TPI Adjunct Faculty
Mary Job
Ms. Job has concentrated her efforts on teaching since retiring from the active practice of law. She teaches Advocacy as a Performing Art in the Geoffrey Fieger Trial Practice Institute and various theatre courses at Michigan State University and Lansing Community College.
Ms. Job has directed numerous of plays in the Lansing area, earning multiple accolades over the last 20 years, while simultaneously working as a staff attorney with the Michigan Education Association from 1978 to 2000 where she represented individual members and local affiliates in a variety of employment, labor and educational law matters. She had previously worked for Kemp, Klein, Endleman and Beer as well as Beer, Boltz and Bennia, practicing in Labor and Employment Discrimination Law. Ms. Job has also published several articles including a book review on “Directing Plays” by Don Taylor and articles on the Reasonable Woman standard in the Michigan Bar Journal and Ingham County Briefs.
Ms. Job earned her M.A. in Theatre from Michigan State University in 2000, her J.D., cum laude, from Northwestern University School of Law in 1976, and her B.A., magna cum laude, from University of Vermont in 1973.
Brigadier General Michael C. McDaniel
Brig. Gen. McDaniel teaches Civil Trial II in the MSU College of Law Geoffrey Fieger Trial Practice Institute in addition to serving as the Assistant Adjutant General for Homeland Security, Michigan National Guard, and as the Governor’s Homeland Security Advisor, appointed in February 2003. He is the liaison between the Governor's Office and all federal, state and local agencies on homeland security. Brig. Gen. McDaniel also works as a member of the National Governors Association’s Homeland Security Advisors Council on its Executive Committee and was named by the Department of Homeland Security as Chair of the State, Local, and Tribal, and Territorial Government Coordinating Council.
Brig. Gen. McDaniel has developed and led a number of large-scale Homeland Security exercises and commanded a multinational operation, MEDCEUR/RESCUER 2004. In May of 2005, Brig. Gen. McDaniel sponsored, and served as Exercise Co-Director of Exercise Vigilant State (EVS) with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and the Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW). In May 2006, BG McDaniel served as the Michigan Exercise Director for ARDENT SENTRY 2006 (AS06). This national-level homeland security exercise, the first since Hurricane Katrina, tested the response ability of Federal, State, and local agencies to Incidents of National Significance under the National Response Plan. Previously, Brig. Gen. McDaniel was the Assistant Attorney General for Litigation, in the Michigan Department of Attorney General, Executive Division.
Brig. Gen. McDaniel earned his Master of Strategic Studies from the Army War College, and M.A. in Security Studies (Homeland Security) from the Naval Postgraduate School, his J.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Law in 1982, and his B.A. from St. Bonaventure University.
John D. Pirich
Mr. Pirich is the Director of the Geoffrey Fieger Trial Practice institute at MSU College of Law and he teaches Pretrial I and II in the program. He is also a partner at Honigman, Miller, Schwartz and Cohn, where he represents clients in insurance negotiations and coverage disputes, environmental permitting, compliance and administrative requirements and in commercial litigation. He previously served as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Michigan, where he was assigned to the Executive Division and handled special assignments for the State Department, Department of Management and Budget, and Department of Mental Health. After leaving the Attorney General’s office, Mr. Pirich established a private practice partnership in Lansing, where he practiced for several years before joining the Lansing office of a large regional law firm in 1980. He has been with Honigman, Miller, Schwarz and Cohn since 1989 and was listed in The Best Lawyers in America 2008.
Mr. Pirich earned his J.D. from University of Detroit Law School in 1973, and his B.A. in Political Science from University of Michigan in 1969.
Eric Eggan
Mr. Eggan teaches Civil Trial II in the Geoffrey Fieger Trial Practice Institute at MSU College of Law and is a litigation partner at Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn, LLP. He joined the firm in March 2004 after a distinguished 23-year career in state government, serving as Chief Counsel of the Michigan Attorney General’s Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division. He is the Vice Chair of the firm’s Hospitality and Gaming Practice Group and represents a diverse clientele in gaming, liquor and litigation matters. Mr. Eggan has tried numerous civil and criminal jury and non-jury trials and appeals in State and Federal Courts and served as Special Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan. He has also handled numerous high profile administrative hearings conducted by state governmental agencies. Mr. Eggan co-authored amendments to the Michigan Gaming Control and Revenue Act, MCL 432.201 et seq. and the Michigan Gaming Control Board’s Administrative Rules and Regulations. He also authored several formal opinions of the Michigan Attorney General on casino gaming and liquor related issues in addition to authoring the Attorney General's Prosecutorial Investigative Subpoena Handbook. Mr Eggan was also listed in The Best Lawyers in America 2008.
He earned his J.D., with distinction, from Thomas M. Cooley Law School, in 1981, and a B.S. in political science from Central Michigan University, cum laude, in 1978.
Michael Ferency
Mr. Ferency teaches Criminal Trial I and Forensic Science in the Geoffrey Fieger Trial Practice Institute and MSU College of Law. He spent nearly 22 years as an assistant prosecuting attorney for Ingham County, where he was designated Chief Trial Lawyer as well as assignments as the Unit Chief of Circuit Courts and the Major Crimes Unit. During his tenure with Ingham County, he prosecuted nearly 300 cases, including the Lisa Holland trial as well as other high profile cases. After earning his law degree, Mr. Ferency worked in private practice for three years before joining the Ingam County Prosecutor’s Office.
Mr. Ferency earned his J.D. from Thomas Cooley Law School in 1982, and his undergraduate degree from Oakland University in 1970.
Suzan Sanford
Ms. Sanford teaches Criminal Trial I at MSU College of Law in the Geoffrey Fieger Trial Practice Institute. Ms. Sanford has been with the Michigan Attorney General’s Office since 1992 where she first worked as a Sections Head in the Office of Special Investigations. While serving that position she prosecuted money laundering, RICO, tax and other financial cases in addition to major public corruption cases. In 2004, Ms. Sanford accepted a position as the First Assistant Attorney General within the Consumer Protection Division where she supervises a staff of twenty-five working in antitrust, public utility, securities and consumer protection litigation. She has concurrently worked from 1996 through the present as the Special Assistant United States Attorney for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Michigan, prosecuting federal drug, gambling, and complex white collar crime cases. Prior to her state and federal positions Ms. Sanford worked in her capacity as a CPA for Arthur Anderson & Company, in their tax department.
Ms. Sanford earned her J.D., cum laude, from University of Wisconsin Law School in 1986, and her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, cum laude, with an accounting major in 1979.
Bonnie Dabb
Ms. Dabb teaches the Courtroom Technology and Evidence Lab in the Geoffrey Fieger Trial Practice Institute. She also serves as Judge McKeague’s judicial assistant in United States Court of Appeals. She first began working with Judge McKeague in 1998, as his case manager and courtroom deputy in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan. Since becoming a certified trainer on electronic evidence presentation software in 2004, Ms. Dabb and Judge McKeague have instructed nearly 1,000 lawyers in the use of digitized evidence in the courtroom.
Ms. Dabb was also instrumental in creating first federal electronic courtroom in Michigan. In 2003, when their courtroom was being renovated to allow for electronic evidence presentation, she trained attorneys in use of technology prior to trial and managed the equipment during trial. Nearly forty jury trials were tried electronically during her tenure with the United States District Court.
Prior to her positions with Judge McKeague, Ms. Dabb spent almost 20 years as paralegal for a sole practitioner in Oakland County and four years working in the 52-3 District court in Rochester, MI.
Hon. David W. McKeague
Judge McKeague teaches Federal Jurisdiction at MSU College of Law and is a frequent guest lecturer in the Geoffrey Fieger Trial Practice Institute. He is also a founding Master and President of the American Inns of Court at the Law College. Judge McKeague was appointed to the United States Court of Appeals in 2005. In 1992, Judge McKeague was sworn into his role as District Judge for the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, after the United States Senate unanimously confirmed his nomination. Prior to serving as a District Judge, he was a senior partner and officer of the firm of Foster, Swift, Collins & Smith, P.C., in Lansing, Michigan.
Judge McKeague earned his B.B.A. from University of Michigan in 1968 and his J.D. from University of Michigan in 1971.