Julie I. Fershtman, Attorney at Law


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Julie I. Fershtman, Attorney at Law
Of Counsel to Zausmer, Kaufman, August, Caldwell & Tayler, P.C.
Click here to visit www.lawsite.com - the Website of Zausmer, Kaufman, August, Caldwell & Tayler, P.C.

Julie Fershtman is Of Counsel to the law firm of Zausmer, Kaufman, August, Caldwell & Tayler, P.C., with offices in Farmington Hills, Michigan, and Lansing, Michigan.  Together with her Associate, April L. Neihsl, Esq. (see below), they practice primarily insurance defense, insurance coverage, business litigation (plaintiff and defense), premises liability, sporting and recreational liability, and equine law.  Her expertise also includes handling matters in state and federal courts through trials and appeals as well as mediation and arbitration.

Our Valued Clients

She has nearly 22 years of experience representing corporations, insurers, and individuals on cases and matters nationwide.  She has won trials before juries in Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois.  In addition, she has been approved by state and Federal courts in Michigan, Florida, Arizona, Georgia, Missouri, South Carolina, Illinois, Tennessee, and Connecticut to actively handle particular cases as pro hac vice counsel.  In addition to directly serving her clients, she also accepts cases and matters throughout the United States in which she serves as a legal consultant working behind the scenes to help lawyers and their clients develop winning claims and defenses.

National Publications/Speaking

Ms. Fershtman has written over 185 published articles on legal topics, two law-related books, and three law journal articles for the American Bar Association.  She recently co-authored/co-edited a book on law and litigation skills for the American Bar Association that is tentatively scheduled for publication in October 2008.

In addition to her extensive work and writings, she has lectured in 24 states at industry conventions, expos, universities, and continuing legal education conferences.  Speaking engagements include the American Bar Association Annual Meeting, Institute for Continuing Legal Education, Insurance Skills Center, and the Property Loss Research Bureau (PLRB) Claims Conference.  

Leadership - State and National

Ms. Fershtman is very active in bar associations on a local, state and national level.  For the State Bar of Michigan (www.michbar.org), she currently serves as Treasurer and is a past Chair of the Representative Assembly, the State Bar's 150-lawyer/judge final policy-making body.  She is also a past Chair of the State Bar of Michigan Young Lawyers Section, the State Bar’s oldest and largest section.  She was Secretary of the Oakland County Bar Association (www.ocba.org) from 2007-2008.  In addition, she is a Trustee of the Michigan State Bar Foundation (www.msbf.org).

In the American Bar Association, (www.abanet.org), she is a Vice-Chair of the Tort, Trial & Insurance Practice Section's Animal Law Committee and Chair of its sub-committee on Insurance Law.

Recognition

In 2007 Crain's Detroit Business named her one of the "Most Influential Women" in the Metropolitan Detroit area.  The American Bar Association’s Barrister Magazine singled her out in 1995 as one of "21 Young Lawyers Leading Us into the 21st Century."  Crain's Detroit Business named her one of "40 Outstanding Business Leaders Under 40" in the Metropolitan Detroit area in 1996.  She also received the Oakland County Bar Association’s prestigious “Professionalism Award” in 2000.  She was named a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.

Background

Ms. Fershtman graduated from Emory College in 1983, earning two bachelor’s degrees, and Emory Law School in 1986.

Our Team

April L. Neihsl, Esq., her Associate, is a 2006 cum laude graduate of Wayne Law School, where she served as a member and editor of the Wayne Law Review.  She is a 2003 graduate with High Honors from Michigan State University. 

Our Goal

Our clients want, and deserve, results.  We consistently achieve results through the highest standards of advocacy, professionalism, communication, preparation, and ethics. 

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:  On September 27, 2007, Julie was sworn in as the Treasurer of the State Bar of Michigan by Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Clifford Taylor.


Contact Us:

Julie I. Fershtman, Attorney at Law
Of Counsel to
ZAUSMER, KAUFMAN, AUGUST, CALDWELL & TAYLER, P.C.
31700 Middlebelt Rd., Ste. 150
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
Phone: (248) 851-4111, extension 160
E-mail: jfershtman@zkact.com
and fershtman@aol.com
  • Results delivered!  This year Julie and her Associate WON a trial on a sales fraud/Breach of Warranty/Consumer Protection Act/breach of contract case.  Her clients were awarded monetary damages; also, the court also ordered the losing parties to pay 100% of her attorney fees.  Also this year, Julie won an appeal before the Michigan Court of Appeals on a premises liability case.  She and her Associate have also achieved key summary judgment rulings at the trial court level in her clients' favor on heavily contested commercial and personal injury cases.  In 2004, Julie handled jury trials in 3 states, 2 appeals before the Michigan Court of Appeals, and a major Federal Court insurance case in Chicago - winning ALL of them.
  • Top rated.  Rated “AV” [highest possible rating for abilities and ethics] by the Martindale Hubbell Law Directory (www.martindale.com).  Rated 10.0/10 "Superb" [highest possible rating for experience, industry recognition, and ethics] by www.avvo.com, a lawyer rating service.
  • One of few lawyers nationwide selected for the American Bar Association's "Profiles in the Profession" section of the ABA website.  Featured in the ABA's electronic law practice newsletter "Inside Practice" in 2005. 
  • Listed in "Who's Who in American Law" for over 18 consecutive years. 
  • Author of six substantive law articles published by the American Bar Association.  Speaker at the 2005 American Bar Association Annual Meeting.
  • Named a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.  One of less than 3% of all lawyers in the United States to be selected. 
  • Speaker on Insurance Law and Liability at the following  industry conferences: 2008 PLRB/LIRB Claims Conference (Boston, MA); 2008 Insurance Skills Center National Conferences (California, Iowa, Virginia); 2007 Insurance Skills Center National Conference (Iowa); 2006 Insurance Skills Center National Conference (California); 2006 Farm Family Insurance Conference (Maryland); 2007 American Reliable Insurance Company/American Bankers Insurance Company Conference (Georgia).  Also spoke at the Institute for Continuing Legal Education Solo & Small Firm Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan (2007). 
  • Co-author of three Law Journal articles for the ABA: "Recent Developments in Animal Tort & Insurance Law," American Bar Association - Tort Trial & Insurance Law Journal, vol. 41, no. 2, Winter 2006.  "Recent Developments in Animal Tort & Insurance Law," American Bar Association - Tort, Trial & Insurance Law Journal, vol. 42, no. 2, Winter 2007.  "Recent Developments in Animal Tort & Insurance Law," American Bar Association - Tort, Trial & Insurance Law Journal, vol. 43, no. 3, Spring 2008 (publication pending).
  • Listed, with extensive client support, in Best's Directory of Recommended Insurance Attorneys for several years, most recently in the 2008 issue.
  • SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS IN 2008!  Speaker at the 2008 PLRB/LIRB Insurance Claims Conference (Boston, MA) and Insurance Skills Center Agribusiness Conferences (CA, IA, and VA).  Also speaking at the 2008 Carriage Operators of North America National Convention (Charleston, SC), and the 2008 National Conference on Equine Law (Lexington, KY).