ZAUSMER - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Shareholder
- Shareholder / Farmington Hills
Adam Post strives to be the consummate courtroom litigator, and his work in the firm's Insurance Defense practice gives him ample opportunity to pursue that path.
Adam set his sights on the courtroom while clerking for a law firm in college. After completing an undergraduate business degree at Wayne State University, he went on to earn his law degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, where he served in leadership roles on law review and moot court, received various academic honors, and unlike most other law students, appeared in court as a student prosecutor through a summer internship with the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan.
Since entering the practice, Adam has focused on medical malpractice, first-party no-fault and third-party automobile negligence cases, and general negligence claims. He is particularly adept at reviewing medical records, allowing him to thoroughly understand the claims involved in each case and to effectively dispute the extent of a plaintiff's claimed injuries before mediators and case evaluation panels. He has also developed a successful motion practice, and his written and oral advocacy skills have helped him secure significant summary judgment victories in federal court. He joined Zausmer after working for highly regarded medical malpractice and insurance defense firms.
Adam's involvement within the legal community also includes his service on the Board of Directors for the University of Detroit Mercy Law Alumni Association and on the ice in a lawyer hockey league.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate / Farmington Hills
Alana Silver focuses her practice on personal injury protection and bodily injury cases.
Before coming to Zausmer, Alana gained experience in both defense and plaintiff work, which allows her to anticipate objectives from the plaintiff's perspective and helps her formulate compelling litigation strategies. She has managed and litigated a large docket of cases from discovery through settlement, as well as investigating claims for fraud, priority, and assignment to insurance carriers. Alana is proficient in formulating litigation plans, settlement recommendations, case evaluation summaries, facilitation briefs, and dispositive motions. She has won several motions regarding material misrepresentations. Alana is also a certified Mediator for the Wayne Mediation Center.
Alana received her undergraduate degree, with honors, from the University of Western Ontario. She then earned her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, where she served as the Online Editor of the University Detroit Mercy Law Review, was on the Dean's List, and received the Virginia Leo Sirotnak Dean's Scholarship. Alana currently serves as a Board Member of NEXTGen Detroit, where she plans volunteer events and enjoys making a positive impact in the community.
Outside of the office, Alana enjoys traveling and hiking. A native of Windsor, Canada, Alana finds her dual citizenship to be quite beneficial, as it allows her to see her family and friends across the river.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate / Farmington Hills
Alex Khalifeh draws upon his superior writing and advocacy skills as an associate in our Insurance Defense group, where he concentrates his practice on representing the Michigan Automobile Insurance Placement Facility. His persuasive writing reflects his zealous advocacy on behalf of his clients.
Alex is a graduate of the University of Michigan, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in English. He earned his Juris Doctor from Wayne State University Law School. During law school, Alex served as a judicial intern to the Honorable James Plakas, composing memoranda and assisting in drafting opinions on cases. He also served as a legal extern for an automotive technology company and as an intern for a mid-size transactional law firm.
Alex strives to effectively advocate for his clients, while also offering guidance on the complex process of the law and potential legal issues in a digestible manner. Before coming to Zausmer, Alex worked for a small law firm where he defended clients in personal injury lawsuits, drafted motions and briefs regarding Michigan's No-Fault law, and gained experience in motion practice and arbitration hearings.
In support of the community, Alex is passionate about Project Clean Slate in the city of Detroit. Outside of the office, he enjoys watching both men's and women's basketball, and reading a variety of long-form journalism.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate / Farmington Hills
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate / Farmington Hills
- Member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc
Outside of the office, Amber is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the National Alumnae Association of Spelman College, and spends time mentoring prospective and current law students. Amber enjoys golfing with her parents and attending Pilates classes with her sisters. In her spare time, Amber likes to try new restaurants and attend Detroit Tigers games with her family.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate / Farmington Hills
Outside the legal realm, Ben is an avid distance runner and has completed multiple marathons. He also indulges his passion for golf, admitting that his skill level might not match his enthusiasm.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate / Farmington Hills
Breanne Patton brings broad legal experience to her role as a commercial counselor and litigator at Zausmer.
She handles complex business disputes, contract drafting and negotiating, technical manufacturing and automotive supplier matters, eminent domain, land use and municipal issues, commercial and residential leasing, and other business matters. Breanne is also a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US).
Breanne's attention to detail, strategic decision-making, and ability to understand her clients' businesses has helped her provide valuable legal advice that is tailored to meet their needs. She works closely with her corporate clients, assisting them in drafting, reviewing, and negotiating complex domestic and international sales agreements, regulatory compliance, and non-disclosure agreements, and providing them with ongoing counsel to protect their interests. In addition, Breanne has achieved great results in litigation matters. In one instance, her attention to detail led to the settlement of a matter for less than 5% of the initial demand.
Breanne began her career at a large Midwestern law firm, handling case strategy, discovery, motion practice, and risk evaluations for construction, and employment matters. She then ventured into the consulting world, where she managed a team of attorneys and advised banking and financial clients regarding securities contracts and regulatory compliance.
Breanne earned her Bachelor of Arts in Economics & Management and Philosophy, magna cum laude, from Albion College. She received her law degree from Notre Dame Law School, where she was also a Merit Scholarship Recipient.
In her free time, Breanne is an avid music fan, plays guitar, and is a patron of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. She also enjoys collecting vintage and custom fountain pens.
Job Titles:
- Shareholder
- Shareholder / Farmington Hills
Bryan has been named as a Super Lawyers Rising Star every year since 2013, a testament to his skills, results, and professionalism. He is also an adjunct professor at University of Detroit Mercy Law School, where he teaches Advanced Advocacy.
Job Titles:
- Shareholder
- Shareholder / Farmington Hills
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate / Farmington Hills
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate / Farmington Hills
Chad Duschinsky has dedicated his practice to advocating on behalf of insurance companies and individuals in first-party no-fault and third-party auto negligence matters.
Before joining Zausmer, Chad practiced at a civil litigation firm in Detroit, where he became closely familiar with the No-Fault Act as well as the areas of maritime/admiralty and premises liability law. He has had the opportunity to gain important skills in the court room, and assisted in successful outcomes in various appellate matters, which were a natural progression from his prior internship experiences.
During law school, Chad worked for the Michigan Supreme Court as a judicial extern for Justice Bridget M. McCormack. Chad assisted in advising the Court on a number of constitutional issues involving the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Amendments, as well as a variety of civil matters on appeal. Across the state, in Paw Paw, Chad had the opportunity to handle a jury trial during his externship at the Van Buren County Prosecutor's Office, where he obtained a verdict in favor of the prosecution. Chad also spent a significant period of his law school career advocating on behalf of Social Security Disability claimants, and working for the Alvin L. Storrs Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic, where he assisted in resolving his clients' tax liabilities with the Internal Revenue Service and State of Michigan.
In his spare time, Chad has completed a marathon and several half-marathons and enjoys hiking and traveling.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate / Farmington Hills
Christina Woodward is an associate in the firm's Insurance Defense group and handles third-party automobile negligence, PIP, and SIU matters.
Christina draws upon her customer service background to read circumstances and people to communicate an effective plan of action to her clients. She knew from an early age that she wanted to pursue a career in law. When her parents were involved in a lawsuit during her formative years, Christina witnessed the proceedings and fell in love with the entire legal process. Christina previously served as a law clerk at Zausmer, where she gained experience drafting motions and status reports, providing claim analysis, and researching and drafting memoranda, including analyzing the changes to fraud defenses and social media investigations for personal injury claimants.
Christina earned her Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Pre-Law from Palm Beach Atlantic University, where she was a member of the Impact Leadership Team and a volunteer for the Urban Youth Impact, mentoring middle school and high school students. She then moved to Detroit and attended Wayne State University Law School. There, she was an active member of the National Moot Court Team, a senior coach for Moot Court, a 3L Day Governor for the Student Board of Governors, and an Executive Article Editor for the Journal of Law in Society.
Christina also gained valuable experience working as a student attorney for the Business and Community Law Clinic, and the Free Legal Aid Clinic. She found that connecting with the people and community where she lived to give them hope in their precarious situations was a rewarding, worthwhile experience.
When she's not helping her clients, Christina enjoys hiking up north and in Hocking Hills, Ohio. She also feeds her passions of online gaming, reading, and ice cream, which is her weakness and guilty pleasure.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate / Farmington Hills
Chris Chesney has a drive and experience beyond his years, and is a valuable associate on the firm's Insurance Defense team.
Throughout his education, Chris has supplemented classroom learning with real world experience. Before receiving his undergraduate degree, cum laude, from Alma College, he spent his summers interning at the Michigan House of Representatives, advising first-time entrepreneurs in South Africa on small business issues, and working on 70-foot high scaffolding in a Houston oil refinery.
Later, while simultaneously pursuing his law degree and a Masters in Political Science from Wayne State University, he served as an editor on the Wayne Law Review, was a finalist in the Moot Court Law Day competition, earned his certification as a general civil court mediator, participated in the Oakland County Bar Association Inns of Court, and represented clients as a student attorney for Wayne State's Free Legal Aid Clinic, Inc.
In one of his pro bono legal aid cases, an automaker sued an elderly woman for misusing her company discount, despite the fact that the misuse was due to identity theft. After Chris counterclaimed for the company's negligence in causing the identity theft, he negotiated to have the company not only dismiss the suit, but also pay his client's court costs and fees.
Chris clerked during the majority of law school with a busy commercial litigation firm, assisting with discovery, deposition preparation, and legal writing in matters that included class actions, appellate work, contract disputes, and the historic Detroit bankruptcy proceedings.
Away from the office, Chris finds time to hike, camp, and enjoy the outdoors, and is also a talented do-it-yourselfer.
Job Titles:
- Counselor
- Shareholder
- Shareholder / Farmington Hills
Christopher A. Merritt is an experienced litigator and counselor with a broad practice.
His experience includes providing cost-effective representation to corporations, lenders, schools, and individuals in a variety of complex litigation matters involving business disputes, breach of contract, professional liability, employment matters, and other commercial disputes.
Christopher takes great pride in his problem-solving skills and ability to successfully identify, research, and analyze any issue - no matter how novel or complex. He is also a tireless advocate of his clients' interests, and has represented plaintiffs and defendants in numerous high-stakes matters in state and federal court.
Christopher has successfully petitioned the Michigan Supreme Court to reverse precedent that limited the rights of lenders to pursue losses from third parties after foreclosure, thereby allowing his client to pursue millions of dollars in losses. He has successfully tried complex matters to jury verdict in favor of his client, including a federal court case involving claims of breach of contract, negligence, and breach of fiduciary duty against a commercial closing agent. Christopher has also successfully defended claims of fraud against a director of a Delaware corporation and was able to help his client take control of the company through counterclaims and a shareholder action.
Christopher's ability to consistently achieve favorable results for his clients, through litigation or negotiation, can be attributed to exhaustive preparation, a complete understanding of each dispute, and an extensive knowledge of the law. His attention to detail, case management skills, and exceptional work product have earned him the respect of his clients, peers, and adversaries. In addition to Christopher's extensive litigation experience, clients frequently seek his advice regarding risk-management, corporate governance, commercial agreements, and the handling of internal and external investigations.
After earning his undergraduate degree in psychology with honors, Christopher attended law school at Michigan State University College of Law, where he graduated in the top three percent of his class and was a member of the Law Review. Christopher enjoys traveling with his family, watching his daughters compete in various activities, and playing recreational sports.
Cinnamon Plonka is an accomplished litigator who handles a wide array of civil litigation matters, including first-party no-fault and third-party automobile negligence claims, premises liability, employment litigation, fraud, and insurance coverage disputes, both at the trial level and before appellate courts.
Cinnamon has an impressive track record based on her ability to engage the jury and persuade them to her way of thinking. She is passionate about being in the courtroom and her capacity for conveying a convincing story to seven strangers on a jury drives her success and cements her clients' loyalty.
She has a nearly flawless record of "No Cause of Action" verdicts over the past few years, including:
Job Titles:
- Shareholder
- Shareholder / Farmington Hills
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- Associate
- Associate / Grand Rapids
Job Titles:
- Shareholder
- Shareholder / Farmington Hills
Job Titles:
- Shareholder
- Shareholder / Farmington Hills
Dan McCarthy has amassed a long list of accomplishments and outstanding results over his long career in the practice of law.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate / Farmington Hills
Job Titles:
- Shareholder
- Shareholder / Farmington Hills
Danielle DePriest is dedicated to effectively and efficiently achieving the best possible results in the commercial litigation cases she handles.
Danielle handles a variety of litigation, including commercial and insurance disputes. Danielle represents shopping malls and retail commercial property owners in landlord-tenant disputes. In addition, she has experience representing governmental entities and her municipal litigation practice involves large-scale public infrastructure projects. She also has experience in the areas of energy infrastructure and eminent domain. Danielle has obtained numerous victories for her representation of Fortune 500 insurers, including advising regarding policy revisions and interactions with governmental oversight entities. She also second-chaired a third-party negligence action that resulted in a "No Cause of Action" verdict in favor of her client.
Danielle's interest in public policy led her to the practice of law. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan's Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. At Wayne State University Law School, Danielle was an academic standout, earning scholarships and awards for her performance, and held leadership roles in a number of extracurricular activities, including positions as coach of the Moot Court Team and the Executive Articles Editor of the Wayne Law Review. During law school, she interested with the Judge Mark Goldsmith at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Danielle continues her commitment to the community through serving as the President of NEXTGen Detroit, the young adult division of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit and as an Executive Board member for Jewish Family Service of Metropolitan Detroit, an organization whose programming provides safety net services. As a member of its Board of Directors, she has helped create legal mentoring opportunities through an affiliation with the Jewish Bar Association of Michigan.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate / Farmington Hills
David Polidori concentrates his practice on insurance defense, coverage and fraud, aggressively representing his clients in all types of litigation.
David has been an attorney for more than 35 years. He has spent the vast majority of his career as an insurance defense litigator. David also has experience as a plaintiff attorney, having worked at one of the largest plaintiff law firms in the State of Michigan for two years.
David has defended insurance companies and their insureds in claims, suits, trials and appeals involving insurance coverage disputes, agency errors and omissions, premises liability, products liability, construction site accidents, commercial insurance liability claims of many types, fire and theft loss claims and suits, SIU claims, workers' compensation, and first-party no-fault and third-party automobile negligence claims.
David has worked in private practice, had his own law firm for a time, and was a member of a large commercial insurer in its staff counsel office for more than 18 years. David has handled a myriad of case types, and been exposed to many factual scenarios that needed interpretation. He has done the needed research and investigation into the "nail" or weakness in the plaintiff's case and the "hammer" to solidify the defendant/client's positon. David has taken numerous cases to trial, both bench and jury; and motioned to dismissal, facilitated, arbitrated and mediated cases.
David was born in Detroit, received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan, and earned his law degree from the University of Detroit School of Law.
Outside of the office David enjoys automobile and motorcycle customization; landscaping and woodworking; traveling; concert going; enjoying and giving guidance and a helping hand to his three college-grad daughters and grandson; and socializing with friends and family.
Job Titles:
- Shareholder
- Shareholder / Farmington Hills
Devin Sullivan focuses his practice on eminent domain matters, property law, and commercial litigation in the trial courts, on appeal, and at arbitration.
Devin frequently represents condemning agencies in complex eminent domain cases. He was a key member of the trial team for multiple condemnation trials in Michigan's Thumb region, each of which resulted in the jury finding the agency's original offer was just compensation for the property acquired, and that no additional compensation was owed to the property owners. He has also been instrumental in appellate victories in the Michigan Supreme Court and Michigan Court of Appeals, capitalizing on his written advocacy talents to secure successful outcomes for the Firm's clients.
Devin earned an undergraduate degree in Business Administration, with high distinction, from the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business, before attending Harvard Law School and earning his law degree, cum laude. At Harvard, Devin interned at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts, the Environmental and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, and the Federal Trade Commission. He also served as Technical Editor for the Harvard Environmental Law Review, a contributing staff member for the Harvard Journal on Legislation, and a student coordinator with the Law & Arts Initiative.
Prior to joining Zausmer, Devin practiced in Chicago with Jenner & Block, where he worked on complex insurance defense and commercial litigation matters, including a $1 billion estate dispute involving a multitude of complicated real estate transfers and trust disbursement issues. He has brought his superior analytical skills, detail-oriented approach, and real-world business sense to his work here, contributing to the exceptional representation the Firm's clients have come to expect.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate / Farmington Hills
- Key Member of Zausmer 's Commercial Group
Doug earned his undergraduate degree in Anthropology from the University of Michigan and his law degree from Michigan State University College of Law. While in law school, Doug served as an Articles Editor and Sanctions Committee member on the International Law Review, as well as maintaining membership in the Business and Securities Law Institute. He also interned for Judge James S. Jamo of the Ingham County Circuit Court. Doug's interest in business law culminated in his receipt of the Jurisprudence Achievement Award for the highest grade achieved in his Contract Drafting course.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate / Farmington Hills
Outside of the office, Dylan is an avid sportsman, playing hockey and golf year-round. He is also a devoted MSU Spartan and dog lover.
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- Associate / Farmington Hills
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- Shareholder / Farmington Hills
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- Associate / Farmington Hills
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- Associate / Farmington Hills
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- Associate / Farmington Hills
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- Shareholder / Farmington Hills
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- Associate / Farmington Hills
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- Shareholder / Farmington Hills
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- Associate / Farmington Hills
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- Associate / Farmington Hills
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- Associate / Farmington Hills
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- Shareholder / Farmington Hills
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- Associate / Farmington Hills
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- Shareholder / Farmington Hills
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- Shareholder / Farmington Hills
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- Associate / Farmington Hills
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- Shareholder / Farmington Hills
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- Managing Shareholder / Farmington Hills
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- Associate / Farmington Hills
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- Associate / Farmington Hills
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- Shareholder / Farmington Hills
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- Shareholder / Farmington Hills
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- Associate / Farmington Hills
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- Shareholder / Farmington Hills
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- Shareholder / Farmington Hills
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- Associate / Farmington Hills
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- of Counsel / Farmington Hills
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- Shareholder / Farmington Hills
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- Associate / Farmington Hills
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- Associate / Farmington Hills
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- Associate / Farmington Hills
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- Associate / Farmington Hills
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- Associate / Farmington Hills
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- Shareholder / Farmington Hills
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- Associate / Farmington Hills
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- Shareholder / Farmington Hills
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- Associate / Farmington Hills
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- Associate / Farmington Hills