Honigman elects 10 new partners

Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP (Honigman) is pleased to announce that its Board of Directors has elected 10 of its attorneys as new Partners in the firm effective January 1, 2011. Honigman’s new Partners are listed below.

Fernando Alberdi, Ph.D. practices in the Corporate and Securities Department in the firm’s Ann Arbor office. He counsels clients on patent preparation and prosecution in life science, chemical, biopharmaceutical, bioengineering and biotechnological arts. He also assists clients in a wide range of intellectual property matters, including the procurement and enforcement of domestic and international patents, conducting due diligence for transactional matters and preparing legal opinions on patent validity and/or patent non-infringement. Alberdi received a J.D., magna cum laude, from Michigan State University College of Law. He earned a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Immunology and a B.A. Sc. in Biotechnology from Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia.

Seth A. Drucker practices in the Commercial Law, Bankruptcy and Reorganization Department in the firm’s Detroit office. His practice focuses on representing secured and unsecured creditors, debtors and landlords in commercial bankruptcies and advising clients regarding industry-specific bankruptcy issues. He also advises clients with respect to commercial litigation, preference and fraudulent transfer actions, and other bankruptcy litigation. Drucker received a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School. He earned an M.B.A. from Wayne State University and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Michigan State University.

Julie E. Kretzschmer practices in the Corporate and Securities Department in the firm’s Oakland County office. She provides legal and business guidance on global brand protection and intellectual property management and has experience managing national and multi-national brand and trademark portfolios. She also advises clients on selection and suitability of trademarks for registration and proper use on packaging, labeling and advertising. Kretzschmer earned a J.D., magna cum laude, from Thomas M. Cooley Law School and a B.A. in Education from Michigan State University.

Mary L. Pate practices in the Litigation Department in the firm’s Kalamazoo office. She represents clients in the areas of labor and employment and general litigation. She advises employers regarding a wide range of employment-related issues, including conducting training for employers on labor matters and investigating employee complaints. Pate received a J.D., cum laude, from Seattle University School of Law School. She earned an M.B.A. from University of Alaska and a B.B.A. from the University of Kentucky.

Salmaan T. Quader practices in the Litigation Department in the firm’s Oakland County office. He concentrates his practice on intellectual property litigation, including patent, trade secrets and other technology-related subjects. He advises clients on strategies related to patents, including infringement, validity and patentability. Quader received a J.D., cum laude, from Michigan State University College of Law. He earned an M.S. in Cancer Biology, a B.A. in English and a B.S. in Biochemistry from Michigan State University.

Brian T. Quinn practices in the Litigation Department in the firm’s Lansing office. He focuses his practice on appellate advocacy, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) benefit litigation, state and local tax appeals, and general commercial litigation matters. Quinn earned a J.D., summa cum laude, from Michigan State University College of Law and a B.S. in Business Administration, cum laude, from Wayne State University.

Kathryn D. Soulier practices in the Corporate and Securities Department in the firm’s Kalamazoo office. She concentrates her practice on patent preparation and prosecution in life science, chemical, pharmaceutical and biotechnological arts, with a focus on domestic and international patent filing and regulatory compliance. She also advises clients about domestic and international strategies to maximize pharmaceutical life cycles post-issuance. Soulier received a J.D., cum laude, from University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law and a B.A. in Biology, cum laude, from Kalamazoo College.

Khalilah V. Spencer practices in the Litigation Department in the firm’s Detroit office. She advises and represents corporate clients in a wide range of commercial litigation matters, including automotive supplier contract disputes and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitrations and class actions. She also has significant trial experience as second and third chair in several jury trials involving commercial and employment disputes. Spencer received a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Michigan.

Brock A. Swartzle practices in the Litigation Department in the firm’s Detroit office. He concentrates his practice on antitrust, complex commercial litigation, constitutional law, and federal and state appeals. Swartzle earned a J.D., with honors, from George Mason University School of Law and a B.S., magna cum laude, from the University of Michigan. He served as a law clerk in both the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan, as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Andrew N. Weber practices in the Corporate and Securities Department in the firm’s Kalamazoo office. He counsels clients on intellectual property matters dealing with patent procurement and prosecution, trademark procurement and prosecution, copyrights, licensing and litigation of intellectual property, particularly in relation to life sciences and biotechnology. He has experience in managing worldwide prosecution of patent estates for several molecular pharmaceutical companies. Weber received a J.D. from Michigan State University College of Law. He earned an M.S. in Physical and Synthetic Organic Chemistry from University of Chicago and a B.S. in Chemistry from Eastern Michigan University.