o-nov16_Layout 1 11/13/15 2:41 PM Page 1 Oakland County Legal News www.legalnews.com/oakland serving the oakland County Legal Community since 1927 Volume 88, Number 228 Troy, Michigan Monday, November 16, 2015, ONE DOLLAR SHORT Ossian Sweet trial explored TAKES IP CONDUIT Canadian serves Oakland County official to receive 2015 Golden as new director Ring of Hope Award of school’s clinic On Saturday, Nov. 21, Oakland County Board of Commissioners Chairman Michael J. BY SHEILA PURSGLOVE Gingell will receive the 2015 Golden Ring of Legal News Hope Award at the 19th Annual Ring of Hope Dinner presented by the Homes for Autism Passionate about math and science from organization. The dinner will be held at the elementary school, and a “tinkerer” since boy - Pine Knob Mansion in Clarkston. hood, Wissam Aoun saw a degree in mechani - Gingell will be one cal engineering as a natural fit, especially for of two award recipi - someone who grew up in southern Ontario, an ents at the event that area heavily influenced by the automotive brings leaders from a industry. wide spectrum of the Aoun, who joined community together to the University of raise awareness about Detroit Mercy School the issue of autism. of Law faculty this fall Homes for Autism is as assistant professor an organization that of law and director of provides and maintains The Wolverine Bar Association conducted its October to right) Wolverine director Diane Hutcherson of Hom, the International Intel - lectual Property Law houses for adults with GINGELL membership meeting on Thursday, Oct. 29, at Bodman Killeen, Arene, Hoehn, & Bachrach; Wolverine director autism and develop - PLLC’s Ford Field offices in Detroit. The meeting featured Kim Ward; and Wolverine President-elect Randal M. Clinic, originally start - mental disabilities. It creates solutions to meet a discussion of the Ossian Sweet trial with Phyllis Vine Brown of Wayne County Corporation Counsel. The meet - ed his career path as a the needs of those with autism and their fami - (center), author of “One Man’s Castle,” and Fair Housing ing took a look at what happened on Sept. 9, 1925, the research and develop - AOUN lies with the objectives of helping those with Center of Metropolitan Detroit Executive Director Margaret infamous trial, and its impact on Detroit and the country ment engineer in the autism live their best life, obtain quality hous - L.M. Brown (far right). Welcoming the speakers were (left 90 years later. Photo by John Meiu automotive and manufacturing industries. ing and achieve in society. These are key When this field began slowing down, he components of the organization’s mission. went back to school to pursue a formal educa - Homes for Autism selected Gingell for the tion in law, with a focus on Intellectual Prop - distinguished award due to his years of com - erty Law, and then worked with several IP law munity service and involvement in organiza - Michigan Tribal State Federal Judicial firms in the United States and Canada. He has tions that support Autism. drafted and prosecuted patent applications in Currently, there are six homes established various areas of technology, including auto - in Wayne, Oakland, Livingston, and Washte - Forum to meet in Sault Ste. Marie this week motive, biotech and LED-technologies for naw counties, which reflect the growing need clients ranging from sole inventors to large as 1-in-88 individuals are diagnosed with The Michigan Tribal State Federal Judi - adopting its charter last fall in Petoskey. States Attorneys Jeff Davis and Hannah Bobee. multi-national corporations. autism according to statistics. Autism aware - cial Forum will convene today and tomor - The forum is co-chaired by Washtenaw The forum consists of the chief tribal “Having a technical background, and hav - ness is important and organizations, such as, row, Nov. 16-17—during national Native County Trial Court Judge Timothy Connors judges of each of Michigan’s 12 federally ing worked in R & D, I’ve always been fasci - Homes for Autism are crucial to this effort. American Heritage Month—in Sault Ste. and Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa recognized tribes, or their designated alter - nated by the process of creation and inven - For more information about Homes for Marie to further its work in the area of Indi - Indians Chief Judge Allie Greenleaf Mal - nate judges, and 10 state court judges, who tion,” he says. “There’s nothing in the world Autism and how to get involved, call 586-477- an child welfare and domestic violence donado. are appointed by the Michigan Supreme more inspiring to me than to be part of the 0493 or go to homesforautism.org. crimes. At its meeting, the forum will engage in Court from among a pool of currently serv - process of technology development and com - “Our goal is to continue building and strategic planning and goal setting, address ing or retired Michigan judges or justices. mercialization, getting to see the process from strengthening relationships among Michi - current issues surrounding Indian child wel - Retired Supreme Court Justice Michael beginning to end, and to be able to play a vital Michigan revising gan’s tribal, state and federal courts,” said fare, and share information about using fed - Cavanagh continues to serve as a member. role in value protection for technological Michigan Supreme Court Justice Bridget M. eral law to prosecute domestic violence In addition to conducting its regular busi - innovation.” rates for inmate calls McCormack, who serves as the Supreme crimes in Indian country. The director of the ness, forum members will receive a tour of Prior to joining Detroit Mercy Law, the Court Justice Liaison on tribal issues. “By Michigan Department of Health and Human the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe’s Tribal Court award-winning lecturer spent five years as after FCC decision working together, we can make sure that Services Office of Native American Affairs from Chief Judge Jocelyn Fabry, and will intellectual property clinical director at the children and families benefit from a unified will share information about that office’s receive peacemaking training with Kay Pra - LANSING (AP) — The Michigan Depart - University of Windsor Faculty of Law and has and seamless approach that protects their services and data on Indian child welfare in nis. As part of its national tribal and child ment of Corrections is revising rates for taught courses in all areas of intellectual prop - health and welfare.” Michigan. welfare initiatives, the Casey Family Pro - inmate phone calls after the Federal Commu - erty law including patents, trademarks, copy - Created by Michigan Supreme Court During its first year, the forum has added grams Foundation will sponsor the meeting. nications Commission decided to reduce the right and commercialization of technology. Administrative Order 2014-12, the forum three federal representatives: Federal Magis - For additional information, visit cost of jail and prison phone calls. According to Aoun, there are not a lot of will be meeting for the third time since trate Timothy Greeley, and Assistant United www.courts.mi.gov/tribalcourts. Corrections Department spokesman Chris differences in the law itself between the U.S. Gautz tells The Detroit News officials are and Canada, but there are tremendous differ - working to determine how the change will ences in the teaching and practice of IP law on impact revenue. both sides of the border. The department last year generated $11.5 “For many reasons the teaching and prac - million from inmate calls. The money flows Detroit native/‘L&O’ alum tice of IP law in Canada is in need of modern - into a “special equipment fund” used in recent ization,” he says. “Although it’s a lofty goal, I years for security upgrades and counseling sincerely hope the IP Clinic will go a long programs such as violence prevention and ‘ROLE’ MODEL to star in new ‘Chicago Med’ way in changing this, by acting as a conduit to sex-offender treatment. plug the Canadian practice into the U.S. envi - BY KURT ANTHONY KRUG “Jacob’s Ladder,” and 1991’s “Terminator 2: “I think by this point next year Ice-T ronment and bring about positive change in Gautz says officials hope to transfer funds Legal News Judgment Day.” (alias Det. Odafin Tutola on ‘Law & Order: from another part of the budget to continue the education and practice of Canadian IP In 1991, she played Denise Winters, the Special Victims Unit’) will take over that law.” counseling programs, but there could be fewer Although she was born in Saginaw, grief-stricken mother of an 11-month-old distinction,” said Merkerson, laughing. “But classes. One of his main teaching objectives in the actress S. Epatha Merkerson doesn’t consid - boy who’s accidentally shot, on NBC’s long- right now, I hold the longest record of actors. clinical program is to show young law stu - The Michigan Sheriffs’ Association er it her hometown. running “Law & Order.” Merkerson stated The last time that happened was ‘Gun - opposed the FCC’s decision, saying it could dents how to leverage technology to be more “I was only born in Saginaw. I know of she got this part while performing in “The smoke.’” She added with another laugh: “I efficient, competitive and entrepreneurial in cause sheriffs to reduce calling times for nothing of Saginaw. I was raised in Detroit. Piano Lesson” – which earned her a Tony am the Miss Kitty of (‘L&O’).” inmates or remove jail phones. the market place. I’m a native of Detroit,” said Merkerson, 62, Award nomination – on Broadway. Accord - “L&O” had a revolving cast. Merkerson’s “Students learn how to use software for of New York City, who’ll be starring in ing to Merkerson, “L&O” producer Joe (See MERKERSON , Page 2) file management, searching and drafting, all NBC’s “Chicago Med,” debuting Tuesday, Stern was so impressed by her work that he of which are affordable and web-accessible,” Nov.