Rebecca L. Grove

Groverebecca Web

Practice Areas

Education

Georgetown University Law Center
Washington, D.C.
LL.M.

Duke University School of Law
Durham, North Carolina
J.D., with honors

University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
B.A., with highest distinction

Bar Admissions

Michigan
California
New York

Court Admissions

All Michigan state courts

Estate Planning Attorney

Rebecca is a partner with the Estate Planning Team. She counsels high-net-worth individuals and families in all personal legal matters, including sophisticated tax and estate planning, philanthropy, real estate and business succession.

With a wealth of experience in tax controversy, she guides clients through various challenges pertaining to income tax, estate tax, and gift tax audits. She has also provided invaluable support in navigating complex valuation matters, securing private letter rulings, and overseeing tax appeals.

Rebecca has unique expertise in the field of art law, specializing in a diverse range of areas such as art transactions, including purchase, sale, consignment, and collection management. Her expertise also extends to crucial aspects like insurance, appraisal, charitable donations, attribution, cultural heritage property, and customs compliance.

In addition, Rebecca has comprehensive knowledge in the establishment and ongoing legal counsel for foundations and public charities, including a deep understanding of intricate charitable structures.

Rebecca is licensed to practice in New York and California, in addition to Michigan. She has significant experience with multi-jurisdictional estate planning and strategies to minimize state estate and gift tax.

Honors and Recognitions

Best Lawyers in America®, Tax Law, 2013 – 2023

DBusiness Top Lawyers, 2014 – 2015

Leading Lawyers Magazine Michigan, 2017

Michigan Super Lawyers, Rising Star, 2008 – 2010

Professional Affiliations

State Bar of Michigan

California Bar Association

New York Bar Association

Financial & Estate Planning Council of Detroit

Duke University Alumni Association

Community Involvement

Detroit Institute of Arts, Founders Junior Council, Board of Directors, Robert H. Tannahill Society

HAVEN, Board of Directors

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Michael Z. Zavier

Zavier Michael Web

Practice Areas

Education

Wayne State University Law School
Detroit, Michigan
J.D., 2012

Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan
B.A., Business Administration, 2009

Bar Admissions

Michigan

Court Admissions

All Michigan state courts

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

Litigation Attorney

Michael is a member of the litigation and trial team. He represents clients in a wide range of complex disputes, including first and third party auto claims, premises and general liability matters, health care provider recovery and other complex civil litigation matters. He specializes in the advocacy and representation of clients that have sustained catastrophic physical or traumatic brain injuries. His clients include numerous medical service providers where he litigates disputes over No Fault eligibility, coverage, causation and priority disputes under Michigan’s No Fault Insurance Act. Michael has represented clients across the State of Michigan, as well as in multiple states around the country.

Prior to joining the firm, Michael worked for a law firm in Southfield where his practice concentrated on representing medical providers involving catastrophic personal injury and No Fault insurance matters. For the past three years, Michael has been named by Michigan Super Lawyers® as a “Rising Star”, an honor given to 2.5 percent of the lawyers in Michigan.

Honors and Recognitions

Michigan Super Lawyers®, Rising Star, 2021-2024

Professional Affiliations

State Bar of Michigan

Michigan Association of Justice

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Kathleen A. Cieslik

Practice Areas

Education

Wayne State University Law School
Detroit, Michigan
J.D., 2015

Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan
B.A., 2012

Bar Admissions

Michigan

Court Admissions

All Michigan state courts

Estate Planning Attorney

Kathleen is a trusts and estates attorney focused on creating customized estate plans for a wide range of individuals and multi-generational families which achieve goals such as tax avoidance, business succession planning and charitable giving. She also provides counsel to individual and corporate fiduciaries regarding the timely and efficient management of trusts and estates, including probate administration when necessary. An experienced litigator, Kathleen also handles controversies and frequently appears in Probate Court to handle both routine and contested matters throughout Southeast Michigan. 

Experience

Routinely represent high net worth clients including leading planning for the second generation of an ultra-high net worth family which utilized various wealth transfer techniques collectively removing over $30M in assets from taxable estates through grantor trusts.

Implemented plan which transferred situs of a $25M trust to a favorable jurisdiction which allowed for decanting resulting in the expansion of special power of appointment to allow a client to update her planning to provide for her desired beneficiary.

Management of taxable estates, including advice with regard to funding marital trust or family trust, obtaining business valuations and assist accountants with Form 706.

Effectively implemented postmortem trust modification by seeking probate court approval to effectuate a high value specific bequest made orally in close proximity to death.

Lead litigation and negotiate resolution on behalf of an irrevocable trust regarding decades of unprepared marital trust accountings following the surviving spouse’s death.

Honors and Recognitions

Best Lawyers in America®, One to Watch, Trusts and Estates, since 2021

Grand Rapids Magazine’s Top Lawyers, Trusts and Estates, 2023

Professional Affiliations

State Bar of Michigan, Probate and Estate Planning Section

Oakland County Bar Association

Presentations

Behind the Curtain: What Goes On in Charitable Estate Planning, Planned Giving Roundtable of Southeast Michigan, June 2022

Drafting an Estate Plan for Estates Under $5 Million, ICLE, Spring 2022

Taxes and Estate Planning: Where Do We Go From Here?, ICLE, Fall 2022

Community Involvement 

Planned Giving Roundtable of Southeast Michigan, Board of Directors

Detroit Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Detroit, Class XLV

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Robert E. Kass

Practice Areas

Education

New York University Law School
New York City, New York
LL.M., Taxation, 1979

University of Michigan Law School
Ann Arbor, Michigan
J.D., cum laude, 1972

Graduate Institute of International Studies
Geneva, Switzerland
Post graduate studies, 1973, recipient of Fulbright-Swiss University Fellowship

Wayne State University
Detroit, Michigan
B.A., cum laude, 1969

Bar Admissions

Michigan

Court Admissions

All Michigan state courts

Languages

French

Estate Planning Attorney

Bob is an estate planning attorney with significant experience in all aspects of estate planning, wealth preservation and planned giving for estates of all sizes. In addition to the design and implementation of sophisticated estate plans, he specializes in sophisticated wealth preservation techniques, succession planning, probate and trust administration, gift and estate tax audits and appeals, and estate-related claims and litigation. 

Bob has unique expertise in charitable and planned giving techniques, helping clients meet their objectives with maximum tax benefit.

Experience

Ultra-high net worth client’s estate plan left vast sums to trusts for children, with little likelihood they would ever need much of the money.  Client was receptive to the idea of creating charitable gift annuities for the children, to provide a lifetime stream of distributions, with relatively small discretionary trusts as a backstop.  The resulting plan saved the client substantial estate taxes and provided amply for the children.

Converted private, perpetual foundation to spend-down, allowing the client more control over governance and avoiding mission shift. 

Successfully implemented sophisticated wealth transfer techniques including self-cancelling installment note (SCIN), initially removing over $5 million n value from the client’s estate. Over time, the amount removed from the taxable estate has increased many times, due to appreciation.

Effectively employed postmortem planning techniques and obtained favorable IRS Private Letter Ruling, to reverse effects of poor planning by decedent’s attorney, saving over the client $300,000 in estate taxes.

Recommended and implemented reallocation of personal injury award between decedent’s estate and family members, saving family members over $250,000 in estate taxes.

Implemented charitable trust for client owning a large concentration of highly appreciated publicly-traded stock, permitting him to diversify his holding into mutual funds without triggering capital gains, significantly increase his lifetime income, and receive charitable income tax deduction. 

Honors and Recognitions

Fellow, American College of Trust & Estate Counsel (ACTEC)

Best Lawyers in America®, Trusts and Estates, since 2009

Best Lawyers in America®, Lawyer of the Year, Trusts and Estates (Detroit), 2015, 2022

Michigan Super Lawyers, since 2006

Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated

Professional Affiliations

State Bar of Michigan

Planned Giving Roundtable of Southeast Michigan, past chairman of LEAVE A LEGACY® Southeast Michigan’s Speaker’s Bureau

Community Involvement

Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, Professional Advisory Committee

Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Foundation, Professional Advisory Committee

Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Professional Advisory Committee

Detroit Institute of Arts, Professional Advisory Committee

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M. Alexander Monahan

Practice Areas

Education

Wayne State University Law School
Detroit, Michigan
J.D., 2017

Michigan State University – James Madison College
East Lansing, Michigan
B.A., International Relations, 2012

Bar Admissions

Michigan

Corporate Attorney

Alex is a member of the Corporate Practice Team. His transactional experience includes mergers and acquisitions, real estate purchases and sales, and financing deals including private equity investment. He has significant experience in the formation and development of companies and corporations. He also has a background in bankruptcy reorganization and commercial litigation.

Professional Affiliations

American Bar Association, Business Law Section

State Bar of Michigan, Business Law Section, Young Lawyers Section

 

 

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Timothy D. Kroninger

Practice Areas

Industries

Education

Michigan State University College of Law
East Lansing, Michigan
J.D., summa cum laude, 2019 
Michigan State Law Review, Managing Editor

Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan
B.S., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, with high honors, 2014

Bar Admissions

Michigan

Court Admissions

All Michigan state courts

United States Patent and Trademark Office

United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan

Intellectual Property and Franchise Attorney

Tim (“Tim Kroninger, Jr.”) is a registered patent attorney, trademark and brand protection and enforcement specialist, and member of Varnum’s Intellectual Property Team. His practice focuses on all aspects of strategically counseling and assisting clients with the protection and enforcement of their intellectual property assets, including trademarks, patents, copyrights, and trade secrets.

Tim has experience providing strategic counsel on the availability and adoption of client trademarks and obtaining domestic and international trademark protection. He also regularly represents clients in trademark opposition and cancellation proceedings before the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) and negotiates and drafts trademark consent, co-existence, and licensing agreements. On the patent prosecution side, Tim is experienced in providing prior art analyses and protecting innovations in the mechanical, biological, and chemical arts from a variety of industries, including the automotive, agricultural, and healthcare sectors.

Tim’s practice also encompasses advising clients on false advertising law, unfair competition law, and related FTC regulations, including the FTC’s Green Guides and rules for influencers and social media endorsements. He is also knowledgeable in franchise law and drafting a variety of commercial agreements and licenses, especially those involving his clients’ intellectual property assets.

Tim serves as the supervising attorney for the University of Detroit Mercy College of Law Trademark and Entrepreneur Clinic, which counsels small businesses and startups on how to best develop and protect their business and intellectual property rights. Tim also regularly presents to law students, small business groups, and entrepreneur associations on the basics of intellectual property law.

Honors and Recognitions

Detroit Bar Association Pro Bono Awardee, 2021

State Bar of Michigan Pro Bono Honor Roll, 2020-2022

Professional Affiliations

American Bar Association

Detroit Bar Association

Michigan Intellectual Property Law Association

State Bar of Michigan: Intellectual Property Law Section; Antitrust, Franchising & Trade Regulation Section

Community Involvement

University of Detroit Mercy School of Law: Trademark and Entrepreneur Clinic, Supervising Attorney

Presentations

State Bar of Michigan – Antitrust, Franchising, & Trade Regulation Section, speaker, “Intellectual Property and Franchising: Who Should Care and Why?” May 16, 2024

Michigan State University Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, “Introduction to Intellectual Property,” November 15, 2023

University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, “Introduction to Trademark Law,” November 17, 2022

Osborn Business Association, “Intellectual Property for Small Business and Startups,” Summer 2021, Fall 2021

Judge – Michigan State University College of Law, 1L Advocacy Competition, 2020

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Jeffrey M. Stefan

Practice Areas

Industries

Clerkships

United States District Court for
the Eastern District of Michigan,
Honorable Paul D. Borman

Education

Wayne State University Law School
Detroit, Michigan
J.D., magna cum laude, 2003
Order of the Coif
Editor, The Wayne Law Review,
2001 – 2003

Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, Michigan
B.A., magna cum laude, 1999

Bar Admissions

Michigan

Privacy and Mobility Attorney

Jeff is a technology-focused attorney with globally recognized legal authority in data privacy and advanced mobility. He regularly assists some of the world’s leading technology companies with regulatory and data privacy issues. Jeff is credentialed as an IAPP certified information privacy professional and he routinely handles an array of data privacy matters. He also helps his clients navigate the evolving legal and public policy landscape for new and emerging mobility technologies.

Prior to joining Varnum, Jeff served as the Privacy Associate General Counsel for a leading electric vehicle manufacturer, where he led a wide range of privacy-related matters in connection with the company’s development and production of the world’s first fully electric truck. Additionally, Jeff previously served as autonomous vehicle counsel for a major global automaker and also supported the automaker’s emerging technology portfolio focusing on data privacy and cybersecurity on a worldwide basis. He also clerked for U.S. District Judge Paul D. Borman.

Honors and Recognitions

The Best Lawyers in America®, Corporate Law, 2024

Michigan Lawyers Weekly, Up and Coming Lawyer, 2010

Michigan Super Lawyers®, Rising Star, 2011

Professional Affiliations

Detroit Bar Association, Judicial Candidate Evaluation Committee, 2008

State Bar of Michigan 

Certifications

CIPP/US, certified information privacy professional 2014 – present

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Matthew M. Shina

Practice Areas

Education

University of Michigan Law School
Ann Arbor, Michigan
J.D., cum laude, 2021

Wayne State University
Detroit, Michigan
B.A., summa cum laude, Economics, 2016

Bar Admissions

Michigan

Languages

Aramaic

Spanish

Finance and Corporate Attorney

Matt is a member of the firm’s Banking and Finance Practice Team. He has extensive experience representing a diverse range of clients in finance related matters, including financial institutions, borrowers, agents, sponsors, and investors. His experience spans a wide range of financing transactions, such as bilateral loan transactions, syndicated financings, asset-based lending facilities, real estate financings, secured and unsecured credit facilities, first lien/second lien credit facilities, mezzanine financings, and acquisition financings.

In addition to his finance practice, Matt collaborates with the firm’s Corporate Team. He provides advice on numerous corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, startup and entity formation, capital fundraising and investment, and general commercial contract matters.

Matt was a Dean’s Scholarship recipient while attending the University of Michigan Law School. He served as a student attorney for the Law School’s Low Income Taxpayer Clinic, where he represented clients on a variety of tax issues before the IRS. He also received a Best Drafting Skills award in the Law School’s annual transactional law competition.

Experience

Represented a national lender in a $50 million financing transaction involving a revolving loan facility.

Represented the borrower in a $15 million financing transaction involving a revolving loan facility.

Represented the lead lender in a multi-bank acquisition financing transaction, encompassing senior and subordinated positions.

Represented the buyer in the acquisition of a privately-owned garage storage manufacturer.

Represented the seller in the sale of a privately-owned real estate leasing platform.

Represented the seller in the sale of a privately-owned title insurance company.

Professional Affiliations

Association for Corporate Growth, Detroit Chapter

Turnaround Management Association

Risk Management Association – East Michigan, Board member

State Bar of Michigan

Community Involvement

Kalasho Education & Youth Services, Board member

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Jacob R. Whately

Practice Areas

Industries

Education

New York University School of Law
New York, New York
LL.M., Taxation, 2017

University of Toledo College of Law
Toledo, Ohio
J.D., magna cum laude, 2016

University of Toledo
Toledo, Ohio
B.A., magna cum laude, 2013

Bar Admissions

Michigan

Ohio

Court Admissions

All Michigan state courts

Corporate and Tax Attorney

Jake is a member of Varnum’s Business and Corporate Services Team with a focus on mergers and acquisitions (M&A), representing both buyers and sellers in complex and strategic investment transactions.

Jake assists clients in various industries with general corporate matters, including corporate governance, nondisclosure agreements, general contract matters, business formations, restructurings and dissolutions, disputes with customers and suppliers (including Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers), terms and conditions analysis and other matters.

Jake is also a member of Varnum’s Venture Capital and Emerging Companies practice team and advises emerging companies on capital fundraising, including SAFE financing, preferred equity financing and securities law compliance.

In addition to his law degree, Jake holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree in taxation and has experience in the areas of U.S. federal corporate taxation and assisting in advising clients on the tax aspects of complex transactions including tax structuring, tax modeling, and other transaction-related tax services.

Experience

Representation of a leading provider of artificial intelligence-based surveillance audit platforms in connection with a $1.5 million pre-seed SAFE capital raise.

Representation of a cloud-based intelligence platform in connection with its sale to a leading enterprise insights management SaaS platform.

Representation of a real estate investment platform in connection with a $8.25 million Series A capital round.

Representation of a mobility tech company in connection with its sale to a global digital agency.

Representation of a financial wellness software company in connection with a $2.6 million capital raise.

Representation of a content engagement provider in connection with its sale to a premier provider of products and services for the life sciences industry.

Professional Affiliations

State Bar of Michigan: Taxation Section

Ohio State Bar Association

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Timothy K. Kroninger

Timothy K. Kroninger

Practice Areas

Industries

Education

University of Detroit Mercy School of Law
Detroit, Michigan
J.D., cum laude, 1985
Law Review, Article and Book Editor
Moot Court, National Tax Law Team
Justice Frank Murphy Honor Society
Alpha Sigma Nu National Jesuit Honor Society

Michigan State University
College of Business
East Lansing, Michigan
B.A., with honors, 1982
MSU Mortar Board National Honor Society

Bar Admissions

Michigan

Court Admissions

All Michigan state courts

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

Intellectual Property, Franchise and Business Law Attorney

Tim serves as Co-Chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Team, leads the firm’s franchising and licensing practice, and is also a member of the Business and Corporate Services Practice Team. He has extensive experience in many legal business areas including intellectual property and contract law; corporate and general business law; franchise and licensing law; commercial transactions; warranty, marketing, and disclosure law; and trademark, copyright, and technology licensing as well as litigation.

Tim has served as both in-house and outside legal counsel, as well as having personally owned and operated many different types of small businesses, which provides him with a unique understanding and perspective in helping clients with their legal and business needs, issues, challenges and opportunities.

Tim’s experience includes working with Fortune 500 companies around the world. He uses his significant experience in law and business to apply a unique perspective, philosophy, and attitude to assist all types and sizes of companies in analyzing, protecting, and enforcing their intellectual property from an overall strategic perspective, which is unique to the legal industry. Tim manages clients’ comprehensive trademark and copyright portfolios globally, having prosecuted and handled thousands of trademark registrations both domestically and internationally over his legal career.

Tim has extensive experience in negotiating, drafting, and analyzing complex license and franchise agreements, as well as handling and managing business transactions of all types and sizes, that involve the diverse areas of intellectual property, trade secrets, manufacturing, distribution, sales, marketing, insurance and indemnification, financials, and warranty and quality control.

Tim conducts intellectual property due diligence in M&A deals and commercial transactions, providing analysis, advice, and execution on the strategies and tasks necessary to secure and protect the valuable intellectual property rights. Through his work in franchising and licensing, Tim helps clients strategically grow their businesses, providing counsel, advice, and guidance to both franchisors and franchisees in protecting, enforcing and commercializing their rights and interests.

Additionally, Tim represents several companies as outside general counsel, regularly providing guidance and counsel on matters affecting their businesses and assisting in their day-to-day needs

Honors and Recognitions

Auburn Hills Optimist Club: Distinguished Volunteer Service Award, 2017; Optimist of the Year, 2007 – 2008

C.O.T.H.A. (Troy Homeowners Associations), Volunteer of the Year, 2000

Oxford High School (Michigan), Distinguished Alumnus, 1990

Troy Soccer Club, Distinguished Volunteer Service Award, 2012

Professional Affiliations

American Bar Association

American Intellectual Property Law Association

International Collegiate Licensing Association (ICLA)

International Licensing Industry Merchandisers Association (LIMA)

International Trademark Association (INTA)

Michigan Intellectual Property Law Association

MSU Alumni Association

Oakland County Bar Association

State Bar of Michigan: Business Law Section; Antitrust, Franchising & Trade Regulation Section – Council; Intellectual Property Law Section

University of Detroit Mercy School of Law: Trademark and Entrepreneur Clinic, Director and Adjunct Professor

Community Involvement

Crescent Ridge/Park Subdivision Association: Board of Directors; past president and treasurer

Kickstart Toddler Soccer: trainer/coach

Optimist Club of Auburn Hills, member; past Vice President and Board of Directors member

Sacred Heart Catholic Church (Auburn Hill, Michigan), guest choir member/soloist/cantor

Presentations

State Bar of Michigan – Antitrust, Franchising, & Trade Regulation Section, speaker, “Intellectual Property and Franchising: Who Should Care and Why?” May 16, 2024

Michigan State University, Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, speaker, “Introduction to Intellectual Property,” November 15, 2023

University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, speaker, “Introduction to Trademark Law,” November 17, 2022

MICPA Forensic Accounting and Valuation Services Conference, speaker, “Franchise It! Valuations and Contract/Marketing Agreements,” May 20, 2021

20 Fathoms Executive Forum, speaker, “Assessing Risk – Legal, IT Security, and Business Liabilities,” March 9, 2020

Michigan State University, Eli Broad College of Business, speaker, Business Entrepreneurship classes on Business Entity Creation, and Intellectual Property Protection and Enforcement, 2014 – 2019

Michigan State University, judge, Eli Broad Business Model Competition, March/April 2018

Entrepreneurial Detroit Open City Event, panelist, Build Institute, January 15, 2018

GreenLight Michigan Business Model Competition, judge, March 28, 2018; March 29, 2017

University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, guest speaker, Lunch with a Lawyer Program: “Intellectual Property and Licensing in the ‘Real World’,” 2013

The C12 Group, Fall Conference, guest speaker, “Trade Secrets, Confidentiality, and Non-Compete Agreements,” 2010

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