Bowman and Brooke is proud to announce that Executive Managing Partner Tom Branigan has been named Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s 2025 Lawyer of the Year.
A legendary trial lawyer with more than 40 years of experience, Tom is recognized nationally for his leadership in high-exposure “bet-the-company” automotive product liability litigation across the automotive industry for clients including BMW, Ford, Mercedes and GM. His dedication, skill and long-standing reputation as one of the country’s top trial lawyers continue to elevate our firm and save his clients billions of dollars.
Tom helped launch Bowman and Brooke’s Detroit office from a temporary space near General Motors’ headquarters into one of the firm’s most successful offices. As a member of the Executive Committee and Co-Chair of the Automotive Practice Group, he plays a strategic role in shaping the firm’s national vision while continuing to lead from the front lines of trial work.
Tom has served as trial counsel for many of the world’s top automotive manufacturers, defending catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases from coast to coast. His trial experience spans matters involving technology as straightforward as door-handle mechanisms to advanced autonomous driving systems.
This past year, Tom delivered two major defense verdicts that turned billion-dollar claims into decisive victories:
Moore v. Mercedes-Benz (March 2025)
Serving as first chair, Tom secured a unanimous defense verdict in a six-week Wayne County trial rejecting a $2 billion wrongful death claim. The case drew national attention due to the prominence of the plaintiffs and was among the largest civil trials in Michigan this year.
Sims v. BMW (September 2025)
Tom defended BMW in an airbag injury case in Orlando, Florida. After eight days of trial, the jury unanimously found no fault against the manufacturer and reduced a $1.2 billion demand to a $147,000 net award.
Tom’s recognition as Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s Lawyer of the Year reflects his outstanding courtroom achievements, his decades of leadership in the automotive industry and the trust his clients place in him. We are honored to celebrate this major career accomplishment.