What motivated you to become a trial lawyer? In school, I enjoyed history and public speaking classes. My grades in math made it clear I would not be an accountant. As for being a trial lawyer, it is very satisfying to be able to focus on what I enjoy while fighting for the underdog.

When did you become a member of MAJ? Why did you decide to join? After three years of working at a defense law firm on product liability cases, I moved on to work at a plaintiff’s firm and joined MAJ in 2005. I heard good things about the opportunities available at MAJ to meet and learn from other trial attorneys. 

Why do you feel it is important for trial lawyers to be a part of MAJ? MAJ is a great way to meet people in our field, learn from others, and advocate for justice in the political arena when needed.

You have made a strong commitment to the Justice PAC. Why do you feel supporting the PAC is important? The Justice PAC is needed to help right the wrongs that can occur politically, which certainly impacts the rights of our clients.

What is distinctive about your practice? And your firm? I believe our firm is built on simple, but lasting principles of trust earned from our referring attorneys and community. We put time, hard work, and resources into the cases we take. We do not shy away from difficult cases if they have merit.

What is your most memorable case? In part because it just happened, but also because I believe it is a very significant case, the Estate of Allen vs. Dr. Dixit and Henry Ford Macomb Hospital Corporation will remain memorable. After about four years of litigation, in April 2023, a Macomb County jury rendered a verdict of $9.7 million against the hospital for administrative negligence and a surgeon for malpractice. It was a hard-fought wrongful death case. There was a failure to implement needed chain of command policies that caused the preventable death of a 41-year-old mother raising two teenagers. Hearing the jury read the verdict in favor of the family was very satisfying. This is also a great example of the benefit of relationships derived from this organization. I was fortunate to work with the attorneys of Goethel Engelhardt as my trial consultants. They were a tremendous help with planning my trial presentation. As much as trial is an art, I found that Goethel Engelhardt has trial preparation down to a science.

What are you interested in outside the practice of law? We are east-siders and have water running through our veins. My family and I love going out on the water, and in the winter, we enjoy snow skiing. I have also enjoyed years of watching my kids play various sports.