Grant Semonin joins SSA
Grant Semonin graduated Cum Laude from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2019. He then earned his Juris Doctor degree Cum Laude from the University of Notre Dame Law School in 2022 and received the International Academy of Trial Lawyers Award for Excellence in the Art of Advocacy. During law school, Mr. Semonin served as Executive Notes Editor of the Notre Dame Journal of Legislation and competed as an oralist on the ABA team of the Notre Dame Moot Court Board. He has been published in the Journal of Legislation regarding the clergy-penitent privilege. Prior to joining Straub, Seaman & Allen, Mr. Semonin worked as a summer associate with regional firms in Illinois and Texas, and as a corporate counsel extern with the Global Disputes team at Whirlpool Corporation. His practice will cover areas including labor & employment law, business litigation, insurance defense, trademarks, copyrights, and other general civil defense matters.
Read moreStraub Seaman and Allen announces the addition of Matthew Tompkins and James McGovern as partners.
Effective January 1, 2022 Matthew Tompkins of the Grand Rapids Office of Straub, Seaman and Allen P.C. and James McGovern of the St. Joseph office of the firm became full partners. Matt has been with the firm since February of 2019 and James joined in March of 2020. Both Matt and James have extensive backgrounds in litigation defense. Also effective January 1 was the assumption of founding partner status by James Straub. He will continue to provide litigation defense services as a member of the firm. Straub Seaman and Allen P.C. was formed on April 1, 1984 by James Straub, Douglas Allen and Drew Seaman. The firm has offices in St. Joseph and Grand Rapids and provides litigation defense services in both Indiana and Michigan.
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Stanton P. Galdys joins SSA
Stanton P. Galdys received his undergraduate degree from Hope College in 2010 and his Juris Doctorate from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in January of 2014. During law school, Mr. Galdys interned under Honorable Patricia D. Gardner and externed with Legal Aid of West Michigan. Prior to joining Straub, Seaman & Allen, Mr. Galdys maintained employment with small to medium sized private law firms in the West Michigan region with practice areas including business and corporate planning, estate planning, plaintiff’s personal injury litigation, family law, and disability law. He has been published in the Grand Rapids Lawyer on matters of employment law. His practice includes general civil defense. AREAS OF PRACTICE Business Litigation Employment Law General Litigation Insurance Defense Litigation BAR & COURT ADMISSIONS Michigan – State & Federal PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS State Bar of Michigan
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David Peterson retires from SSA
SSA were so fortunate to have David work on our team for 11 years. We wish him well as he embark on his next adventures. David M. Peterson attended Western Michigan University and obtained a Bachelors degree from Wayne State University in 1967 and a Juris Doctor degree from Detroit College of Law (now Michigan State University) in 1970. He has practiced law in Berrien County for 48 years and served 4 years as a County Commissioner and 14 years as a Berrien County Trial Judge. He presently serves as a part-time Pokagon Tribal Judge and the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi. AREAS OF PRACTICE Probate Real Estate Municipal General Litigation EDUCATION Detroit College of Law, JD 1970 Wayne State University, 1967 BAR & COURT ADMISSIONS Michigan – State & Federal Washington, DC Federal District Court United States Supreme Court PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS American Bar Association State Bar of Michigan Michigan Indian Judges Association
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Colleen Cullitan retires from SSA
SSA were so fortunate to have Colleen work on our team for 11 years. We wish her well as she embark on her next adventures. Colleen M. Cullitan received a Bachelor of Arts, Summa Cum Laude, in 1972, from Western Michigan University and her law degree from the University of Michigan. Prior to joining Straub, Seaman & Allen, she was an attorney at Peterson, Cullitan & Peterson, PLC, and its predecessor firms in St. Joseph. Her areas of practice include Business Planning and Transactions, Real Estate, and Probate and Estate Planning. She has a Certificate of Completion for ICLE’s Probate and Estate Planning Program. She has been involved in several community organizations, including the Boys & Girls Club of Benton Harbor, the First Tee of Benton Harbor, the Berrien County Health Plan, and the Berrien Community Foundation. AREAS OF PRACTICE Business Planning and Transaction Estate Planning Probate Real Estate EDUCATION Western Michigan University Bachelor of Arts, Summa Cum Laude, 1972 University of Michigan Law School Juris Doctor, 1999 BAR & COURT ADMISSIONS Michigan – State & Federal PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS Berrien County Bar Association State Bar of Michigan Member of Representative Assembly, 2003-2009 Probate and Estate Planning Section Member COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS Boys and Girls Club of Benton Harbor – Past Board of Directors Berrien County Health Plan – Past Board of Directors First Tee of Benton Harbor – Board of Directors Berrien Community Foundation – Member
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