Firm News

2015 Year in Review: Monumental Milestone Recognized, Skilled Attorneys Hired, and Remarkable Anniversaries Celebrated

As a new year is upon us, we reflect back on 2015 and the successful year we had at CMDA. We recognized a monumental milestone, hired several attorneys, and celebrated some remarkable anniversaries. CMDA was honored to have celebrated our 50th Anniversary in 2015. This monumental anniversary would not have been possible without Owen Cummings, the founder of the Firm.  Mr. Cummings had a vision of developing a Firm whose […]

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Secretary Celebrates 40th Anniversary at CMDA

We are delighted to be celebrating a very remarkable anniversary at the Firm. Vicki DeVitis is celebrating her 40th (yes, 40th!) anniversary at CMDA. Aside from those attorneys whose names are on the building, she has worked at the Firm the longest. When a friend told Vicki about a secretarial opening at CMDA in 1976, she crossed her fingers and hoped she got the job. She had recently graduated from […]

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Should Michigan Employers “Ban the Box” and Remove the Criminal Conviction Question from Applications?

On November 2, 2015, President Barack Obama announced a new executive order to “Ban the Box,” which is a check off on federal job applications that requires job applicants to disclose their criminal conviction history on the face of the application. This initial disclosure often causes employers to eliminate applicants before ever considering their qualifications. Background investigations will still occur, but at the federal level, agencies will delay inquiries into […]

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Strategies to Minimize Joint Employer Liability

Employers should re-evaluate the creation of indemnity with clients where workers are placed at client work sites and also analyze any existing indemnity provisions of contracts with others where either has agreed to provide indemnity. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) reversed more than 30 years of precedent in the recent case of Browning-Ferris Industries of California, Inc., which effectively changed the rules regarding protection for previously protected employers. Most […]

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Attorney Joins Livonia Office

We are pleased to announce that Jennifer A. Richards has joined our Firm as an attorney in our Livonia office. She focuses her practice on municipal law, insurance defense, law enforcement defense, and litigation and appeals. Ms. Richards writes briefs for submission to all levels of state and federal courts, arguing cases in all levels of state and federal courts of appeals, and performing research for all areas of law […]

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CMDA’s Courier Celebrates 25th Anniversary

A huge congratulates to Jim Glover who recently celebrated his 25th anniversary with the Firm. Jim is the Firm’s courier and is one of the most dependable and hardworking employees at CMDA. We thank Jim for 25 years of loyal service!

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Attorneys Attend Salute to the Justice System Event

Several CMDA attorneys attended the 4th Annual Salute to the Justice System held on October 29. This year’s Honoree was Melvin L. Larsen, Co-Author of the Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act, Former Member of the Michigan House of Representatives and Former Chairman of the Michigan Republican Party. Mr. Larsen is pictured here with Elizabeth Rae-O’Donnell, an attorney in our Livonia office.

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October’s 50 a Month Donation

CMDA is honored and appreciative for the trust our clients have placed in our Firm since 1965.  As a way to give back to the community as we celebrate our 50th anniversary, every month throughout 2015 the Firm will be donating 50 items (or more) to a local charity. In October we will be collecting new and unused mittens and gloves, in children and adult sizes, for Mittens for Detroit. The sole […]

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New Rules Affecting Workers and Employers by the U.S. Department of Labor

Many businesses, as employers, have experimented with treating their workers as independent contrac­tors in an effort to avoid withholding wages for taxes, social security (FICA) and unem­ployment insurance, as would be required for workers classified as employees. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) com­piled a new six-part test, issued under the Administrator’s Interpretation 2015-1. Is the work an integral part of the employer’s business? For example, a lawyer doing work […]

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Former CMDA Attorney Appointed to Michigan Court of Appeals

Congratulations to former CMDA attorney Judge Colleen O’Brien who was appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder to fill a vacancy on the Michigan Court of Appeals bench. She will serve the remainder of retired Judge Pat Donofrio’s term, which ends Jan. 1, 2017. Judge O’Brien was an attorney at our Firm until 1998 when she was elected to serve on the Oakland Circuit bench. She is the presiding judge of the […]

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