With the recent legalization of recreational marihuana in Massachusetts, Maine, Nevada and California, the total number of states in which recreational marihuana use is legal stands at eight. Twenty states have legalized marihuana for medicinal use. While nationwide legalization is far from a foregone conclusion, with over half of the country legalizing marihuana use in some form the marihuana industry is poised to be the next big growth industry. However, […]

We are pleased to announce that Matt Cross has joined our Firm as an attorney in our Traverse City office. He focuses his practice in the areas of insurance defense, law enforcement defense and litigation, and municipal law. Mr. Cross has experience handling employment law, personal injury defense, business transaction and municipal issues and has earned dismissals in each of these areas. He received a Juris Doctor degree from Wayne […]

The workplace environment is governed by the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA).  The United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently issued a final order that will require employers and many high-hazard industries to electronically submit injury and illness data to OSHA.  Such reporting is already required to be tracked, but the reporting aspect of such injury or illness is what is new. The new rule […]

Jim Acho, a partner in our Livonia office, was recently asked to be the keynote speaker at the University of Saint Francis (USF) Men’s Basketball Tip-Off Gala and Auction.  Acho, a graduate from the University of Saint Francis, played for the basketball team from 1990 to 1993 and was the co-captain of the team in 1992 and 1993. During his speech, Acho shared humorous stories about his time at USF […]

When you buy insurance for your automobile, you want to protect those in your car as much as a known person in another vehicle if someone is seriously injured.  Michigan no-fault insurance companies are doing what they can to reduce coverage for your loved ones, even though you are paying for full insurance protection.  Some insurance companies are employing a step-down auto insurance clause, which is a provision that applies […]

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) has changed the overtime rules for certain salaried workers, which will be applicable to Michigan employers.  The changes are to be implemented on December 1, 2016.  Michigan business owners need to start planning now in order to avoid scrambling in November.  Many Michigan closely held businesses classify salaried employees as being exempt from the overtime rules as a means of controlling payroll costs.  An […]

We are pleased to announce that Norman E. Richards (Gene) has joined our Livonia office as a partner.  Gene primarily focuses his practice on elder law and estate planning. Drawing on 20 years of experience, his mission is to help clients safely navigate life’s transitions through the skillful, practical, and compassionate application of comprehensive elder law and estate planning services. As an elder law attorney, Gene guides senior clients in […]

Jim Acho, a partner in our  Livonia office, was recently quoted in an article on ESPN.com regarding a last-minute appeal in the NFL concussion case. Mr. Acho represents about two dozen clients in the concussion case and is disappointed with this latest development since CMDA has clients with meritorious claims who have been waiting patiently to file them. The family of late Buffalo Bills fullback Carlton “Cookie” Gilchrist asked the […]

On June 22, 2016, the Sixth District Court of Appeals unanimously issued a decision and order affirming the United States District Court’s dismissal of a firefighter’s two count retaliation complaint against a local municipality, four former and current Trustees, and the Fire Chief. Plaintiff, who is of Asian descent, submitted an application for the vacant Fire Chief position to the township Board of Trustees. During an open board meeting on […]

The Department of Labor recently released the final rules regarding the payment of overtime to employees, governed by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).  While the new rules were to go into effect in June of 2015, a large number of modifications changed the original draft, and the final rules are now made effective December 1, 2016.  This will allow employers the opportunity to anticipate the broad changes that will […]