Three Honigman partners named by Best Lawyers in America as “Detroit Lawyer of the Year” for 2010

Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP (Honigman) is pleased to announce that three of its attorneys have been named by Best Lawyers in America as “Detroit Lawyer of the Year” for 2010 in their respective practice areas. Honigman has more Michigan attorneys with this distinction than any other law firm located in the state. This is the second year that the publication has designated the top lawyers, based on peer-review, in high-profile legal specialties in large communities throughout the country. Only a single lawyer in each specialty in each community is honored as “Lawyer of the Year.”

Maruice S. Binkow was named “Detroit Best Lawyers Real Estate Lawyer of the Year” for 2010. He is a Partner in the firm’s Real Estate Department and serves as Chair of Honigman’s Opinion Review Committee and as real estate and leasing counsel to the firm. Binkow has counseled property developers, owners, lenders and investors in real estate development and project finance for more than 45 years. He focuses his practice on federal, state and local real estate and entity tax structuring, securitized financing, complex transactions and workouts. He also serves as counselor and trustee to high net worth individuals and families in their business, asset and tax planning.

He received a LL.B., cum laude, from Harvard Law School and his A.B., Phi Beta Kappa with distinction, from the University of Michigan. Binkow has been named in Best Lawyers from 1983 to 2010 and in Michigan Super Lawyers from 2006 to present.

Steven C. Nadeau was named “Detroit Best Lawyers Environmental Lawyer of the Year” for 2010. He is a Partner in and Chair of the firm’s Environmental Department. Nadeau has extensive experience in federal and state Superfund proceedings and has represented a number of site steering committees and individual companies. He has achieved precedent-setting accomplishments for his clients at major contaminated sediment sites across the country. Nadeau also focuses on the remediation of land-based sites under CERCLA and state law, PCB remediation, compliance matters, brownfield redevelopment, alternative dispute resolution and cost recovery litigation. Additionally, Nadeau was instrumental in creating and is the current Coordinating Director of the Sediment Management Work Group (SMWG), an industry group that plays a strong role in shaping public policy on sediment management at the national, regional and state levels.

He received a J.D., cum laude, from Boston College Law School as well as his A.B., magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, from Boston College. Nadeau has been named in Best Lawyers from 1991 to 2010 and in Michigan Super Lawyers from 2006 to 2009.

Robert B. Weiss was named “Detroit Best Lawyers Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights Lawyer of the Year” for 2010. He is a Partner in the firm’s Commercial Law, Bankruptcy and Reorganization Department and also serves as its Chair. For the past 25 years, Weiss has represented the business interests of major manufacturing companies and financial institutions in all aspects of commercial law, including insolvency and litigation matters. He is Honigman’s liaison partner with General Motors and works with financially troubled critical vendors. Additionally, Weiss is Honigman’s lead attorney on the International Automotive Legal Team recently formed with Minneapolis-based Faegre & Benson LLP. This collaboration focuses on assisting automotive companies with strategic cross-border transactions involving the U.S., China and the U.K.

Weiss received a J.D., from Case Western Reserve University School of Law and his B.A. from Yeshiva University. He has been named in Best Lawyers from 1995 to 2010 and in Michigan Super Lawyers from 2007 to 2009.

Best Lawyers compiles its lists of outstanding attorneys by conducting large-scale peer-review surveys. The lawyers being honored as “Lawyers of the Year” have received particularly high ratings in its surveys by earning a high level of respect among their peers for their abilities, professionalism and integrity.