Six Michigan Attorneys Acknowledged as Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s “Up And Coming Lawyers”

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (November 28, 2007) – Recognizing the rising stars of the Michigan Bar, Michigan Lawyers Weekly recently announced its “Up and Coming Lawyers” for 2007. Nominated by their peers, the following six attorneys are honored with this distinction:

• Rachel Bissett, Royal Oak resident, Associate at Garan Lucow Miller P.C.
• Marla Linderman, Ann Arbor resident, Partner at Linderman Julien P.C.
• Rolf Lowe, Ann Arbor resident, Associate at Rogers Mantese & Associates P.C.
• Mark Rossman, Harper Woods resident, Partner at Mantese and Rossman, P.C.
• Michael Willis, Kalamazoo resident, Partner at Willis & Willis, PLC
• Shaun Willis, Kalamazoo resident, Partner at Willis & Willis, PLC

Michigan Lawyers Weekly received dozens of nominations for attorneys who are already establishing a name for themselves early in their careers and are poised for even greater accomplishments in the future.

“As the legal community continues to grow and change, we think it is important to acknowledge those individuals who are making a difference in our profession,” said Lynn Ingram, publisher and editor-in-chief for Michigan Lawyers Weekly. “Each of these attorneys have already made a mark in their respective practice areas, and we believe will continue to do so.”

Rachel Bissett
Rachel Bissett, Associate at Garan Lucow Miller P.C., in the Troy office, has been practicing for just over a year and already has made great strides within the firm’s real estate and business practice group. Bissett specializes in property law. She recently handled the high-profile civil stalking case filed on behalf of Gordie Howe and his wife, Colleen. The case was settled just eight days after the complaint was filed; Bissett wrote the complaint and came up with all of the causes of action. Her hard work resulted in the Howe’s ability to reclaim their privacy.


Marla Linderman
Marla Linderman, Partner at Linderman Julien P.C., located in Ann Arbor, specializes in employment and discrimination law. A passion since childhood, Linderman strives to be a crusader for those who’ve been unjustly singled out and is considered to be an expert in civil rights laws by her colleagues. Between negotiations, litigations and investigations, Linderman represents up to 40 clients. Known for her high energy, Linderman is involved in a variety of volunteer and pro bono endeavors; in Washtenaw County, she revitalized a chapter of the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, which was on the verge of folding due to dwindling memberships.

Rolf Lowe
Rolf Lowe, Associate at Rogers Mantese & Associates P.C., located in Royal Oak, has been practicing for just four years and has established himself within the unique service area of analyzing the interplay between health care and labor law. This hybrid approach necessitates addressing the complexities that arise between health law mandates and union directives. Lowe strives to foster a safe and efficient health care system more so than creating new practice areas, and spends his days focused on representing health care organizations, balancing their labor considerations with state and federally mandated licensing, Medicare and Medicaid issues.

Mark Rossman
Mark Rossman, Partner at Mantese and Rossman, P.C., located in Troy, specializes in complex litigation, oftentimes involving large sums of money and including high-asset divorces and custody disputes. Rossman’s client dedication and tenacity earned him a position as partner, changing the firm name from Mantese & Associates to Mantese and Rossman, P.C. As lead attorney and chief negotiator, he obtained more than $4 million in aggregate settlements over the past five years, along with handling litigation involving RICO, FTDA, ERISA and Lanham Act.

Michael and Shaun Willis
Michael and Shaun Willis, Partners at Willis and Willis, PLC, located in Kalamazoo, started the firm in 2004, while operating a painting and lawn service company to help sustain the practice. Now the firm, with four attorneys total, represents approximately 100 clients a month with 90 percent being referrals or repeat customers. Michael, a certified public accountant, practices in the areas of estate planning, estate/trust administration and litigation, corporate law, elder law and real estate. Shaun specializes in civil, commercial, criminal and construction litigation. In addition, Michael and Shaun spend up to a third of their time on several volunteer efforts, despite working 60- to 70-hour work weeks.


Michigan Lawyers Weekly
Michigan Lawyers Weekly, founded in 1986, is the premier weekly publication for the legal profession in the stat of Michigan. The publication is written for attorneys, judges and all those within the legal profession in the state and is used as a tool to enlighten those within the legal profession of changes to court rules, verdict & settlement reports, discipline matters and all other news vital to attorneys in the state. Michigan Lawyers Weekly is available online at http://www.milawyersweekly.com.
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