Michigan

  • November 20, 2024

    Michigan Hospital Can't Escape Amputee's Malpractice Claims

    A Michigan appeals court refused to throw out an expert opinion proffered by a patient who alleges that doctors and staffers at a Michigan hospital are responsible for the loss of his right hand, but said the trial court must fully evaluate whether the expert is qualified under state Supreme Court precedent.

  • November 20, 2024

    Mich. School Gains Per-Wound Coverage For Shooting Suits

    A Michigan school district has access to at least $55 million in coverage from its insurer for a mass shooting that killed four students and injured seven people at a high school in 2021, a state court found, determining each bullet striking a victim was its own occurrence.

  • November 20, 2024

    German Tesla Supplier Says Mich. Is Wrong Venue For Parts Suit

    A German auto parts supplier referenced Elon Musk's diverse business ventures in an attempt to convince a Michigan federal judge Wednesday that it doesn't belong in a lawsuit over one of its North American affiliates' alleged breach of a supply contract for Tesla vehicles, arguing the foreign entity has no ties to the Wolverine State.

  • November 20, 2024

    Flint School Atty Can't Get Immunity In Defamation Case

    Outside counsel for Flint Community Schools who accused her predecessor of overcharging the public school district is not entitled to a form of immunity that shields government officials from liability for statements made during official proceedings, a state appellate court panel ruled on Tuesday.

  • November 19, 2024

    ​​​​​​​Loper Bright Can't Save DTE Safety Appeal, Mich. Court Says

    A Michigan appellate court was not persuaded by an energy company's invocation of the demise of the Chevron agency-deference doctrine, affirming on Monday a safety citation issued to the company after an employee's death and ruling that the state never followed Chevron deference anyway.

  • November 19, 2024

    NHTSA Letter Unmoots Fire Risk Claims, Ford Drivers Say

    Drivers seeking another shot at their tossed case claiming they overpaid for Ford vehicles that spontaneously catch fire say new evidence shows the recall that mooted their claims didn't fix the alleged fuel injector defect, telling a Michigan federal judge Tuesday regulators' concern over the recall's adequacy supports renewing their allegations.

  • November 19, 2024

    Fish & Wildlife Settles Claims It Polluted Property

    The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has settled a lawsuit alleging its disposal of large quantities of a chemical pesticide contaminated a property near Lake Michigan, the federal government has said, months after the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals ruled the government was liable for the property's diminished value.

  • November 19, 2024

    No Coverage Owed For 1977 Auto Crash, Mich. Panel Rules

    A man who was injured in a 1977 automobile accident cannot get no-fault injury benefits from an auto insurer decades later, a Michigan appeals court ruled, finding there's no evidence the insurer either issued benefits payments for the man or that a claim was ever filed for him.

  • November 19, 2024

    Detroit Casino Must Face Narrowed COVID Vax Bias Suit

    A Michigan federal judge refused to toss a religious bias suit from a worker who said the MGM Grand Detroit fired him for refusing to get a COVID-19 vaccination, ruling a jury should decide whether the casino could have accommodated his beliefs by letting him skip the jab.

  • November 18, 2024

    BCBS Wants New Trial After Worker's $12M Vax Suit Win

    Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has urged a federal judge to expunge a $12.69 million jury award won by a former employee who claimed she was unlawfully fired because her religious beliefs forbade her from getting a COVID-19 vaccination, saying her evidence of discrimination wasn't up to snuff.

  • November 18, 2024

    Mich. Justices Spurn Restaurant Group's COVID Appeal

    The Michigan Supreme Court has turned down an appeal from a bar and restaurant association seeking to recoup its members' lost profits from the state's enforcement of COVID-19 public health measures, after tossing individual restaurants' claims earlier this year. 

  • November 18, 2024

    FCA Says Court Shouldn't Reverse Utah Class Cert. Denial

    FCA US LLC is pushing back against a Utah driver's bid for reconsideration of a Michigan federal judge's denial of class certification in litigation alleging that the automaker sold vehicles with a defective electronic gearshift, saying he can't make new arguments on reconsideration that he didn't make in prior briefs.

  • November 18, 2024

    Mich. Atty Avoids Default For Now In Election Audit Pay Suit

    A Michigan federal judge said Friday he would not enter a default judgment against an attorney and Donald Trump ally on claims she stiffed a voting machine inspection company, even though her inaction led to a default finding, ruling that the liability of her alleged financial backer still needs to be determined.

  • November 18, 2024

    Snyder Aide Expands Suit Over Flint Water Crisis Prosecution

    An adviser to former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder has been permitted to add new allegations to his lawsuit against the state's attorney general and special prosecutors over their handling of charges brought against him surrounding the Flint water crisis, while the judge delayed ruling on prosecutors' immunity.

  • November 15, 2024

    Real Estate Recap: Industry Leaders Weigh In

    Catch up on this past week's key developments by state from Law360 Real Estate Authority — including President-elect Donald Trump's industry pick for Middle East special envoy, a playbook on commercial real estate distress from BigLaw leaders and one KKR exec's optimism for the end of a two-year real estate slump.

  • November 15, 2024

    Atty-Brother Feud Belongs In State Court, Mich. Judge Finds

    A Michigan federal judge won't weigh in on a spat between an attorney and his former cannabis business partner brother, who is accused of shorting him $18 million as part of a buyout agreement, saying the dispute should stay in state court.

  • November 15, 2024

    Insurer Drops Daycare Abuse Suit Following Settlement

    A Michigan federal court formally dismissed an insurer's declaratory action seeking to avoid covering a daycare and a former employee in an underlying lawsuit accusing the employee of physically and emotionally abusing three children, finding the matter is now moot since the underlying parties reached a settlement.

  • November 15, 2024

    Detroit Riverfront Org.'s Ex-CFO Admits He Embezzled Funds

    The former finance chief of a nonprofit that has helped redevelop Detroit's riverfront pled guilty Friday to stealing tens of millions of dollars from the organization and agreed to pay more than $44 million in restitution as part of his plea agreement.

  • November 15, 2024

    Detroit 'Rain Tax' Stormwater Fees Upheld By Appellate Court

    Fees that Detroit charges property owners to maintain its stormwater drainage system are not illegal taxes, a Michigan Court of Appeals panel held, finding that although the charges are effectively compulsory, they are not subject to constitutional restrictions on tax increases.

  • November 15, 2024

    Tenneco Asks Justices To Review 6th Circ. Arbitration Denial

    Automotive parts company Tenneco asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday to review a Sixth Circuit decision from August that refused to force individual arbitration of a proposed class action from workers alleging retirement plan mismanagement, arguing lower courts had disagreed on how to apply federal arbitration law.

  • November 15, 2024

    Abbott Inks $8M Deal With Healthcare Fraudster In TM Suit

    A New York federal judge on Thursday green-lit a trademark infringement settlement in which Abbott Laboratories will receive $8 million from a Florida businessman who recently pled guilty to healthcare fraud for his role in a sprawling gray market scheme to profit off of Abbott's line of diabetic test strips meant to be sold internationally.

  • November 15, 2024

    Atty Who Called Mich. Judge 'Crazy' Secures New Hearing

    A criminal defense attorney found in contempt for calling a Michigan judge "crazy" during a hearing in his courtroom will get a new hearing because a different judge should have handled the contempt proceedings, a state appellate court panel has determined.

  • November 14, 2024

    Ex-JP Morgan Rep To Stop Soliciting Clients Amid Arbitration

    A former J.P. Morgan Securities LLC employee who left to work for Morgan Stanley has agreed not to solicit customers from her former employer while the parties arbitrate the broker-dealer's claims she lured clients with more than $12 million in assets away to its rival.

  • November 14, 2024

    Insurer Says Mich. Lawyers Lying About Its Auto Coverage

    A no-fault auto insurer alleged in a new complaint Wednesday that Michigan personal injury attorneys and their law firms are engaging in a smear campaign to drive the insurer out of the state, accusing the attorneys and firms of posting lies that the company discourages drivers from selecting adequate policies and overcharges its customers.

  • November 14, 2024

    Notice Ruling For Mich. Claims Not Retroactive, Panel Says

    A Michigan Supreme Court ruling enforcing a notice requirement for lawsuits filed against the state government does not apply retroactively to cases filed in the last few years because it "reflected a 180-degree change in the law," a Michigan Court of Appeals panel said Wednesday. 

Expert Analysis

  • Firms Must Offer A Trifecta Of Services In Post-Chevron World

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    After the U.S. Supreme Court’s Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo decision overturning Chevron deference, law firms will need to integrate litigation, lobbying and communications functions to keep up with the ramifications of the ruling and provide adequate counsel quickly, says Neil Hare at Dentons.

  • 6th Circ. Ruling Highlights Complexity Of ERISA Preemption

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    The Sixth Circuit’s recent ruling in Standard Insurance v. Guy — that the defendant couldn't collect his mother’s life insurance after being convicted of murdering his parents — illustrates how courts must engage in mental gymnastics to avoid the broad reach of Employee Retirement Income Security Act preemption, says Mark DeBofsky at DeBofsky Law.

  • 5 Tips To Succeed In A Master Of Laws Program And Beyond

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    As lawyers and recent law school graduates begin their Master of Laws coursework across the country, they should keep a few pointers in mind to get the most out of their programs and kick-start successful careers in their practice areas, says Kelley Miller at Reed Smith.

  • Series

    Being An Opera Singer Made Me A Better Lawyer

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    My journey from the stage to the courtroom has shown that the skills I honed as an opera singer – punctuality, memorization, creativity and more – have all played a vital role in my success as an attorney, says Gerard D'Emilio at GableGotwals.

  • How Law Firms Can Avoid 'Collaboration Drag'

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    Law firm decision making can be stifled by “collaboration drag” — characterized by too many pointless meetings, too much peer feedback and too little dissent — but a few strategies can help stakeholders improve decision-making processes and build consensus, says Steve Groom at Miles Mediation.

  • Election Outlook: A Precedent Primer On Content Moderation

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    With the 2024 election season now in full swing, online platforms will face difficult and politically sensitive decisions about content moderation, but U.S. Supreme Court decisions from last term offer much-needed certainty about their rights, say Jonathan Blavin and Helen White at Munger Tolles.

  • Opinion

    Litigation Funding Disclosure Key To Open, Impartial Process

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    Blanket investor and funding agreement disclosures should be required in all civil cases where the investor has a financial interest in the outcome in order to address issues ranging from potential conflicts of interest to national security concerns, says Bob Goodlatte, former U.S. House Representative for Virginia.

  • What NFL Draft Picks Have In Common With Lateral Law Hires

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    Nearly half of law firm lateral hires leave within a few years — a failure rate that is strikingly similar to the performance of NFL quarterbacks drafted in the first round — in part because evaluators focus too heavily on quantifiable metrics and not enough on a prospect's character traits, says Howard Rosenberg at Baretz+Brunelle.

  • Replacing The Stigma Of Menopause With Law Firm Support

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    A large proportion of the workforce is forced to pull the brakes on their career aspirations because of the taboo surrounding menopause and a lack of consistent support, but law firms can initiate the cultural shift needed by formulating thoughtful workplace policies, says Barbara Hamilton-Bruce at Simmons & Simmons.

  • Planning Law Firm Content Calendars: What, When, Where

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    During the slower month of August, law firms should begin working on their 2025 content calendars, planning out a content creation and distribution framework that aligns with the firm’s objectives and maintains audience engagement throughout the year, says Jessica Kaplan at Legally Penned.

  • Notable Q2 Updates In Insurance Class Actions

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    Mark Johnson and Mathew Drocton at BakerHostetler discuss the muted nature of the property and casualty insurance class action space in the second quarter of the year, with no large waves made in labor depreciation and total-loss vehicle class actions, but a new offensive theory emerging for insurance companies.

  • Series

    Playing Golf Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Golf can positively affect your personal and professional life well beyond the final putt, and it’s helped enrich my legal practice by improving my ability to build lasting relationships, study and apply the rules, face adversity with grace, and maintain my mental and physical well-being, says Adam Kelly at Venable.

  • Law Firms Should Move From Reactive To Proactive Marketing

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    Most law firm marketing and business development teams operate in silos, leading to an ad hoc, reactive approach, but shifting to a culture of proactive planning — beginning with comprehensive campaigns — can help firms effectively execute their broader business strategy, says Paul Manuele at PR Manuele Consulting.

  • Opinion

    The Big Issues A BigLaw Associates' Union Could Address

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    A BigLaw associates’ union could address a number of issues that have the potential to meaningfully improve working conditions, diversity and attorney well-being — from restructured billable hour requirements to origination credit allocation, return-to-office mandates and more, says Tara Rhoades at The Sanity Plea.

  • Opinion

    It's Time For A BigLaw Associates' Union

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    As BigLaw faces a steady stream of criticism about its employment policies and practices, an associates union could effect real change — and it could start with law students organizing around opposition to recent recruiting trends, says Tara Rhoades at The Sanity Plea.

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