Fine, Marc D

Since 1985, Mr. Pentiuk has been involved in all aspects of representing housing cooperatives, providing services spanning the full spectrum of the legal affairs of cooperatives.   These services  range from researching and drafting legal opinions and rules, representation in all courts and tribunals, preparing and reviewing contracts, employment and personnel matters, advising the Board of Directors.  This includes dealing with HUD and MSHDA, drafting bylaw and articles of incorporation amendments, refinancing mortgages and handling share loans.

Representing over thirty cooperatives, Mr. Pentiuk leads the premier law firm in the Michigan housing cooperative field.   He publishes the Michigan Cooperative Law Journal, providing timely and informative material to the Boards of all housing cooperatives in the State.  Mr. Pentiuk  also provides the Michigan Cooperative Law Center website as a free service to cooperative Boards.  This website contains articles, course materials, and other helpful resources.   He has written numerous articles on the subject and a pamphlet,  the “Michigan Cooperative Law Primer” which he has made available for free to Board members.

Mr. Pentiuk serves on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Housing Cooperatives (NAHC), and is on its Government Relations Committee.  He frequently teaches courses at the NAHC conferences, and has written legal articles for its publications.   Most recently, Mr. Pentiuk  co-authored an article for the NAHC dealing with the legal pitfalls of mortgage refinancing.

He is also on the Board of Directors for the Midwest Association of Housing Cooperatives (MAHC).   Mr. Pentiuk serves as the Michigan State Vice President, and also writes articles for the MAHC Messenger, and teaches classes at the MAHC conferences, including an annual legal update course.  He received the “C. March Miller II Award” for outstanding service to MAHC.

A member of the American Bar Association’s Forum on Affordable Housing and Community Development Law, Mr. Pentiuk is also a member of the Michigan State Bar’s committee dealing with housing cooperatives.  He has been named a “Michigan Super Lawyer”, a recognition awarded to the top 5% of Michigan attorneys.

Mr. Pentiuk was admitted to the State Bar of Michigan in 1981 and the District of Columbia Bar in 1984.   He was admitted to the Bar of the United State Supreme Court in 1986, and is also admitted to practice before all the Federal District Courts in Michigan as well as the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.   He worked as a Research Attorney for the Michigan Court of Appeals in 1981.  After serving at the Court of Appeals he entered private practice and formed his own firm in 1989 which has grown to become the largest in the Downriver area.

Mr. Pentiuk  earned his Juris Doctorate degree, Magna Cum Laude, from the Detroit College of Law in 1981, where he served as an editor on law review, while working full time as a computer programmer for the Ford Motor Company.  His Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with Distinction, was awarded  from Wayne State University in 1976, where he majored in Accounting and minored in Finance.

In 1981, he was elected to the Board of Directors of the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries, an inner city ministry employing over 200 staff with a budget of over $13 million,   and has served as its Chairman for the last decade. During 2006, he also served as its Acting President while a search for its Chief Executive Officer was undertaken.

Mr. Pentiuk helped form Promise Village for disturbed children with Dr. Timothy Coldiron, and served as its first Chairman.   He presently serves on the Board of Directors for Volunteers of American in Michigan.   He previously served as Chairman of the Trenton Planning Commission for a decade, and as a member of the Board of Canvassers for the Trenton School District.

Mr. Pentiuk is married with four daughters, and makes his home in Northville.   He is a member of the Detroit Athletic Club and the Grosse Ile Country Club, and sails in his spare time.