State Bar of Michigan announces 2022 election results

Four newly elected attorneys will join the Board of Commissioners and three incumbents also won re-election in the 2022 State Bar of Michigan elections.

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 serves 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, Kalamazoo, Branch, Van Buren, Calhoun, Cass, Saint Joseph, and Allegan Counties. Van Dyk serves as chair of Miller Johnson’s real estate practices.
• Gerard V. Mantese of Mantese Honigman, PC, was elected in a contested race to serve District I, representing Oakland County. Mantese has served on the Access to Justice Campaign’s Metro-Detroit fundraising committee since 2019.

Re-elected commissioners are:

• Suzanne C. Larsen, Marquette city attorney, was re-elected 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, Osceola, Marquette, Alpena, Montmorency, Missaukee, Wexford, Gogebic, Ontonagon, Charlevoix, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Dickinson, Iron, Menominee, Otsego, Crawford, Kalkaska, Delta, Chippewa, Law, Mason, Cheboygan, Presque Isle, and Emmet counties.
• Erika L. Bryant, of Butler Davis PLLC was re-elected in a contested race to serve District H, representing Wayne, Monroe, and Lenawee counties.
• James W. Low, of The Dollar Law Firm PLLC was re-elected in a contested race to serve District I, representing Oakland County.

All will serve three-year terms expiring at the close of the 2025 Annual Meeting. The Board of Commissioners provides oversight to the State Bar on finance, public policy, professional standards, and member services and communications.

The election also included 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 from Jan. 1, 2023, to Dec. 31, 2025.

SBM Representative Assembly

The 150-member Representative Assembly was created in 1972 to increase the proportion of members who actively participate in the State Bar Policy; it serves as the final policy-making body for the State Bar of Michigan.

• 2nd Circuit – Berrien County: Blair M. Johnson, St. Joseph
• 3rd Circuit – Wayne County: Ponce D. Clay, Detroit; 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: 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 Sainte Marie
• 51st Circuit – Lake and Mason Counties: Tracie 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. The section has won numerous awards for its public service and educational programs.

• Fawzeih H. Daher of Southfield won an uncontested election in District 2, representing Oakland County, for a two-year term expiring in 2024.
• Miriam Saffo of Ann Arbor 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 also won an uncontested election in District 3 for a two-year term expiring in 2024.

Posted: July 5, 2022