ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION SECTION
The section announced the recipients of its 2023 awards. The honorees are Sheldon J. Stark (Distinguished Service Award); Zenell Brown (Diversity and Inclusion Award); Anne Bachle Fifer (Nanci S. Klein Award); Nakisha Chaney (Hero of ADR Award); and Jennifer M. Greico and Zena Zumeta (George N. Bashara Jr. Award). The recipients will be honored at a ceremony at the Inn at St. Johns in Plymouth on Tuesday, Oct. 24.
BUSINESS LAW SECTION
The section honored Michael Khoury of FisherBroyles in Detroit as this year’s recipient of its Stephen H. Schulman Outstanding Business Lawyer Award. Khoury was honored at the section’s annual meeting in Grand Rapids on Friday, Oct. 6.
CANNABIS LAW SECTION
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommended to the DEA to reschedule cannabis from schedule 1 to schedule 3 under the federal Controlled Substances Act. This would remain at odds with adult-use cannabis laws adopted by many states and would do little to resolve that conflict. Schedule 3 drugs like ketamine and anabolic steroids require a doctor’s prescription and are only available from pharmacies. Cannabis is currently scheduled with heroin as lacking any medical utility despite thousands of clinical studies proving otherwise.
ENVIRONMENTAL LAW SECTION
The section’s joint conference, co-sponsored with the East and West Michigan chapters of the Air and Waste Management Association, will be held on Thursday, Nov. 2, at the Lansing Community College West Campus. Detailed event information and past event materials are available at connect.michbar.org/envlaw.
GOVERNMENT LAW SECTION
The section’s quarterly publication, Briefly, includes articles about important legal decisions, new state regulations and legislation, and discussions of current issues impacting governments. Check the section website for more information; we encourage readers to submit ideas, suggestions, and/or articles. All input is welcome. Also, the section’s annual winter conference is not that far off. Watch for updates!
LGBTQ+ LAW SECTION
The section announced that the inaugural issue of its online journal, Writing on the Stonewall, will be published and available to members during the first week of November. The first issue will include articles on the parentage presumption, transgender rights, rainbow flags in schools, the use of personal pronouns in court, the U.S. Supreme Court wedding website decision, and LGBTQ+ rights post-Bostock.
REAL PROPERTY LAW SECTION
Join us for Real Estate Outlook 2024 on Thursday, Nov. 2, at the Detroit Athletic Club. Dr. Eric Scorsone, director of the MSU Extension Center for Local Government Finance and Policy, will provide insight into the current economic environment, its effect on Michigan’s economy, and the potential real estate opportunities it presents. Roundtable discussions with experienced attorneys focusing on various topics will follow. The event begins with breakfast at 7:30 a.m.; the program runs from 8-9:45 a.m. Register at na.eventscloud.com/reo2024.
WORKERS’ COMPENSATION LAW SECTION
Kevin Kales was designated as chair of the Michigan Workers’ Compensation Commission Board of Magistrates for a term that began on Aug. 17, 2023, and expires at the pleasure of the governor. The section’s winter meeting will take place on Friday, Dec. 8, starting at 9 a.m. at the Crowne Plaza Lansing West at 925 S. Creyts Road. Section members are not required to preregister.