Biographies Of Commission Members And Staff
RICHARD D. McLELLAN
Richard D. McLellan, is Chairman of the Michigan Law Revision Commission, a position he has filled since 1986 following his appointment as a public member of the Commission in 1985.
Mr.
McLellan is a lawyer with the law firm of Dykema Gossett PLLC and serves as the
Member-in-charge of the firm’s Lansing Office and as the leader of the firm’s
Government Policy & Practice Group.
He is responsible for the firm's public policy, administrative law and
lobbying practices in Lansing, Chicago and
Mr. McLellan started his career as an administrative assistant to Governor William G. Milliken and as director of the Michigan Office of Drug Abuse.
Following
the 1990
During the administration of President Gerald Ford, he served as an advisor to the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration as a member of the National Advisory Food and Drug Committee of the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare.
In
1990, Mr. McLellan was appointed by President George Bush as a Presidential
Observer to the elections in the People’s Republic of
Mr.
McLellan is a member of the Board of Governors of the Cranbrook Institute of
Science, one of
Mr. McLellan serves as member of the Board of Trustees of Michigan State University-Detroit College of Law.
Mr.
McLellan is a former Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Michigan Chamber
of Commerce, and is a member of the Board of Directors of the
McLellan
served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Mercantile & General
Life Reassurance Company of
He
is a graduate of the
ANTHONY DEREZINSKI
Mr. Derezinski is Vice Chairman of the Michigan Law Revision Commission, a position he has filled since May 1986 following his appointment as a public member of the Commission in January of that year.
Mr.
Derezinski is Director of Government Relations for the Michigan Association of
School Boards. He also serves as an
adjunct professor of law at The University of Michigan Law School and at the
Department of Education Administration of Michigan State University, and
previously was a visiting professor of law at the
He
is a graduate of Muskegon Catholic Central High School, Marquette University,
the University of Michigan Law School (Juris Doctor degree), and Harvard Law
School (Master of Laws degree). He is married and resides in
Mr.
Derezinski is a Democrat and served as State Senator from 1975 to 1978. He was
a member of the Board of Regents of Eastern Michigan University for 14 years
and currently serves on the Committee of Visitors of the University of Michigan
Law School. He also is a member of the
Boards of Arbor Hospice and Home Care and the Center for the Education of Women
in
He
served as a Lieutenant in the Judge Advocate General's Corps in the United
States Navy from 1968 to 1971 and as a military judge in the
WILLIAM C. WHITBECK
Judge William C. Whitbeck is a public member of the Michigan Law Revision Commission and has served since his appointment in January 2000.
Judge
Whitbeck was born on
Judge Whitbeck has held a variety of positions with the state and federal governments, including serving as Administrative Assistant to Governor George Romney from 1966 to 1969, Special Assistant to Secretary George Romney at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development from 1969 to 1970, Area Director of the Detroit Area Office of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development from 1970 to 1973, Director of Policy of the Michigan Public Service Commission from 1973 to 1975 and Counsel to Governor John Engler for Executive Organization/Director of the Office of the State Employer from 1991 to 1993. He served on the Presidential Transition Team of President-Elect Ronald Reagan in 1980, and as Counsel to the Transition Team of Governor-Elect John Engler in 1990.
In private practice, Judge Whitbeck was a partner in the law firm of McLellan, Schlaybaugh & Whitbeck from 1975 to 1982, a partner in the law firm of Dykema, Gossett, Spencer, Goodnow and Trigg from 1982 to 1987, and a partner in the law firm of Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn from 1993 to 1997.
Judge Whitbeck is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, the American Bar Association, the Ingham County Bar Association, the Castle Park Association, and the Michigan Historical Commission and serves as the Chair of the Commission. He is a member of the board of the Michigan Historical Center Foundation and is a Fellow of both the Michigan State Bar Foundation and the American Bar Foundation.
Judge
Whitbeck and his wife, Stephanie, reside in downtown
Governor
John Engler appointed Judge Whitbeck to the Court of Appeals effective
GEORGE E. WARD
Mr. Ward is a public member of the Michigan Law Revision Commission and has served since his appointment in August 1994.
Mr.
Ward was the Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in
He
is a graduate of Sts. Peter and
Mr.
Ward is an Adjunct Professor at the Detroit College of Law at Michigan State
University, Wayne State University Law School, and University of
Michigan-Dearborn; a member of the Boards of Directors of Wayne Center, Wayne
County Catholic Social Services and Wayne County Neighborhood Legal Services;
past President of the Incorporated Society of Irish American Lawyers; a former
member and President of the Board of Control of Saginaw Valley State
University; a former commissioner of the State Bar of Michigan; and a former
commissioner and President of the Wayne County Home Rule Charter Commission.
BILL BULLARD, JR.
Mr. Bullard is a legislative member of the Michigan Law Revision Commission and has served on the Commission since July 1996.
Mr.
Bullard is a Republican State Senator representing the 15th
Mr.
Bullard is a graduate of the
Mr. Bullard is the recipient of the first annual Legislator of the Year award from the Michigan Townships Association. He has been recognized by the National Federation of Independent Business with the Guardian Award, the Oakland County School Board Association with the Distinguished Service award, the Michigan Soft Drink Association with the Legislator of the Year award. In 1999, he was presented with the State Highway Safety Champion award from the Advocates of Highway and Auto Safety. Mr. Bullard was also recognized by the Michigan Safety Commission in 1999 when they presented him with the State Safety Award. Mr. Bullard was appointed to the Oakland County Business Roundtable, Transportation and Telecommunications Committee by Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson. Mr. Bullard was also recognized for achieving the Michigan Sales Tax Exemption for Rare Coins and Precious Metals by the Industry Council for Tangible Assets. He was also named Legislator of the Year in 2000 by the Michigan Humane Society, as well as by the National Republican Legislators Association.
Mr.
Bullard is a member of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform
State Laws (NCCUSL), National Conference of Insurance Legislators (NCIL), the
Fraternal Order of Police of Southwest Oakland County, the Oakland County Bar
Association and the State Bar of Michigan.
GARY PETERS
Mr. Peters is a legislative member of the Michigan Law Revision Commission and has served on the Commission since June 1995.
Mr.
Peters is a Democrat State Senator representing the 14th
Prior to being in the Legislature, Mr. Peters was Vice President, Investments, for a major national financial services firm. He serves as a Securities Arbitrator for the New York Stock Exchange, National Association of Securities Dealers, and the American Arbitration Association.
Mr.
Peters taught Strategic Management and Business Policy at
His previous government experience includes a term on the Rochester Hills City Council where he served as Chair of the Solid Waste Management Committee, Vice Chair of the Budget & Finance Committee, and a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals and Paint Creek Trailways Commission.
Mr. Peters’ community involvement includes serving on the Board of Directors for Common Cause of Michigan, a member of the Environmental Policy Advisory Committee for the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) and as Chair of the Air Issues Committee for the Michigan Sierra Club. He recently received the Star Award from the Michigan Deputy Sheriff's Association for his support and dedication to law enforcement issues, and was named Environmentalist of the Year by the Mackinac Chapter of the Sierra Club.
Mr. Peters is also a commissioned officer in the U.S. Naval Reserve. He is married and has three children.
JAMES L. KOETJE
Mr. Koetje is a legislative member of the Michigan Law Revision Commission and has served on the Commission since January 2001.
Mr.
Koetje is a Republican State Representative, serving the 74th House
District in
Mr.
Koetje has an extensive business and legal background, being an attorney in
private practice for more than twenty years.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from
Mr. Koetje is a former member of the Grandville City Council and Grandville Zoning Board of Appeals. He is also a former member of the Classis Committee of the Christian Reformed Church; is a member and past president of the American Business Clubs, and former member of WCET-TV Board of Directors. Mr. Koetje is also a former member of the board of the Grandville Friendship Homes, an organization dedicated to men and women's adult foster care. He serves as president of the Grandville Christian School Foundation and is a member of the Greater Grandville Chamber of Commerce.
Mr. Koetje is married and has four children.
Mr. Adamini is a legislative member of the Michigan Law Revision Commission and has served on the Commission since January 2001.
Mr. Adamini represents the 109th District. He currently is serving his first term in the House.
Mr.
Adamini has practiced law for over 32 years.
He is senior partner at Kendricks, Bordeau, Adamini, Chilman &
Greenlee, P.C., a
Mr. Adamini serves as the Democratic vice-chair of the House Civil Law & Judiciary Committee, and he also sits on the House Health Policy Committee.
Mr.
Adamini has a longtime civic commitment to the
Mr.
Adamini and his wife Linda, a retired elementary school teacher, reside in
JOHN G. STRAND
Since
January 2001, Mr. Strand, as the Legislative Council Administrator, has served
as the ex-officio member of the Michigan Law Revision Commission. The following agencies fall under his
supervision: Legislative Service Bureau, Library of Michigan (until
Prior to being appointed to the Legislative Council, Mr. Strand served as Chairman of the Michigan Public Service Commission since October 1993 and had been a Tribunal Judge for the Michigan Tax Tribunal from January 1993 to October 1993. He had previously served six terms as a state legislator beginning in 1981, serving in a leadership position and as vice-chairman of the Insurance and the House Oversight Committees and as a member of the Taxation and Judiciary Committees.
Mr.
Strand is a member of the State Bar of Michigan. He holds a B.A. from the
Mr.
Strand, his wife Cathy, and sons Michael and Matthew live in
KEVIN C. KENNEDY
Mr. Kennedy is the Executive Secretary to the Michigan Law Revision Commission, a position he has filled since December 1995.
Mr.
Kennedy joined the faculty of
He
is a graduate of the
Mr. Kennedy is the author of nearly forty law review articles concerning international law, international trade, and civil procedure. He is the co-author of World Trade Law, a treatise on international trade law.
Mr. Gulliver acts as the liaison between the Michigan Law Revision Commission and the Legislative Service Bureau, a responsibility he has had since May 1984.
Mr.
Gulliver is currently the Director of Legal Research with the Legislative
Service Bureau. He is a graduate of
Mr. Gulliver is also a Commissioner of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws.