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www.fbamich.org FBAnewsletterFall 2008 Federal Bar Association - Eastern District of Michigan Chapter - 51 years of service to our Federal Bench and Bar Rakow Awards/Court Historical Society Luncheon President’s November 18th Column Barbara L. McQuade Once again, the Chapter looks forward to co-hosting our annual Rakow Awards luncheon with the Court His- Key Contributors torical Society at the Atheneum Hotel in Greektown. The reception begins at 11:30 a.m. with the luncheon starting at Throughout the year, this column will focus on noon. Tickets are $25.00 for Chapter members, $30.00 for members whose work has made a significant non-members. impact on our Chapter. One of our Chapter’s key contributors is Tom Continuing another proud tradition, our Chapter will McNeill. As Program Chair, Tom leads the plan- present scholarships financed by our Foundation to one de- ning of our quarterly luncheon series and other serving student from each of our six Michigan law schools. programming areas. Quality programming is Rakow scholarships are given annually in honor of one of one of the Chapter’s top goals this year, and the our energetic Chapter founders, Ed Rakow. reason for that priority can be credited to Tom For its part, the Historical Society has planned yet as well. another compelling program. The Historical Society has The Chapter saw unprec- engaged Greg Stohr, the Bloomberg News Supreme Court edented growth last year reporter and author of “A Black and White Case: How Af- with Tom as Chair of the firmative Action Survived Its Greatest Challenge,” the first Membership Committee. At book to examine the 2003 U.S. Supreme Court decisions in the behest of Past President the landmark University of Michigan cases. At the conclu- Judge Mark Goldsmith, Tom and his Committee launched sion of the luncheon, Mr. Stohr will be available for a book a membership drive that at- signing (for your convenience, books will be available for tracted 300 new members. purchase at a special low price). The Chapter seeks to retain For more information about this luncheon or the lun- all of these new members by Tom McNeill cheon series, please contact Thomas G. McNeill, Chapter providing high quality pro- Program Chair, at (313) 223-3632 or by email at tmcneill@ gramming, educational seminars, and networking dickinson-wright.com. Information is also available on the opportunities. So Tom’s success last year has Chapter’s website at www.fbamich.org. given him new challenges this year, and he has met them with typical aplomb. Programs in the works include a seminar on INSIDE THIS ISSUE Sentencing presenting financial proofs in court, a brownbag New Lawyers Seminar pg.2-3 panel discussion on sentencing advocacy, a Advocacy Courthouse tours orientation breakfast, and the Tidbits & Trivia pg.3-5 Seminar Rakow Awards Luncheon. In addition to offering programs to our mem- State of the Court pg. 5-6 November bers, we want to engage them as active partici- Dave Weaver pg.6 12th pants in committees. Committee chairs attended an August orientation session, at which they Featured Member T h e C r i m i n a l were encouraged to invite to committee meet- L. Michael Wicks pg.6-7 Practice Committee ings all new members who indicated a preference for Annual Meeting pg.7-8 will present a panel discussion entitled a particular committee WINNER Supreme Court “How to Improve on their application form. 6 YEARS If you are interested in Preview pg. 8-9 Sentencing Advocacy: National FBA serving on a committee, Outstanding Remembering The View from the a list can be found on the N e w s l e t t e r Judge Brody pg. 9-10 Bench and the Proba- chapter’s website at A w a r d tion Department,” at Calendar of Events pg.12 (continued on page 2) (continued on page 2) 1 Advocacy Seminar (from page 1) President’s Column (continued) noon on Wednesday, November 12th in Room 115 of the Courthouse. www.fbamich.org or by sending an There is no charge for the presentation, and those attending should email to Executive Director Brian Figot feel free to bring a brown bag lunch. The panel members will include at [email protected]. Judge Robert Cleland, Judge Victoria Roberts, and Phil Miller, Chief Other goals for the year relate to our Probation Officer. diversity and pro The goal of the presentation is to give defense attorneys and bono efforts. Presi- prosecutors alike practical advice for enhancing the quality of their dent-Elect Elisa An- geli Palizzi leads sentencing presentations. The judges on the panel will describe the our Diversity Task sentencing councils used by many judges in this District and the types Force, co-chaired of arguments that the councils have found most persuasive. They will by Judge George also address the role that letters from crime victims and from supporters Caram Steeh and of the defendant play in the sentencing process and how to make such Assistant U.S. At- letters more relevant and persuasive. Finally, the judges will offer tips torney Elizabeth on how to present sentencing arguments in the most effective format. Stafford. The Di- Elisa Angeli Palizzi Phil Miller will explain how defense attorneys and prosecutors can versity Task Force maximize their input into the Probation Department’s consideration of has been asked to each case and shape the sentencing posture of the case before it even develop specific recommendations to reaches the judge’s desk. improve the diversity of our Chapter For more information, contact Matthew Leitman at 248-267-3294 in all forms. Judge Goldsmith serves as officer or Daniel Hurley at 313-226-9780. liaison to our Pro Bono Committee, chaired by Rick New Lawyers Seminar Haberman of Dickin- December 2nd and 3rd son Wright, Patrice Arend of Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss and The nationally acclaimed (and copied) annual New Lawyers Semi- John Nussbaumer, nar will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, December 2-3, 2008, start- Associate Dean at ing in Room 115 at the Courthouse. Register your associates early, Cooley Law School as the capacity is limited. at Auburn Hills. The Mark Goldsmith The Seminar utilizes a “nuts and bolts” how-to-do-it approach Chapter’s Pro Bono which is designed to assist recent graduates in understanding certain Committee works areas of substantive practice and the fundamental procedures followed with the Court’s Pro Bono Committee in the Court and also in the State courts in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb to best support the pro bono needs counties, featuring a faculty of judges, court personnel and practicing of our district. Attorneys performing attorneys. pro bono service were honored at the The first day of the Seminar, December 2nd, is “Federal Day,” State of the Court Luncheon on Sept. with intensive focus on the practicalities of federal practice, followed 23. We’ll hear more about the work of these and other key contributors in the by a swearing-in ceremony which will be coordinated by the Clerk’s coming months. Office. (Separate registration with, and payment to, the Clerk’s Of- But, back to Tom McNeill. Tom fice is required for the swearing-in.) The latest information regarding practices at Dickinson Wright in the the swearing-in ceremony is on the Court’s website, at www.mied. areas of commercial litigation, securi- uscourts.gov/. ties and corporate governance. He The second day, December 3rd, is “State Day” and leads the un- also lectures extensively on electronic initiated through the vagaries of the tri-county court systems, with a data and E-discovery. As Membership luncheon at the historic Detroit Club, usually addressed by the Chief Chair last year, Tom showed his cre- Judge of the Wayne County Circuit Court. ativity, challenging lawyers to bring in Additionally, for each subject covered, there is an accompanying new members and offering the winner outline and/or substantive article, conveniently formatted for word lunch with author Scott Turow at the searching on a CD-ROM. Chapter’s Gilman Luncheon in April. We look forward to reaping the benefit Over the years, this Seminar has been copied, first nationally by of Tom’s energy and creativity in the other FBA Chapters and more recently by local bar associations and law years to come. firms. However, it remains unparalleled both in content and in pricing. The two-day Seminar, luncheon and Seminar materials are all provided 2 for only $65.00 to members of the national FBA; $95.00 to non-members. A special A Message from the price of $140.00 includes the seminar plus Pro Bono Committee one year of membership in both the national FBA and the Chapter. Co-chairs for the Seminar are Brian Dear Chapter member: Akkashian, Christine Dowhan-Bailey, Brian Figot, Grant Gilezan, Geneva Halliday and Representatives of the FBA Pro Bono Committee met with Judge Cathrine Wenger. Denise Page Hood, Judge Victoria Roberts, Court Administrator David Reservation checks should be made Weaver, and Deputy Court Administrator Libby Smith. The foreclo- payable to the Federal Bar Association, and sure crisis has made its way into federal court in the form of pro se mailed to New Lawyers Seminar, 30100 cases filed by plaintiffs seeking to set aside a sheriff’s sale and have Telegraph, Ste. 428, Bingham Farms MI title restored, and we need your help. 48025-4564. We are in the process of putting together a training program for Online registration with secure payment volunteer lawyers willing to help handle these cases that we hope to by credit card is available at www.fbamich.