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Class Note Summer 2026

Donica T. Varner stepped down from her position as vice president and general counsel of Cornell University in February. She was the first Black person to serve as the university’s chief legal officer; she also mentored undergraduates in the Meinig Family National Scholars Program and was an executive sponsor of the Women of Color Colleague Network. Varner previously held leadership roles at Oberlin College, the University of Michigan, and Wayne State University. 

Class Note Summer 2026

Gabriel J. Chin and three other University of Michigan alumni connected at a recent conference at UC Davis School of Law. Chin, the Edward L. Barrett Jr. Distinguished Professor at UC Davis School of Law, is pictured, left to right, with Christiana Ochoa, BA ’93, dean at Indiana University Maurer School of Law; Angela Onwuachi-Willig, ’97, dean at Boston University School of Law; and Meera E. Deo, ’00, the Honorable Vaino Spencer Chair at Southwestern Law School.

Class Note Summer 2026

David Plunkett, a shareholder with business law firm Williams Williams Rattner & Plunkett PC, was included in the commercial dispute category of Legal 500’s Elite City Focus regional list for Detroit. Plunkett is a litigator and business lawyer who handles contract disputes, shareholder disputes, land use and zoning, employment law, and real estate matters. He also is an experienced probate litigator, including will and trust disputes.

Class Note Summer 2026

Paul Eugene Escobar recently joined the Rise Group Inc. in Cranston, Rhode Island, as its chief legal officer. The Rise Group is an efficiency and engineering services company. Previously, he was a senior corporate and securities attorney for Hasbro Inc.

Class Note Summer 2026

James “Jim” Steffen, a partner in the Minneapolis office of Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, was appointed leader of the firm’s technology practice group. Steffen partners with clients to protect and enhance their brand assets through comprehensive trademark, advertising, and marketing law strategies.

Class Note Summer 2026

Michael B. Stewart received a 2025 Pro Bono Award from the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA). He is a partner and co-founder of Fishman Stewart PLLC. Stewart was instrumental in promoting the inaugural World Intellectual Property Day programs throughout the US, working in tandem with the World Intellectual Property Organization and the US Patent and Trademark Office. He also played a key role in establishing the Public Education Committee within the AIPLA.

Class Note Summer 2026

Robert S. Bick was included in the Legal 500 US Elite regional listing in its tier-one category for corporate mergers and acquisitions. He is a shareholder with Williams, Williams, Rattner & Plunkett PC in Birmingham, Michigan. Bick’s practice focuses on corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, and business transactions. He also is the co-chair of the firm’s corporate practice group. 

Class Note Summer 2026

Richard N.W. Lambert joined Parker & McConkie Personal Injury Lawyers as of counsel in the firm’s personal injury and civil rights practice. Lambert served for more than 30 years as an assistant US attorney for the District of Utah, holding senior leadership roles including criminal chief and senior litigation counsel. He also has served in leadership roles with historical and community organizations, including the Mormon Historic Sites Foundation.

Class Note Summer 2026

Valerie Jarrett is a 2026 recipient of the Order of Lincoln, the State of Illinois’s highest honor for professional achievement and public service. Jarrett is the CEO and a member of the board of directors of the Obama Foundation and oversaw the development of the Obama Presidential Center, which opened in June on Chicago’s South Side. 

Class Note Summer 2026

Thomas Creel retired as a litigator from a large New York City firm and has since embarked on a career as an actor. He is a member of the Screen Actors Guild and has appeared on stage, in movies, on TV, and in commercials, including an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Creel also is an active neutral arbitrator and mediator at JAMS (formerly known as Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services Inc.), specializing in intellectual property matters.