State Bar of Michigan

09/05/2026

The "Michigan Rules of Evidence Handbook—With Common Objections & Evidentiary Foundations (2026)," with BarkaiBots access aims to help attorneys practice and refine their courtroom skills before they are called on to examine witnesses, make and respond to objections, present evidentiary foundations, and meet other needs in the heat of trials, depositions, and other adversarial undertakings.

This review published in the Michigan Bar Journal explores the handbook: loom.ly/SCgjI9I

John Barkai, Michigan Rules of Evidence Handbook—With Common Objections & Evidentiary Foundations (2026), with BarkaiBots access. Available at Amazon, $12.99, 6” x 9” paperback, 133 pages, including the rules and advice on using them in the courtroom.

09/04/2026

The State Bar of Michigan Representative Assembly has named Rita O. White one of the winners of this year's Unsung Hero Award, which is given annually to an attorney who has exhibited the highest standards of practice and commitment for the benefit of others.

White began her legal career more than 25 years ago as a Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor in Detroit, before she founded her own law firm, The Law Office of Rita O. White, in 2011 where she specializes in criminal, appellate, probate, and family law.

She currently serves as a member of the State Bar of Michigan's Character & Fitness Committee and on the SBM Representative Assembly. In addition, she is an active member of the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, Wayne County Criminal Defense Bar Association, Federal Bar Association-Eastern District of MI, and National Black Lawyers Association, Top 100. She is also vice president of the Juvenile Trial Lawyers Association of Michigan and a Detroit Bar Association Lifetime Fellow.

Her award will be presented during the Representative Assembly meeting on September 18, 2026.

09/02/2026

The State Bar of Michigan Representative Assembly has named Samuel H. Pietsch one of the winners of this year's Unsung Hero Award, which is given annually to an attorney who has exhibited the highest standards of practice and commitment for the benefit of others.

Samuel H. Pietsch has practiced law since 1979 and currently serves as a senior trial attorney with Ven Johnson Law, practicing across the firm’s offices in Detroit, Flint and Kalamazoo. Over the course of his career, he has appeared in nearly every circuit and probate court in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, focusing on serious injury and wrongful death cases, particularly matters involving automobile, motorcycle and truck collisions, but has also represented Michigan families in complex cases involving medical malpractice, product failure, improper highway design, workplace injury, police misconduct and insurance disputes.

Pietsch is a sustaining member of the Michigan Association for Justice and a past and current recipient of the Super Lawyers distinction. He has volunteered with Forgotten Harvest, an organization that collects and distributes food to individuals experiencing hunger and homelessness and has spent more than 30 years serving as a sports and fitness coach in his home city.

His award will be presented during the Representative Assembly meeting on September 18, 2026.

09/01/2026

Many lawyers understand their stress patterns remarkably well. They know they are overworked. They recognize the signs of burnout. They have read the articles, attended the seminars, and perhaps tried meditation, therapy, or exercise. And still, they find themselves caught in the same loops.

Most stress-management strategies work from the top down — asking lawyers to think differently, reframe their perspective, or push through. What many lawyers need is something that works from the inside out: directly with the nervous system, at the level where stress is actually held.

That is precisely what Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), commonly called tapping, does. Learn more about EFTs and how they can help you manage stress.

Many lawyers understand their stress patterns remarkably well. They know they are overworked. They recognize the signs of burnout. They have read the articles, attended the seminars, and perhaps tried meditation, therapy, or exercise. And still, they find themselves caught in the same loops — waki...

08/31/2026

The 2026 Member-to-Member Referral Guide is here! SBM launched its Member-to-Member Referral Guide in 2025 to facilitate client referrals and help connect attorneys in various practice areas.

An Associate Attorney at Willis Law, Jennifer assists with multiple types of adoptions, including: direct placement, interstate, adult, stepparent, and guardianship adoptions. She is a Fellow in the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys (AAAA). Her other main areas of practice incl...

08/31/2026

The State Bar of Michigan Representative Assembly has named James L. Liggins, Jr. the winner of this year's Michael Franck Award, which is given annually to an attorney who has made an outstanding contribution to the improvement of the profession.

Liggins, Jr. is senior counsel at Warner Norcross + Judd, LLP, where he practices litigation and dispute resolution, white collar criminal defense, and construction disputes. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Western Michigan University, is a member of the Board of Directors for Southwest Michigan First, and sits on the State Board of Ethics.

In addition, he is on the board of the Harold and Grace Upjohn Foundation, a non-profit that "seeks to enhance the quality of life for the members of the greater Kalamazoo community," and of the Bronson Healthcare Group. He is also a past chair of the board of directors for the United Way of Southcentral Michigan, Douglass Community Association, and the Kalamazoo Defender, which he helped to found.

His award will be presented during the Representative Assembly meeting on September 18, 2026.

08/30/2026

Sharing office space, whether with another lawyer or someone outside of the legal profession, is not prohibited, but there are a few ethical risks that Michigan attorneys should be careful to avoid so that they do not violate the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct.

Even in today’s increasingly online world, many lawyers still prefer to have a physical office. Those that do often find it convenient (and, importantly, cheaper) to share office space with other legal or non-legal professionals. Sharing office space, whether with another lawyer or someone outside...

08/29/2026

Congratulations to these attorneys who recently moved into new jobs! Have a new hire or promotion to announce? Send your information to [email protected].

08/28/2026

Get a basic introduction to land contracts, guidance for basic drafting of such contracts, and tips attorneys can pass along to clients who are looking to sell in this manner.

A once popular option for selling property, seller financing (land contracts) has been largely overshadowed in the last 50 years by the conventional mortgage market. The sheer size of the conventional mortgage market has made the necessary documents standardized and easy to obtain. However, in this....

08/27/2026

Court documents are such an essential part of the work attorneys do but they can often be a little tricky to track down. This article offers a few tips and tricks to use when trying to locate information for your next case.

Court documents are such an essential part of the work we do, but they can often be a little tricky to track down. While there are different databases that can aggregate information, many states and counties operate in ways that work best for them. For researchers, this leads to mixed results when t...