Michigan lawyers should be on high alert, as scammers are impersonating State Bar of Michigan leadership in an effort to collect gift cards. The emails usually have a subject line of “STATE BAR of MICHIGAN REQUEST” and are sent from an email address that is clearly not associated with SBM. The State Bar of Michigan will never contact you to ask for gift cards. If you receive such an email, you should not reply. We are working with law enforcement to stop this scam. Here are some tips from the Federal Trade Commission for recognizing scam emailsand more information about scams involving gift ca ..read more

The Michigan Supreme Court’s State Court Administrative Office and the State Bar of Michigan have collaborated on a survey to gather feedback from attorneys navigating the practice of law during the COVID-19 pandemic. All survey responses are confidential. The information collected will be used to help improve the practice of law in Michigan and enhance the resources available to lawyers working to stay safe and maintain their practice throughout the pandemic. Take the survey here ..read more

The following individuals have been selected to receive 2020 State Bar of Michigan and State Bar of Michigan Representative Assembly awards. 2020 State Bar of Michigan Award Recipients Roberts P. Hudson Award: Barry L. Howard Frank J. Kelley Distinguished Public Service Award: Ronald J. Frantz and Anita L. Hitchcock Champion of Justice Award: Thomas P. Boyd, Hon. Susan L. Dobrich, and James H. Fisher John W. Reed Michigan Lawyer Legacy Award: Prof. Paul D. Reingold John W. Cummiskey Pro Bono Award: Heidi A. Naasko Kimberly M. Cahill Bar Leadership Award: ATJ Mid-Northe ..read more

Michigan Supreme Court Administrative Order No. 2020-17provides direction to state trial courts for resuming landlord/tenant cases, which the Court, the state, and the federal government had temporarily halted. According to a press release from the Court, the order “focuses on making sure that the health of all participants is protected, cases are filed and disposed of in a reasonable period of time, and defendants are made aware of their right to legal counsel and of the availability of resources to help pay rent.” Chief Justice Bridget M. McCormack said in the release that the Court is “pio ..read more

A toll-free legal aid hotline is now available to victims of Michigan’s recently declared flood emergency in Midland, Arenac, Iosco, Saginaw, and Gladwin Counties. The service, which allows callers to request the assistance of a lawyer to aid in flood-related matters, is a partnership between the State Bar of Michigan, the State Bar of Michigan Young Lawyers Section, Lakeshore Legal Aid, Legal Services of Eastern Michigan, and private law firms who are volunteering services including Dykema, Bodman, Honigman, and Miller Canfield. Flood victims facing legal issues who are unable to afford a law ..read more

As the state’s trial courts move to reopen, a new page on the Michigan Supreme Court’s websitewill make all their reopening plans easily accessible. Pursuant to Administrative Order 2020-14, each court must have a Local Administrative Order outlining its plans for a phased reopening approved by the State Court Administrative Office. As those LAOs are approved, they will be added to the page. “As Michigan continues to reopen, our courts are also working to reopen their buildings safely by taking a consistent, phased approach that reflects local conditions,” Chief Justice Bridget M. McCormack sa ..read more

It is time to vote in the 2020 State Bar of Michigan election. This year, elections are being held for positions on the Judicial Tenure Commission, the Board of Commissioners in Districts H and I, and the Representative Assembly in Circuits 6, 7, 16, 22, and 40. Unless your address on file is in one of the districts or circuits where there is a contested race, you will only receive a ballot for the Judicial Tenure Commission race. All active Michigan attorneys with an email address on file with the State Bar may vote securely online. Beginning on May 22, members will receive an email message ..read more

As the Midland area deals with the impact of two dams failing and mass evacuations, we are compiling resources that we hope will be of use to Central Michigan attorneys during this difficult time. If you need more help, please call our Practice Management Resource Center Helpline at (800) 341-9715 or email pmrchelpline@michbar.org. Here is a checklist of things you might find helpful to think about following a flood: 1. Within the first 24 hours following a disaster, or when safe, an initial damage assessment should be made. This is a cursory review of damage caused by an emergency or disaste ..read more

The Michigan Supreme Court announced that the Board of Law Examiners has shelved the traditional two-day format for the July 2020 bar examination in favor of a single-day, essay-only, remote option. Uncertainty regarding the continuing COVID-19 pandemic and the ability to accommodate in-person gatherings necessitated the change. Originally scheduled for July 28-29, the modified test will be held on Wednesday, July 29. The 15-question essay exam will cover both state and federal law topics similar to those that would be addressed in the 200-question Multistate Bar Exam, which cannot be administ ..read more

The Michigan Supreme Court announced today that public access to court proceedings has expanded dramatically, thanks to an enhanced Virtual Courtroom Directory. According to the release, new features “allow users to search courts where virtual hearings are being held, sort by judge or hearing officer, click on a county to view if a specific court is offering streaming abilities, and add a public calendar to virtual courtroom search results.” Chief Justice Bridget McCormack said in a press release that she is proud of the way Michigan courts have stepped up to increase access to proceedings. “W ..read more