Dykema Elects 11 New Members

Dykema, a leading national law firm, announced today that its Executive Board elected 11 new members to the firm effective January 1, 2022. Dykema’s new partners, their resident office, and practice descriptions are listed below.

John D. Black – Products Liability Defense; Bloomfield Hills

Black represents manufacturers and other companies in high-exposure product liability, catastrophic injury/wrongful death, commercial, and MDL/class action litigation throughout the United States, and has developed a particular specialty defending motor vehicle manufacturers and suppliers in automotive crashworthiness cases. In 2021, Black was recognized by the Legal 500 U.S. as one of only four “Rising Stars” in automotive litigation nationally. In addition to his work across the United States, Black also maintains an active practice in Canada and has appeared as counsel of record in six provinces.

He received a J.D. from the University of Western Ontario Faculty of Law and a B.A. from the University of Michigan.

Denise M. Drake – Corporate and Finance; San Antonio

Drake focuses her practice on corporate, finance, and real estate matters, advising clients in the purchase or sale of companies and assets, negotiating key commercial and real estate agreements, and ensuring corporate compliance with governance structures. Prior to joining Dykema, she served as in-house counsel for Marathon Petroleum Corporation, where she managed corporate and real estate matters for the company's midstream, refining, and marketing assets.

Drake received her J.D., cum laude, from St. Mary’s University School of Law and a B.A. in Political Science and Corporate Communications, cum laude, from Trinity University.

Nazneen S. Hasan – Tax; Bloomfield Hills

Hasan focuses her practice on taxation and advising clients on trust and estate issues such as estate planning and trust and estate administration. She also represents clients in matters involving fiduciary probate litigation such as conservatorships, guardianships, contested trust and estate matters, and dispute resolution. Prior to joining Dykema, Hasan was a vice president and senior fiduciary advisor at a private wealth management company, serving the needs of ultra-high net worth individuals and families, and prior to that, she was the practice leader for the probate department at a boutique law firm based in Southfield, Michigan. She is a regular faculty member for the Institute of Continuing Legal Education presenting on Trust and Estate topics and serves as a Council member for the Probate and Estate Planning Section of the State Bar of Michigan.

She earned an LL.M. and J.D.,  from the Western Michigan University, Thomas M. Cooley Law School, as well as a B.A. and B.S. from the University of Massachusetts.

Thomas T. Moga – Intellectual Property; Bloomfield Hills

Moga has more than 30 years of experience in domestic and international intellectual property portfolio development and enforcement. He is an experienced patent prosecutor in various fields, including the mechanical, chemical, biochemical, and pharmaceutical arts. Moga has also been qualified and testified as an expert witness in patent disputes. As an IP portfolio developer, Moga’s experience includes the development of domestic and foreign patent portfolios, the acquisition of registrations for trademarks and copyrights, licensing, and policy development. Within the discipline of IP rights enforcement, he manages patent enforcement and anti-counterfeiting actions in Asia, including overseeing initial counterfeit product investigation, selecting and working with local investigators, selecting and working with local counsel, preparing administrative and judicial documents, and participating in raids. Moga is also a pioneer in protecting and enforcing IP rights in China and has represented foreign companies in China for more than three decades.

Moga received a J.D. from the St. Louis University School of Law. He also earned an M.A. in English Language & Literature as well as a B.A. in both English Language & Literature and Political Studies (with a China concentration) from the University of Michigan. Moga also received a B.S. in Biochemistry, cum laude, from Madonna University.

Serj Mooradian – Healthcare; Ann Arbor

Mooradian represents healthcare clients on complex transactional and regulatory matters. He counsels clients on mergers and acquisitions, structuring joint ventures and other affiliations, and forming practice management organizations, as well as guiding clients through the regulatory issues related to transactions. Mooradian also advises clients on an array of federal and state regulatory matters, including fraud and abuse laws, Medicare and Medicaid certification, tax exemption, corporate practice of medicine, fee splitting, licensing, and provider scope of practice. He also helps clients resolve reimbursement issues with both governmental and commercial payors.

Mooradian earned a J.D. from the Loyola University Chicago School of Law and a B.Sc. from the University of Bath, England.

Steven D. Mroczkowski – Financial Services Litigation; Chicago

Mroczkowski co-leads Dykema’s Construction Industry Group. He represents owners, contractors, developers, lenders, and sureties, in all manner of disputes including breach of contract, lien and bond claim litigation, construction defects, defaults, complex commercial foreclosures, complex lease disputes, liquidations, and bankruptcy litigation. His practice also includes drafting and negotiating complex construction contracts. Mroczkowski is a Fellow of the Construction Lawyers Society of America, a member of the Society of Illinois Construction Attorneys, and is the current Chairperson of the Illinois State Bar Association’s Construction Law Section Council. He also has been recognized as a Rising Star by Illinois Super Lawyers in Construction Litigation for two years running.

Mroczkowski earned a J.D. from the Chicago-Kent College of Law and a B.A. in Economics and French, magna cum laude, from North Central College.

Matthew S. Raczkowski – Real Estate; Chicago

Raczkowski is a member of Dykema’s leasing and property management and lending teams. His practice involves numerous aspects of real estate-based transactions, including leasing, lending, acquisitions, and dispositions. Raczkowski has experience representing both landlords and tenants in negotiations for complex industrial, retail, and office lease transactions, and in connection with leasing and property management matters, throughout the country. He has also counseled purchasers in the acquisition, and sellers in the disposition, of various types of real property and lending institutions in connection with term loans, construction loans (syndicated and non-syndicated), and loan modifications.

Raczkowski earned a J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Illinois College of Law and a B.S. from Indiana University.

José M. (Joe) Rubio – Commercial Litigation; Dallas

Rubio serves as an advocate for clients faced with a variety of commercial disputes across a broad spectrum of industries, with a focus on real estate and partnership disputes. He has prosecuted and defended cases involving real estate litigation, oil and gas disputes, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, probate disputes, and products liability. An experienced litigator, Rubio has tried cases to verdict in state court and served as first chair for dispositive motions, mediations, and appeals.

He earned a J.D. from The University of Texas School of Law and a B.B.A. from The University of Texas at Austin Red McCombs School of Business.

Prescott W. Smith – Products Liability Defense; Dallas

Smith has extensive experience in state and federal courts representing defendants at the pre-litigation, trial, and appellate levels. His practice largely focuses on products liability matters but also includes matters in the oil and gas industry, intellectual property issues and trademark litigation, contractual disputes, and business torts.  Additionally, Smith has extensive high-profile MDL experience, including as a member of the trial team representing Halliburton in the litigation arising out of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and federal and state MDL litigation involving a major automotive manufacturer relating to a safety recall.

Smith earned a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law, a B.A. from the University of Arkansas, and was a Doctoral Candidate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Molly E. Thompson– Commercial Litigation; Chicago

Thompson, who has broad litigation experience in state and federal courts, advocates on behalf of a variety of client types, including schools, municipalities, public officials, financial institutions, product manufacturers, individuals, and corporations through retention by insurers, and other professional individuals and entities. She concentrates her practice in consumer financial services, school liability (including Title IX and Section 1983 claims), complex commercial and contract disputes, and personal injury. Thompson has tried jury cases in federal court and is an experienced appellate attorney, having prosecuted and defended many appeals in state and federal courts.

She earned a J.D. from Northwestern University and a B.A. from Columbia University.

Cory L. Webster– Commercial Litigation; Los Angeles

Webster represents clients in complex federal and state court commercial litigation, with a focus on appeals. He has prepared numerous appellate briefs in the Ninth Circuit, California Court of Appeal, and California Supreme Court, as well as post-trial motions and appellate letter briefs. Webster also helps develop and carry out litigation strategies in trial court and serves as embedded appellate counsel at trial. Additionally, he has significant experience in a variety of disciplines, including intellectual property, real estate, eminent domain, products liability, employment, and business litigation.

Webster received a J.D., magna cum laude, from the Pepperdine University School of Law and a B.S. in Psychology with a Minor in Business Management from Brigham Young University.