APPELLATE PRACTICE SECTION
The Appellate Practice Section has two upcoming webinars. The first addresses the use of technology on appeal and will be held on March 24. The second covers free legal research resources and will be held on June 16. Please visit the Appellate Practice Section webpage and subscribe to the section’s SBM Connect emails to receive updates and registration information.
BUSINESS LAW SECTION
The Business Law Institute will be held on Oct. 7 in Grand Rapids. Stay tuned for further information. Congratulations to Douglas Toering, the recipient of the 2021 Schulman Outstanding Business Lawyer Award. He was honored at the section’s annual meeting in September. Visit http://connect.michbar.org/businesslaw/home to learn about section events.
CANNABIS LAW SECTION
The Cannabis Law Section held a December webinar on municipal law featuring Denise Pollicella and Barton Morris. A new link was created during the webinar due to a Zoom bomb attack. The webinar series continued in January with new security measures and recordings of past webinars are available on our SBM page. The first set of new MRA rules should be adopted soon. CLS will schedule a training on the amendments once adopted.
FAMILY LAW SECTION
The Family Law Section’s next council meeting is scheduled for March 5 at the Amway Grand Hotel in Grand Rapids. All section members are invited to attend this in-person meeting. Breakfast and networking starts at 9 a.m., and the council meeting begins promptly at 9:30 a.m. and typically ends around noon.
HEALTH CARE LAW SECTION
The 28th Annual Health Law Institute will be held in person on March 8-9. The event will offer updates on state and federal regulations including fraud and abuse and Stark regulations and provide guidance on hot topics such as ransomware and cybersecurity attacks, reimbursement issues, and diversity and inclusion in health care. For more information, go to www.icle.org/health.
GOVERNMENT LAW SECTION
The Government Law Section recently adopted a mission statement: “To serve its members and the community at large by fostering public trust in the law, advancing the competent, civil, and ethical practice of governmental law, providing education, training, communication and support among its members, advancing government law understanding before all branches of government, and proactively encouraging public service.” Meet with us at our Feb. 11 winter seminar at Summit on the Park in Canton, our June 24-25 summer conference at Grand Traverse Resort in Acme, and our Sept. 10 annual meeting at a site to be determined.
IMMIGRATION LAW SECTION
The Biden administration is trying what every administration since 1996 has tried: comprehensive immigration reform. So far there are bits and pieces of policy changes but nothing substantive yet. We are hopeful that “Dreamers” will have a secure future as well as many of the 11 million undocumented immigrants who have been major contributors to our communities and economies over the years. Crossing our fingers for something fair and humane. Stay tuned!
INSURANCE AND INDEMNITY LAW SECTION
Please join us for our next business meeting at the Detroit Athletic Club on April 14 at 4 p.m., followed immediately by a back-to-thefuture discussion with prior chairs for a renewal of our five-year strategic plan. Space is limited. For details on our next business meeting and our 2022 scholarship program, visit us on Facebook or at https://connect.michbar.org/insurance/home.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW SECTION
The IP Law Section spring IP seminar will be held virtually on March 3. The 47th annual Summer IP Institute will be held in person from July 21-23 at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. Recent seminars are also available on demand. Visit https://www.icle.org/modules/store/seminars to register.
LABOR & EMPLOYMENT LAW SECTION
Join us on Feb. 17 from noon-1:30 p.m. for an engaging conversation about the various concerns and legal issues that can arise when an employee discloses a disability to an employer. Panelists for the webinar presented by the section’s Diversity and Wellness Committee include Angela Walker, whose practice focuses on the workplace disability rights of employees; Michelle Crockett, who advises and defends employers in employment-related matters; and Jeanne Goldberg, senior attorney in the Office of Legal Counsel of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Washington, who works extensively on disability rights issues. We encourage you to grab a sandwich and log in for this important conversation.
LGBTQA SECTION
The LGBTQA Section submitted an amicus brief in support of defendant-appellants to the Michigan Supreme Court in the case Rouch World, LLC and Uprooted Electrolysis, LLC v. Department of Civil Rights and Director of Department of Civil Rights. The section also presented to the Michigan Judicial Institute for a second time on “Being a Culturally Competent Court: Fairness and Access to Justice for LGBTQ+ Court Users.”
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY LAW SECTION
This year, the section is focusing on providing resources and benefits for its members. Councilperson David Campbell is organizing a day at the Supreme Court in 2023, which is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, March 21, 2023. Watch for emails regarding a section-wide coffee event this winter and a luncheon on the west side of the state this spring. Tracey Lee continues her excellent work on the section’s biannual newsletter.
SOCIAL SECURITY SECTION
We will livestream a free seminar on our YouTube channel on Feb. 11 starting at 9 am. Register through our section email at statebarmichigansocsecsection@gmail.com. The format is a roundtable discussion with a question-and-answer segment featuring Social Security attorneys from across the state. Also, our summer seminar will be held at Boyne Mountain in Boyne Falls from June 12-14. Join our section listserv for updates.