Julie Fershtman is an attorney with more than 38 years
of experience in the practice of law. An Equity Shareholder with the full-service law firm of Foster Swift Collins & Smith,
PC, her practice primarily focuses on business litigation (plaintiff and defense), general insurance defense, insurance coverage,
real estate litigation, premises liability, construction defect, sales disputes, fraud litigation, sporting and recreational
liability, contract disputes, and equine (horse-related) law (www.equinelaw.net). Valued Clients Serving businesses and individuals nationwide on a wide variety of legal matters. ** Representative Matters Examples
of legal matters handled: - Won a product liability/negligence/UCC
case for a client, resulting in dismissal of all claims against the client. Won appeal of the case.
- Won a 9-day Bench trial of an equine sale dispute and secured dismissal of defamation
claims against client.
- Won a bench trial of a land use/quiet title
dispute.
- Won dismissals of multiple, complex wrongful death cases
against clients.
- Representing premises owners, won cases
through the trial court and appellate court levels.
- Won
insurance coverage lawsuits in four states, including a jury trial on coverage issues.
- Representing horse sellers, drafted documentation involving the sale of a $1.2 million breeding stallion/national
champion.
- Representing horse buyers, drafted documentation
involving the purchase of a $500,000 elite show hunter.
- Representing
sellers of a $400,000 national champion show horse, won a lawsuit involving claims of breach of warranty and fraud.
- In one year, alone, won summary judgment for the defense of three different personal
injury lawsuits in three different counties.
National Litigation Work ** Jury trials in 4 states.**
Approved by state and federal courts in 21 jurisdictions around the country to actively handle particular cases on a pro
hac vice (specially admitted out-of-state counsel) basis. Publications and Speaking Author of
4 books, one co-authored. Contributing writer to 4 other books published by the American Bar Association. In 2019, the ABA
published her newest book,which received 4 national book awards. (More information at www.equinelaw.info.)
In addition, author of more than 425 published articles, including 7 law journal articles for the ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Law Section Journal. Speaking
engagements in 29 states, including the American Bar Association Annual Meeting, Institute for Continuing Legal Education,
International Risk Management Institute (IRMI), Property Loss Research Bureau (PLRB) National Claims Conference, National
Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, National Business Institute, and numerous others. Leadership - Local, State, and National Past President of the 46,000-member State Bar of Michigan (2011-12). For more information and to follow her
presidential travels, please visit www.sbmpres2012.com. Served as a Vice-Chair of a committee of the ABA Tort, Trial &
Insurance Practice Law Section. Past member of the ABA House of Delegates, the ABA's policy-making body. Recognition - Named "Woman of the Year" in Michigan's legal profession (2016) and honored as a member of the Michigan
Lawyers "Hall of Fame" by Michigan Lawyers Weekly (2024).
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America ® 2013-2025 in the categories of Business Litigation and
Insurance Law.
- Listed in Michigan Super Lawyers ®
every year since 2008 and named one of the "Top 100 Lawyers in Michigan" (2019-2024) and one of the "Top 50
Women Lawyers" in Michigan (2013-2024).
- Recipient of
Women Lawyers Association of Michigan 2018 Jean L. King Leadership Award.
- Recipient of State Bar of Michigan's Roberts P. Hudson Award and Michael Franck Award.
- Named by Crain's Detroit Business as a "Notable Woman Lawyer in Michigan" (2017).
- Honored by Crain's Detroit Business as a "Woman to Watch" (2010),
"40 Under 40" (1996), and one of its "Notable Women in Law" (2017 and 2024).
- Recognized among the list of "Top Lawyers" by DBusiness Magazine (2009-2010,
2015-2025).
- Recipient of Oakland County Bar Association's Professionalism
Award (2000).
- Fellow by invitation of American, Michigan, Detroit,
and Oakland County Bar Foundations.
- Trustee and current Vice President
of the Michigan State Bar Foundation.
- Rated "AV" (5.0/5)
by Martindale-Hubbell and 10.0/10 by Avvo.com.
- Senior Fellow of
the Litigation Counsel of America, a national trial lawyer honorary society.
Educational Background Graduate of Emory College and Emory Law School. Our Assurance to You Clients deserve results. While no lawyer can guarantee results, we consistently work hard to achieve
them through the highest standards of advocacy, professionalism, communication, preparation, and ethics. Numerous clients,
ranging from some of the world's largest insurers to small businesses and individuals in a variety of industries, seek Ms.
Fershtman's guidance and entrust their legal matters to her year after year. Contact Information: Julie I. Fershtman, Attorney at Law Foster Swift Collins & Smith, PC 28411 Northwestern Hwy., Ste. 500 Southfield,
Michigan 48034 Phone (Direct Line): 248-785-4731 E-mail: jfershtman@fosterswift.com ANNOUNCEMENTS: Honored by Michigan Lawyer's Weekly as a member of its "Michigan
Lawyers Hall of Fame" for 2024 and named a 2025 "Top Lawyer" by DBusiness Magazine in the category
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Areas of practice include: • Business Litigation • Insurance Defense
• Insurance Coverage • Premises Liability • Agribusiness Liability • Sporting
Liability • Recreational Liability • Contract Disputes • Contract Drafting • Construction Law • Sales Disputes • Property Disputes • Fraud Litigation • Fiduciary Duty Cases •
Employment Law • Intentional Tort Cases • Class Action Defense • Trials, Arbitrations, Facilitations, Appeals
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- Results delivered. In 2020, Julie won a product liability
case for her client in the Michigan Court of Appeals involving complex issues of expert witness qualification; she also won
the case at the trial court level. In a case from a few years ago, Julie represented buyers,
and won a trial on their behalf involving issues of sales fraud/Breach of Warranty/Consumer Protection Act/breach of contract;
in that case, the Court ordered the sellers, who lost the case, to reimburse Julie's clients' monetary losses and awarded
them 100% of their legal fees. She has won heavily contested commercial and personal injury cases at trial and
appellate court levels.
- Consistent Results.
In one year, she won jury trials in 3 states (Illinois, Ohio, and Michigan), 2 appeals, and a major Federal
insurance coverage case in Illinois.
- Listed in Who's Who in American Law for 30+ years.
- Named a Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, a distinction given to less than 1/3 of 1% of all lawyers.
- 2020 Speaking Engagements. University of Kentucky
Journal of Natural Resources and Equine Law Symposium (Lexington, Kentucky); National Conference on Equine Law (Lexington,
Kentucky) - Postponed due to COVID-19; "AgriCon" / IRMI Agribusiness Conference; Legal Talk Network; Cornell Cooperative
Extension, Equitana USA (Postponed).
- 2021 Speaking Engagements.
National Conference on Equine Law (Virtual); American Youth Horse Council (Virtual); Cornell Cooperative Extension (Virtual);
Agricultural Claims Conference (Virtual); United Professional Horsemans Association webinar (Virtual); "Agri Con"
/ IRMI Agribusiness Conference (Virtual); Ag Law Today podcast; Georgia Bar Association Equine Law Section (virtual);
Insurance Alliance of Michigan.
- 2022 Speaking Engagements. "AgriCon"
/ IRMI Agribusiness Conference (Sacramento, California); National Conference on Equine Law (Lexington, Kentucky); New York
State Bar Association (virtual), American Horse Council Annual Conference, (Washington, DC), and 2 others.
- 2023 Speaking Engagements. National Conference on Equine Law (Lexington, Kentucky
- in person); "AgriCon" /IRMI Agribusiness Conference (Sacramento, California - in person).
- 2024 Speaking Engagements. Six states. "AgriCon" /
IRMI Agribusiness Conference (San Mateo, California and Des Moines, Iowa - in person); Agricultural Claims Conference (Nashville,
Tennessee - in person); National Conference on Equine Law (Lexington, Kentucky - in person); PATH International Region 4 Conference
(Holland, Michigan - in person); National Association for Mutual Insurance Companies Agricultural Risk School (Columbus, Ohio
- in person).
- 2025 Speaking Engagements. Four states
(so far). "AgriCon"/IRMI Agribusiness Conference (Sacramento, California and DesMoines, Iowa); National Conference
on Equine Law (Lexington, Kentucky); Federal Bar Association - Detroit Chapter (Detroit, Michigan); Women Lawyers Association
of Michigan.
**
What State(s) Does Your Legal Matter Involve? Why we know the state(s) involved in your legal
matter. Regulations involving the practice of law prevent lawyers
from practicing all alone in states where they are not licensed. Julie is licensed
in Michigan but clients have retained her to handle cases, with court approval, in 21 State and Federal jurisdictions nationwide
as lead counsel or co-counsel. For out-of-state
clients who seek contracts, local counsel must
approve the drafts. For out-of-state clients seeking representation with lawsuits, local counsel will likely be needed
in some capacity.
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