- AREAS OF PRACTICE:
- Civil Litigation
- Premises Liability
- Third-Party Auto
- First-Party No-Fault
- Insurance Coverage
- EDUCATION:
- Wayne State University Law School (J.D., cum laude, 1996)
- The Wayne Law Review, Senior Articles Editor and Assistant Editor, 1994-1996
- Grand Valley State University (B.A., Political Science, magna cum laude, 1993)
- BAR ADMISSIONS:
- State Bar of Michigan 1996
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan 1996
- EMPLOYMENT:
- Associate Attorney at Harvey Kruse, P.C. 1996-Present
- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:
- Wayne State University Law School
- Silver Key Certificate, 1994-1996
- David Martin Memorial Award, 1993-1994
- American Jurisprudence Award in Torts, 1993-1994
- Corpus Juris Secundum Award in Torts, 1993-1994
- Lederle Scholarship, 1993-1994
- EXPERIENCE:
- Trial and appellate attorney, successfully represented numerous clients in circuit courts throughout the State of Michigan, United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan and Michigan Court of Appeals.
- REPRESENTATIVE CLIENTS:
- Allied Insurance Company
- Amerisure Insurance Company
- Bituminous Insurance Company
- GMAC Insurance Company
- Hyundai Motor America
- KIA Motors America, Inc.
- Liberty Mutual Group
- Meijer, Inc.
- Nationwide Insurance Company
- Titan Insurance Company
- MEMBER:
- State Bar of Michigan
- Grand Rapids Bar Association
- REPRESENTATIVE TRIAL & APPELLATE DECISIONS:
- Field v Preston, Montcalm County Circuit Court (2005), an automobile negligence claim for injuries allegedly consisting of headaches, neck and back pain and dislocation of the left shoulder. We successfully obtained summary disposition in favor of the defendant on the grounds that the plaintiff did not suffer a serious impairment of body function because the alleged injuries did not affect her general ability to lead her normal life.
- Nationwide v Miller, Barry County Circuit Court (2004), a declaratory action filed by Nationwide alleging that it owed no duty to defend or provide coverage to its insured, Miller, in an underlying action for personal injuries. We were successful in obtaining a ruling that Nationwide had no duty to defend or indemnify the insured because she failed to comply with the policy provisions, including, failing to assist in defending the underlying suit and failing to forward a copy of the documents regarding the underlying suit to Nationwide.
- Shannon v Clay, Ingham County Circuit Court (2005), an automobile negligence claim for injuries suffered by the plaintiff allegedly consisting of back and neck pain. The plaintiff had been declared disabled by the Social Security Administration 10 years before this automobile accident. We successfully obtained summary disposition in favor of the defendant on the grounds that the plaintiff did not suffer a serious impairment of body function because the alleged injuries did not affect the plaintiff’s general ability to lead her normal life.
- Wise v Chez Ami, Kent County Circuit Court (2004), a claim for personal injuries by the plaintiff who fell off a mechanical bull at the defendant’s business and suffered a fractured patella necessitating 3 surgeries. We successfully obtained summary disposition in favor of our client, Chez Ami, based on the waiver signed by the plaintiff before riding the mechanical bull and based on the ruling that the defendant did not act grossly negligent. Pursuant to the waiver, the plaintiff was ordered to reimburse the defendant its costs and attorney fees in having to defend this matter.
- “Michigan’s Domestic Violence Laws: A Critique and Proposals for Reform” 42 Wayne L. Rev. 227 (Fall 1995)
