This document profiles 5 attorneys who were recognized as rising stars or winners in general and in-house counsel awards by Crain's Detroit Business. It summarizes the achievements and responsibilities of each attorney: Tamika Mayes resolved 10 tax cases over 5 states saving GM $50 million. Jessica McGrath handled all legal aspects of her company's acquisition of another franchise network. Kimberly Coleman took on additional responsibilities at Flagstar Bank when other attorneys left. Yvette VanRiper started a shareholder outreach program at Masco Corp to improve communication on executive compensation.

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Randall R. Hall
Business Law Department Leader
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April 28, 2014 CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS Page 15
Focus: General and In-House Counsel Awards
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TAMIKA MAYES, 38
Title: Senior attorney, U.S. tax
counsel group, General Motors
Co.
Recent achievement: Resolved
10 cases in five states, saving
millions of dollars
hortly after arriving at Gen-
eral Motors Co., Tamika
Mayes inherited a mess that
needed cleaning up — a bundle of
state income, franchise and employ-
ment tax cases
which had been
unresolved for
several years.
Two years lat-
er, she had
wrapped up 10 of
those cases in
five states — the
bulk of the bun-
dle — generating
$50 million in
savings, refunds or risk reduction
for the company. Mayes accom-
plished that while also overseeing a
complex employment tax settle-
ment with the federal government.
For Mayes, who has worked as a
CPA at Ernst & Young LLP and as an
attorney for law firms in New York
City and Chicago, the GM position
is just the latest challenge accepted.
“The challenging thing is just the
complexity of the business,” Mayes
said of the position, which she took
on 3½ years ago. “It’s a large, global
company, and there are tons of
parts to each decision.”
Mayes said she finds the diversi-
ty of projects, with a global spin, the
most enjoyable part of the job.
“I love the opportunity to see U.S.
issues, and then I have an opportu-
nity to see how it plays out in a dif-
ferent environment,” she said.
More recently, Mayes has taken
on tax responsibilities for GM’s
global connected consumer busi-
ness unit — which includes OnStar
— in markets including Mexico,
Canada and China.
“That is a critical part of the GM
strategy,” Mayes said of the growing
business unit. And “there is no guid-
ance on how to solve those issues.”
The keys to her success, Mayes
said, are keeping in mind how deci-
sions affect key stakeholders and
being able to communicate techni-
cal concepts to her business coun-
terparts.
“I’m always thinking about what
is the big picture and what does the
client need,” she said.
In addition to her work, Mayes
devotes time to professional and
civic organizations. She is a tax
committee chairwoman for the
State Bar of Michigan, a board mem-
ber of the Michigan Women’s Tax As-
sociation and a mentor for the
Women of Tomorrow at Osborn Col-
legiate Academy of Mathematcs, Sci-
ence and Technology in the Detroit
Public Schools.
“At the core of who I am is this
community impact,” Mayes said.
“(I have) a deep-rooted commitment
to the development of young
women, entrepreneurs and commu-
nities. GM is very committed to em-
ployee-community engagement.”
— Doug Henze
JESSICA MCGRATH, 31
Title: In-house counsel,
Certified Restoration
Drycleaning Network
Recent achievement: Handled
all aspects of the acquisition
of a franchise network
hen Berkley-based Certi-
fied Restoration Dryclean-
ing Network opted to ac-
quire another company in its
industry in 2012, Jessica Mc-
Grath found herself awash in
paperwork.
“There was
a lot of due
diligence to
see if we
could bring
them on (and)
there’s a lot of
disclosure
regulations
in franchis-
ing,” said Mc-
Grath, who oversaw the acquisi-
tion of 1-800-DryClean. “It
doubled my job.”
But the marriage of CRDN,
which does textile restoration
when a home flood or fire oc-
curs, and the laundry pickup
service 1-800-DryClean was a
challenge McGrath welcomed.
The companies generated com-
bined revenue of about $8.5 mil-
lion in 2013.
“It was interesting to be part
of it,” McGrath said. “You’re
kind of the central person in
making sure you submit all the
compliance documents. I feel
fortunate I could be instrumen-
tal” in the transaction.
Although McGrath finds the
legal work interesting, she tries
to keep in mind the people she’s
affecting.
“Every decision I make im-
pacts our franchisee network,”
she said. “I really do love work-
ing with people. At a lot of firms
— I started at a firm — you don’t
work with the clients every
day.”
Supporting those clients is
important from a business
standpoint, too. CRDN’s rev-
enue is tied closely to that of its
franchisees.
— Doug Henze
Mayes
McGrath
I’m always
thinking about what is
the big picture.
Tamika Mayes
”
“
KIMBERLY COLEMAN, 32
Title: Vice president/attorney,
Flagstar Bancorp Inc.
Recent achievement: Handled
the divestiture of a company
subsidiary herself
hen Kimberly Coleman
took her first job after law
school, she had no idea it
would turn into three.
But when two senior attorneys
left the company during Coleman’s
first couple of years at Flagstar Ban-
corp Inc., she stepped up to take on
their responsibilities.
“I’m a younger attorney, but I’m
functioning at a more senior lev-
el,” said Coleman, who joined
Flagstar 3½ years ago. “I generally
work between 70 and 80 hours a
week. I’m happy to do it.”
Coleman considers dedication
and drive her biggest assets in
helping the com-
pany.
“When we’ve
had a huge pro-
ject come in, I’ve
jumped on nu-
merous calls
over the week-
end,” she said.
“I’m generally
in the office one
day a weekend.”
Coleman, who also accepts pro
bono work for nonprofits, said she
puts in the extra hours because
she enjoys everything about her
job — from negotiating and draft-
ing legal language to managing
paralegals. And she’s driven to as-
sist colleagues across Flagstar.
“I love all of my clients — which
are the different business units,”
she said. “There are a lot of person-
alities, but we all get along.”
— Doug Henze
S W
W Coleman
YVETTE VANRIPER, 45
Title: Corporate securities
counsel and assistant secretary,
Masco Corp.
Recent achievement: Started a
shareholder outreach program to
get feedback on executive
compensation
aving watched shareholders
turn down a “say-on-pay” ex-
ecutive compensation pro-
posal in 2011, Masco Corp. knew it
needed to improve communication.
Enter Yvette VanRiper, who
started an outreach program she
considers her biggest contribution
to the Taylor-based company.
Twice-a-year, company leaders
contact Masco’s largest sharehold-
ers to learn their thoughts on is-
sues affecting the corporation.
“It’s just been really valuable for
those board members to hear what
our shareholders are saying,” she
said. “The shareholders have really
appreciated hav-
ing that regular
conversation
with us.”
In 2012, a year
after giving
the “say-on-pay”
compensation a
thumbs-down,
95 percent of
shareholders ap-
proved it. The
proposal allows a company’s
shareholders to vote on compensa-
tion packages for executives.
For VanRiper, it’s all part of the
job, which also includes securities
compliance work and governance.
“The most challenging thing is
keeping on top of everything,” said
VanRiper, who left private prac-
tice for her first in-house position.
The mother of five, VanRiper
said her organizational skills al-
low her to balance her corporate
duties with her personal life.
— Doug Henze
H
VanRiper
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