Thomas P. Branigan

Ken Sachs is the Chair of Bodman’s Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Practice Group and is based in the firm’s Troy and Detroit offices. He has over 20 years of experience advising clients regarding their employee benefit plans, executive benefit programs and business planning. He also represents public and private entities concerning their corporate, fiduciary, and governance responsibilities. He designs, drafts, and establishes retirement plans, welfare plans, medical...

Experience Mr. Horton has been trying lawsuits for over 25 years. He primarily practices in the areas of business and commercial disputes, employment law, and real estate cases. Many cases are related to the automobile industry. Bill is certified as a Civil Trial Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, the foremost national organization to certify trial skills. In business litigation, Bill has tried numerous shareholder disputes, claims of misappropriation of trade secrets, breach...

Alan May is a shareholder who is sought after for his experience in guardianships and conservatorships. He has written and lectured extensively and has taught classes at Wayne State University and Oakland University on these topics. He was selected for inclusion in the 2007-2019 issues of Michigan Super Lawyers magazine featuring the top 5% of attorneys in Michigan and has been called by courts as an expert witness on issues of fees and by both plaintiffs and defendants as an expert witness i...

Robert Zawideh is an attorney and shareholder in The Kemp Klein Law Firm, of which he has been a member since 2010. Currently the head of Kemp Klein’s Litigation Practice Group, Mr. Zawideh primarily represents interested persons in high net worth trust and estate disputes. This body of work is part of a 29-year history of successfully resolving complex litigation and business matters on behalf of individuals, businesses and municipalities. In addition to trust and estate litigation, Mr...

Kimberly Ruppel is a Member of Dickinson Wright’s Troy office. For over 20 years, Kim has provided counsel and representation to clients in a range of commercial and business disputes and litigation. Known as a trusted advisor with a skill for developing efficient and cost-sensitive solutions, Kim represents clients in matters related to healthcare disputes and litigation, licensing and regulatory matters, governmental fraud and abuse investigations, telemedicine issues, HIPAA complianc...

Rachel A. Smith is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Patent Law. Rachel A., who practices law in Royal Oak, Michigan, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Rachel A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Julius H. Giarmarco, J.D., LL.M., is chair of the firm's Trusts and Estates Practice Group. Julius received his law degree from Wayne State University, and his master of laws from New York University. He is licensed to practice law in both Michigan and New York. Julius' primary practice areas include estate planning, business succession planning, wealth transfer planning, and life insurance applications. He is a former instructor in both the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and Certified Fina...

Scott A. Petz is a Member in Dickinson Wright's Troy office. Mr. Petz focuses his practice in the areas of commercial and business litigation, class and collective actions, labor litigation, consumer protection, and condemnation and land use. Mr. Petz regularly litigates high stakes and complex matters, and consults on non-litigation matters. During his career, Mr. Petz has received a number of acknowledgements such as: (1) Selected for America’s Top 100 Bet-the-Company Litigators® ...

Mr. Rasschaert manages all aspects of litigation and serves as trial counsel for the defense of hospitals and healthcare providers in medical malpractice litigation, premises liability, and use of force claims. His practice is focused on the defense of healthcare providers and health systems in all facets of litigation, from initial investigation through trial. Mr. Rasschaert is a Birmingham native having graduated from Seaholm High School. He received his J.D. in 2006 from Thomas M. Cooley L...

C. Kim Shierk possesses more than thirty years of experience and maintains one of the most highly regarded real estate law practices in Michigan. Ms. Shierk’s practice focuses on residential and commercial real estate development, with an emphasis on condominium law and a wide range of community property development. She also has extensive experience in telecommunications law. Ms. Shierk is a frequent lecturer on a variety of real estate-related topics for the Institute of Continuing Le...