With the recent announcement of the 2024 Oscars nominees, showings and re-showings of the movies that received a nod from the Academy will be prevalent in the coming months. But it is important to remember that public movie showings are strictly controlled by the U.S. Copyright Act, which grants the exclusive right to authorize public showings of copyrighted works to their owners. Read this overview of how copyright applies to "public" movie showings.
Firearm ownership is at the center of many legal discussions and debates in the US, including how individuals can legally procure guns. Gun trusts are one way of legally and more easily transferring firearm ownership between individuals. Here's an overview of what gun trusts are, their benefits, and some of the key insights to know about drafting a binding gun trust.
Additionally, two (2) attorneys have been honored as “Lawyer of the Year” in their respective practice areas.
Best Lawyers is the oldest and most respected peer review publication in the legal profession. Recognition in Best Lawyers is widely regarded by both clients and legal professionals as a prestigious honor.
The attorneys being honored in the 2022 publications are: R. Edward Boucher, Hon. John E. Dewane (ret.), Jovan Dragovic, Mowitt S. Drew, III, Dennis K. Egan, Jeffrey M. Sangster, Keith J. Soltis and Gregory L. Wysocki. Also honored are Mark F.C. Johnson, Bruce A. Margulis and J. Lauren Virzi.
R. Edward Boucher – Recognized for both Construction Law and Litigation – Construction.
Boucher practices in the firm’s Detroit office. With a focus on the representation of contractors for more than 20 years, he possesses a depth of industry knowledge and talent in developing effective and practical solutions to problems that arise during construction projects. Representative clients include developers, institutional owners, general contractors, construction managers, trade contractors and suppliers. Boucher’s extensive experience has produced excellent results for the firm’s clients through negotiation or mediation but also through arbitration or litigation.
Hon. John E. Dewane (ret.) – Recognized for Commercial Litigation.
Dewane leads the firm’s St. Joseph office. As a retired Berrien County Circuit Court Judge, he had previously managed a successful private practice in St. Joseph spanning nearly 40 years. In addition to commercial litigation, Dewane has an extensive background in public sector work and labor and employment law. With a sterling reputation throughout the legal community, he possesses a depth of experience and dedication to client services. Dewane is an active member of numerous professional, civic and community organizations.
Jovan Dragovic – Recognized for Health Care Law.
Dragovic is resident in the firm’s Bloomfield Hills office. He concentrates his practice on the increasingly-complex legal issues confronting physicians, physician organizations, group practices and ancillary health care items and service providers and suppliers. Dragovic’s business transactions include organization and entity structure and creation, acquisitions and business combinations, employment and independent contractor relationships, document preparation and regulatory guidance and compliance. His work on the transactional and regulatory side of health care law is an advantage to clients who experience disputes that result in litigation.
Mowitt S. Drew, III – Recognized as “Lawyer of the Year”for 2022 in the Kalamazoo region for Family Law.
Drew serves as Managing Director of the firm’s Southwest Michigan offices. Resident in the Niles office, he practices in the St. Joseph, South Haven and Grand Rapids offices as well. He is a seasoned trial lawyer with more than 20 years of experience. With a special focus on domestic relations, high net worth cases involving complex family or financial issues, contested probate matters, and estate and long-term care planning, Drew’s honest but aggressive approach has served the best interests of his clients.
Dennis K. Egan – Recognized for both Commercial Litigation and Litigation – Securities.
Egan is resident in the firm’s Bloomfield Hills office. He is an accomplished trial lawyer with decades of experience successfully representing clients in lawsuits and arbitration proceedings brought not only in Michigan but across the country. His focused approach in the representation of large clients, defending national class actions in the federal courts, and small clients in the state courts, addressing contractual disputes, has proved consistently successful. This includes a large number of securities arbitrations before the NYSE, NASD, FINRA Dispute Resolution, and the American Arbitration Association.
Jeffrey M. Sangster – Recognized for both Construction Law and Litigation – Construction.
A founding member of the firm, Sangster practices in the Detroit office. He serves as chair of the firm’s Construction Group and has practiced law for 40 years. With an intimate understanding of contractors and their business objectives and challenges, he has focused on all aspects of construction law, from construction contract drafting and negotiations, contract review and risk analysis, to claim resolution through litigation, arbitration, facilitation and mediation.
Keith J. Soltis – Recognized for Health Care Law and in 2019 as the region’s “Lawyer of the Year” in Health Care Law.
Soltis serves as Managing Director of the firm’s Bloomfield Hills office. He has been honored by his peers with recognition in Best Lawyers for nearly 15 years. Concentrating his practice in health care law, Soltis focuses on corporate and transactional issues, fraud and abuse analysis and advice, and third party reimbursement issues through his representation of physicians, physician organizations, group practices and ancillary health care items and service providers and suppliers.
Gregory L. Wysocki – Recognized as “Lawyer of the Year” in the Detroit region for 2022. He is being honored for both Corporate Law and Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law.
Wysocki serves as president of Kotz Sangster Wysocki P.C. and has practiced for 40 years with a special focus on counseling owners and management of closely-held entrepreneurial businesses, including family-owned companies, in connection with succession planning, shareholder agreements and buy-sell agreements. Wysocki serves as practice group leader of the firm’s Mergers and Acquisitions Practice Group and has substantial experience in planning, negotiating and implementing various types of M&A transactions as well as recapitalizations.
BEST LAWYERS: ONES TO WATCH – 2nd Edition
Mark F.C. Johnson – Recognized for Litigation – Construction.
Johnson is a Senior Associate practicing in the firm’s Detroit office. A member of the firm’s Construction Practice Group, he focuses on commercial litigation and has a proven track record of obtaining favorable results for his clients. Johnson is an analytical problem solver possessing strong research, writing and communication skills.
Bruce A. Margulis – Recognized for his work in Banking and Finance Law.
Margulis is a Senior Associate and resident in the firm’s Detroit office. Through his involvement in the Financial Services Group, he assists borrowers and lenders with asset and real estate backed loan facilities of all sizes, and handles forbearance and foreclosure matters. Additionally, he has experience in mergers and acquisitions as well as complex real estate transactions.
J. Lauren Virzi – Recognized for her work in both Commercial Litigation and Insurance Law.
Virzi is a Senior Associate in the firm’s Detroit office. An experienced litigator, she has knowledge in a broad range of practice areas including construction defect and insurance subrogation and defense, as well as complex litigation. Her in-depth understanding of AIA contract documents and the oversight and management of root cause investigations and analysis allows her to effectively represent the firm’s clients.
