Areas of Practice:

• ERISA-Governed Long Term Disability, Health Care and Pension Plan Litigation
• Life Insurance Benefit Law
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Contract Insurance Litigation
• Personal Injury
• Serious and Catastrophic Automobile Negligence
• Wrongful Death
• Complex Civil Litigation in State and Federal Courts

Litigation Percentage:

• 90% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions:

• Michigan, 1993
• U.S. District Court Western District of Michigan, 1997
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Michigan, 2005
• U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit, 1997

Education:

• University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, Detroit, Michigan, 1993 J.D.
• Calvin College, 1990 B.A.
  Major: Political Science

Published Works:

• Article, Michigan Lawyers Weekly, May 18, 2009, “ERISA pension law and divorce: new case sets trap for the unwary”
• Article, State Bar of Michigan, Negligence Law Section, Winter 2009, “ERISA Update: The Battleground Remains Fluid”
• Article, State Bar of Michigan, Negligence Law Section, February 2008, “ERISA Disability Law: A Shifting Battleground of Competing Fictions”
• Article, “ERISA Plan Reimbursement After Sereboff v Mid-Atlantic Medical Services, Inc.”, Michigan Association for Justice Quarterly, 2007
• Article, Michigan Association for Justice Quarterly, “ERISA Plan Reimbursement After Sereboff v Mid-Atlantic Medical Services, Inc.”
• Article, Grand Rapids Bar Association Newsletter, September 2006, “ERISA Disability Litigation Basics”
• Article, “ERISA Disability Litigation Basics”, Grand Rapids Bar Association Newsletter, 2006

Speaking Engagements and Seminars:

• Speaker, Michigan Association for Justice, No-Fault Institute VI, “Issues Relevant to Defense of ERISA Reimbursement Claims in the No-Fault Context,” June 19, 2009.
• Speaker, Michigan Association for Justice, Seminar in the Snow, January 2008, “ERISA Liens”
• Speaker, Michigan Association for Justice, Liens Forum, December 2007, “ERISA Liens”
• Speaker, “ERISA Plan Reimbursement After Sereboff v Mid-Atlantic Medical Services, Inc.”, Michigan Association for Justice On-Line National Webinar and Teleconference,2007
• Speaker, “Appropriate Relief,’ Plan & Plaintiff”, Michigan Association for Justice No-Fault Seminar,2007
• Speaker, “ERISA Plans May Seek Equitable’ Reimbursement Depending on the Terms of the Plan”, American Association for Justice,2007
• Speaker, “ERISA Reimbursement and COB AFTER Sereboff v Mid-Atlantic Medical Services, Inc., 126 SC 1869 [2006]“, MTLA Seminar in the Snow,2007
• Speaker, “ERISA Plans May Seek Contractual Reimbursement through the Equitable’ ERISA Statutory Remedy”, MTLA, Liens Evening Forum,November 15, 2006
• Lecturer and Instructor, Hillman Advocacy Program,2005- 2006
• Speaker, “Litigating ERISA Governed Long Term Disability Claims”, MTLA Seminar in the Snow,2004
• Speaker, “Litigating ERISA Governed Disability Policy Cases”, MTLA Rapid Fire Seminar,2003
• Moderator, MTLA Jury Bias Seminar,2001
• Guest Speaker, “Ask the Lawyer” , Underinsured and Uninsured Motorist Coverages

Professional Associations and Memberships:

• State Bar of Michigan
• American Bar Association
• Grand Rapids Bar Association
• American Association for Justice
• Gerald R. Ford Chapter American Inns of Court
• Served on the State Bar Electronic Filing Task Force
• Executive Board, Liens Committee, Michigan Association for Justice
• Executive Board, Judicial Qualifications Committee, Michigan Association of Justice
• Fellow, Michigan State Bar Association
• Featured in the Best Lawyers in America, 12th Edition
• Martindale Hubbell AV rated
• Featured in Michigan SuperLawyers
• Received, Michigan Lawyers Weekly 21st Century Innovators Award