Clark Hill Education Attorneys to Present at 2007 Michigan School Business Officials Annual Conference in Grand Rapids

April 06, 2007-

BIRMINGHAM, MI- Attorneys from the Education Group at Clark Hill PLC will present to school officials from Michigan during the 2007 Michigan School Business Officials (MSBO) Annual Conference in Grand Rapids on April 24-26. Attorneys Dana L. Abrahams, James C. Crowley, Marshall W. Grate, and Jeremy S. Motz will present during the three day conference, which will be held at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in downtown Grand Rapids.

On April 24, Dana Abrahams and Marshall Grate will present “Technology in Administration,” and Jeremy Motz will present “School Law Overview.” On April 25, James Crowley will present, “Borrowing Best Practices.” On April 26, Abrahams will present “Purchasing Practices and Purchasing Law: The Basics,” Crowley will present “How to Establish and Maintain a School Foundation,” and Motz will present “Spending and the Law.” Abrahams’ final presentation, “Legal Issues in Selling and Buying Real Estate” will also be held on April 26.

Abrahams is a member of Clark Hill’s Birmingham office, and concentrates her practice in the areas of education law, real estate law, construction law, computer and technology law, business law, tax law and municipal finance. She has extensive experience representing Michigan school district clients in all aspects of public school law. She represents public school districts, as well as private-sector individuals and entities, in the appraisal, sale, acquisition and lease of real property. In addition, she is experienced in all phases of contracting and other transactional matters, with particular focus on the construction industry.

Abrahams earned her A.B. from the University of Michigan, her J.D., cum laude, from the University of Detroit-Mercy School of Law and her L.L.M. in Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center.

Crowley is a member in the firm’s Birmingham office, where he concentrates his practice in the areas of municipal finance law, school and municipal law, tax-exempt organizations, employee benefits law, and tax law. He has extensive experience in municipal and school finance. He regularly serves as bond counsel, underwriter's counsel, and disclosure counsel for school districts, and various municipalities. In these capacities he has served as counsel relating to tax-exempt and taxable financings, fixed and variable rate financings, general obligation and revenue financings, unlimited and limited tax financings, and conduit financings.

Crowley earned his B.A. from Michigan State University and his J.D. from Wayne State University Law School.

Grate is a Senior Attorney in Clark Hill’s Grand Rapids office, where in addition to the Education and Municipal Law Group, and he is a member of the Labor and Employment Law Group. He focuses his practice in public school law, labor and employment law, municipal corporations, and private sector employers. Grate has broad experience in all labor and employment matters, but focuses on personnel administration, wage and hour issues, employment discrimination (EEOC), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), unfair labor practices, collective bargaining, and labor arbitration. Grate has successfully defended clients in both bench and jury trials, and administrative proceedings. He is licensed to practice in all state and federal courts in Michigan and Indiana and is admitted to the Sixth and Seventh Circuit of the United States Court of Appeals, as well as the United States Supreme Court.

Grate earned his B.S., summa cum laude, from Harding University, and his J.D., summa cum laude, from the Indiana School of Law.

Motz is an associate in the Birmingham office of Clark Hill PLC. He principally focuses his practice in the areas of education, construction and real estate law, assisting public and private sector employers in a wide variety of transactional matters.

Motz earned his A.B. from the University of Michigan and his J.D. from the University of Detroit Mercy Law School.