Profile
Mr. Small has been successfully representing clients since 1983, in both state and federal courts, in personal injury claims and large property damage claims involving fire, flood, collapse, arson, and insurance fraud. In 2018, Mr. Small shared the Attorney of the Year Award from the Michigan Chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigators for his defense of a large commercial property damage loss which ultimately resulted in the criminal convictions for arson and insurance fraud of four persons involved in a ring of arson for profit. Mr. Small often manages claims pre-suit during the claim investigation, including conducting Examinations Under Oath and participating in scene investigations.
Outside of the practice of law, Mr. Small enjoys time with his family and sports, especially golf and skiing.
Areas of Practice
- Appellate Practice
- Construction Liability
- Insurance Defense
- No-Fault First Party Automobile Liability
- Transportation Litigation
- Trial Practice
Education
- Michigan State University
B.A., magna cum laude, 1978 - Wayne State University Law School
J.D., cum laude, 1981
Bar Admissions
- State Bar of Michigan (1981)
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
- United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan
- United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
Employment
- Attorney at Harvey Kruse, P.C. (2008—present)
- Partner at Roberts Betz (1985—2008)
- Attorney at Rhodes McKee (1983—1985)
- Law Clerk to the Honorable Robert Burns, Michigan Court of Appeals (1982—1983)
- Prehearing Research Attorney, Michigan Court of Appeals (1981—1982)
Organizations
- Michigan Bar Association
- Kent County Bar Association
Representative Matters
- Successfully represented an insurance company in coverage claims over defects in large parking structure necessitating in over $16,000,000 in repair costs.
- Successfully defended personal injury claims, including closed head injuries and wrongful deaths, resulting from motor vehicle accidents, construction site accidents and other casualties in other multi-million-dollar cases.
- Investigated, litigated and resolved subrogation cases in cases exceeding $1,000,000 in paid losses.
- Successfully defending an insurance company in property damage claims resulting in the convictions of four persons for arson and insurance fraud.
- Obtained summary judgment in 3,300,000 builders risks coverage action.
- Part of the defense team which obtained summary judgment in a $22,000,000 claim for the collapse of the roof of a sports stadium.
- Obtained summary judgment and affirmance on appeal in significant builder’s risk claim involving a sports bar resulting in the failure of the bar’s roof and multiple other building components requiring extensive repair costs.
- Supervised dozens of fire scene and claim investigations arising out of fires, flood, wind, arson, and insurance fraud.