Bar Membership

State Bar of Michigan (1980)
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan (1980)
U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit (1984)
United States Supreme Court (1987)
United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit (1989)

Professional Activities

Chair, Appellate Practice Section of State Bar of Michigan (1999-2000)
Member, Michigan Practice Committee, Appellate Practice Section of State Bar of
   Michigan (1995 to present)
Member, Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE, Ann Arbor) Litigation Advisory
   Board
Chair, Economics of Appellate Practice Committee of Appellate Practice Section of State
   Bar of Michigan (1995-1999)
CLE lecturer on appellate practice, insurance law, trial practice and civil procedure
Editor, Michigan Defense Quarterly (1991-1994)
Michigan Defense Trial Counsel (former member of Board of Directors)
Continuing Legal Education Lecturer on Appellate Practice, Insurance Law, Trial Practice and Civil Procedure
Member, The American Society of Writers on Legal Subjects (SCRIBES)

Education

Wayne State University (B.S.W. 1970); (M.S.W., with high distinction, 1975); (J.D. magna cum laude, 1980)

Selected Reported Cases

Sorkowitz v. Lakritz, Wissbrun,474 Mich 925, 706 NW2d9 (2005) reversing 261 Mich App 642 (2004) (legal malpractice)

Fultz v. Union Commerce Association, 470 Mich 460, 683 NW2d 587 (2004) (snow removal contractor not liable for fall on ice)

Koster v. June's Trucking, 244 Mich App 162, 625 NW2d 82 (2002) (attorney client privilege and work product in insurance claims file context)

Bauer v Ferriby & Houston, P.C., 235 Mich App 536; 599 NW2d 493 (1999) (legal malpractice)

St. Paul v American Home, 444 Mich 560, 514 NW2d 113 (1994) (insurance coverage)

Publications

Michigan Insurance Law & Practice (ICLE, 2002), Editors, Noreen L. Slank, Michael H. Fabian, Mark D. Willmarth

Torts: Michigan Law & Practice 2d Ed: (ICLE, 2000), Editors, Hon. Helene White, Noreen L. Slank, Linda Miller Atkinson

Michigan Civil Procedure (ICLE, 1999), Chapter 21 "Post Trial Motions, Costs & Fees"

Positional Conflicts, 81 Michigan Bar Journal 14 (2002), revised and reprinted, Oregon Law Journal.

Leveling The Playing Field, 38 Washburn Law Journal 847 (Summer, 1999)

Who Decides What in Legal Malpractice Cases, 15 Mich Defense Quarterly (Spring, 1998)

The Accident Waiting to Happen: The Law of Pre-injury Releases, Laches (March, 1998)

Pleading for Mercy: Dealing with Unpreserved Error, 77 Mich Bar Journal 42 (1998)

"State of" Michigan Insurance Law, ‘97,'96 & ‘95 Annual Meetings of the Michigan Bar

The Evolving Tort Law of Participant Sport, 75 Mich Bar Journal 238 (1996)

A Critique of Lawyers Cooperative's New Volume: Michigan Non-standard Jury Instructions, 13 Mich Defense Quarterly (Winter 1996)

Positional Conflicts in Appellate Litigation, 12 Michigan Defense Quarterly (Summer, 1995)

Animal-Inflicted Injury, Laches (November, 1993)

Suit Within a Suit: A Doctrine Michigan Courts Hate to Love, 72 Michigan Bar Journal 1174(1993)

Insurance Coverage and Therapist-Patient Sexual Relations, 59 Defense Counsel Journal 210 (1992)

The Pollution Exclusion in Michigan, 11 Michigan Environmental Law Journal 19 (1992)

Polluters Pay: A Statutory Overview, Laches (June, 1991)

Insurer-Assigned Counsel, MDTC/ADTC NewsBriefs (November, 1991)

Bystander Recovery in Tort, Laches (February, 1990)

When Must Parents Pay: The Law of Parental Responsibility, 69 Michigan Bar Journal 148(1990)

In Defense of Attorneys, 65 Michigan Bar Journal 544 (1986)

Speaking Engagements

Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE), Summary Disposition and the Rocket Docket seminar, "New Procedures for Cases on the Expedited Track in the Court of Appeals," December 6, 2005.

"Trial Tips from an Appellate Perspective," Association of Defense Trial Counsel, October 11, 2005.

"The Economics of Appellate Practice," Michigan State Bar, June 17, 2005.

MDTC: Rookie Bootcamp, "Pleading in the Era of Tort Reform," October 5, 2004.

MDTC :Civil Defense Basic Training seminar, "The Basics of Pleading (Swimming, Sinking & Throwing Yourself Your Own Lifeline), October 5, 2000 and February 22, 2001.

Institute for Continuing Legal Education (Ann Arbor, MI) seminar on "Michigan’s Ultimate Trial Notebook Seminar." "Preserving Issues and the Record For Appeal." November, 1999, and February, 2003.

Moderated state appellate practice section's annual program, "Supreme Court Advocacy." September 17, 1999.

Moderated seminar of state appellate practice section, "Of Bonds, Stays and Other Appellate Exotica." May 21, 1998.

National Business Institute day-long Seminar on "Insurance Law: Third Party Coverage in Michigan." Topics: "Homeowner’s Insurance Policies," "Automobile Insurance," "General Liability Insurance," "Ethical Considerations." May 6, 1998.

Michigan Defense Trial Counsel Seminar on "Living with Tort Reform: The Defense Perspective". "Selected Pleading Issues Under Tort Reform: The Empty Chair, Contribution Claims and Venue Developments." December 5, 1997.

Moderated seminar of state appellate practice section, "Appeals: On Line, On Track & On Budget." April 10, 1997.

Institute for Continuing Legal Education (Ann Arbor, MI) seminar on "Michigan’s Ultimate Trial Notebook Seminar." "Preserving Issues and the Record For Appeal." November 1999, February, 2003, and May, 2006.

Moderated seminar of state appellate practice section, "The Nitty Gritty of Appellate Fee Agreements." April 19, 1996.

Institute for Continuing Legal Education (Ann Arbor, MI) seminar on "Secrets of Michigan Civil Procedure". "Preclusion Doctrines: An Outline for Michigan Litigators." February 26, 1996.

Institute for Continuing Legal Education (Ann Arbor, MI) seminar on "Current Issues in Insurance Law Practice." "Other Insurance Clauses, Excess Insurance and Reinsurance." June 3, 1994 and June 30, 1994.

Institute for Continuing Legal Education (Ann Arbor, MI) Seminar on "Winning Advocacy Techniques at the Appellate Level." "Identifying the Winning Themes in Your Case." December 6, 1990.

Michigan Trial Lawyer’s Association Appellate Procedure Seminar. "Procedural and Strategic Considerations Involving the Decision Whether to Appeal/Cross Appeal." April 12, 1990.

Community Work

Chairs CEFU’s United Way Campaign, including annual silent auction