Professional Liability Defense in Detroit, Michigan

At Barris, Sott, Denn & Driker, P.L.L.C., our record in litigation and alternative dispute resolution methods are what set us apart when it comes to handling professional liability defense matters. That is why we are one of only four litigation firms in Michigan to be awarded Chambers USA's 2010 top rating.

Chambers noted that "[t]his litigation boutique is widely recognized for the depth of its talent." Sharon M. Woods, our managing partner, is regularly named in various publications as a top legal malpractice defense lawyer. She often works with partners, Todd R. Mendel and Kevin Kalczynski, each of whom also has substantial experience defending lawyers and other professionals who need skilled professional liability defense representation.

We know how to work with insurance companies through our regular representation of insurers and their insureds in legal malpractice matters. Perhaps the best indicator of our reputation in legal malpractice defense litigation is the fact that we currently represent three of the six largest law firms in Metropolitan Detroit and, in the past five years, have represented two others. When our competitors need a lawyer, they call us. We are "lawyer's lawyers."

Our attorneys have the resources, skill, and tenacity to handle the largest and most complex cases. We have successfully defended major legal malpractice cases involving millions of pages of documents and up to a billion dollars of exposure against some of the nation's largest law firms. Here are a couple of examples:

• We represented Michigan's largest law firm in Pontiac School District vs. Miller, Canfield, Paddock & Stone, 221 Mich. App 602 (1997), which is one of the seminal cases on proximate cause in legal malpractice cases in Michigan. In this case, we were brought in after a disastrous $22 million jury verdict against Miller Canfield, which exceeded the firm's available insurance coverage. We obtained a complete reversal on appeal for our client, Miller Canfield. The case subsequently settled before it was retried.
• We were involved in a case that centered around claims of conflict of interest and breach of fiduciary duty regarding a merger of three non-profit entities and the resulting creation of a new non-profit cancer institute. We obtained summary disposition for our defendant client, while a co-defendant went to trial. On appeal, the summary disposition for our client was affirmed. This case is now frequently cited in Michigan because it explains the difference between a malpractice claim and a breach of fiduciary duty claim against a lawyer.

We also handle all other types of professional malpractice claims, including

• Accounting
• Underwriting
• Appraisers
• Risk management
• Securities
• Insurance agents
• Engineers

At Barris, Sott, Denn & Driker, P.L.L.C., we have handled professional liability defense malpractice cases that arise in all types of contexts from trust disputes, failed transactions, unfavorable litigation outcomes, and a whole host of other highly technical legal issues.

We understand what is at stake and we pride ourselves on developing long-term relationships with our clients based on trust, skill, experience, efficiency, and ingenuity. For all your professional liability defense counsel and representation needs, contact us today.