Kemp Klein was proud to sponsor the Troy Chamber of Commerce’s 2026 Top of Troy: Women of Influence event, held October 6 at Walsh College in Troy.

The annual breakfast and panel discussion brings together influential women from the area’s business community to share their experiences in leadership, including the challenges, opportunities and decisions that have shaped their professional careers. The program also provides attendees with an opportunity to connect with local business leaders while gaining insight into topics such as overcoming obstacles, balancing professional and personal demands, and developing as leaders within their organizations and communities.

The program featured a panel of local leaders, including Dr. Darienne Driver Hudson, President & CEO of United Way for Southeastern Michigan; Lori Grigg Bluhm, City Attorney for the City of Troy; Lissa Pietrykowski, Co-Owner of Peak Physique Fitness and Peak Women; and Dr. Suzy Siegle, President & CEO of Walsh College. The discussion was moderated by Jamie Edmonds, reporter and sports anchor with WDIV Local 4/ClickOnDetroit and WJR.

Kemp Klein attorneys Klara Zierk, Amanda Afton Martin, Margaret Lindauer and Connie M. Meech attended this year’s event on behalf of the firm.

Kemp Klein is pleased to support the Troy Chamber of Commerce and programs such as Top of Troy: Women of Influence that recognize leadership, encourage professional development and strengthen connections throughout the local business community.

The 37th annual Ex Libris fundraising dinner, “Ignite the Future,” will celebrate literacy and the accomplishments of Oakland Literacy Council’s students and volunteers. Proceeds support the Council’s work helping adults improve their reading, math, computer and English language skills.

This year’s keynote speaker is Curtis Chin, a Detroit native, filmmaker and bestselling author of Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant. His memoir explores growing up in his family’s Detroit restaurant and was selected for the 2025–2026 Great Michigan Read. A University of Michigan graduate, Chin co-founded the Asian American Writers’ Workshop and served as its first executive director. His career includes television comedy, documentary filmmaking and writing for CNN, Bon Appétit and the Detroit Free Press. His documentary Dear Corky premiered on PBS’s American Masters. Learn more about Curtis Chin.

Kemp Klein is an Epic Sponsor of this year’s event. For 32 years, the Kemp Klein Foundation has supported Oakland Literacy Council and its annual Ex Libris fundraising dinner, reflecting the firm’s belief in the importance of literacy to individuals and the community. Learn more about the Kemp Klein Foundation.

The event takes place Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at The Village Club in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

To purchase tickets and for more information, visit the 2026 Ex Libris event page.

Kemp Klein is proud to have been recognized by Crain’s Detroit Business as one of the 2026 Best Places to Work in Michigan. The firm joins 100 companies from across the state selected for their commitment to employee satisfaction, workplace culture and creating an environment where people can thrive.

Each year, Crain’s Detroit Business recognizes Michigan companies that demonstrate a meaningful commitment to their employees. The selection process is conducted in partnership with Best Companies Group, an independent workplace research firm, and consists of an employer questionnaire and an employee survey. Together, these evaluations consider company policies, benefits, workplace practices and the experiences of employees throughout the organization.

This recognition is especially meaningful because the strength of Kemp Klein begins with its people. Our attorneys and staff bring talent, experience and dedication to their work while supporting one another and collaborating across the firm. Their shared commitment to our clients, colleagues and community has created a workplace where people can build lasting relationships, grow professionally and take pride in the work they do.

Kemp Klein’s culture has been shaped over many years by the contributions of individuals throughout the firm. From working together to serve clients to supporting charitable organizations and community initiatives, our people continue to demonstrate the values that define Kemp Klein.

This latest honor continues the firm’s record of workplace recognition. Kemp Klein was also recognized by BridgeTower Media and Best Companies Group as one of the Best Places to Work: Law Firms in both 2024 and 2025.

We are grateful to every member of the Kemp Klein team for helping make this recognition possible. We also congratulate all of the organizations recognized by Crain’s Detroit Business this year and are honored to be included among Michigan’s leading workplaces.

Learn more about Crain’s 2026 Best Places to Work in Michigan and explore Kemp Klein’s additional honors and recognition.

Twenty Kemp Klein attorneys have been recognized in the 2027 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®, and four additional attorneys have been recognized in the 2027 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America. Robert S. Zawideh was also named the 2027 Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year” for Litigation – Trusts and Estates in Troy.

Best Lawyers selections are based on peer-review evaluations within specific practice areas and geographic regions.

The Best Lawyers in America Honorees

Kemp Klein’s recognized attorneys span 21 practice areas:

• William B. Acker – Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Real Estate Law, Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates
• C. Leslie Banas – Corporate Law and Real Estate Law
• Richard C. Bruder – Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, and Venture Capital Law
• Joseph P. Buttiglieri – Family Law and Litigation – Trusts and Estates
• Ralph A. Castelli, Jr. – Commercial Finance Law, Corporate Law, and Real Estate Law
• James P. Davey – Commercial Litigation and Litigation – Construction
• Mark R. Filipp – Commercial Litigation, Employment Law – Management, and Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Faith M. Gaudaen – Commercial Litigation
• Brian R. Jenney – Elder Law, Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates
• David D. Marsh – Corporate Law, Land Use and Zoning Law, and Real Estate Law
• Alan A. May – Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates
• Edward M. Nahhat – Appellate Practice
• Ronald S. Nixon – Commercial Litigation
• Neal Nusholtz – Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates
• Norman D. Orr – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Corporate Law
• Brian H. Rolfe – Commercial Litigation and Corporate Law
• Amy A. Stawski – Family Law
• Michael D. Umphrey – Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, and Trusts and Estates
• Cynthia L. Umphrey – Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, and Trusts and Estates
• Robert S. Zawideh – Arbitration, Commercial Litigation, and Litigation – Trusts and Estates

Robert S. Zawideh Named “Lawyer of the Year”

Robert S. Zawideh has been named the 2027 Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year” for Litigation – Trusts and Estates in Troy.

The award is presented to one attorney in each practice area and geographic region based on peer-review evaluations. Zawideh is also recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® for Arbitration, Commercial Litigation, and Litigation – Trusts and Estates.

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch Honorees

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch recognizes early-career attorneys in private practice through a peer-review process. The following Kemp Klein attorneys were recognized across seven practice areas:

• Casey W. Callahan – Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Corporate Law, and Trusts and Estates
• William Haines II – Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Elder Law, Litigation – Trusts and Estates, and Trusts and Estates
• Tyler Knurek – Litigation – Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates
• Margaret Lindauer – Elder Law, Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates

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About Kemp Klein

Kemp Klein is a full-service law firm that advises businesses, municipalities, organizations and individuals on a wide range of legal matters. The firm handles matters involving business and corporate law, litigation, labor and employment, real estate, estate planning and other areas affecting companies, public entities and families.

Kemp Klein focuses on practical guidance, clear communication and strategies aligned with each client’s legal and business objectives.

Kemp Klein Law Firm and its attorneys have been recognized by peers and leading legal organizations for excellence in the practice of law. These recognitions reflect our long-standing commitment to professional integrity, legal skill, and client service across a wide range of practice areas. The honors and awards listed below highlight both firm-wide achievements and individual attorney distinctions earned through peer review, professional evaluation, and community involvement.

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About Best Lawyers

Best Lawyers® uses a peer-review process to recognize attorneys within specific practice areas and geographic regions. Launched in 2020, Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch applies that process to attorneys who are earlier in their private-practice careers.

To search for recognized attorneys by location and specialty, visit www.bestlawyers.com.

On Friday, July 31, 2026, Kemp Klein attorneys and staff gathered at Starr Jaycee Park for Kemp Klein Night at Shakespeare Royal Oak. This year’s production, As You Like It, provided a wonderful evening of live theater in the park.

From the sounds of cicadas in the surrounding trees to the conversations shared over pizza before the performance, it was a perfect summer evening. Whether longtime fans of Shakespeare or newcomers to his work, members of the Kemp Klein team enjoyed a lively production that appealed to audience members of all ages.

The evening was especially meaningful because of the contributions of two members of the Kemp Klein team. Shareholder Edward M. Nahhat founded Shakespeare Royal Oak in 2001 and continues to serve as executive director of the organization. Sydney McMillan also contributed her talents as lighting designer and assistant to the producer.

To recognize Ed’s continued dedication to bringing professional outdoor theater to the community, the firm presented him with a framed quotation from As You Like It: “I like this place and willingly could waste my time in it.”

Kemp Klein’s involvement with Shakespeare Royal Oak reflects the firm’s broader commitment to supporting the communities where its attorneys and staff live and work. By celebrating local arts organizations and encouraging members of the firm to contribute their time and talents, Kemp Klein helps strengthen cultural opportunities throughout Metro Detroit. Shakespeare Royal Oak advances that goal by bringing accessible professional theater, educational programming and opportunities for emerging artists to the community.

Ed recently discussed Shakespeare Royal Oak and its 2026 production of As You Like It during an appearance on the Detroit 24 Show on WPON AM 1460. The interview, recorded on July 13, also previewed Kemp Klein Night and highlighted the firm’s broader commitment to community service throughout Metro Detroit.

Watch Edward Nahhat’s interview on WPON AM 1460.

Kemp Klein congratulates Ed, Sydney and the entire Shakespeare Royal Oak cast and production team on an outstanding performance and another successful season. After 26 seasons of theater in Starr Jaycee Park, Shakespeare Royal Oak remains a treasured part of the local arts community. Kemp Klein is proud to support organizations and individuals whose work enriches Metro Detroit, and we look forward to celebrating Shakespeare Royal Oak’s continued success for years to come.

See more information about Shakespeare Royal Oak.

Learn more about Kemp Klein’s Community Involvement.