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Thomas P. Branigan

Biography

Tom Branigan is a trial lawyer who has spent his entire legal career in the courtroom engaged in trials and litigation involving a broad range of issues on behalf of a variety of clients for some of the world's largest publicly traded companies, from product manufacturers to financial institutions and franchisors. His practice is primarily focused on the defense of complex commercial cases, product liability matters involving catastrophic exposure and and business disputes on a nationwide basis.

In his commercial litigation practice, Tom represents lenders, franchisors, product manufacturers and distributors in cases raising a diversity of issues including lender liability, foreclosure, breach of contract, trade secrets, trademarks and unfair competition. Tom has tried scores of cases in both state and federal courts as lead counsel and national coordinating counsel in numerous venues coast to coast – from Alabama to West Virginia and everything in between. For more than 24 years, Tom has continuously handled cases involving products as simple as a seat belt buckle to cutting edge technology including early air bag components, electronically controlled fuel systems and electronic stability control that is now gaining worldwide acceptance in the motor vehicle industry.

For four years in a row, Tom was named to The Legal 500, in which his clients describe him as "determined, aggressive and perceptive – an excellent trial lawyer that they are happy to trust going into a big case – and an outstanding lawyer providing excellent legal service."

Tom is also the co-author of a handbook entitled: Michigan Product Liability and Automobile No-Fault Reform Legislation and numerous articles related to his practice. Tom has also held a variety of leadership roles in the firm and currently serves as an elected member of the firm's six partner Executive Committee and Management Committee.

Education

Michigan State University College of Law, J.D., 1988
cum laude
William P. Finch Evidence Award, 1988
Louis J. Colombo Award, Detroit College of Law Class of 1988
Editor-in-Chief, Detroit College of Law Review, 1987 - 1988
Wayne State University, B.A., 1985

Bar Admissions

Michigan, 1988
Illinois, 2000
Ohio, 1999

Court Admissions

U.S. Supreme Court, 2004
U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit, 1996
U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit, 2002
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Michigan, 1988
U.S. District Court Western District of Michigan, 1991
U.S. District Court District of Utah, 1995
U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois, 2000

Memberships and Affiliations

American Bar Association

Chicago Bar Association

Defense Research Institute

Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association

Michigan Chamber of Commerce

Michigan Defense Trial Counsel

Oakland County Bar Association

Society of Automotive Engineers

Distinctions

Michigan Leader in the Law, 2012
Michigan Lawyers Weekly

Named to Chambers USA, 2008-2011

Named to The Legal 500 United States, 2008-2011

Super Lawyer®, 2006-2011
Top 100, 2007-2009
Michigan Super Lawyers Magazine

Irish Legal 100, 2009-2011

Top Lawyer, Product Liability and Commercial Litigation, 2009-2010
DBusiness Magazine

40 Under 40, 2002
The National Law Journal

Who's Who in the World

Who's Who in America

Who's Who in American Law

Who's Who in Finance and Business

Classes and Seminars Taught

"The Impact of Product Liability Pattern Litigation in the 21st Century on the Automobile Industry," Bowman and Brooke Hot Topics Seminar, Detroit, MI, September 16, 2010

Young Lawyers Trial Techniques Seminar, The Defense Research Institute, 1993 and 1994

Andrews Automotive Litigation Reporter - Courses, Lecturer

"Defending the Product During and After the Manufacturer's Mea Culpa," American Bar Association, Section of Litigation, 2001

Representative Cases

CASE RESULTS DEPEND UPON A VARIETY OF FACTORS UNIQUE TO EACH CASE.
CASE RESULTS DO NOT GUARANTEE OR PREDICT A SIMILAR RESULT IN ANY FUTURE CASE.

StoneArch Fund IV v. Beal Bank and the FDIC, 2012 WL 1648904 (D. Minn.) May 2012

Albrecht v. General Motors, Fort Dodge, IA, Case No. LACV307458

Ash v. Ford Motor Company, et al., Wayne County Circuit Court, MI, Case No. 03-331831-NP

Bono v. EDS, et al., Oakland County Circuit Court, MI, Case No. 90-398322-NI

Brown v. General Motors Corporation, et al., 50th District Court, MI, Case No. 95-C01639-GC

Burns v. General Motors Corporation, 4th Judicial District, Multnomah County, OR, Case No. 9209-06488

Chastain v. General Motors Corporation, Macomb County Circuit Court, MI, Case No. 93-4415-NP

Chevez, et al. v. Ford Motor Company, et al., Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles, Case No. EC 032707

Croskey v. BMW of North America, et al., United States District Court, Eastern District of MI, Southern Division, Case No. 02-73747

DeLozier v John Novak, Macomb County Circuit Court, MI, Case No. 92-5683-NI

Dolan, et al. v. Ford Motor Company, et al., Macomb County Circuit Court, MI, Case No. 04-3074-NI

Francois, et al. v. Ford Motor Company, et al., Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court, Grundy County, IL, Case No. 01-L-53

Garcia, et al. v. General Motors Corporation, et al., Superior Court of California, County of Orange, Case No. 761906

Goldman v John Booth, 48th District Court, MI

Holt v. Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., et al., Superior Court of the State of California, County of Orange, Case No. 06CC11291

Jones, et al. v. General Motors Corporation, Berrien County Circuit Court, MI, Case No. 96-1270-NI-H

Laski v. General Motors of Canada, Ltd., et al., United States District Court, Eastern District of MI, Southern Division, Case No. 94CV73652

LNV Corporation v. J Cerretani, Detroit, Michigan

MacGregor v. General Motors Corporation, Jackson County Circuit Court, MI, Case No. 94-68170-NI

Misener v. General Motors Corporation, et al., United States District Court, District of Utah, Central Division, Case No. 92-CV-156J

Ogborn, et al. v. General Motors Corporation, Circuit Court of City of St. Louis, MO, Case No. 942-9431

Ottoman, et al. v. General Motors Corporation, et al., Wayne County Circuit Court, MI, Case No. 93-330879-NP

Russell, et al. v. General Motors Corporation, et al., Court of Common Pleas of Franklin County, OH, Case No. 97CVC-01-2424

Rybar v. General Motors Corporation, et al., Genesee County Circuit Court, MI, Case No. 91-7014-CP

Estate of M. Shaver, et al. v. General Motors Corporation, et al., Superior Court of CA, County of Riverside

Sherman v. General Motors Corporation, et al., 36th Judicial District Court, MI, Case No. 95-108 658 PS

Simmer v. Ford Motor Company, et al., Ingham County Circuit Court, MI, Case No. 01-94205-NP

Trealout v. Outboard Marine Corporation, United States District Court, Eastern District of MI, Southern Division, Case No. 93-CV 40127 FL

Tricker v. Grech, Genesee County Circuit Court, MI, Case No. 95-41140 NI

Viggiano v. Ford Motor Company, et al., United States District Court, District of South Carolina, Charleston Division Case No. 2:03-459-23

Wolverine Mutual Insurance Company v. Wagner Spray Tech, et al., Kent County Circuit Court, MI, Case No. 96-03862-NP

Vinci v. General Motors Corporation, Wayne County Circuit Court, MI, Case No. 90-024165-NP

Published Works

"Foreign Privacy Laws in U.S. Courts," (with David J. Gentile), For The Defense, March, 2009

"Franchisors Must Follow New Rules Effective July 1, 2008," The Detroit Legal News and Oakland County Legal News, July 11 and 18, 2008

"Trade Secrets - At Risk Now More Than Ever," In-House Defense Counsel Quarterly, Summer, 2007

"Dealing with Patents in Product Liability Trials," Co-Author, 2004

"Michigan Product Liability and Automobile No-Fault Reform Legislation," Co-Author, 1996

"Defending Seat Belt Buckle Inertial Unlatch Claims," Michigan Defense Trial Counsel, Summer, 1994

"Truth or Consequences, Philadelphia Newspapers v. Hepps," Det. C.L. Rev., 1219, 1986