The June 2016 publication of the Michigan Public Risk Management Association (MIPRIMA) features an article written by Suzanne Bartos, an attorney in our Livonia office.  The informative article outlines the recently released rules regarding the payment of overtime to employees and its impact on the government employer. To read the complete article, please click here. Suzanne P. Bartos is an attorney in our Livonia office where she focuses her practice […]

The “freedom of speech” protected by the First Amendment encompasses both actual speech and expressive conduct.  R.A.V. v. City of St. Paul, Minn. (S.Ct. 1992).  Embodied within the concept of “free speech” is recognition that advocates of unpopular views must be protected, even though their speech may provoke anger in persons who hear it.  Terminiello v. City of Chicago (S.Ct. 1949).  When a speaker passes the bounds of mere argument […]

May 13, 2016 the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Education issued a “Dear Colleague” letter to all schools in the country receiving money from the federal government directing that “when a school provides sex-segregated activities and facilities, transgender students must be allowed to participate in such activities and access such facilities consistent with their gender identity.” Gender identity refers to an individual’s internal sense of gender.  […]

Estate planning is a continuous process and estate plan documents should be reviewed at least every decade and upon any major changes in lifestyle or family structure. A basic estate plan includes a Will, a Medical Power of Attorney, and a Durable General Power of Attorney for financial matters. A Will addresses the distribution of assets, paying debts and taxes, and providing guardians and conservators for any minor children. A […]