Four newly elected attorneys will join the Board of Commissioners and three incumbents also won reelection in the 2022 State Bar of Michigan elections.
The Board of Commissioners provides oversight to the State Bar on finance, public policy, professional standards, and member services. Elected commissioners will serve three-year terms.
The newly elected commissioners are:
Thomas P. Murray Jr., a trial attorney with the Sam Bernstein Law Firm, was elected in an uncontested race to serve District C representing Muskegon, Kent, Ottawa, Isabella, Newaygo, Oceana, Mecosta, Osceola, Clare, and Gladwin counties. Murray is on the board of trustees for the Grand Rapids Bar Association and the Justice Foundation of West Michigan.
Nicholas M. Ohanesian, an administrative law judge, also was elected in an uncontested race to serve District C. He currently sits on the Board of Commissioners as chair of the Representative Assembly. Ohanesian serves in the Social Security Administration Office of Hearings Operations.
Matthew B. Van Dyk of Miller Johnson was elected in an uncontested race to serve District F representing Hillsdale, Berrien, Barry, Kal-amazoo, Branch, Van Buren, Calhoun, Cass, Saint Joseph, and Allegan counties. Van Dyk is chair of Miller Johnson’s real estate practice.
Gerard V. Mantese of Mantese Honigman PC was elected in a contested race to serve District I representing Oakland County. Mantese has been on the Access to Justice Campaign’s Metro Detroit fundraising committee since 2019.
Reelected commissioners are:
Suzanne C. Larsen, Marquette city attorney, who was reelected in an uncontested race to serve District A representing Luce, Mackinac, Schoolcraft, Alger, Houghton, Baraga, Keweenaw, Grand Traverse, Leelanau, Antrim, Manistee, Benzie, Arenac, Iosco, Alcona, Oscoda, Marquette, Alpena, Montmorency, Missaukee, Wexford, Gogebic, Ontonagon, Charlevoix, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Dickinson, Iron, Menominee, Otsego, Crawford, Kalkaska, Delta, Chippewa, Lake, Mason, Cheboygan, Presque Isle, and Emmet counties.
Erika L. Bryant of Butler Davis, who was reelected in a contested race to serve District H representing Wayne, Monroe, and Lenawee counties.
James W. Low of The Dollar Law Firm PLLC, who was reelected in a contested race to serve District I representing Oakland County.
Also elected were representatives to the Judicial Tenure Commission, Representative Assembly, and the Young Lawyers Section Executive Council.
JUDICIAL TENURE COMMISSION
The Judicial Tenure Commission is a constitutionally created body that promotes the integrity of the judicial process and preserves public confidence in the courts.
Thomas J. Ryan won a contested election to serve a three-year term on the Judicial Tenure Commission that runs from Jan. 1, 2023, to Dec. 31, 2025.
SBM REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY
The 150-member Representative Assembly was created in 1972 and serves as the final policy-making body for the State Bar of Michigan.
Representative Assembly election winners are:
2ND CIRCUIT (BERRIEN COUNTY)
Blair M. Johnson, St. Joseph
3RD CIRCUIT (WAYNE COUNTY)
Ponce D. Clay, Detroit
Hon. Kristina Robinson Garrett, Detroit
Lisa Whitney Timmons, Detroit
Rita O. White, Canton
4TH CIRCUIT (JACKSON COUNTY)
Brad A. Brelinski, Jackson
6TH CIRCUIT (OAKLAND COUNTY)
Fatima M. Bolyea, Troy
James P. Brennan, Hazel Park
Alec M. D’Annunzio, Pontiac
Karen R. Geibel, Troy
Edward L. Haroutunian, Bingham Farms
Emily A. Karr, New Hudson
Joshua A. Lerner, Royal Oak
Michael E. Sawicky, Farmington Hills
7TH CIRCUIT (GENESEE COUNTY)
Marc D. Morse, Grand Blanc
13TH CIRCUIT (ANTRIM, GRAND TRAVERSE, AND LEELANAU COUNTIES)
Agnieszka Jury, Traverse City
17TH CIRCUIT (KENT COUNTY)
Brent T. Geers, Grand Rapids
Philip L. Strom, Grand Rapids
19TH CIRCUIT (BENZIE AND MANISTEE COUNTIES)
Lesya N. Dull, Manistee
20TH CIRCUIT (OTTAWA COUNTY)
Christopher M. Wirth, Zeeland
21ST CIRCUIT (ISABELLA COUNTY)
Becky J. Bolles, Mt. Pleasant
22ND CIRCUIT (WASHTENAW COUNTY)
Elizabeth C. Jolliffe, Ann Arbor
Marla A. Linderman Richelew, Ann Arbor
24TH CIRCUIT (SANILAC COUNTY)
Matthew C. Lozen, Sandusky
30TH CIRCUIT (INGHAM COUNTY)
Nicholas E. Gobbo, Lansing
31ST CIRCUIT (ST. CLAIR COUNTY)
Richard W. Schaaf, Port Huron
37TH CIRCUIT (CALHOUN COUNTY)
Angela Easterday, Battle Creek
39TH CIRCUIT (LENAWEE COUNTY)
Katarina L. DuMont, Adrian
40TH CIRCUIT (LAPEER COUNTY)
Bernard A. Jocuns, Lapeer
41ST CIRCUIT (DICKINSON, IRON, AND MENOMINEE COUNTIES)
Hon. Christopher S. Ninomiya, Iron Mountain
44TH CIRCUIT (LIVINGSTON COUNTY)
David T. Bittner, Howell
46TH CIRCUIT (CRAWFORD, KALKASKA, AND OTSEGO COUNTIES)
Courtney E. Cadotte, Gaylord
50TH CIRCUIT (CHIPPEWA COUNTY)
Jason N. Rozencweig, Sault Ste. Marie
51ST CIRCUIT (LAKE AND MASON COUNTIES)
racie L. McCarn-Dinehart, Ludington
56TH CIRCUIT (EATON COUNTY)
Timothy H. Havis, Charlotte Adam H. Strong, Charlotte
SBM YOUNG LAWYERS SECTION EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
The Young Lawyers Executive Council governs the members of the Young Lawyers Section, one of the State Bar’s largest sections. The section provides education, information, and analysis about issues of concern through meetings, seminars, public service programs, and newsletters.
Elected to the YLS Executive Council are:
Fawzeih H. Daher of Southfield, who won an uncontested election in District 2 representing Oakland County for a two-year term expiring in 2024.
Miriam Saffo of Ann Arbor, who won an uncontested election in District 3 representing all Michigan counties except for Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb, for a two-year term expiring in 2024.
Alexander J. Thibodeau of Grand Rapids, who also won an uncontested election in District 3 for a two-year term expiring in 2024.