Thomas B. Calcatera

Thomas B. Calcatera has been a practicing attorney in Michigan since 1979, having obtained his Jurist Doctorate degree at the University of Detroit Law School.

He began practicing in Port Huron, Michigan, through 1986, and then joined the firm of Bernstein & Bernstein. He is now the President of Bernstein & Bernstein.

Thomas B. Calcatera has worked as an arbitrator, facilitator and case evaluator in Wayne, Macomb, Oakland and St. Clair counties. He has been admitted to practice in all Federal Courts, including Cincinnati, Ohio, and the Michigan Supreme Court.

In addition to his law practice, he has coached boy's basketball and soccer at St. Germaine and St. Joan of Arc Elementary Schools. He continues to coach at St. Joan of Arc and for AAU Boy's Basketball Team for the Sophomore, Juniors and Seniors at Grosse Pointe North High School.

William W. Watkinson, Jr.

William W. Watkinson, Jr. was admitted to practice law in 1995. Since 1995 he has focused on civil litigation and disability law, and currently limits his practice to Workers' Compensation law, Social Security Disability law, Supplemental Security Income law, and other disability claims.

Mr. Watkinson is a graduate of Cranbrook/Kingswood High School (Class of 1988). He attended The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg Virginia, earning a Bachelor's degree in History and Government in 1992. He graduated from Case Western Reserve University School of Law (in Cleveland, OH) in 1995. Mr. Watkinson graduated 9th in his law school class of over 200 students, and received the prestigious Order of the Coif for his academic achievements.

He was admitted to practice law in all Courts of the State of Michigan in 1995. Additionally, he has been admitted to practice in all the Federal Courts that have jurisdiction over Michigan cases, including the US District Court (Eastern District of Michigan), the US District Court (Western District of Michigan), the US Circuit Court (6th Circuit), and the United States Supreme Court.

Mr. Watkinson is a member of the Michigan Bar Association and the Michigan Association For Justice. He also a published author: "Shades of DeShaney" 45 Case West. Res. L. Rev. 1237.

Joseph H. Howitt

Joe Howitt is one of the three partners/owners of Bernstein & Bernstein (along with Thomas B. Calcatera and William W. Watkinson, Jr.). Joe attended college at Western Michigan University where he graduated in 1994 with a B.B.A. in Marketing, a B.A. in French and a Minor in General Business. He graduated from Wayne State University Law School in 1997. Joe then achieved a very high score on the Michigan Bar Examination, automatically passing based upon his results on the multi-state portion of the exam.

Within Joe's first year or two as an attorney, he received numerous favorable results at trial, including a judgment of $225,150.00 following a jury verdict in a trip and fall case where the defendant offered only $5000.00 to settle. Since that time, Joe has continued to handle cases involving significant injuries and damages.

Joe is licensed to practice law in Michigan's state and federal courts as well as the United States Supreme Court. He has achieved successful results following oral argument before the entire bench of the Michigan Supreme Court and has won numerous cases in the Michigan Court of Appeals. He has been interviewed and quoted for multiple front-page articles that have appeared in Michigan Lawyers Weekly magazine. He regularly works as a case evaluator for the Wayne County and Macomb County Circuit Courts. Joe also works as an arbitrator to help resolve civil disputes involving injury and disability claims.

Joe is a member and supporter of the Michigan Association for Justice and a supporter of Justice-PAC. He has been a supporter of the American Civil Liberties Union and multiple organizations who work to prevent cruelty to animals.

Joe is extremely fortunate to continue to work alongside his father, Harvey M. Howitt, an excellent trial attorney who formerly was an owner and senior partner of the firm for many years until becoming "of counsel" to the firm in 2005.

Outside of work, Joe has coached the Farmington High School girls' varsity tennis team for the last four years and works with junior tournament players year-round. Joe enjoys weight lifting, tennis, and most sports. He plays the guitar and piano.

Michael J. Butler

Michael J. Butler has been a practicing attorney in Michigan since 1980. After spending the first years of his career in general practice, he focused on the area of litigation, primarily personal injury.

A graduate of Detroit Catholic Central High School and Oakland University, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Political Science, Mr. Butler earned his JD degree at Wayne State University Law School.

Mr. Butler has also worked as an arbitrator, plaintiff and neutral, a case evaluator in Wayne and Genesee County Circuit Courts and 36th District Court, and a facilitator/mediator. He has completed the 40-hour SCAO mediator training and is on the Court-approved mediator list in Wayne, Oakland, Washtenaw, and Genesee Counties.

He has been admitted to practice before all Federal Courts that include Michigan within their jurisdiction.

Organizations Memberships:

• Catholic Lawyers Society
• Right to Life
• The Society of Notre Dame de Bon Secours-Director
• Detroit Catholic Central Alumni Association-Director
• Ladywood High School Dads' Club-President, 2005-Present
• Livonia Bar Association
• Shamrock Bar Association-Director
• Michigan Association For Justice

Published Articles:

• "Sharp Observations"-Michigan Lawyers Weekly
• "Ad Nauseam"-Michigan Lawyers Weekly
• "Gagne with a Spoon"-Michigan Lawyers Weekly
• "Sington the Blues"-Michigan Lawyers Weekly
• "Look at Policy Limits, and You'll Find Disrupted Lives Holding the Line on Inflation"-Michigan Lawyers Weekly
• "Law Protects Insurance Profits, Not People"-Oakland Press
• "Tort Reform Is All About More, More, More for Them-And Less for Us"-Michigan Lawyers Weekly

Mike Butler also runs the pro-civil justice blog: www.attorneybutler.net

Lenny Segel

Lenny Segel has been a practicing attorney in the State of Michigan for almost 28 years. He has also been licensed to practice in the State of Florida for over 25 years. He has been a member of the Michigan Trial Lawyers Association, now known as the Michigan Association for Justice, for all of his career.

Lenny is a graduate of the University of Michigan, with a Bachelor's degree in Economics. He earned his law degree from the Wayne State University Law School.

A former card carrying member of the Teamster's Union, as well as a former attorney for UAW Local 7 for the Chrysler Jefferson Avenue Plant, he has devoted his practice to the rights of injured workers, primarily involving Workers' Compensation and Social Security Disability claims.

His core belief is that all people, no matter how poor, no matter what race, religion, age or ethnic background, have a right to have their voices heard against any Corporation or Government, no matter how powerful. This has led to Lenny taking part in the 20th Anniversary of the Historic 1963 March on Washington, D.C. for jobs, peace and freedom. He has been a member of the Southern Poverty Law Center since 1988. He is a charter member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. He is a founding sponsor of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Project Foundation. He has also worked on the Lawyers Project on Election Day to insure that all voters have a right to have their vote count, and every vote does count.

Mark M. Grayell

Mark M. Grayell has been a practicing attorney in the State of Michigan since 1984. His legal experience consists of practicing law in the areas of General Negligence, Auto Negligence, Products Liability, Michigan No-Fault Act, Civil Rights, Employment Law, Workers' Compensation, Michigan Dram Shop Act, Social Security, Medical Malpractice and Toxic Torts.

A graduate of Birmingham Seaholm High School and Oakland University, he earned a Bachelor's degree in Political Science. Mr. Grayell received his Juris Doctorate degree from the University Detroit School of Law.

Mr. Grayell has litigated cases throughout the State of Michigan in the District Courts, Circuit Courts, Appellate Courts, Federal Courts and the Michigan Supreme Court.

Organizational Memberships

• State Bar of Michigan
• Michigan Association for Justice

Teaching Affiliations

• Instructor, American Institute for Paralegal Studies
• 3rd Degree Black Belt (Sensei) Isshinryu Okinawan Karate

Lisa M. Watkinson

• Southern Methodist University, B.A. Sociology 1989
• Loyola University School of Law, J.D. 1992
• Licensed Louisiana 1992, New York 1999 and Michigan 2003

Past 15 years practice in general litigation, mass tort, asbestos defense and social security disability.

Current member of NOSSCR (National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives) and MI State Bar Social Security Section.

Philip R. Reed

Philip R. Reed has been practicing law in the State of Michigan since 1980. He is experienced in the areas of auto negligence, no-fault benefits, insurance coverage, slip and falls, dog bites, truck accidents, utility claims, and general negligence. He is a graduate of Berkley High School and Northern Michigan University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Political Science. He received his Juris Doctorate from the Detroit College of Law in 1980.

Mr. Reed has litigated cases in Michigan district and circuit courts, the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan and the U.S. Court of Appeals (6th Circuit). Mr. Reed also sits as a case evaluator in Wayne County and as an arbitrator to assist in the resolution of civil personal injury lawsuits.

Outside of the office Mr. Reed enjoys spending time with his three children and playing guitar and keyboards.