Honors, Awards and Appointed Positions:
- The Best Lawyers in America
- Listed in 6th Ed., 1995 - 1996
- The Best Lawyers in America
- Listed in 7th Ed., 1997 - 1998
- The Best Lawyers in America
- Listed in 8th Ed., 1999 - 2000
- The Best Lawyers in America
- Listed in 9th Ed., 2001 - 2002
- The Best Lawyers in America
- Listed in 10th Ed., 2003 - 2004
- The Best Lawyers in America
- Listed in 11th Ed., 2005 - 2006
- The Best Lawyers in America
- Listed in 12th Ed., 2006 - 2007
- The Best Lawyers in America
- Listed in 13th Ed., 2007 - 2008
- The Best Lawyers in America
Listed in 14th Ed., 2008 - 2009
-The Best of the US - Listed 1st Ed., 2006-2007
-The Best of the US - Listed 2nd Ed., 2007- 2008 Ed.
-The Best of the US - Listed 3rd Ed., 2008- 2009 Ed. - Super Lawyers - Listed 1st Ed. 2006 - 2007
- Super Lawyers - Listed 2nd Ed. 2007 - 2008
- Super Lawyers - Listed 3rd Ed. 2008 - 2009
- Super Lawyers - Listed 4th Ed. 2008 - 2009
- Martindale-Hubbell Rating (AV) - Michael Frank Award, State Bar of Michigan, Attorney Making an Outstanding Contribution to the Profession, 2002 -President’s Choice Award, from 68th President of the State Bar of Michigan, for support of Access to Justice, 2003 - Michigan Lawyers Weekly Leaders In The Law, as an Attorney Who has distinguished themselves in the Michigan Bench and Bar, 2005 - Respected Advocate Award, The Michigan Defense Trial Counsel annual award to a member of the plaintiff’s bar to recognize and honor the individual's history of success in civil litigation, unfailing adherence to the highest standards of ethics and candor in dealing with the court and counsel, and the respect and admiration of counsel on the opposing side of the bar. State Bar Annual Awards Dinner, September 2008 - Fellow, Michigan State Bar Foundation, 1992 - Present - Fellow, Oakland County Bar Foundation, 1998 - Present - Michigan Trial Lawyers Association, 1998 - 1999 Secretary - Michigan Trial Lawyers Association, 1999 - 2000 Vice President - Michigan Trial Lawyers Association, 2000 - 2001 President-Elect - Michigan Trial Lawyers Association, 2001 - 2002 President - American Association for Justice, Michigan Governor,
1990 - 1991 and 1996 - 1998 - American Association for Justice, State of Michigan Delegate 1991 - 1993 - ABA Tort Reform Task Force on National Health Security Act, 1994 - State Bar Negligence Section Council, 2002 - 2004 - Michigan House of Representatives Judiciary Subcommittee, Physician Peer Review, Chair 2002 - Michigan Democratic Party, Caucus Review Committee, 2004 - Michigan Lawyers Weekly Board of Editors, 2006 – Present - State Bar Committee on Judicial Qualifications, 2003 - Present Published Works, Articles and Op Ed’s: - Handling Birth Trauma Cases, (Co-Author), Wiley Law Publications, Volume I, 1985 - Handling Birth Trauma Cases, (Co-Author), Wiley Law Publications, Volume II, 1989 - Commentary Against Caps on Non-Economic Damages, Journal of Medicine and Law, (Co-Author), Detroit College of Law at Michigan State University, 1:1:121-130, 1997 - Partisanship Invades Supreme Court, The Detroit News, Op. Ed., October 31, 2000 - An Interesting Species, MTLA Quarterly President's Page, Summer, 2001 - Who Are We?, MTLA Quarterly President's Page, Fall, 2001 - Why Don't They Love Us?, MTLA Quarterly President’s Page, Winter 2002, Republished with permission, Oct/Nov 2004, Trial Talk, Vol. 53, Issue 7, Colorado Trial Lawyers Assoc.; and January 2005, The Advocate, Nevada Trial Lawyers Assoc. - Democracy is Not a Spectator Sport, MTLA Quarterly President's Page, Summer, 2002 - Warning to the Complacent Frogs: The Pot is Ready to Boil, State Bar of Mich Negligence Law Section Quarterly, Winter 2009 Seminars and Lectures - Michigan Trial Lawyers Assoc – Michigan Assoc of Justice - Qualifying the Medical Expert, 1980 - Cross-Examination of the Medical Expert, 1980 - Negotiation Techniques in Personal Injury Cases, 1982 - Developing Demonstrative Evidence in a Medical Malpractice Case, September and October 1983 - Structured Settlements, November 1983 and June 1984 - Cross Examination of Obstetrical Expert, June 1986 - New Michigan Malpractice Legislation, June 1986 - The Order of Presentation and Use of Evidence and Witnesses, February 1988 - The Present State of Medical Malpractice Law in Michigan,
Program Chairman and Moderator, November 30, 1989 - Academics and Pragmatics of Medical Malpractice Trial Practice, Program Chairman and Moderator, November 8, 1990 - Advocacy into the 90's, MTLA 46th Annual Convention, May 16, 1990 - The New Medical Malpractice Law Primer, Program Moderator, November 5, and 19, 1993 - 1994 Medical Malpractice Tort Reform, Macomb County Chapter, June 30, 1994 - The Death of Common Sense: Qualifying the Medical Expert in Michigan, Medical Malpractice Case Development and Trial Practice in the Tort Reform Era. Southfield, Michigan, May 19, 1995 - Proving Damages in the 21st Century, Program Moderator: Novi, Michigan, January 21, 1999 - Tips to a Strong Positioning of the Case, Southfield, Fast Track Workshop for New Lawyers. Medical Malpractice: Michigan, March 9, 1999 - The Most Important Things You Must Know to Move Your Case Toward Settlement, , MTLA 54th Annual Meeting Seminar, Livonia, Michigan, April 23, 1999 - New Ways to Succeed: Nurses and Residents After McDougall; What is the Standard of Care and Who Can Testify, MTLA 55th Annual Meeting, Livonia, Michigan, April 23, 2000 - Medical Malpractice: Affidavits of Merit and Notices of Intent in 2002, Novi, Michigan, March 22, 2002 - On Demand Trial of Experts Before Trial. Craig v Oakwood, Davis-Frye, and MCL 600.2955. Novi, Michigan, December 3, 2004 - Establishing Qualifications for Expert Opinions Under Davis-Frye, MTLA Annual Rapid Fire Seminar, Dearborn, Michigan, May 13, 2005 - Guidelines for Getting into Court and Staying There: Apsey, NOI's, AOM, Waltz. Co-Program Chair and Co-Moderator, Novi, Michigan, October 19, 2005 - Expert Qualifications and Woodard, Michigan Med Mal Law Update, Novi, Michigan, October 6, 2006 - How to Ensure the Insurance Carrier Sets Proper Reserves for Your Client's Claim, 62nd Annual Rapid Fire Seminar, Dearborn, Michigan, 2007 Institute of Continuing Legal Education: - Structured Settlements, Michigan Probate Judges Mid-Winter Seminar:, Dearborn, Michigan, ICLE, 1985 - Michigan Tort Reform, Medical Malpractice Statute, Grand Rapids and Southfield, Michigan, September 1986, ICLE - Motions During Trial, Novi, Michigan, November 1986, ICLE - Handling Damages in a Personal Injury Case after 1986 Tort Reform Grand Rapids, Michigan, March 3, 1987; Southfield, Michigan, March 6, 1987, ICLE - Trial Practice Seminar, The Anatomy of a Lawsuit. 7 weeks once per week, Southfield, Michigan, January through February, 1989, ICLE - Trial Advocacy Skills Workshop, Ann Arbor, Michigan, January 27-29, 1992, ICLE - The Art of Cross-Examination, Preparing the Lay and Expert Witness for Cross Examination, Grand Rapids, Michigan, November 4, 1992; Southfield, Michigan, November 9, 1992, ICLE - Trial Advocacy Skills Workshop, Ann Arbor, Michigan, May 9-11, 1993, ICLE - Anatomy of a Lawsuit, Voir Dire and the Law of Jury Selection, MSU Education Center, Troy, Michigan, September 26, 1994, ICLE - Preparing Lay and Expert Witnesses for Cross-Examination, MSU Education Center, Troy, Michigan, December 7, 1995, ICLE - Everything You Need to Know to Prepare Your Witness for Cross-Examination, Expert Preparation. MSU Education Center, Troy, Michigan, November 3, 2000, ICLE - Advanced Negotiation and Dispute Resolution, ANDR Institute, A Judge/Practitioner Dialogue Concerning Referral Orders to ADR. Hon. Wayne D. Brazil, US Magistrate Judge; Northern District of California, Oakland, Bruce E. Bigler and Norman D. Tucker - March 27, 2003, ICLE - My Life in the Law, Lesson Learned Along the Way, Deposition Skills Workshop, Luncheon Speaker, St. John Conference Center, Plymouth, Michigan, May 4, 2009 | National Seminars and Lectures: - Medical Malpractice, the Plaintiff’s Perspective and the National Health Security Act, American College of Osteopathic Obstetricians and Gynecologists,
61st Annual Convention, Scottsdale, Arizona, March 15, 1994 - Organizing for Change: Progressive Solutions and Strategy for the Midwest. Protesting Consumer Rights: Caps on Damages, Center for Policy Alternatives (Washington, DC), Midwest Policy Leaders Summit., Detroit, Michigan, June 29, 2001 - Shoulder Dystocia: Using Your Client to Prove Liability, Ohio Association of Trial Lawyers (OATL) 45th Annual Convention, Medical Negligence Seminar; Columbus, Ohio, April 19, 2002 - The Trial of a Dental Malpractice Case, The Russell W. Bunting Periodontal Study Club, Program Chair and Moderator, Ann Arbor, Michigan, October 25, 2002 - The 20th Annual Conference on Obstetrics, Gynecology, Perinatal Medicine and the Law, Boston University School of Medicine and Center for Human Genetics, The Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui, Hawaii, January 2-6, 2004. - The Genesis of Shoulder Dystocia and Brachial Plexus Injury Litigation
- Counterintuitive Thought and Language by Physicians in Court; Is Your Lawyer Complying with the Standard of Care?
Legal Commentary to the following medical presentations: - Shoulder Dystocia Management Guidelines that Help Avoid Litigation, Michael A. Belfort M.D., PhD
- Fetal Monitoring by Oximetry-A Developing Standard? Thomas J. Garite, M.D
- The Timing of HIE Injury, Gary D.V. Hankins M.D.
- Pitfalls in Electronic Fetal Monitoring: A Non-Reassuring Pattern, Thomas J. Garite M.D.
- The Pathogenesis of HIE, Gary D.V. Hankins M.D.
- Is Cerebral Palsy Preventable? Evidence, Assertions, Proofs and Facts, Karen B. Nelson M.D.;
- Screening vs. Diagnostic Mammography: Guidelines and Standards of Care, Edward A. Sickles M.D.
- Failure to Diagnose and/or Manage a Myocardial Infarction: Deadly Consequences—Medically and Legally, Patrick J. Scanlon M.D.
- Managing Risk in the Obstetrical Arena, Emerging Issues in Birth Trauma Cases, Trinity Health Insurance & Risk Management Services Perinatal Conference, Detroit, Michigan, March 1, 2004, - The Two Faces of Obstetrical Litigation, a Plaintiff Attorney’s Perspective, Mercy Hospital Cadillac, 12th Annual OB Conference, November 2-3, 2005, Cadillac, Michigan. One-day presentation (Nov. 3) covering the following topics: - Urban Myths of Medical Malpractice. Can we find the solutions if we cannot identify the problem
- Medical Liability Litigation: Understanding the System - the Market Economy’s Regulatory and Compensatory Goals
- The Law of Medical Malpractice – Ignorance of the law is no excuse – and may be hazardous to your career
- The Plaintiff’s Investigation of a Malpractice Claim – what we do and what are we looking for: Case Examples: Labor and delivery, Electronic fetal monitoring, Midwifery, Shoulder Dystocia
- ER - Triage, Postpartum Hemorrhage, Neonatal
- Reducing your risk of being a Defendant
- Your Deposition – Cross-examination: what the plaintiffs’ attorney is really doing and why.
- Shoulder Dystocia, What Really Happened in Delivery. American Conference Institute’s 7thh Annual Advanced Forum on Preventing, Managing and Defending Claims of Obstetric Malpractice, Philadelphia Union League, Scheduled June 23 & 24, 2009.
State Bar, Law Schools, Medical Schools and Miscellaneous Presentations
- New Tort Legislation, State Bar of Michigan, 51st Annual Meeting, Detroit, Michigan, September 1986
- What Every Lawyer Should Know About Going to Trial, Detroit Bar Association Continuing Legal Education, Detroit, Michigan, March 27, 1987
- Issues in Health Care, Round Table Discussion: The Medical Liability Crisis Michigan State Chamber of Commerce (Leadership Michigan), Ann Arbor, Michigan, July 1988 Panelist: Norman D. Tucker;
Robben Fleming, Interim President, University of Michigan;
Dr. Robert E. Paxton, President-Elect Michigan State Medical Society - State Bar of Michigan Young Lawyers Section and Michigan Trial Lawyers, Basic Advocacy Workshop, 46th District Court, Southfield, Michigan, August, 1988
- Agenda for Change, James Tuck Memorial Lecture, , Eastern Michigan University, December 3, 1988
- Medical Malpractice and Patient’s Rights; Wayne State Law School, Legislative Efforts to Reduce the Rights of Victims of Medical Malpractice June 2, 1990
- The Brain Damaged Baby ... The OB’s Fault? Medical-Law Workshop One-Day Symposium, Southfield, Michigan, May, 1989
- Our Perception is Our Only Reality University of Michigan Medical Students/Delta Epsilon: Medical Malpractice, Ann Arbor, Michigan, April 4, l990
- Pre-Suit Screening of Medical Malpractice Claims American Educational Institute,
(tape) June l, l990
- Medical Liability Claims and Access to Health Care, Michigan Coalition of Aging Organizations, Lansing, Michigan, March l9, 1991
- Improving the Quality of Your Practice Detroit Bar Association (taped) attorney focus group discussion, October 7, 1993 round table discussion, attorneys and clients, October 13, 1993
- University of Michigan Law School, Henry M. Campbell Moot Court Competition Judge, Ann Arbor, Michigan, November 14, 1994
- Tort Reform in Today’s Practice, State Bar of Michigan, Negligence Section, Moderator, Las Vegas, Nevada, April 18, 1997
- Interview/Discussion on Handling Birth Trauma Cases, Bloomfield Community Cable TV, “Practical Law”, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, March 4, 1999
- Testimony and Presentation on Strategies to Reduce Frivolous Lawsuits,
Michigan House of Representatives, Standing Committee on Health Policy,
Lansing, Michigan, April 22, 1999
- Michigan Medical Malpractice Law, University of Detroit Mercy, School of Law, combined tort classes, Detroit, Michigan, March 12, 2001, and February 3, 2003
- Medical Malpractice After Tort Reform, The Oakland County Bar Association’s “Due Process”, WDIV-TV, Channel 4, September 2001
- Michigan Medical Malpractice Law, University of Detroit Mercy, School of Law, combined tort classes, Detroit, Michigan, March 6, 2002
- Evaluating the Medical Malpractice Case, University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, combined tort classes, Detroit, Michigan, February 3, 2003 - We Need Medical Malpractice Reform: Which Approach is Best? University of Michigan, Program in Society and Medicine, Forum on Health Policy, An Expert-Panel Discussion. Moderator, Allen S. Lichter, Dean, U of M Medical School. University of Michigan Hospital, Ann Arbor, Michigan, November 14, 2003 - Medical Malpractice: Is There a Medical, Legal or Insurance Crisis. “Good Company” Comcast Cable TV, Host Douglas Kaye. Interview and discussion: Dearborn Heights, Michigan, April 27, 2004 - The Law and Minefields of Michigan Medical Malpractice, University of Detroit Mercy School of Law combined Tort classes, Detroit, Michigan, April 12, 2005.
- The Apsey Decision, Tony Tripiano Progressive Talk Radio, 1310 AM, May 18, 2005 - What is Driving Tort Reform and Where is it Going? University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, November 16, 2005, Detroit, Michigan - The State of Litigation in Michigan, Association of Defense Trial Counsel, , Royal Oak, Michigan, March 14, 2006 - Malpractice Legislation: Affidavit of Merit and the Notice of Intent to File Suit, Michigan House Committee on Tort Reform, Revisiting the 1994 Medical, Lansing, Michigan, March 21, 2006 - Medical Malpractice in Michigan, The Law, The Politic and The Practice, The People’s Law School, Cooley Law School, Lansing MI, September 30,2008 Presentations in Michigan as a Defense Attorney 1971 - 1975 - Detroit College of Law - American Association of Blood Banks (Institute of Continuing Medical Education, University of Michigan) - Henry Ford Hospital - Providence Hospital - St. Joseph Mercy Hospital - Eaton and Barry County Bar and Medical Association - Michigan League of Nurses Seminar, Mercy College - Inner City in Service Coordinators Association - Deaconess Hospital - Macomb County Nurses Association - Carnegie Institute of Detroit - Macomb County Public Nurses Association - Madison Community Hospital
Professional Associations and Memberships:
- American Bar Association
- State of Michigan Bar Association
- American Association for Justice
- Birth Trauma Litigation Group, AAJ
- Michigan Association of Justice
- Detroit Bar Association Member
- Oakland County Bar Association
- Southfield Bar Association Member
- Trial Lawyers for Public Justice Member
- American Constitutional Society for Law and Policy Member
- Oakland County Mediation Panel
- Wayne County Mediation Panel  |
