ADB Members

Term Expires: September 30, 2026

Alan Gershel graduated Northeastern University in 1974 with a B.A in criminal justice, Indiana State University in 1975 with an M.S in criminology and the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law in 1978. From 1980 until 2008 he was as an assistant U.S. Attorney in Detroit where he served as the Chief of the Criminal Division, First Assistant U.S. Attorney and was twice appointed the Interim United States Attorney. He has also served as a Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Division for the United States Department of Justice. From 2008 until 2014 he was a professor at the Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School where he taught criminal law, criminal procedure, white collar crime and evidence. He has served as an adjunct professor at Wayne State University and the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. In 2014 he was appointed by the Michigan Supreme Court as the Grievance Administrator for the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission where he served until his retirement in 2019.

Mr. Gershel was appointed by the Michigan Supreme Court to the Attorney Discipline Board for a three-year term ending September 30, 2023, and a second three year term ending September 30, 2026.  The Court appointed Mr. Gershel to a one-year term as Vice-Chairperson commencing October 1, 2022, and a one-year term as Chairperson commencing October 1, 2023.  Mr. Gershel was again appointed by the Court for a second one-year term as Chairperson, commencing October 1, 2024.

Term Expires:  September 30, 2027

Mr. Smit is a partner in the Grand Rapids office of the Varnum law firm, and is a member of the Personal Injury Practice Team.  His practice focuses on business litigation defense (FSLA, Product Liability Defense, Malpractice Defense) as well as significant experience in personal injury, wrongful death, auto and trucking litigation. Among his various honors and recognitions is a listing in Best Lawyers in America®, Litigation, Banking & Finance; Intellectual Property; Labor and Employment; since 2013.  Peter is certified in Alternative Dispute Resolution for practice in the U.S. District Court for Western District of Michigan and in Michigan circuit courts.  

Mr. Smit was appointed by the Michigan Supreme Court to the Attorney Discipline Board to fill a vacancy for the remainder of a term ending September 30, 2021, and was then appointed to a three-year term ending September 30, 2024.  Mr. Smit was appointed for a second three-year term ending September 30, 2027.  The Court appointed Mr. Smit to a one-year term as Vice-Chairperson commencing October 1, 2023, and he was reappointed as Vice-Chairperson for a second one-year term commencing October 1, 2024.

Term Expires:  September 30, 2027

Dr. Prues is an ordained Presbyterian clergyman, and has served as Parish Associate at Jefferson Avenue Presbyterian Church for the past 27 years.  Dr. Prues attended the University of Cincinnati where he earned a BA and an MBA in marketing and financial management.  He received his Master of Divinity from Dubuque Theological Seminary and a Doctorate of Ministries and PhD from San Francisco Theological Seminary.  Dr. Prues has served as adjunct faculty at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary and Drake University, where he lectured on adolescent development, faith formation, marriage and family.

Dr. Prues has served in a number of different roles, including as a member of the State Committee on Health Services, the Board of Nursing, the Technology and Strategic Planning Team for the Grosse Pointe Public Schools, the Mayor’s Advisory Committee for the Affordable Homes in Detroit, the Detroit steering committee for Share Our Strength, and as a public member of the Michigan Board of Medicine, where he served two years as Vice-Chair.  Additionally, Dr. Prues has been appointed to three national Task Forces of the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB), and most recently was appointed to a national workgroup that will develop recommendations to the Federal government and State medical boards mandating the use of the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program in combating the ongoing opioid epidemic.  He is also currently serving on the FSMB study group researching the role of Artificial Intelligence and Medicine, and chairs the sub committee on ethical considerations. 

Dr. Prues retired from Lutheran Social Services of Michigan (now Samaritas) in 2015, after having served as Senior Vice President of Operations and Leadership Development since 1993.  Under his leadership, Samaritas became the largest faith-based social service agency in Michigan employing over 2,500 persons with a services budget of approximately $120 million.  Presently he is serving as a consultant to numerous community organizations striving to provide affordable housing for veterans and seniors.

Dr. Prues was appointed by the Michigan Supreme Court to serve as a public member of the Attorney Discipline Board for a three-year term, ending September 30, 2024, and he was reappointed for a second three-year ending September 30, 2027.  The members of the Board elected Dr. Prues to serve as the Board’s Secretary for three one-year terms beginning October 1, 2021.  Dr. Prues was elected again by the members of the Board for three additional one-year terms begining October 1, 2024.  

Term Expires: September 30, 2026

Linda Orlans is the founding partner of Orlans PC, a multi-state law firm focused on real estate law.  Ms. Orlans has founded or acquired numerous companies in the legal, real estate, and title industries.  As a pioneer in making legal services more affordable and accessible, she implemented lean practices and innovative approaches to the practice of law.  Under her leadership, the law firm has achieved numerous awards in the financial services industry including the Diamond Award of Excellence from America's Mortgage Banking Attorneys for 12 consecutive years and continues to add to its jurisdictions and areas of practice.

Ms. Orlans served as a Trustee of the Law College at MSU for more than 20 years and is its first woman Chair and has been recognized as The George Bashara Distinguished Alumni of the Year award.  Orlans founded Women Executives in Banking and was the first woman to be appointed designated counsel for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  She has been appointed Trustee for the State Building Authority, State of Michigan and is a member of International Women's Forum.

A long-term champion for Detroit, her extensive community involvement includes leadership roles with the Detroit Institute of Arts, Michigan Opera Theatre, Junior Achievement, THAW and Beyond Basics.  She has been recognized and received numerous awards as Business Leader of the Year from Northwood University, Winning Futures, D Business and as the Birmingham Community Social Impact Leader.  She has recently been appointed a 2021 Fellow at Harvard University's ALI and will work with the leadership at MIT and Harvard to help improve access to social justice.

Ms. Orlans was appointed by the Supreme Court to a three-year term on the Attorney Discipline Board ending September 30, 2023, and to a second three-year term ending September 30, 2026.

Term Expires:  September 30, 2027

Jason Turkish is the President and Managing Partner of Nyman Turkish PC, a nationwide litigation and disability law firm with offices in California, Florida, and Michigan.  Legally blind since birth, Mr. Turkish’s ability to overcome adversity to represent those who need a powerful advocate has resulted in a proven track record of success in fighting for the rights of the disabled.  

Mr. Turkish has handled many complex and high-profile cases in both state and federal court, including reaching a landmark settlement with the Law School Admission Council that will result in changes to the way blind law school applicants are tested.  His experience also includes obtaining a consent decree against the State of Michigan to guarantee equal access to absentee voting for the blind and twice successfully suing the Detroit Metro Airport to improve safety for individuals with disabilities who use public transportation services.  In addition to complex civil rights litigation, Mr. Turkish also manages his firm’s Social Security practice, each year representing the rights of thousands of Social Security Disability claimants nationwide. 

Mr. Turkish has also been selected to serve on numerous boards and committees both inside and outside of the legal profession. He is a member of the Stabenow-Peters Judicial Advisory Committee for the Eastern District of Michigan (charged with recommending candidates to the Senators for the federal bench and Office of United States Attorney for nomination by the President of the United States), and he is a former Gubernatorial Appointee and Chair of the Michigan Barrier Free Design Board, which enforces accessibility standards for businesses and public entities throughout the State of Michigan.  Mr. Turkish is also a frequent lecturer on disability law and policy.

Before joining Nyman Turkish PC, Mr. Turkish completed his legal training at the Northwestern University School of Law, where he graduated with honors. Throughout his time in law school, he worked as an extern with then attorney and advocate Richard Bernstein, now an Associate Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court.  Prior to law school, Mr. Turkish earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. 

Mr. Turkish was appointed by the Michigan Supreme Court to serve as an attorney member of the Attorney Discipline Board for a three-year term, ending September 30, 2024, and he was reappointed for a second three-year term, ending September 30, 2027.

Term Expires:  September 30, 2025

Dr. Andreas Sidiropoulos is a Board Certified Psychiatrist, specializing in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Addiction Psychiatry.  He received his MD degree from the University of Münster Medical School in Münster, Germany, and also has his PhD in medical psychology.  After completing his residency and a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Michigan Health System, he began his work as a psychiatrist in private practice.

Dr. Sidiropoulos is also currently a Clinical Associate Professor at Michigan State University, an Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor at The University of Michigan, the Medical Director at Guiding Harbor, a non-profit organization that provides child caring and child placement services for abused and neglected children, and the attending psychiatrist at Girlstown Foundation, a Guiding Harbor program that offers therapeutic residential care for girls ranging from12 to 17 years of age referred for emotional and/or behavioral problems that impact their ability to live in the community.

Dr. Sidiropoulos also works as an Adult, Child, Addiction Psychiatrist and Telepsychiatrist at Muskegon Community Mental Health, where he is also the Director of Medical Student Education.  He acts as a faculty mentor for AMOpportunities, which connects international medical trainees and schools with U.S. clinical experiences.  Dr. Sidiropoulos has served as an expert witness in multiple court cases, and works as a psychiatrist and addictionist with the State Bar of Michigan’s Lawyers and Judges Assistance Program and the State of Michigan’s Health Professional Recovery Program.  He also frequently provides presentations and lectures all across the country at hospitals, mental health facilities, and clinics on the topics of major depression, schizophrenia, psychosis, bipolar disorder, addiction, ADHD, opioid dependence, and pharmacogenomics.

Dr. Sidiropoulos was appointed by the Michigan Supreme Court to serve as a non-lawyer member of the Attorney Discipline Board for a three-year term, ending September 30, 2025.

Term Expires:  September 30, 2025

Katie Stanley graduated from the University of Michigan-Flint with a B.A. in political, social, and ethical philosophy, and received her J.D. in public law from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School.  In addition, she has earned her M.P.A. in nonprofit administration from the University of Michigan Rackham Graduate School, and is working on her Ph.D. in philosophy of public policy and administration through Walden University, with a dissertation focus of mindfulness-based interventions in the legal field and embodied social justice reform.  Ms. Stanley is currently an attorney and community engagement manager with Legal Services of Eastern Michigan in Flint, where she primarily works in the areas of fair housing, civil legal rights, and education.

Ms. Stanley’s work and life is centered on making the world a better place. She has served as the project manager for a Legal Services Corporation Technology and Innovation Grant, for which she invented an application to assist in reporting violations of fair housing rights.  She has also served as the project manager for a Flint-ReCAST (Resiliency in Communities After Stress and Trauma) grant, under which she provides mindfulness and emotional intelligence training for public service providers and attorneys in Flint.

Ms. Stanley is a member of the Lawyers and Judges Assistance Committee for the State Bar of Michigan, a regular contributing columnist to the “Practicing Wellness” section of the Michigan Bar Journal, a member of the Michigan Supreme Court and State Bar of Michigan Task Force on Well-Being in the Law, a member of the State Bar of Michigan LGBTQ Council, a Fellow and certified teacher for the Google-born Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute, and a member of the Crim Fitness Foundation Mindfulness Initiative Advisory Board. She was also a panelist on the first ever attorney well-being seminar at ICLE, the Institute of Continuing Legal Education, and an American Bar Association On the Rise 40 Under 40 honoree for Innovation in Public Service.  Ms. Stanley is also an accomplished singer/songwriter specializing in folk music.

Ms. Stanley was appointed by the Michigan Supreme Court to serve as an attorney member of the Attorney Discipline Board for a three-year term, ending September 30, 2025.

Term Expires:  September 30, 2025

Tish Vincent recently retired as the Director of the State Bar of Michigan’s Lawyers and Judges Assistance Program (LJAP), one of the oldest lawyers’ assistance programs in the country.  She is currently the Chair of the ABA Commission on Lawyers Assistance Programs, and works as a healthcare provider and health law attorney by consulting with lawyer assistance programs, physician health programs, and other professional associations across the country, on issues of well-being, illness, and impairment for safety-sensitive professionals and others.

Ms. Vincent is a graduate of the Michigan State University College of Law, and has her Masters in Social Work from the Michigan State University School of Social Science.  Licensed by the State of Michigan as a social worker and certified as an advanced addictions counselor, Ms. Vincent practiced as a mental health and substance abuse provider for 19 years for the State of Michigan’s Health Professionals Recovery Program and LJAP.  She is an active member of the American Bar Association, the National Association of Social Workers, the Federation of State Physician Health Programs, and the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, where she was a past vice-president of the Mid-Michigan Region.  Ms. Vincent presents frequently on issues of lawyer wellness, stress management, and risks attorneys face when their own wellness is neglected.

Ms. Vincent was appointed by the Michigan Supreme Court to serve as an attorney member of the Attorney Discipline Board for a three-year term, ending September 30, 2025.

Term Expires:  September 30, 2026

Kamilia Landrum is a top millennial leader in Detroit’s nonprofit industry. Kamilia is a graduate of Cass Technical High School and holds a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Business Administration from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and a Master’s of Public Administration with a focus in Nonprofit Policy and Management from Wayne State University. She is the youngest Executive Director in the history of the Detroit Branch NAACP; a Branch known for it’s extraordinary leadership and membership base, robust community engagement, and iconic Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner. In her 18-year commitment to the Association, Kamilia has been at the forefront social justice advocacy issues from the fight to uphold Affirmative Action in Michigan to historical legislation such as Promote the Vote which expanded voting access for millions of Michiganders. 

At the Detroit Branch NAACP, Kamilia oversees the implementation of strategic  partnerships and programming the Association’s five game changers: education,  economic sustainability, criminal justice, civic engagement and health and heath  care access. She has served in numerous leadership capacities of the local, state  and national level of the organization. Kamilia has engaged hundreds of youth  leaders across the country by reactivating NAACP college chapters, training  students on advocacy and civil rights issues, and mentoring students as they  developed as leaders. In her first year as Executive Director, Kamilia led the staff  in planning the 110th NAACP National Convention in Detroit, MI. The convention  brought 10,000 people to the City and over $11.5 million in economic impact to the  region.

In her community, Kamilia serves on the board for Neighborhood Legal Services  Michigan, Detroit Future City, Michigan Education Commission of the States, and Huntington Bank’s Emerging Leaders Advisory Board. She is also a current member of the Detroit Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Alumni of New Leaders Council Detroit, and member of the Renaissance (MI) Chapter of the Links, Inc. Her leadership skills and dedication have earned recognition as a Detroit Young Professionals 2019 Vanguard Awardee,  Leadership Detroit Class XLI (41) Fellow, Michigan Chronicle’s 40 under 40 and Trailblazer Awardee.

Ms. Landrum was appointed by the Michigan Supreme Court to serve as an attorney member of the Attorney Discipline Board for a three-year term, ending September 30, 2026.