Eleven Dickinson Wright Lawyers Elected as Members of the Firm
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Dickinson Wright is pleased to announce the election of 11 new member attorneys of the firm, effective January 1, 2024.
“Congratulations to this year’s class of new members on this well-deserved honor. Each attorney brings unique and valuable qualities, perspectives, and skills that they have developed throughout their legal career. We are honored and proud of their accomplishments and thrilled that they are now members,” says Michael Hammer, CEO of Dickinson Wright.
Below are Dickinson Wright’s new member attorneys for 2024:
Andrew Alvarado is a Member in the firm’s Austin office. He represents businesses and individuals throughout Texas and Arizona, using his expertise to solve a wide variety of problems including resolving commercial disputes, protecting intellectual property, addressing issues in construction projects, and helping companies comply with applicable employment laws. While he always looks for creative solutions to solve those problems without resorting to lawsuits, Andrew is an experienced trial and appellate attorney who is comfortable advocating for his clients in the courtroom. Andrew graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University after obtaining a B.A. from the University of Arizona, and has been recognized for his commercial litigation and appellate work by Best Lawyers in America “Ones to Watch”.
Myles Baker is a Member in the firm’s Detroit office. He practices in the areas of regulatory cannabis, complex business litigation, and labor and employment litigation. His ultimate goal is to utilize his wide range of skills and knowledge to provide effective legal counsel and achieve the best possible outcome for his clients. He was named to Lawyers of Color 2020 Hot List. He is the Chair of the Diversity Committee of the State Bar of Michigan Young Lawyer Section. He is Co-Chair of the Michigan Defense Trial Counsel’s Litigation Section and serves on the Institute of Continuing Legal Education’s Young Lawyers and Commercial Litigation Advisory Boards. Myles received his B.A. from Michigan State University and his J.D. from Michigan State University College of Law.
Emily Burdick is a Member in the firm’s Detroit office. Her professional training as a Certified Fraud Examiner and Certified Public Accountant in Michigan enables her to bring acute investigative and analytical skills to her work as a commercial litigator and member of tax controversy team. Her client-first strategic mindset incorporates her experience in tax controversy as well as fraud detection and investigation, financial statement analysis, complex data analysis, financial modeling, quantification of economic damages in commercial disputes, and lost profit calculations. Emily received her B.S. in Accounting from Central Michigan University and her J.D. from Michigan State University College of Law.
Brandon Debus is a Member in the firm’s Troy office. He focuses his practice on assisting and advising entities and individuals in a wide variety of complex matters including commercial litigation, live music and entertainment, and complex insurance coverage and bad faith actions. He is recognized as a leader in his field by Best Lawyers in America “Ones to Watch” and Michigan Super Lawyers Rising Stars. Brandon received his B.S. from Central Michigan University and his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School.
Joseph Delehanty is a Member in the firm’s Chicago office. He helps businesses succeed in a broad range of corporate and intellectual property disputes, including employment, fiduciary duty, non-compete, non-disclosure, trade secret, copyright, and trademark claims. He has particular experience helping clients resolve contentious “business divorces,” as well as challenging Federal and State regulatory matters across a broad range of issues. He is recognized as a leader in his field by Illinois Super Lawyers Rising Stars. Joseph received his B.A. from Indiana University and his J.D. from Indiana University, Maurer School of Law.
Angelina Delmastro is a Member in the firm’s Detroit office. She focuses her practice on labor and employment litigation, including discrimination, retaliation, wage and hour, disability, unemployment insurance benefits, and FMLA matters. She also advises entities and individuals regarding employment matters and regulatory compliance and has experience in negotiating complex severance and settlement agreements on terms advantageous to our clients. She is recognized as a leader in her field by Chambers USA, Best Lawyers in America “Ones to Watch”, and Michigan Super Lawyers Rising Stars. Angelina received her B.A. from the University of Notre Dame and her J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School.
Alison Duffy is a Member in the firm’s Troy office. She focuses her practice on probate litigation. Previously, she handled civil litigation matters at a Michigan-based personal injury firm, gaining extensive experience in Medicare, Medicaid, and ERISA issues and litigating numerous cases before state and federal court juries. She is recognized as a leader in her field by Best Lawyers in America, Michigan Super Lawyers Rising Stars, and named an “Up and Coming Lawyer” by Michigan Lawyers Weekly. Alison received her B.A. in Journalism from Michigan State University and her J.D. from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law.
Kristen Hudson is a Member in the firm’s Austin and Chicago offices. She represents businesses and business people in complex commercial litigation and has won high-stakes legal challenges in state, federal, and appellate courtrooms across the nation. She has successful experience in matters ranging from contract disputes, business torts, and fraud to the protection of trade secrets, intellectual property rights, and privacy. She is recognized for her excellence in the legal community by her peers, including recognition in Illinois Super Lawyers and Texas Super Lawyers. She is an elected Fellow of The Litigation Counsel of America and the American Bar Foundation. Kristen received her B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her J.D. from UIC Law School.
Rachel Schaffer Lawson is a Member in the firm’s Nashville office. She is an alcohol and hospitality lawyer who focuses on helping business owners with their legal needs so they can get back to focusing on their businesses. She provides a myriad of legal services to businesses across many industries, from trademarking and entity selection and formation to contract drafting, litigation, and alcohol licensing and permitting. In particular, she works with restaurants, bars, breweries, distilleries, and distributors to obtain their beer and liquor licenses. Rachel received her B.A. from Northeastern University and her J.D. from Loyola University College of Law.
Brian Merdinger is a Member in the firm’s Phoenix office. He focuses his practice exclusively on family law. His experience includes all areas of dissolution, including matters involving legal decision-making and parenting time issues, paternity, child support, spousal maintenance, property and debt division, and post-decree disputes. He is recognized as a leader in his field by Best Lawyers in America “Ones to Watch” and Southwest Super Lawyers Rising Stars. Brian also serves as a Board Member for the Maricopa County Bar Association (MCBA) Family Law Section. Brian received his B.A. from the University of Arizona and his J.D. from Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law.
Nicole Sappingfield is a Member in the firm’s Chicago office. She focuses her practice on a variety of corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions (M&A), private equity transactions, corporate governance, and commercial transactions. In addition, she has experience serving as outside counsel to portfolio companies as well as advising clients on the negotiation of distribution agreements, license agreements and other business agreements. Nicole received her B.A. from the University of Michigan and her J.D. from Wayne State University Law School.
“Congratulations to this year’s class of new members on this well-deserved honor. Each attorney brings unique and valuable qualities, perspectives, and skills that they have developed throughout their legal career. We are honored and proud of their accomplishments and thrilled that they are now members,” says Michael Hammer, CEO of Dickinson Wright.
Below are Dickinson Wright’s new member attorneys for 2024:
Andrew Alvarado is a Member in the firm’s Austin office. He represents businesses and individuals throughout Texas and Arizona, using his expertise to solve a wide variety of problems including resolving commercial disputes, protecting intellectual property, addressing issues in construction projects, and helping companies comply with applicable employment laws. While he always looks for creative solutions to solve those problems without resorting to lawsuits, Andrew is an experienced trial and appellate attorney who is comfortable advocating for his clients in the courtroom. Andrew graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University after obtaining a B.A. from the University of Arizona, and has been recognized for his commercial litigation and appellate work by Best Lawyers in America “Ones to Watch”.
Myles Baker is a Member in the firm’s Detroit office. He practices in the areas of regulatory cannabis, complex business litigation, and labor and employment litigation. His ultimate goal is to utilize his wide range of skills and knowledge to provide effective legal counsel and achieve the best possible outcome for his clients. He was named to Lawyers of Color 2020 Hot List. He is the Chair of the Diversity Committee of the State Bar of Michigan Young Lawyer Section. He is Co-Chair of the Michigan Defense Trial Counsel’s Litigation Section and serves on the Institute of Continuing Legal Education’s Young Lawyers and Commercial Litigation Advisory Boards. Myles received his B.A. from Michigan State University and his J.D. from Michigan State University College of Law.
Emily Burdick is a Member in the firm’s Detroit office. Her professional training as a Certified Fraud Examiner and Certified Public Accountant in Michigan enables her to bring acute investigative and analytical skills to her work as a commercial litigator and member of tax controversy team. Her client-first strategic mindset incorporates her experience in tax controversy as well as fraud detection and investigation, financial statement analysis, complex data analysis, financial modeling, quantification of economic damages in commercial disputes, and lost profit calculations. Emily received her B.S. in Accounting from Central Michigan University and her J.D. from Michigan State University College of Law.
Brandon Debus is a Member in the firm’s Troy office. He focuses his practice on assisting and advising entities and individuals in a wide variety of complex matters including commercial litigation, live music and entertainment, and complex insurance coverage and bad faith actions. He is recognized as a leader in his field by Best Lawyers in America “Ones to Watch” and Michigan Super Lawyers Rising Stars. Brandon received his B.S. from Central Michigan University and his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School.
Joseph Delehanty is a Member in the firm’s Chicago office. He helps businesses succeed in a broad range of corporate and intellectual property disputes, including employment, fiduciary duty, non-compete, non-disclosure, trade secret, copyright, and trademark claims. He has particular experience helping clients resolve contentious “business divorces,” as well as challenging Federal and State regulatory matters across a broad range of issues. He is recognized as a leader in his field by Illinois Super Lawyers Rising Stars. Joseph received his B.A. from Indiana University and his J.D. from Indiana University, Maurer School of Law.
Angelina Delmastro is a Member in the firm’s Detroit office. She focuses her practice on labor and employment litigation, including discrimination, retaliation, wage and hour, disability, unemployment insurance benefits, and FMLA matters. She also advises entities and individuals regarding employment matters and regulatory compliance and has experience in negotiating complex severance and settlement agreements on terms advantageous to our clients. She is recognized as a leader in her field by Chambers USA, Best Lawyers in America “Ones to Watch”, and Michigan Super Lawyers Rising Stars. Angelina received her B.A. from the University of Notre Dame and her J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School.
Alison Duffy is a Member in the firm’s Troy office. She focuses her practice on probate litigation. Previously, she handled civil litigation matters at a Michigan-based personal injury firm, gaining extensive experience in Medicare, Medicaid, and ERISA issues and litigating numerous cases before state and federal court juries. She is recognized as a leader in her field by Best Lawyers in America, Michigan Super Lawyers Rising Stars, and named an “Up and Coming Lawyer” by Michigan Lawyers Weekly. Alison received her B.A. in Journalism from Michigan State University and her J.D. from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law.
Kristen Hudson is a Member in the firm’s Austin and Chicago offices. She represents businesses and business people in complex commercial litigation and has won high-stakes legal challenges in state, federal, and appellate courtrooms across the nation. She has successful experience in matters ranging from contract disputes, business torts, and fraud to the protection of trade secrets, intellectual property rights, and privacy. She is recognized for her excellence in the legal community by her peers, including recognition in Illinois Super Lawyers and Texas Super Lawyers. She is an elected Fellow of The Litigation Counsel of America and the American Bar Foundation. Kristen received her B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her J.D. from UIC Law School.
Rachel Schaffer Lawson is a Member in the firm’s Nashville office. She is an alcohol and hospitality lawyer who focuses on helping business owners with their legal needs so they can get back to focusing on their businesses. She provides a myriad of legal services to businesses across many industries, from trademarking and entity selection and formation to contract drafting, litigation, and alcohol licensing and permitting. In particular, she works with restaurants, bars, breweries, distilleries, and distributors to obtain their beer and liquor licenses. Rachel received her B.A. from Northeastern University and her J.D. from Loyola University College of Law.
Brian Merdinger is a Member in the firm’s Phoenix office. He focuses his practice exclusively on family law. His experience includes all areas of dissolution, including matters involving legal decision-making and parenting time issues, paternity, child support, spousal maintenance, property and debt division, and post-decree disputes. He is recognized as a leader in his field by Best Lawyers in America “Ones to Watch” and Southwest Super Lawyers Rising Stars. Brian also serves as a Board Member for the Maricopa County Bar Association (MCBA) Family Law Section. Brian received his B.A. from the University of Arizona and his J.D. from Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law.
Nicole Sappingfield is a Member in the firm’s Chicago office. She focuses her practice on a variety of corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions (M&A), private equity transactions, corporate governance, and commercial transactions. In addition, she has experience serving as outside counsel to portfolio companies as well as advising clients on the negotiation of distribution agreements, license agreements and other business agreements. Nicole received her B.A. from the University of Michigan and her J.D. from Wayne State University Law School.
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