Great Lakes Legal Conference 2026: Full Schedule
Resort casual or business clothing is appropriate for the conference. The Grand Hotel considers every evening a special occasion and requires all guests and visitors to wear dress clothing after 6:30 p.m. in all areas of the hotel, except the Cupola Bar. Learn more about the Grand Hotel Policies here.
PRE-CONFERENCE
Thursday, June 11, 2026
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6:30 p.m.
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Attendee Networking Dinner
Cottage Restaurant
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DAY 1
Friday, June 12, 2026
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8:30–11:00 a.m.
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Grand Nine Golf Meetup on The Jewel
(Meet up & team up. Participants responsible for golf fees.)
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10:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
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Registration Open
Art Gallery
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12:15–12:45 p.m.
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Coffee, Tea, and Networking
Theatre Room
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1:00–1:20 p.m.
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Welcome and Introductions
Plenary Moderator: Peter Cunningham, State Bar of Michigan Executive Director, Lansing
Lisa Hamameh
President, State Bar of Michigan
Rosati Schultz Joppich & Amtsbuechler PC
Farmington Hills
Hon. Megan Cavanagh
Chief Justice
Michigan Supreme Court
Lansing
Theatre Room
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1:20–2:20 p.m.
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Keynote: Rule of Law Through Storytelling
Michael J. Steinberg
University of Michigan Law School
Ann Arbor
Theatre Room
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2:20–2:30 p.m.
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Break
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2:30–3:20 p.m.
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Under the Domes: A Public Policy Update for the Legal Profession
Peter Cunningham
State Bar of Michigan Executive Director, Lansing
Nathan Triplett
State Bar of Michigan Public Policy Director, Lansing
Theatre Room
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3:20–3:30 p.m.
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Break
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Leadership Track
Moderator:
Erika Bryant
Butler Davis PLLC
Detroit
Theater Room
Legal Updates Track
Moderator:
Kim A. Coggins
Coggins Law
Marinette, WI
Brighton Room
Litigation Track
Moderator:
Aaron Burrell
Dickinson Wright
Detroit
Terrace Room
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3:30–4:10 p.m.
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Tools to Help Your Board Govern Collaboratively and Courageously
Jennifer Lewin
Director, ABA Center for Bar Leadership
Chicago, IL
Real Property Law: New Developments and Practice Tips
John G. Cameron, Jr.
Dickinson Wright PLLC
Grand Rapids
Trial Tactics that Move Juries
Alena Clark
Department of the Attorney General
Lansing
Patrick Crowley
Marquette County Public Defender
Marquette
Daniel D. Quick
Dickinson Wright PLLC
Troy
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4:10–4:20 p.m.
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Break
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4:20–5:10 p.m.
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Legal Horizon Roundtable for Bar Leaders
Darin Day
Director of Outreach
State Bar of Michigan
Greg Conyers
Director of Diversity Development
State Bar of Michigan
Estate Planning and Elder Law Update
Nathan R. Piwowarski
McCurdy Wotila & Porteous PC
Cadillac
Legal Analytics: Using Data to Predict and Win Cases
Angela Emmerling Shapiro
Butzel Long PC
Detroit
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6:00–7:00 p.m.
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Grand Reception
Grand Hotel Porch – Tickets Required
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6:30–8:45 p.m.
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Main Dining Room Open for Dinner
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DAY 2
Saturday, June 13, 2026
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8:00–9:00 a.m.
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Hotel Checkout
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8:30–9:00 a.m.
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Coffee, Tea, and Networking
Theatre Room
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Leadership Track
Moderator:
James Liggins
Norcross + Judd LLP
Kalamazoo
Theater Room
Legal Updates Track
Moderator:
Kim A. Coggins
Coggins Law
Marinette, WI
Brighton Room
Practice Management and Technology Track
Moderator:
Robert Easterly
Easterly Law, PLLC
East Lansing
Terrace Room
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9:00–9:45 a.m.
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Trust in the Legal Profession and its Membership: The Importance of Civility and Professionalism
Michael S. Leib
LeibADR LLC
Bloomfield Hills
Criminal Law Update—You Can’t Win If You Don’t Know the Law
Takura Nyamfukudza
Chartier & Nyamfukudza PLC
Okemos
Marisa A. Vinsky
Chartier & Nyamfukudza PLC
Okemos
Storytelling in the Law
Keeley Blanchard
State Appellate Defender Office
Lansing
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9:45–9:55 a.m.
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Break
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9:55–10:40 a.m.
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Leading with Resilience: A Focus on Mental Wellness
Molly Ranns
Director of Lawyers & Judges Assistance
State Bar of Michigan
Family Law Update
James J. Harrington, III
Harrington Law PLC
Novi
A Dozen Ideas to Enhance Your Law Practice
Gerard Mantese
Mantese Honigman PC
Troy
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10:40–10:50 a.m.
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Break
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10:50–11:35 a.m.
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Navigating the Financial Complexities of Bar Leadership
Jennifer Quick
Oakland County Bar Association Executive Director
Bloomfield Hills
Driver’s License Restoration in Michigan
Daniel T. Geherin
Geherin Law Group PLLC
Ann Arbor
Technology in the Courtroom: Friend or Foe?
Hon. Jon A. Van Allsburg
20th Circuit Court
Grand Haven
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11:35–11:45 a.m.
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Break
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11:45 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
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Trends in Membership and Member Engagement
Jennifer Lewin
Director, ABA Center for Bar Leadership
Chicago, IL
Mortgage Lending in Michigan
John G. Cameron, Jr.
Dickinson Wright PLLC
Grand Rapids
The Business of Law: Strategy, Systems, Success
Sarah Ostahowski
Sarah's Law Firm
Clare
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12:30–12:40 p.m.
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Concluding Remarks and Door Prize Drawing (Must be present to win)
Theatre Room
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