John Gwyn, an attorney in the Firm’s Livonia office, provides a brief summary of some of the key legislative changes that have taken effect or will be taking effect in Michigan in 2025. These updates are particularly relevant to property owners, employers, and those involved in real estate. ​Real Estate & Property Law Changes: ​Recent legislative action has introduced new requirements for homeowners’ associations (HOAs) and addressed issues of housing […]

Haider Kazim and Matt Cross, partners in our Traverse City office, recently obtained a decisive ruling in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. The Court granted summary judgment in favor of several law enforcement officers and a county government, ending a civil rights lawsuit stemming from a 2021 arrest during a high-risk response to a shots-fired call. The case arose from an incident in a rural […]

When it comes to trademarks, The Ohio State University plays defense as aggressively as it does on Saturdays in the Horseshoe. This fall, instead of blitzing Michigan’s offense, the Buckeyes are tackling The Brown Jug, Inc. of Ann Arbor, which filed to register BUCKEYE TEARS for beer and liquor. OSU’s opposition (TTAB Opp. No. 91301291) is now pending, with an answer due October 6, 2025. Think of it as a […]

Ronald Acho, an equity partner in the Firm’s Livonia office, was featured in two articles in September’s Chaldean News. The first article, “How Chaldean Attorneys are Shaping Tomorrow,” written by Eemi Toma, highlights three attorneys who have not only found success in the legal field but also continue to shape the spaces around them. Their stories are rooted in experience and guided by a shared commitment to rise, serve and […]

Please join us in welcoming Jordan A.W. Barkey to the Firm. He has joined CMDA as an attorney in the Firm’s Livonia office. Mr. Barkey focuses his practice on appellate law, research and writing, and litigation. He writes briefs for submission to all levels of state and federal courts, argues cases in both the state and federal courts of appeals, and performs research for all areas of law handled by […]

CMDA is proud to announce that several attorneys from our Firm have been selected for inclusion in the 2025 Michigan Super Lawyers & Rising Stars list. The following attorneys have been selected to the 2025 Michigan Super Lawyers list: Jim Acho, Top Rated Civil Litigation Defense Joel Ashton, Top Rated Personal Injury Defense Jeff Clark, Top Rated State, Local & Municipal Tim Ferrand, Top Rated State, Class Action & Mass […]

We are pleased to announce that Alexander R. Karana, an attorney in CMDA’s Livonia office, has been recognized by his peers in the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America for his “high caliber work in Intellectual Property Law, Patent Law, and Entertainment and Sports Law.” The 2026 edition highlights the top 5% of U.S. attorneys. Inclusion in Best Lawyers is based on a rigorous peer-review survey. […]

We are thrilled to be celebrating two very impressive anniversaries at the Firm this August. Legal Assistants Marie Jones and Kathy Ueberroth are each celebrating their 35th work anniversary at CMDA. There are only five employees at the Firm who have worked at CMDA longer than these two. On August 6, 1990, Marie Jones joined CMDA. We have been fortunate to have Marie at the Firm for the past 35 […]

Please join us in welcoming Alexander R. Karana to the Firm. He has joined CMDA as an attorney in the Firm’s Livonia office. An accomplished Intellectual Property attorney, he is admitted to practice in Michigan and Illinois. As a registered patent attorney, he brings a deep technical and legal foundation to clients at the forefront of innovation, brand-building, and entertainment. His practice centers on patent and trademark prosecution, IP strategy, and […]

CMDA partner Jim Acho received a call on Saturday–the type of call he is receiving too often these days–that the greatest offensive lineman ever produced by the City of Detroit (HOFers Joe DeLamielleure and Reggie McKenzie were from Center Line and Highland Park) passed away last night after dinner with his family. Luis Sharpe was 66. Said Jim Acho, “Luis was a terrific guy whom I admired because he bounced […]