Class Reflects Continued Growth in Strategic Markets
Varnum is pleased to announce that Edward Gusky, Ziyad Hermiz, Christopher Hiller and Maureen Rouse-Ayoub and have been elected to the firm’s partnership, reflecting growth in the firm’s Birmingham, Novi and Grand Rapids offices.
“We are pleased to welcome this stellar group of attorneys to the partnership,” said Varnum Chair Ron DeWaard. “The competition for legal talent is at an all-time high and the addition of these high-caliber attorneys to our partnership will benefit our clients and the firm alike.”
Ed Gusky is a member of the Real Estate Team and is based in the Novi office. He has significant experience in real estate development, transactional and finance law. He represents developers in a variety of commercial enterprises including multifamily housing projects, assisted living facilities, condominiums, strip malls, office buildings and self-storage facilities. He also has extensive mergers and acquisitions experience, including sophisticated stock and assets sales involving simultaneous multi-corporation closings. Gusky joined Varnum in 2018 from a regional firm where he led the real estate practice. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan.
Ziyad Hermiz is a member of the Varnum’s Litigation and ADR Practice Team, focusing on business and commercial litigation. Based in the Birmingham office, he has significant experience in trade secret and non-compete disputes, shareholder/member disputes, franchise litigation, civil RICO, real estate litigation and other business matters. In addition to his litigation practice, he has substantial experience serving as outside general counsel for clients, assisting and advising with respect to day-to-day corporate and legal issues. Hermiz joined the firm in 2020 from a Michigan-based law firm. He graduated from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and received his undergraduate degree from Michigan State University.
Christopher Hiller is a member of the Business and Corporate Services Practice Team, based in the Grand Rapids office. He is experienced in the negotiation and drafting of a wide variety of corporate contracts and advises clients on matters including trade secret protection, insurance, intellectual property, mergers and acquisitions, consumer and data privacy, regulatory and compliance issues, and corporate governance. He joined the firm in 2017 from a national residential mortgage lender where he served as vice president and senior counsel. He received his law degree from The John Marshall School of Law and attended Michigan State University for his undergraduate degree.
Maureen Rouse-Ayoub is a member of the Labor and Employment Practice Team, based in the Novi office. She has extensive experience representing employers in all areas of employment law and labor management relations. An experienced litigator, she defends employment-related claims and regularly writes and speaks on a variety of labor and employment maters. Rouse-Ayoub joined Varnum in 2018 from a Michigan-based law firm, where she co-chaired the workplace practice group. She received her law degree from Detroit College of Law and attended Madonna University for her undergraduate degree.