Our Team

Denise A. Pollicella, Founder & Managing Partner

Business Transactions / Regulatory Licensing / Labor & Employment / Advocacy

A graduate of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and Wayne State Law, Denise Pollicella’s 21 years of private and corporate practice have focused on business transactions, mergers and acquisitions, labor and employment, regulatory and licensing, and corporate law. Managing partner of Pollicella Tompkins, PLLC, she founded Cannabis Attorneys of Michigan in 2009 to advance marihuana law in Michigan.

Ms. Pollicella was involved in crafting the legislation that is now PA 281 of 2016, the Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act, and has been a strong advocate for patients, caregivers, and emerging canna-businesses for nearly a decade. In addition to regularly writing, speaking, and educating on Michigan’s rapidly developing marihuana laws, she continues to be at the forefront of developing cannabis policy and regulation at both the state and municipal levels.

Ms. Pollicella is an inaugural member of the Michigan State Bar Marihuana Law Section, and is a member of the Business Law and Labor and Employment Law Sections. She serves on the Small Business Administration’s Marihuana Task Force, as well as the on the Legal Advisory Board of MiCompassion, a charitable organization focused on medical cannabis education and research. She has been a Legal Corner contributor to Culture Magazine since January 2013 and currently serves as legal counsel to the Michigan Cannabis Development Association, which she helped found in 2014.

Ms. Pollicella was recently honored to be named one of Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s 2017 Women in the Law, and has been named one of American’s Top Lawyers by the American Law Society.

Ms. Pollicella holds a Bachelor of Arts degrees in political science and French and worked in the U.S. Senate prior to attending law school. She then served as vice president, secretary and general counsel for Childtime Learning Centers before departing for her most important job, mom to two beautiful children. She started her own Livingston County practice in 2003, where she resides with her family.

Seth P. Tompkins, Partner

Liquor & Regulatory Licensing / Commercial & Business Transactions

Seth P. Tompkins is a 1995 graduate of Michigan State University’s James Madison College and received his law degree from Wayne State University in 2001, where he was a winner of the Donald E. Barris award for advocacy. In 2019, Mr. Tompkins joined Pollicella Tompkins, PLLC, as a partner. Between 2001 and 2019 Mr. Tompkins worked at one of metro Detroit’s oldest and most respected law firms representing financial institutions in enforcing commercial loans, workouts, and providing documentation and due diligence for loan origination. He also worked for local businesses assisting in transactions and in litigating in matters involving contracts, real estate, business and personal property, employment disputes, and other matters affecting businesses. Mr. Tompkins has practiced throughout the state of Michigan’s district and circuit courts, in addition to practicing in the federal bankruptcy courts and district courts for the Eastern District of Michigan and Western District of Michigan, and in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Over the past 19 years, Mr. Tompkins developed a specialty in transactional and regulatory work for casinos, hotels, restaurants, bars and night clubs, private clubs, grocery stores, gas stations, liquor stores, party stores, and any other type of business imaginable that sells beer, wine, or spirits with a Michigan Liquor Control Commission liquor license. In performing work for these types of businesses, Mr. Tompkins learned to work through the regulatory quagmire of red-tape that accompanies liquor licensed businesses not only on the state level, but also includes working with municipalities on zoning and land use permitting issues.

In 2015, Mr. Tompkins expanded his practice to include assisting medical marijuana businesses to obtain zoning and business licensing in the city of Detroit, and to eventually obtain state licensing from the state of Michigan’s Bureau of Marijuana Regulation. He lives in Oakland County with his lovely wife, family, and dogs.

Michael P. DiLaura, Partner

Municipal Licensing and Advocacy/ Real Estate / Business & Commercial Transactions

Michael P. DiLaura brings his 18 years of transactional, litigation, and insolvency experience to Pollicella Tompkins, PLLC, and focuses his practice on real estate acquisition and leasing transactions, corporate litigation, as well as a host of other general corporate and media affairs. Mr. DiLaura is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame’s Law School and has practiced with international law firms in both Chicago and Detroit. Additionally, over the course of his career, Mr. DiLaura’s peers have continually recognized him as a “Super Lawyer Rising Star,” and he is also a published author and educator, having taught multiple legal classes at Oakland University.

Mr. DiLaura is an avid golfer as well as a real estate broker. He was born in Detroit and now lives in Oakland County with his lovely wife and dog.

Jackie Langwith, Partner

Regulatory Licensing / Litigation / Intellectual Property / Criminal Defense

Jacqueline Langwith joined the Firm in mid-2017 and was elevated to Partner in 2018.  She heads the Firm’s State Cannabis Licensing and Litigation divisions, and has established herself as a prolific and talented attorney in the cannabis licensing and regulatory field.

Mrs. Langwith brings a diverse legal background to the firm. A former commissioned U.S. Army Reserve officer, she was a research analyst for the Michigan Legislative Service Bureau for 14 years before becoming an attorney. She received her Juris Doctorate in 2015 from Cooley Law School, Magna Cum Laude, and has practiced in the areas of criminal defense, family law, general civil law, and intellectual property.

Mrs. Langwith is a court-appointed appellate attorney and trademark attorney. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry from Northern Michigan University and a Master of Science from Michigan Technological University. Mrs. Langwith resides in Howell with her human and dog families.

Nathan Shevick, Associate Attorney

Municipal Licensing and Advocacy / Criminal Defense / Compliance

Nathan Shevick joined the firm in August 2018 as an associate attorney. He is responsible for MMFLA Compliance, municipal applications, and client field operations, and serves as the firm’s MMFLA state and municipal liaison. Mr. Shevick’s experience includes criminal defense and marihuana law in Lansing, as well as serving the Granholm Administration in the Office of the First Gentleman. Mr. Shevick’s diverse credentials bring valuable talent to the firm and its clientele.

Mr. Shevick received his Juris Doctor from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School, where he consistently made the dean’s list. He earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from Michigan State University. He is a Sigma Alpha Epsilon and a diehard football fan. Mr. Shevick enjoys tailgating, going to Michigan State football and basketball games, caring for his pitbull Maddux, talking politics, and spending time with family and friends.

Nicholas Castro, Associate Attorney

Hemp Licensing / Business Transactions / Regulatory Licensing

Nick Castro joined the Firm in August 2018 as a legal intern and became an Associate Attorney in November 2018.  Mr. Castro serves as a Municipal Ordinance and State MMFLA Liaison at the Firm, and he oversees the monitoring of state and federal marihuana legislation. Additionally, he focuses on business creation and transactions. He has previously worked on matters related to Business Law, Municipal Law, Environmental Law, and Estate Planning.

Mr. Castro earned his Juris Doctor from Michigan State University College of Law and was admitted to the State Bar of Michigan in November 2018. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Sociology from Illinois State University in 2015.  Originally from the Southside of Chicago, Mr. Castro relocated to Michigan to attend law school. He currently lives in Northville, and enjoys hiking, kayaking, reading, and going on adventures with his German Shepherd.

Megan Callahan, Associate Attorney

Business Transactions / Regulatory Law / Administrative Law

Megan Callahan received her Juris Doctorate from the Pennsylvania State University School of Law, where she served as an editor of the Penn State Law Review. She was admitted to the State Bar of Michigan in November 2019.

In addition to working as a legal intern with the firm during the Summer of 2018, Ms. Callahan has worked as a judicial intern to Judge Rosemarie Aquilina of the 30^th Circuit Court and Justice Brian K. Zahra of the Michigan Supreme Court. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in finance from Michigan State University in 2016, where she was a member of the Honors College and Tower Guard. She resides in Brighton.

Erin Collins, Paralegal

Ms. Collins is an established and experienced paralegal who joined the firm with Attorney Tompkins in February 2019. In addition to being a valued member of our team, she is a dedicated mother and animal advocate. She resides in Oakland County.

Laurie Stiers, Paralegal

Laurie Stiers joined the firm in June 2018 and specializes in Medical Marihuana Facilities License Applications, as well as litigation support and legal research.

Ms. Stiers received her Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Michigan-Flint and went on to obtain her paralegal certificate from Oakland Community College, where she graduated with honors.

In 2012, Ms. Stiers worked as a court appointed special advocate (CASA) through the Livingston County Juvenile Court. During that time, she assisted in neglect/abuse cases, interviewing and meeting with the child involved, attending court meetings, and documenting her findings to the Juvenile Court judge.

She enjoys spending her free time with her husband and children at their cottage on Lake Huron, singing at open mic nights, gardening, and raising cage-free chickens.