670,000 volumes, making it now the second largestlaw library in the state.

“Our goal with this expansion was to give students,lawyers, and members of the public a chance to notonly have access to these resources, but to give themthe opportunity to do so in a comfortable environ-ment that provides an ideal setting to study and research the law,” said John Nussbaumer, associatedean at the Auburn Hills campus.

The expansion increased library seating at theAuburn Hills campus from 147 to 390, group studyrooms from 9 to 19, shelf space from 8,100 to15,912 linear feet, and square footage from 12,660to 22,199 square feet.

At the March 2011 ceremony to officially open theexpanded library, Myron Lloyd, president of the D. Augustus Straker Bar Association, announcedthat the library would now be home to the associa-tion’s historical documents and archives. The missionof the Straker Bar Association is to increase minorityrepresentation in the legal profession, support andencourage legal practice opportunities for minorities,and facilitate equal justice for underserved membersof Oakland County, Mich.

President Lloyd also unveiled a framed portrait ofStraker that will hang in the library. Straker was thefirst African-American attorney to argue beforethe Michigan Supreme Court. In Ferguson v Gies,82 Mich 358 (1890), he successfully argued thatthe “separate but equal” doctrine, then followedby the U.S. Supreme Court, was unconstitutionalunder Michigan law.

As we put away our coats and pack up our snow attire here in Michigan,I’m thankful that our diverse seasonshave led us to days of warmth. I’m also led to thoughts of anothertype of diversity – the diversity that makes up the Cooley LawSchool family.

Diversity is a key reason Cooley is so special. Whethermeasured by race, gender, ethnicity, culture, language,geography, or national origin, Cooley is the most diverseof all law schools. Cooley brings together different peoplewith different backgrounds, goals, life experiences andvalues with wonderful results. The ability to learn fromone another is what makes Cooley so great.

A majority of our students come from outside the state of Michigan. We have the most comprehensive part-time program in the nation, meeting the scheduling needs of traditional and non-traditional students alike. And we believe that a J.D. degree is the best advanced liberal artsdegree available, regardless of whether you intend to

practice law or pair your legal knowledge with skills andexperience in another area. All of these aspects allow for adiverse group of individuals who make up the Cooley LawSchool family.

This issue of Benchmark Column features many of the aspects of diversity that make Cooley so great. The experience of those featured in this issue ranges from students winning national awards and recent graduates who are seeking new challenges to veteran attorneys andjudges who are making big differences in the community.

Their diverse successes are inspirational to all of us. I’mproud to call each of them and every one of you, fellowmembers of the Cooley family.

Sincerely,

James D. Robb, Associate Dean of Development andAlumni Relations robbj@cooley.edu

Among those gathering for the grand opening of the expanded law librarywere (left to right) Myron Lloyd, president of the Straker Bar Association;John Nussbaumer, associate dean for Cooley's Auburn Hills campus; HelenN. Levenson, head of Public Services for Cooley's Auburn Hills campus; Associate Dean Duane Strojny, who oversees all four Cooley libraries; Cooley President and Dean Don LeDuc. Photo by John Meiu

NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

FEATURE ARTICLE

KNOWLEDGE. SKILLS. ETHICS. | COOLEY.EDU

Faculty BriefsFrank C. Aiello,

Assistant Professor

Appointed, to the Board of Directors of the Heart of the LakesCenter for Land Conservation Policy(http://heartofthelakes.org), the

Michigan coalition of land trusts, for a term expiring November 2013.

Attended, the Second Symposium on Advanced LegalTopics in Conservation, on February 7-8, 2011, inBoston, Mass.

Brendan Beery,

Associate Professor

Accepted, for publication, “WhenOriginalism Attacks: How JusticeScalia’s Resort to Original ExpectedApplication in Crawford v. Washington

Came Back to Bite Him in Michigan v. Bryant,” forth-coming in Drake Law Review (Constitutional LawSymposium Issue), Volume 59, Summer 2011.

Published, an Op Ed piece, “As With King George’sColonial Governors, EFMs Breach the Social Compact,”Detroit Free Press (Online Commentary), May 1, 2011.

James L. Carey,

Associate Professor

Interviewed, and featured, in afront page article in the Detroit

Legal News regarding the recentamendments to Michigan’s Limited

Liability Company Act.

Attended, the Michigan Chapter of the Associationof Corporate Counsel (the “MCACC”) ScholarshipAwards ceremony held in East Lansing on April 14,2011, where Matthew Marguerite, a Cooley AuburnHills student, was awarded a $3,000 scholarship.Prof. Carey is chair of the Cooley committee that selects students for consideration by the MCACC for scholarships each year.

Presented, the Legislative Update for the 23rd Annual ICLE Business Law Institute, a two-day conferenceof Michigan’s business lawyers, on May 6, 2011. Prof.Carey prepared and presented materials on several legislative developments during the last year, including39 new laws of interest to Michigan business lawyers.

Mark Cooney,

Associate Professor

Published, an article called “AreYou a Hyphen-Happy Lawyer?” inthe May 2011 issue of the Michigan

Bar Journal.

Judith Frank, Professor

Hosted, an alumni event inPhoenix, Ariz., on April 6 for 25alumni and new students.

Appointed, to the selection committee for the Michigan

Women’s Hall of Fame.

Alan Gershel,

Associate Professor

Appointed, to a Warrant Task Forcewhich reviews issues germane to theFBI’s automated warrant systems suchas the National Crime Information

Center’s wanted person files.

Presented, on corporate crime, at the OaklandCounty Bar Association’s In-House Counsel Forum at Delphi Corporation on April 5, 2011. The topicconcerned internal investigations.

Christopher G. Hastings,

Associate Professor

Re-appointed, to the ExecutiveCommittee of the Girl Scouts ofMichigan Shore to Shore.

Presented, along with AssociateDean Nelson Miller, a seminar on pro bono representa-tion of plaintiffs in prisoners’ rights cases. The seminar ispart of a wider effort to match Cooley students withlawyers practicing in the Western District of Michigan to handle prisoners’ rights cases that have survived summary judgment through trial.

Joseph Kimble, Professor

Attended, the ClearMark Awardsdinner sponsored by the Center for Plain Language and held at theNational Press Club in Washington,D.C. The redrafted Federal Rules of

Evidence won a 2011 ClearMark Award. ProfessorKimble was the principal drafter.

Agreed, to speak at a symposium on the new evidencerules to be held at William & Mary School of Law.

Continued on Following Page >

They became fast friends at Cooley’s freshmen orientation in 2009. Now, LaToya Palmer and ErinMoss are the top client counseling team in theUnited States. The Detroit natives bested teams from95 law schools across the United States, taking firstplace in the American Bar Association’s (ABA) National Client Counseling Competition in 2011.

Simulating a law office consultation, the competitionputs law students, acting as attorneys, together with a “client” seeking legal expertise. The students aregiven very little information about the consultation before the client’s arrival and are asked to conduct aninterview with the client. They brainstorm with himor her to explore possible legal options to help theclient achieve his or her goals.

Competition judges evaluate the students’ ability to establish an appropriate working atmosphere,listen, understand the client’s perspective, analyzethe problem, and present various courses of actionconsistent with the client’s goals and objectives.

“I think our success is due to the chemistry that wehave together,” said Moss. “We both had professionalcareers before we came to law school and dealt withclients in a very different setting. My background is insales and LaToya’s is in human resources, so we reallycomplement each other.

“We were told by the coaches and other competitorsthat we set a certain tone in the room that made theclient very comfortable and allowed him to open up.The judges also complimented us afterward, statingthat we seemed to gel very well together.”

“We also received quite a few compliments from thejudges on our knowledge of the law,” said Palmer.“Cooley has done such a great job of teaching us the fundamentals of law. We had a lot of practicalknowledge going into the competition that I don’tthink the judges expected to see from law students.”

Road to the Nationals

Just five weeks after the freshmen orientation in2009, Moss and Palmer decided to try out for Cooley’s client counseling competition, an experiencethat prepared them for a later victory.

“We became gold medal finalists in the competition,”said Moss. “One of our coaches, Christine Church,told us that we were one of the best teams that shehad seen. She didn’t realize that we were only fifth-week students and told us that we could potentiallywin a national championship. I think she thoughtabout sending us to the regional competition, but realized that we would have been way out of ourleague without learning more substantive law.”

After Church’s encouragement, Moss and Palmertried out for the Cooley competition again in 2010.The students became gold medal finalists in thecompetition again and were selected to compete in the ABA’s regional competition in London, Ontario, along with two other student teams fromCooley, early in 2011.

Leading up to the regional competition, the threeteams spent hours practicing each week.

“Professional responsibility of lawyers and judges wasthe focus of this year’s competition, so the emphasisthat Cooley places on professional responsibility issuesin its substantive law classes really gave us an upperhand in the competition,” said Moss.

“We also went over the professional responsibilityrules of conduct and what may be applicable in certainscenarios to prepare, and our coaches brought inother professors from various areas of law to help uslook at some of the scenarios from different angles.”

Their practice and dedication paid off, as Moss andPalmer advanced through multiple rounds at the regional and national levels to take the championship,besting 95 teams from law schools across the United States.

The team went on to represent, not only Cooley Law School, but the United States, in the InternationalClient Counseling Competition at Maastricht University in the Netherlands, April 6-9, 2011.

Assistant Dean and Professor Christine Church, the team’s coach, was impressed and very proud oftheir performance at Internationals. “The team didvery well, and although the team didn’t compete in the finals, as a result of the experience, Erin andLaToya have colleagues in countries around theworld,” said Church.

“Many judges came up to me and let me know howwell they thought the Cooley U.S. team did. Theyalso expressed that they felt that the Cooley U.S.team could have been the International Champions.”

This isn’t the first time Cooley teams have donewell. Cooley was in the final round at Nationals in2010 and in the semi-finals in 2009.

“We are excited about how success in this contesthas impressed future employers,” stated Church.“A past Cooley team member, who came in thirdin the U.S. competition in 2010, has told us that the experience has sparked future employers’ interest and job opportunities.”

“Professional responsibility of lawyers and judges was the focus of this year’s competition,so the emphasis that Cooley places on professional responsibility issues in its substantivelaw classes really gave us an upper hand in the competition. We also went over theprofessional responsibility rules of conduct and what may be applicable in certain scenariosto prepare, and our coaches brought in other professors from various areas of law to help uslook at some of the scenarios from different angles.” Erin Moss[ [

MEET THE TOP CLIENT COUNSELING TEAM IN THE COUNTRYLATOYA PALMER (MAY 2012) AND ERIN MOSS (MAY 2012)

BENCHMARK COLUMN | JUNE 2011 | VOLUME 3 | NUMBER 2

FEATURE ARTICLE

Joseph Kimble, Professor (continued)

Finished, editing volume 13 of The Scribes Journal of

Legal Writing. This issue is unique: it contains transcriptsof Bryan Garner’s interviews with eight Supreme CourtJustices on legal writing and advocacy. Professor Kimblehas now served as editor in chief for six issues of theScribes Journal.

Attended, the annual meeting of the Board of Directors of Scribes—The American Society of Legal Writers.

Spoke, to students at California Western School ofLaw at a seminar before the Scribes board meeting.

Attended, the January meeting of the Standing Committee on Federal Rules.

Jeffrey L. Martlew,

Associate Professor

Wrote, three articles that werepublished in Nelson Miller’s recentbook, Judging In West Michigan

(Vandeplas Publishing, 2011) underthe title “The Sound Working of a Reformer’s Heart.”

Daniel W. Matthews,

Associate Professor

Published, a textbook, Taxation of

Intellectual Property, published byVandeplas Publishing. The book willbe used in summer 2011 in a newly

developed Taxation of Intellectual Property class of-fered in Cooley’s graduate program.

Nelson P. Miller,

Associate Dean and Professor

Published, as author, the 900-pagecasebook Civil Procedure in Practice, byVandeplas Publishing, for teaching CivilProcedure I and II.

Published, as author, the book A Law Graduate’s

Guide — Navigating Law School’s Hidden Career and

Professional-Development Curriculum, by Bridge Publishing, for advising students on careers.

Published, as co-editor, the book Judging in West

Michigan — the Community Impact of Effective Judges

and Courts, by Vandeplas Publishing, for the GrandRapids Bar Association’s 2011 Law Day celebration.

L. Patricia Mock,

Associate Professor

Coached, the 2011 Cooley ClientCounseling team at the RegionalABA Client Counseling Competitionin London, Ontario. This team won

the title for Region VI. She then co-coached this teamto victory, at the national competition held at theUniversity of Oklahoma School of Law, after whichthey competed at the International ABA Client Counseling Competition held in the Netherlands.

Coordinated, a program recognizing the StoneCommunity Outreach Project of the Sixty Plus, Inc.,Elderlaw Clinic. The program received widespreadcommunity support and numerous media accolades.

Attended, the 14th annual Otis M. Smith ScholarshipDinner sponsored by the Lansing Black Lawyers Association.

Attended, Reverberations of Domestic Violence – the 16th annual conference on domestic violence hosted by the Batterer Intervention Services Coalition of Michigan (BISC). Plenary sessions addressed ways communities can work together to analyze and end different forms of domestic violence, including elder abuse.

Attended, the Community Expo for the Children’sDefense Fund Summer Freedom School, a communityinitiative sponsored by the Black Child and Families Institute. She presented information and distributed literature concerning free legal services offered throughSixty Plus, Inc., Elderlaw Clinic for the elderly.

Michael Molitor,

Associate Professor

Published, a preliminary version of his textbook, Business Organizations:

Statutes, Problems, and Cases, from Vandeplas Publishing, for use in the

summer semester. The final version of the textbook willbe published in time for the fall semester.

Published, an article in the UC Davis Business Law

Journal (11 UC Davis Business L. J. 97, 2010), entitled“The Crucial Role of the Nominating Committee: Re-Inventing Nominating Committees in the Aftermathof Shareholder Access to the Proxy.”

Marjorie Russell, Professor

Served, as an instructor in witnessexamination skills for the CDAM Annual Spring Conference, Novi,Mich., on March 17-19.

Continued on Following Page >

David Whipple talks enthusiastically about his work, histeaching, and his community involvement, but it’s neverabout him. It’s always centered on how his work has affectedthe lives of others.

Ask David Whipple (Butzel Class,1979) about his work as an attorneywith Kelly, Whipple, Zick & KeyesP.L.L.C., Port Huron, Mich., and he’lltell you about what his clients wereable to accomplish. Ask about histeaching at Walsh College and he’lltell you all about what his studentshave been able to do with their lives. Ask about his work with the Boy Scouts, Little League, or hisyears on the local hospital board.

Whipple talks enthusiasticallyabout his work, his teaching, and his community involvement, but it’snever about him. It’s always centered on how his work has affected the lives of others.

“I’ve always thought about what makes a successful attorney,”said Whipple. “I think you can make differences in individual lives and businesses through helping them make better decisions, but I also believethat a successful attorney will try and make a difference in his or her localcommunity. So I’ve tried to do that with a number of public service positions and organizations that I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of.”

Starting out

Originally from Port Huron, Mich., Whipple spent part of his growing-upyears in Grosse Pointe, Mich.

“I wasn’t always sure that I wanted to become a lawyer,” Whipple admitted. “For a long time, I thought that I wanted to go into politics.”

So after undergraduate school, armed with a degree in social science,Whipple went to Washington, D.C. to work for the Food and Population Studies Institute as a lobbyist and organizer. His decision to goto law school followed a year later.

“Cooley was my first choice,” he explained. “I liked the Lansing area,and Cooley’s concept of practical education very much appealed to me.”

It was at Cooley that Whipple also met his wife, Janice.

“We met at Cooley in a study group. She fell in love with the best-looking guy in the class,” he joked. “But he was already married so she ended up with me.”

Nearly 32 years later, the couple remains happily married.

“I guess you could say that I owe a lot to Cooley,” he added.

GIVINGBACKMAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS

DAVID WHIPPLE, ATTORNEY WITH KELLY, WHIPPLE, ZICK & KEYES P.L.L.C.

KNOWLEDGE. SKILLS. ETHICS. | COOLEY.EDU

FEATURE ARTICLE

Marjorie Russell, Professor (continued)

Presenting, the Closing Paper, “Pulling the Presumption of Innocence from the Coffin and Gettingit Into your Case,” at the NORML Legal CommitteeSpring Legal Seminar, in Aspen, Colo., in June 2011.

Serving, as the featured opening speaker/hands-onworkshop: “Forging a Group Identity with the Jury,So You’re Their Leader and the DA is an Outsider,”in June 2011, at the Oregon Criminal DefenseLawyers Association Annual Conference.

Serving, as the featured closing lecturer, on “GettingJuries and Judges to Fight for the Presumption of Innocence,” in June 2011, at the Oregon Criminal Defense Lawyers Association Annual Conference.

Serving, as faculty for the Trial Lawyers College, inDuBois, Wyo., with a Death Penalty Seminar in June2011, and for the Trial Lawyers College in July andSeptember 2011.

Serving, as small group lead faculty, advancedpreparation skills, with a lecture/demonstration onvoir dire, at the CDAM/Cooley Criminal Defense Trial College, in August 2011.

Devin Schindler,

Associate Professor

Appeared, on WGVU-TV’s newsmakers program in May, anddiscussed the continuing impact ofthe Pentagon Papers Case.

Served, on a panel discussion May 26, sponsored byWGVU-TV, and discussed the documentary “TheMost Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg andthe Pentagon Papers.” The other panel memberswere Congressman Pete Hoekstra, Gleaves Whitney (Director of the Haunstein Center for Presidential Studies), and Daniel Ellsberg (of Pentagon Papers fame.)

Otto Stockmeyer,

Emeritus Professor

Published, an article, “Using Multiple-Choice Quizzes,” in the Association of American Law SchoolsAcademic Support Section newsletter

The Learning Curve (January 2011).

Published, an article, “Do You SSRN?,” about theSocial Science Research Network, in the Scribesnewsletter The Scrivener (Winter 2011).

Published, an article, “Meet Scribes - A SocietyThat Promotes Legal-Writing Excellence,” in theMichigan Bar Journal (March 2011).

Delivered, a paper “The Tortuous History of theMutual-Mistake Defense in Michigan Contract Law,”at the annual meeting of the Michigan Academy ofScience, Arts & Letters, on March 11, 2011.

Christopher R. Trudeau,

Associate Professor

Admitted, to practice in theUnited States Supreme Court onMarch 30, 2011.

William Weiner, Professor

Attended, the annual meeting of the Association of American Law schools in San Francisco in January 2011.

Derek S.Witte,

Assistant Professor

Moderated, and presented 2011Michigan ICLE Update on E-Discoverywith Hon. Joseph Scoville and Jay Yeltonof Miller Canfield , on Feb. 15, 2011.

Authored, “Negligent & Grossly Negligent Spoliationin the Wake of Judge Scheindlin’s Pension CommitteeDecision,” for Michigan ICLE 2011.

Presented, to the West Michigan Chapter of thePublic Relations Society of America, “How to GetFired in 140 Characters or Less,” on Jan. 20, 2011.

Presented, to the Indianapolis Chapter of the American Records Management Association, “eDiscovery Challenges Posed by New Technologies,”on Feb. 16, 2011.

Invited, to the Sedona Conference on the Future of Complex Litigation Part II, in Del Mar, Calif., on April 7-8, 2011.

Provided, commentary regarding electronic evidencefor an article on a tragic suicide at Rutgers Universityand the subsequent criminal indictments. Aaron Couch,“Rutgers Suicide: Victim’s Roommate is Charged with Hate Crime,” in The Christian Science Monitor,April 20, 2011.

After they both graduated from Cooley in 1979, Whipple and his wifemoved back to Port Huron and he joined what is now known as Kelly,Whipple, Zick & Keyes P.L.L.C. There, he has built a practice in businesslaw and organization, probate and estate planning, health care law, busi-ness mediation and arbitration, real estate development and transactions.

Giving back

A year after moving back to Port Huron, Whipple decided to devotesome of his time to teaching business law at Walsh College.

Twenty years later, Whipple feels extremely grateful that he was ableto help students acquire some of the knowledge and skills they neededto achieve their goals.

“In 20 years, you touch a lot of students,” said Whipple. “And I neverwould have begun teaching if it weren’t for the good examples that Ihad in law school. The best part of teaching, for me, was when I wouldsee that light bulb go on above a student’s head and knew they finally‘got it.’ It’s a unique feeling and extremely rewarding.”

Not only did Whipple devote his time to teaching students, but he alsohas served in various leadership roles in the community. Through theyears, Whipple has worked with the Blue Water Council of Boy Scouts,Port Huron Hospital, the Port Huron Marysville Chamber of Commerceand the St. Clair Community Growth Alliance, to name a few.

Whipple also meets with high school and college students in the communitywho may have an interest in pursuing a law degree.

“I encourage kids to go into the law,” said Whipple. “So anytime I hear ofa student who is thinking of going to law school, I invite them to call meand I spend time talking with them about law school and my experiencein the private practice of law. In fact, one student I talked to graduatedfrom Cooley about three years ago and she is currently a very bright associate in our office.”

Free time?

When he’s not busy at work or devoting his time to various organizations,Whipple enjoys playing golf, reading, and skiing.

He and his wife have two grown children, Meredith, 29, who works asan international business consultant in San Francisco, and Dan, 27, whoowns his own architectural firm in Los Angeles. Whipple and his familyalso enjoy traveling and have been to India, China, Russia, Thailand,Hong Kong, Singapore, and Europe.

“I feel fortunate,” said Whipple. “My wonderful family and great profession have put me in position to reach out to others in a variety of ways. I can only hope that I’ve been able to share something ofvalue along the way.”

“I feel fortunate. My wonderful family and great professionhave put me in position to reach out to others in a varietyof ways. I can only hope that I’ve been able to share some-thing of value along the way.” DAVID WHIPPLE

Born: June 26, 1951 in Port Huron, Michigan

Education: Bachelor’s degree in social

science from Michigan State University in 1973; graduated

with honors from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 1979

Family: Janice (wife), Meredith (daughter), and Dan (son)

Professional activities:

Member and past president, St. Clair County Bar Association

Adjunct professor of business law, Walsh College

Panelist, Michigan Attorney Discipline Board

St. Clair County Representative, State Bar of Michigan

Representative Assembly

Community activities:

Member and secretary-treasurer, Port Huron Hospital Board

of Trustees

Board of Directors, Blue Water Health Services Corporation

Past president and current executive board member, Boy Scouts of

America, Blue Water Council

Past president, Greater Port Huron Area Chamber of Commerce

Past president, Center for Human Resource

Past chairman, Port Huron Hospital Foundation

Cooley graduate David Whipple believes inthe importance of giving back.

NAME: Tom Jaworski

AGE: 53

EMPLOYMENT:

Alachua County Court Judge, Eighth Judicial Circuit, State of Florida

RESIDENCE:

Gainesville, Fla.

HOMETOWN:

East Detroit, Mich.

BENCHMARK COLUMN | JUNE 2011 | VOLUME 3 | NUMBER 2

Like the stained glass he so artfully creates in his spare time, TomJaworksi’s (McAlvay Class, 1984) life has been a mosaic of rich and diverse events in both planned and spontaneous ways.

The recently re-elected judge of Florida’s Eighth Judicial CircuitCourt, Eucharistic minister, racquetball junkie, hand-bell choir musician, avid outdoorsman, and community volunteer, couldn’t bemore content with his busy and full life. The upbeat, 53-year-oldsimply believes that it is better to engage in new experiences thanto sit on life’s sidelines.

“If you fail, oh well; at least you tried,” he said.

It is this philosophy, coupled with a can-do spirit, which has guidednearly all of his pursuits, including his latest hobby, playing guitar. Inspired by his son TJay’s (Thomas) fancy fretwork, Jaworski isworking on mastering the instrument – all the while he contemplatesscuba diving certification so he can also dive with his son.

Rooted in Faith, Family

Jaworski is also deeply faith-filled. Raised in a large Polish-Catholicfamily in East Detroit, Jaworski credits his family with supporting his major undertakings, including attending the Thomas M. CooleyLaw School.

The idea of attending law school took root during his formativeyears, as Jaworski’s parents held a college education in high regard. Jaworski’s father died when he was 18, and his mothermade sure the setback would not affect the children’s higher education pursuits.

While several of the women who attended the neighborhoodchurch encouraged the young altar server to consider the priest-hood, Jaworski always maintained his own designs on the future.

He enrolled at Michigan State University as a political science majorand soon realized he wanted to become a lawyer, a vocation hismother had encouraged him to consider.

“I had known it (Cooley) was a great school,” he said. “My brother-in-law had graduated from there.”

Balancing Law School & Sports

Jaworski was accepted into Cooley in 1980. One of his firstclasses was criminal law, which immediately piqued his interest.

Jaworski thrived in his classes. He also built some strong friendshipswhile managing to find time for intramural hockey and softball. He roomed with the late Michael Skinner (McAlvay Class), who also became a judge.

There were lighter Cooley memories too. Like the time the letter carrier slid her postal truck into his lower-level Lansingapartment on a cold, February morning. No one, including thedriver, was hurt. Jaworski and Skinner were at class, later learning of the incident that would become a campus-wide tale.

He graduated from Cooley in 1984 in the top third of his class,meeting his future wife at Church, Kritselis & Wyble, P.C., a firmthey worked at during his last year of law school. They soonheaded south to Gainesville, Fla., to be near family members.

Jaworski also began his career with post-conviction relief work atFlorida’s Institutional Legal Services office, including civil rightscases and inmate representation.

He then moved to the Eighth Judicial Circuit Public Defender’s office in Gainesville, representing individuals who were accused of crimes, but still presumed innocent.

In 1989, he accepted a criminal prosecution position as an assistantstate attorney in the Eighth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s office.“My whole career spun around; it went full circle.”

Itch for Judge

In 1997, Jaworski joined the firm of DeThomasis & Buchanan andafter a year, opened a solo practice in Gainesville. About three yearsinto private practice, Jaworski said the “itch for judge” came knocking.“I started seeing (campaign election) signs up for others runningfor county judge and thought, ‘that should be my name on thosesigns,’ so I went out and got a group together and ran successfully in2004 in a three-person race.”

In the town of Gainesville, Jaworski now presides over a staggering100+ cases a day.

“This is truly what you call the people’s court in every sense ofthe word,” Jaworski explained. “You’re dealing with peoplewhose lives are going to be dramatically changed by the decisionyou make and I take that very seriously.

“Every case is important to every individual and deserves a fresh,attentive judge who is going to listen to their case and treat themcourteously and with respect.”

Just into his new, six-year term, Jaworski said he has gained adeeper understanding and perspective of social justice.

“I think I’ve become a lot more compassionate about the frailtiesof life. I’m dealing with people who steal medicine because theycan’t afford it and their Medicare doesn’t pay for it. It saddens me to see these older people in their 60s and 70s and they haveno prior record, and they’re shoplifting a bottle of vitamins that cost $15. I take that into account when I sentence.”

Mythbuster

He also tries to dispel a few myths about his work.

“There’s a perception that we’re up there calling balls and strikesand it’s an easy thing to do,” he said. “A lot of people jokinglysay, ‘that’s easy; you just have to make the call and if you’rewrong, some appellate court will make it right. As a judge, youwant to get it right and follow the law. We take it seriously.”

Sometimes an individual’s sentencing becomes a lesson in self-reflectionthat circles back to Jaworski.

“I was standing on a street corner last year campaigning alongwith my son when a tattooed man jumped out of his van, boltedtoward us and said, ‘I just want to tell you that when you gave me that sentence, I thought you were too harsh but you made adifference in my life.”

Today, Jaworski remains close to his children, Thomas, 22, andEmily, 20, both now in college. He offers them the same advicehe would to future attorneys.

“Pursue what you are passionate about,” he said. “Just becauseyou get a law degree does not mean you have to be a practicinglawyer; it’s a good training ground for any career.”

And give back to your community. Judge Jaworski is an avid volunteer for local children’s literacy programs. He enjoys going into the classroom and meeting young people, talking to them aboutjustice, respect, and values.

He also makes sure he carves out time for stained-glass art projects,including a special box he made for his daughter’s high school graduation. He also made a heart with the made-up word, “Emski”-- his nickname for his daughter, Emily – fashioned into the design,and a guitar with “TJAY” embedded into the instrument’s neck forhis son, Thomas.

So what’s next of the docket for Jaworski? It is hard to tell; just recentlyhe performed a wedding ceremony in Tampa at a Renaissance Festival,aptly dressed in a kilt.

“I love the adventure of it all.”

EDUCATION:

B.A. in Political Science, Michigan State UniversityJ.D., Thomas M. Cooley Law School

WHAT’S ON HIS BOOKSHELF?

• Partly Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

• Seven Spiritual Laws of Success (CD during his commutes to work)

• Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff: It’s All Small Stuff

• If (poem by Rudyard Kipling)

FAVORITE QUOTATION:

“The credit belongs to the man who is actually in thearena; whose face is marred by sweat and blood; whostrives valiantly; who errs and comes up short againand again because there is no effort without error andshortcoming...” -Theodore Roosevelt

Judge&Juggler…of life “IT IS BETTER TO ENGAGE IN NEW ExPERIENCES THAN TO SIT ON LIFE’S SIDELINES.” TOM JAWORSKI

TOM JAWORSKI, ALACHUA COUNTY COURT JUDGE, EIGHTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, STATE OF FLORIDA

GrowingI N S O M AN Y WAY SThe daughter of migrant workers,

Juanita Bocanegra knew at the early age of six that she wanted a different life.

She wanted to be an attorney.

FEATURE ARTICLE

KNOWLEDGE. SKILLS. ETHICS. | COOLEY.EDU

1976 Cooley ClassDrick, Jay R., a solo practitioner in Howell, Mich.,was elected and sworn in as a county commissioner forLivingston County, Mich.,2011-2012. He continues tooperate his private practice

of license restoration, landlord rights, and consumer rights. Phone: (517) 546-5601.

1978 Marston ClassHoort, David, judge, 8th Circuit Court,Michigan, was elected treasurer of the Crimi-nal Law Section for the State Bar of Michiganin September at the Bar’s annual meeting.Judge Hoort also writes a judge/law-relatedblog at http://judgedavidhoort.blogspot.com/that is published on the web edition of theIonia Sentinel-Standard at www.sentinel-standard.com/.

1981 Dethmers ClassHamre, Paul E., chief judge of the Van BurenCounty (Michigan) Family, District, and Circuitcourts, has been elected treasurer of theMichigan Judges Association.

Stupak, Bart, joined VenableLLP as a partner in the firm’sLegislative and GovernmentAffairs Group. The former U.S.Congressman also serves as aFellow at Harvard University’sInstitute of Politics, and leads a

study group on government investigations at theKennedy School of Government.

1981 Long ClassLarsen, Steven J.L., has joined the SouthHaven, Mich., office of Willis Law. He has over 30years of legal and business experience in corpo-rate law, contract drafting and negotiations, real estate development, new business development, management and strategic planning. He is also alicensed pilot.

1984 Carr ClassJuroszek, John, has been named Reporter ofDecisions for the Michigan Supreme Court andthe Michigan Court of Appeals. In this role, he isresponsible for editing and publishing decisions of the two courts. He also publishes Michigancourt rules, evidence rules, and Supreme Courtadministrative orders. He previously served aslegal editor for the Reporter of Decisions.

1986 Mundy ClassRoyster, Larry, a 24-year veteran at theMichigan Court of Appeals, has been appointedas the court’s chief clerk. He now serves bothas the chief clerk and as the Court of Appeal’sresearch director.

1987 Morse ClassMcBain, John, a judge in the4th Circuit Court, Jackson,County, Mich., was named bythe Michigan Supreme Court asChief Judge of the 4th CircuitCourt He was first elected tothe bench in 1992. Previously, he

was the Prosecuting Attorney of Jackson County.

1989 Douglass ClassTelgenhof, Allen R., has co-founded a firm, Telgenhof & Snyder, P.C., in Charlevoix,Mich. He focuses his practicein the areas of civil litigation,securities fraud, family law,criminal defense, and business

formation and transactions. Phone: (231) 547-3400; e-mail:atelgenhof@charlevoixlaw.com.

1990 Wilson ClassKole, Jerome, is the new Region IV Administrator for the State Court Administrators Office. In this role, he oversees court operationsin an area that includes much of the northernLower Peninsula of Michigan as well as all of thestate’s Upper Peninsula.

1990 B.F.H. Witherell ClassSchwinn, Christina Harris, a partner with the Pavese Law Firm in Ft. Myers, Fla.,graduated from the Chamber of SouthwestFlorida’s Leadership Lee County program. Participants in the program are chosen by a selection committee. Schwinn’s primary practice areas are employment law, businesstransactions, community association law, andreal estate law. Phone: (239) 336-6292

1991 Turner ClassBlinderman, Craig H., has joined the Hollywood, Fla., law firm of Rosenberg & Rosenberg, P.A. He is a personal injury litigator. His 19 years of experience include more than 15 years’ experience in Personal Injury Protection(PIP) litigation representing both plaintiffs and insurance carriers.

Continued on Back >

CLASSNOTES Cooley encourages all graduates to contribute information to the Class Notes. We want to learn about your law practice and other accomplishments in the legal profession. E-mail: communications@cooley.edu

The daughter ofmigrant workerswho split the year between Michiganand Texas, JuanitaBocanegra (Kavanagh Class,2008) knew atthe early age of sixthat she wanted adifferent life. Shewanted to be an attorney.

“I knew that attorneys helped people and that theyworked in an office,” said Bocanegra. “I didn’t need toknow any more than that.”

It was a lofty goal for a young girl who 12 years laterwould become the first in her family to graduate fromhigh school, earning her degree from West OttawaHigh School in Holland, Mich.

But it was only the beginning of a journey that shewould ultimately take to reach her goal of becomingan attorney.

Life happens

Bocanegra went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in international relations from nearby Grand Valley StateUniversity. The idea was to pair that degree with a lawdegree to become an international business lawyer.But life had more in store for Bocanegra.

With a budding young family, she took a job as a legal assistant at Hann Persinger, a Holland, Michigan,law firm.

During her job interview with a partner at the lawfirm, she stated, “I’m going to be an attorney; I’m going to go to law school.”

“I think it surprised him that I was mentioning thiscareer goal during the interview process,” said Bocanegra. “But that goal was part of who I was,and I wanted him to know that.”

As she learned the ropes in a new profession, she and her husband Jose began making plans to leaveMichigan to return to Texas with their two daughters.The move would have put the family near relativesand allowed her to attend a Texas law school.

“We thought long and hard about it,” said Bocanegra.“But we liked Holland and would have been moving forsomeone else. In the end, we decided it was best to stay(in Michigan).”

At about the same time, Cooley announced that itwas opening a campus in Grand Rapids, Michigan, a30-minute drive from her home. Now was the time;Bocanegra was going to start law school.

Jam-packed schedule

For the next five years, Bocanegra juggled work,family and studies.

“I’m not sure I ever had an hour just for me,” saidBocanegra when discussing her time in law school.“Lunch hours were filled with paying bills, studying,and running errands.”

Bocanegra attended class on the weekends in GrandRapids. Her family handled responsibilities elsewhere,including her husband, who took care of their children. It was a full-scale effort to make a legal education possible.

Bocanegra would even take vacation time beforeexams in an effort to focus on studying. She stillwent to work, but spent her vacation days studyingin one of the conference rooms at the law office.

“The people at Hann Persinger were great,” saidBocanegra. “If I had a question, I had a group oflawyers to go to. They helped me a great deal.”

A switch in careers

After graduating from Cooley in 2008, Bocanegra accepted an offer from Rhoades McKee, a prominentfirm in Michigan’s second largest city – Grand Rapids.There, she focused on business, employment and family law. She had previously completed an externshipat the firm.

“It was a great opportunity,” said Bocanegra. “Butultimately I sought a role that would dramaticallyincrease my interaction with people.”

Bocanegra found that role in a position with the OttawaCounty Prosecutor’s Office as an assistant prosecutor –located in her hometown of Holland. She started herwork there in March, 2011.

According to the Holland Sentinel, Bocanegra wasselected from an applicant pool of more than 300attorneys. She is one of two bilingual prosecutors in Ottawa County.

“I feel as if this is a role that will enable me to contribute more directly to my community,” saidBocanegra. “I’m making decisions about chargesand offers being made (to defendants).

In her new role, Bocanegra handles an array of casesthat include matters involving domestic violence,drugs, breaking and entering, and embezzlement.

She will also be spending a great deal of time in the courtroom, a place that she says Cooley really prepared her to handle.

“Cooley has one of the best trial skills programs,” said Bocanegra. “I was already familiar with some ofthe forms and formalities from my days as a legal assistant. That background, paired with my training at Cooley, is serving me well.”

Right down the street, worlds away

Today, Bocanegra works only miles from where she spent eight months a year as a youth, yet she is worlds away professionally.

“If there is a will, there is a way,” said Bocanegra insumming up her professional accomplishments.

When asked about how her family reacts to her success, she said, “My father really enjoys it.His eyes got very big, very proud when visiting myworkplace. He can’t believe that his daughter has a secretary.”

The proud father might have more to be proud of in the years to come. Bocanegra’s daughter Jasmin, age 12, has indicated that she wants to be a doctor and a lawyer. Most would attributethose lofty goals as being naive. Not Bocanegra.

“It can be done,” she said. “I know of people whohave done it.”

Name: Juanita Bocanegra

Title:Assistant Prosecutor, Ottawa County, Mich.

Age: 36

Born: In Mexico

Family: Married to Jose, 39. They have two children:

Jasmin, age 12, and Jaquelyn, age 9.

Community Involvement: Community Foundation

of the Holland/Zeeland Area, board of directors

Education:

B.A., International Relations, Grand Valley State University

J.D., Thomas M. Cooley Law School

JUANITA BOCANEGRA, ASSISTANT PROSECUTOR, OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN

ALUMNI MATTERS

BENCHMARK COLUMN | JUNE 2011 | VOLUME 3 | NUMBER 2

Savoy, Marc E., has joined the firm of Lissner& Lissner, L.L.P., in New York City, N.Y., in anOf Counsel position focusing on wills, trusts,estates, and elder law.

1992 Montgomery ClassGroll, Catherine, was presented with Cooley LawSchool’s annual Frederick J.Griffith Adjunct Faculty Awardin November 2010. She is asolo practitioner in Lansing,Mich., specializing in complex

civil litigation, medical malpractice, negligence, police liability, serious personal injury, consumerprotection law, and patient advocacy.

Harvey, Elizabeth A., was appointed to theLakewood Family YMCA Advisory Board ofGreater Cleveland. She is an attorney with the firm of Ulmer & Gerne, concentrating in appellate and critical-motion practice.

1993 Moore ClassDeely, Ann, has been named a director on theBoard of Greylock Federal Credit Union. She isa partner of the law firm Deely & Deely, in Lee,Mass. She specializes in domestic relations,probate law, and real estate.

1994 Person ClassCory, Lorrain (Chafin), was reappointedmagistrate in the Ottawa County Court ofCommon Pleas in Port Clinton, Ohio. She wasfirst named to the post in February 2009. Previously she served as a prosecutor for 14years. In her current post, she presides over all domestic and dissolution filings and all post-divorce actions. She was also appointed as amagistrate for the court’s juvenile division.

1995 Steere ClassRice, Steve, is an assistant professor at LibertyUniversity School of Law in Lynchburg,Va. He recently had three articles published: “Conven-tional Logic: Using the Logical Fallacy of Denyingthe Antecedent as a Litigation Tool,” in 43 Akron

Law Review 79 (2010), “Indispensable Logic: Usingthe Logical Fallacy of the Undistributed Middle as a Litigation Tool,” in 79 Miss. Law Journal 669

(2010), and “Conspicuous Logic: Using the Logical Fallacy of Affirming the Consequent as a Litigation Tool,” in 14 Barry Law Review 1 (2010).

Walters, Mark D., has relocated his office,Walters Law Firm, P.L.L.C., to 800 BellevueWay NE, Ste. 400, Bellevue, Wash. 98004. Phone: (425) 688-7620.

1996 Stone ClassChalgian, Douglas G., waselected to become a fellow ofthe American College of Trustand Estate Counsel (ACTEC).He is one of less than 60ACTEC fellows in Michigan.He is a partner of Chalgian &

Tripp Law Offices, with offices in East Lansing,Jackson, Battle Creek, and Jackson, Mich., andpractices exclusively in the areas of estateplanning and elder law. He is certified as anelder law attorney by the National Elder LawFoundation, and is the author of the Michigan

Medicaid Planning Handbook, published by theInstitute for Continuing Legal Education.

Friend, Carol A., was appointed to the Music HallCenter for the Performing ArtsBoard of Trustees in Detroit,Mich. She is a partner at Honigman Miller Schwartz andCohn L.L.P., and chair of the

firm’s Business Immigration Practice Group. Ms.Friend concentrates her practice in the area ofemployment-based immigration, and representsnational and international companies in obtainingauthorization for employees to work in the UnitedStates and abroad. She has been recognized in Best Lawyers in America from 2009 to 2011, inDBusiness’ list of Top Lawyers in 2010 and 2011,and in Michigan Super Lawyers in 2010.

Wojcik, John, a LieutenantColonel, was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal on Jan. 15, 2011, for his outstandingleadership in the Michigan Army National Guard and the community.

1999 Flannigan ClassRice, Cinnamon, has joined the Farmington Hills, Mich.-based firm of Zausmer, Kaufman, August, Caldwell &Taylor, P.C., as an associate.Previously, she was a seniortrial attorney at Citizens

Insurance Company of America. She is also a hearing panelist for the State Bar of Michigan Attorney Discipline Board.

2001 Wilson ClassKeysor-Oudman, Candy, has been namedas vice president personal trust officer, in theWealth Management Department of ChemicalBank, in St. Joseph, Mich. She is responsible for administering estates, personal trusts, and investment management accounts for individuals and institutions.

Porterfield, Nanette, has started her own publishing company, Cashmere Cupcake Publishing, L.L.C., E-mail: cashmerecupcake@gmail.com

2001 Blair Jr. ClassGregg, Randall, was promoted to the position of general counsel for the Michigan Office of Financial andInsurance Regulation (OFIR).He serves as lead counsel tothe commissioner of OFIR

and as the supervising attorney of the Office of General Counsel.

Schurman, Theresa, compliance official forHealthPlus of Michigan, was recognized byMichigan Lawyers Weekly as one of the top 20Michigan Women in the law. She has been employed by HealthPlus for 13 years, workingin the firm’s Flint and Saginaw, Mich., offices. Inher current position since 2001, she facilitatesinternal compliance training, handles reports of fraud and abuse, and develops complianceprocedures.

2002 Paterson ClassHubbell, Bradley, of Cooper & Walinski,L.P.A., was named to the 2010 Who’s Who in

Toledo Area Law.

Singleton, Judith C., operates a solo practicein Middleville, Mich. She focuses primarily on estate planning, probate, real property, and adoptions. Phone: (269) 795-9422.

Willis, Shaun Patrick, of Willis Law, spoke at theGreater Kalamazoo Associationof Realtors’ Continuing Education Conference on Feb. 24, 2011. He and anotherattorney from the firm spoke

on the Real Estate Commercial Brokers Lien Act.Willis Law has offices in Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids,South Haven, and Paw Paw, Mich.

2002 Chase ClassSerrano, Cathy T., was named director of theAllen County Human Resources Department in Ft. Wayne, Ind. She has been an attorney and risk manager with the department since September 2006.

2003 Swainson ClassRoggenbuck, Amanda, was appointed Tuscola County (Mich.) Probate Judge. She assumes the remainder of the term for retired Judge Wallace Kent.

2003 O. Smith ClassJohnson, Felicia O., hasbeen appointed commissioncounsel for the Wayne County(Mich.) Commission. She hasserved as assistant commissioncounsel for Wayne Countysince 2006.

Mathis, Robert, was selectedas Pro Bono Service Counsel bythe State Bar of Michigan. In thisrole, he oversees the growthand expansion of the State Bar’spro bono initiative. He workswith legal aid providers to

coordinate statewide initiatives and build pro bono relationships with law firms, corporations, law schools, and bar associations. Phone: (517) 346-6412; e-mail: rmathis@mail.michbar.org.

2004 Cross ClassLyke, Kristina S., of the Law Office ofKristina S. Lyke, was honored as one of “Top 5Under 35” by the Young Lawyers Section ofthe Ingham County Bar Association.

Prowse, Lisa, was promoted from senior adviser in Advisory Services to director of LegalReview and Strategic Legal Services at BusinessIntelligence Associates, of Portage, Mich.

2004 Needham ClassClark, Kristen M., has been named executivedirector of labor relations/personnel withHowell Public Schools in Howell, Mich.

2005 McAllister ClassMeeks, Douglas, a principal with the firm of Cataldo & Meeks, P.L.L.C., in Lansing, Mich.,was honored as one of “Top 5 Under 35” bythe Young Lawyers Section of the InghamCounty Bar Association.

Olson, Jennifer, was promoted from legal review team lead to associate director at Business Intelligence Associates of Portage, Mich.

2005 Boyles ClassChaidez, Jose, operates Chaidez Law Firm,P.L.L.C., in Maricopa, Ariz.

Dodson, Nathan A., wasnamed a shareholder withGaran Lucow Miller, P.C. Hejoined the firm in 2005 as anassociate in the Detroit, Mich.Office. He concentrates hispractice in the areas of

premises liability defense, casino litigation, and sports and recreational litigation.

Gielow, Ben, joined the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International as its general counsel and government relationsmanager. Previously, he worked for more thanfive years as legislative counsel for U.S. RepVern Ehlers of Michigan who retired fromCongress in 2010. Phone: (571) 255-7795.

Kretzschmer, Julie A., was named a partnerin the firm of Honigman, Miller, Schwartz, andCohn, L.L.P. She practices in the Corporateand Securities Department in the firm’s Oakland County, Mich., office.

Tarsia, Thomas M., has joined the DellutriLaw Group, P.A., in Ft. Myers, Fla., as an associ-ate. He specializes in foreclosure defense andbankruptcy.

Terranova, Erica G., has joined the firm ofBailey, Smith & Bailey, P.C., in Okemos, Mich.She focuses on family law, criminal law, anddebt settlement.

2005 Starr ClassClassens, Matthew L., a general practice attorney with Bishop & Heintz, P.D., in TraverseCity, Mich., was awarded the Sixth Annual ProBono Service Award by the Grand Traverse,Antrim, Leelanau County Bar Association. Heworks primarily in the areas of criminal law,general civil litigation, and personal injury matters. Phone: (231) 946-4100.

2006 Reid ClassMcReynolds Jr., Jule, has opened TheMcReynolds Law Firm, P.C., 44 Broad St., Ste.802, Atlanta, Ga. 30303. Phone: (404) 549-6619;e-mail: jule@mcreynoldslawpc.com.

2006 Edwards ClassHetu, Jennifer M., has joined Honigman,Miller, Schwartz, and Cohn, L.L.P., as an associatein the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Group,Corporate and Securities Department. She specializes in intellectual property and trademarklaw. Previously she was a trademark attorney atthe U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Phone:(248) 566-8452; e-mail: jhetu@honigman.com.

2007 Fisher ClassBower, Ross K. II, an associate attorney with Fahey Schultz Burzych Rhodes, P.L.C.,in Okemos, Mich., has been selected for inclusion in the2011 Michigan Rising Stars list.No more than 2.5 percent of

the lawyers in the state earn this distinction.

2007 Boston ClassBailey, Joshua A., has joined The Finklea Law Firm in Florence, S.C. He is a partner, and practices in the areas of workers’ compensation, Social Security disability, and criminal defense.

Kanner, Rachel J., is a claims counsel with Fidelity National Title Group in Omaha, Neb. Phone: (402) 498-7000; e-mail: rachel.kanner@fnf.com.

Lichterman, Michael, of Lichterman LawP.L.C., in Grand Rapids, Mich., recently becamethe only lawyer in west Michigan to receive the designations of Personal Family Lawyer and Creative Business Lawyer. Phone: (616)827-7596; e-mail: mike@lichtermanlaw.com.

2007 Brickley ClassYucha, Nancy J., has joined the Troy, Mich.,office of hall, Render, Killian, Heath & Lyman. She focuses her practice on business transactionsand services, corporate counsel services, and real estate construction.

2008 Sharpe ClassHarkness, Cullen C., joined the firm of Bodwin & Associates,, in East Lansing, Mich., as an associate attorney He formerly operatedhis own law firm, the Harkness Law Firm, P.L.L.C.,for over two years. He practices in the areas of criminal defense, family law, and general civil litigation. Phone: (517) 332-5323; e-mail: cullenharkness@aol.com.

2008 Adams ClassFrazier, Melanie T., has become a shareholder in thefirm of Howard & Howard,P.L.L.C. She practices in thefirm’s Royal Oak, Mich., office,focusing on litigation in theareas of trademarks, trade

secrets, unfair competition, copyright infringement,patent infringement, and related contact claims.

Monto, Scott M., of Bay City, Mich., joinedthe law firm of Lambert, Leser, Isackson, Cook& Blunta, P.D., as an associate attorney. He waspreviously an associate with Trott & Trott, P.C.,in Farmington Hill, Mich. He practices primarilyin the firm’s civil litigation and commercialbankruptcy practice groups.

2008 T.G. Kavanagh ClassChurch, Michael, a sergeantwith the Michigan State PoliceTraffic Safety Division, is the2010 recipient of the Dr. Carl A.Gerstacker Trooper of the YearAward. This statewide awardrecognizes the MSP trooper or

sergeant who symbolizes outstanding professionalethics, dedication to duty, and a concern for givingback to their community. He was recently pro-moted to a staff position in the MSP Traffic SafetyDivision, Traffic Services Section, as the Traffic Law Resource and Education Unit. He most recentlyserved as a trooper at the Jackson Post since 1995.In addition to his work, he provides pro bono legalassistance to community members, and was instru-mental in the publication of the current edition of the Criminal Law and Procedure Manual used by police officers across the state. In addition, he hasserved as a legal instructor at the American Legionand Kiwanis Youth academies held each summer at the MSP Training Academy.

2009 Coleman ClassMalone, Barry, received theVolunteer of the Year Awardfrom Community Legal Re-sources. He represented theFriends of Eliza Howell Park,Inc., as an intervening party in alawsuit over ownership of Eliza

Howell Park in Detroit, Mich. His practice areasinclude land use and real estate, as well as representing business and government entities.

Yancho, Paul J., of Kalamazoo, Mich., marriedKate E. Leishman on Dec. 11, 2010. He is employedby the Kalamazoo County Circuit Court.

2009 Riley ClassAdib-Lobo, Wafa, is an attorney withWardrop & Wardrop, P.C., in Grand Rapids,Mich. She practices primarily in bankruptcy law. Phone: (616) 459-1225; e-mail:wafa@wardroplaw.com.

Antoine, Pierre-Richard, has joined the Bronx District Attorney’s Office as an Assistant District Attorney.

King, Patrick, has opened his law practice,King Law Firm, L.L.C., at 510 E. Sixth St., Alton,Ill. 62002. He operates a general practice lawfirm with an emphasis in personal injury andworkers’ compensation. Phone: (618) 462-8405; email: kinglawfirm1@gmail.com.

2009 Souris ClassSlais, Tim, is an assistant prosecutor with theBerrien County (Michigan) Prosecutor’s Office.He formerly was a trooper with the MichiganState Police.

2010 Woodward ClassHanmer, Diane, has joined the OsageCounty District Attorney’s Office in Pawhuska,Okla., as an assistant district attorney.

Zamiska, Sara, has been made a partner inthe Law Office of Kleinhans Gruber, P.L.L.C., inAustin, Texas. Phone: (512) 961-8512.

2010 J. Witherell ClassCanan, Lindsay, joined Bos &Glazier, P.L.C., in Grand Rapids,Mich., as an associate attorney.She focuses her practice on civil litigation matters, with anemphasis on personal injury,medical malpractice, and

employment matters such as wrongful dischargeand unemployment representation.

Church, Elliot, J.R., joined Kreis, Enderle,Hudgins & Borsos, P.C., as an associate in thefirm’s Grand Rapids, Mich., office. His practiceis focused primarily on business transactionsand technology law.

Colak, N. Banu, joined The Hubbard LawFirm, P.C., as an associate with the firm. Sheprovides legal services in the areas of business,corporate and municipal law.

Coyle, Emily M., has joinedPlunkett Cooney as a memberof the firm’s Banking, Bankruptcyand Creditors’ Rights PracticeGroup. She focuses her practicein the areas of loan workouts andforeclosures, commercial real

estate transactions, and loan documentation.

Fetkenhier, Kate, hasjoined the Gallagher LawFirm, with offices in Detroit,Lansing, and Grand Rapids,Mich. She focuses on litigationinvolving mortgage and oil andgas disputes. She was recently

appointed as a member of the Legal and Legislative Committee of the Michigan Oil andGas Association.

Mills, Helen E.R., has joined the law firm of Fahey Schultz Burzych Rhodes, P.L.C., inOkemos, Mich., as an associate attorney. Shefocuses her practice on municipal law, laborand employment law, and general litigation.

Nattler, Gerlinda (Linda), has joined BrinksHofer Gilson & Lione, as an associate attorneyin the firm’s Ann Arbor, Mich., office. She focusesher intellectual law practice on patent prosecutionand IP portfolio management, with particular emphasis on mechanics, electronic, hydraulics, and computerized processes. She has extensiveexperience in U.S., European, and German patentprosecution.

Rodenbo, Aaron, has joined Todd Courser & Associates P.L.L.C., in Lapeer, Mich., as an associate attorney.

Rysberg, Mark, has joined Hilger Hammond,P.C., in Grand Rapids, Mich., as an associate attorney.

Amira L. Vicari, has joinedthe law firm of Vonachen, Lawless, Trager & Slevin in Peoria, Illinois as an associateattorney. Her practice areasinclude: Bankruptcy (CreditorsRights), Collections, Business

Transactions, and Civil Practice Litigation. She is also admitted to practice in the UnitedStates District Court- Central District of Illinois. Contact information: (309) 676-8986, avicari@vltslaw.com

IN MEMORY1992 McGrath ClassSutton, Shawn Michael, 45, of Bay City,Mich., died March 11, 2011. He was a practicingattorney in Bay City for 20 years.

2004 Needham ClassNorthup-Thompson, Willette (Willie), died Dec. 8, 2010 at Eaton CommunityHospice in Charlotte, Mich. Sheearned her LL.M. in Tax fromCooley in 2005. Willette wasin private practice for three

years before becoming Director of Graduate and Extended Programs at Cooley. Memorial contributions may be made to Eaton CommunityHospice, 2675 S. Cochran, Charlotte, MI 48813.

2010 Woodward ClassTamburello, David Marc, Sr., 42, diedMarch 11, 2011.

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY As part of Cooley’s commitment to environmental sustainability, Benchmark Column is now printed on an environmentally friendly paper helping to reduce our carbon footprint.

SAVE THE DATEUPCOMING ALUMNI EVENTS

Networking ReceptionFriday, June 24, 2011 • 5:30-8:30 p.m. Milwaukee, Wisc.

Miller Time Pub509 West Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53203

RSVP by June 21

Networking ReceptionTuesday, July 26, 2011 • 5:30-7:30 p.m. Detroit, Mich.

Mosaic Restaurant in Greektown501 Monroe St., Detroit, MI 48226

RSVP by July 22

An Evening of Baseball, Dinner and Fellow AlumniSaturday, July 30, 2011 • 6:30 p.m. Lansing, Mich.

Cooley Law School Stadium505 East Michigan Ave.Lansing, MI 48912

Patio suite opens at 6:30 p.m. Game time is 7:05 p.m.

First 40 RSVP’s by July 27

Networking ReceptionThursday, August 4, 2011 • 5:30-7:30 p.m.Toronto, Ontario

Il Fornello207 Queens Quay Terminal WestToronto, Ontario CanadaM5J 2V7

RSVP by July 29

For more information and to RSVP

contact the Cooley Alumni Association

at (800) 243-ALUM (800-243-2586) in

Lansing: (517) 371-5140, ext. 2038.

Scan this code

to join Cooley’s

Community

on LinkedIn.