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Alvin Rutledge       

Text Box: Mr. Rutledge heads the litigation section.  He has exten­sive experience as a trial attorney in the areas of commercial litigation, "toxic tort", insurance coverage, general and product liability, and professional errors and omissions. He is a member of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (membership limited to 1,000 attorneys/invitation only), the Association of Defense Trial Counsel and a charter member of the Michigan Defense Counsel.  He was recently extended the honor of membership in the American Board of Trial Advocates.  He is a founder and past president of the Incorporated Society of Irish American Lawyers.  He is past Chairman and member of the Board of Directors of Eagle International Associates, an international association of law firms specializing in the defense of civil litigation.  In conjunction with Eagle he as made presentations on the state of Product Liability law to audiences in the US, England and France. Mr. Rutledge has also served on the State Bar of Michigan’s Committee on the Quality of Professional Life and is a Fellow of the State Bar of Michigan Foundation.  He serves on the Wayne County Case Evaluation Tribunal, as an attorney arbitrator for the Ameri­can Arbitration Association's Medical Malpractice Panel, and as an independent arbitrator and facilitator. John Carroll University, A.B., l964; Univer­sity of Detroit, J.D., l967; member of the American, Michigan and Detroit Metropolitan Bar Associations; admitted to practice in Michigan and Federal Courts, United States Court of Appeals Sixth Circuit and the United States Supreme Court.  Email address:  arutledge@rmrtt.com         

Text Box: Mr. Manion is primarily engaged as a trial attorney in the areas of medical-dental malpractice, legal malpractice, product liability, property and general civil liability.  He has been a member of the Representative Assembly of the State Bar of Michigan, State Bar of Michigan Committee on Character and Fitness and is a current panelist for the State Bar of Michigan Attorney Discipline Board and a member of the State Bar of Michigan Negligence Section and a current council member.  He is a past member of the Detroit Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Committee and is a current member of the American Bar Association as well as its Committee on Torts and Insurance Practice. He is the first recipient of the ProNational Insurance Company’s Platinum Award for achieving thirty No Cause verdicts in professional liability trials.  He is a member of the Defense Research Institute, the Michigan Defense Trial Counsel, the Associa­tion of Defense Trial Counsel, and is a current board member of same.  He is an elected advocate member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA).  He is a defense evaluator for the Wayne County Case Evaluation Tribunal.  He is a Fellow of the State Bar of Michigan.  He is a frequent lecturer in the area of risk management with respect to insurance companies and professional groups.  He is a member of the Catholic Lawyers Society and a current board member.  He is a current trustee and past board member of the Catholic Youth Organization and special counsel to the executive director.  He is a founding member of the Incorporated Society of Irish American Lawyers and a member of the American Constitution Society.  He is a staff attorney at the Most Holy Trinity Free Legal Aid Clinic.  He is a current member of the Zurich Insurance Company Liability Catastrophic Injury Counsel Panel. College of the Holy Cross, B.A., l969; Detroit College of Law, J.D., l972; member of the American, Michigan and Detroit Metropolitan Bar Associations; admitted to practice in Michigan and Federal Courts. Email address:  pmanion@rmrtt.com    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paul Manion

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vincent C. Rabaut, Jr.

 

Text Box: Mr. Rabaut uses his undergraduate training and degree in engineering to represent self-insured, insurance carriers and excess carriers in the evaluation and defense of product liability claims, general construction accident and defect litigation, engineering and architectural liability, professional liability including legal and accounting malpractice, "toxic tort", nursing homes, general liability and premises claims. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Association of Defense Trial Counsel and the Defense Research Institute.  He also serves on the Wayne County Case Evaluation Tribunal. University of Detroit, B.S., (Electrical Engineering, l969); J.D., l974 (Cum Laude); member of the American, Michi­gan, Detroit Metropolitan and Macomb County Bar Associations; admitted to practice in Michigan and Federal Courts. Email address:  vrabaut@rmrtt.com    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christopher L. Terry

 

 

Text Box: Mr. Terry specializes in the defense of insurance carriers in all forms of first party litigation, including coverage disputes with policyholders; suits alleging “bad faith”; and no-fault claims alleging traumatic brain injury. He has lectured and conducted various seminars for attorneys and various insurance professionals in Michigan, Illinois and Minnesota. He also has extensive experience in commercial litigation, including claims for breach of contract; construction liability and indemnity; truckers engaged in interstate commerce; and alleged professional negligence of architects, engineers and others. He has also represented numerous employers, in defense of actions alleging unlawful discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful discharge. Mr. Terry represents his clients at all stages of litigation, including any appeals. He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, the Association of Defense Trial Counsel, the Michigan Association of Defense Trial Counsel, the Defense Research Institute, and the Tort & Insurance Practice and Litigation Sections of the American Bar Association.  University of Michigan, A.B., l969; Wayne State University, J.D., l972 (Cum Laude); member of the American, Michigan and Detroit Metropolitan Bar Associations; admitted to practice in Michigan and Federal Courts. Email address:   cterry@rmrtt.com    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

David M. Thomas

 

 

 

Text Box: Mr. Thomas is an experienced trial attorney in the areas of medical, dental, legal and pharmaceutical malpractice.  He has also engaged in the defense of claims involving government liability, employment discrimination, automobile negligence, liquor liability, premises and commercial liability. He is immediate past President of The Association of Defense Trial Counsel.  He is on the Board of Directors of the Wayne County Mediation Tribunal, and is a member of the Defense Research Institute, the Michigan Defense Counsel and the Medical-Legal Society.  He is a member of the Macomb County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Committee and is a member of the American Bar Association, as well as that association’s Committee on Tort and Insurance Practice.  He has served as a mediator in Wayne and Macomb Counties and has served as an arbitrator throughout southeastern Michigan.  He was elected class president of his law school class and he has received the "Distinguished Guest Lecture Award" from the Michigan State University, College of Law in the area of trial practice. Michigan State University, B.A., l976; Detroit College of Law, J.D., l98l; member of the American, Michigan and Detroit Metropolitan Bar Associations; admitted to practice in Michigan and Federal Courts. Email address:  dthomas@rmrtt.com          

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anthony J. Calati

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Text Box: Mr. Calati is an experienced trial attorney in the defense of mass tort claims (asbestos, DES), toxic tort claims (lead paint, industrial chemicals), professional liability (engineers, architects and surveyors) as well as general liability claims involving premises, products, liquor liability, governmental tort liability and trucking accidents. He regularly defends manufacturers and distributors in product liability cases involving asbestos, pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals and materials handling equipment as well as commercial landlords and property managers in lead paint claims and in premises liability actions involving snow and ice, elevators, foreign substances, stairways, handrails, and walking surfaces.  He has lectured on successor corporate liability in Michigan and Pennsylvania. He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan (Negligence and Public Corporation Sections), the Association of Defense Trial Counsel, the Detroit Bar Association, the Macomb County Bar Association, the American Bar Association (Law Practice Management, Litigation and Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Sections) and the Italian-American Bar Association of Michigan. Western Michigan University, B.S., 1978 (Economics); Detroit College of Law, J.D., 1983; member of the American, Michigan, Detroit Metropolitan and Macomb County Bar Associations; admitted to practice in Michigan and Federal Courts. Email address:  acalati@rmrtt.com      

David A. Brauer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Matthew A. Brauer

Text Box: Mr. Brauer is a trial attorney experienced in the areas of medical and dental malpractice and premises liability.  He regularly defends physicians, dentists and commercial landlords in all facets of civil litigation.  Mr. Brauer also lectures to physician and dental groups in the areas of risk avoidance.  He is a member of the American, Michigan and Oakland County Bar Associations as well as the Association of Defense Trial Counsel and the Michigan Defense Counsel.  Mr. Brauer obtained his undergraduate degree from Michigan State University, and his law degree from the Detroit College of Law. Michigan State University, B.A., 1988; Detroit College of Law, J.D., 1991; member of the American, Michigan, Oakland County and Detroit Metropolitan Bar Associations; admitted to practice in Michigan and Federal Courts. Email address:  dbrauer@rmrtt.com  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Text Box: Mr. Brauer is primarily engaged as defense counsel in civil litigation matters including governmental liability, premises and product liability, fires and explosions, automobile negligence, employer's liability and contract claims.  He regularly defends governmental agencies, commercial landlords and insurance companies in civil litigation matters.  He is a member of the Association of Defense Trial Counsel and handles matters in all Michigan state and federal courts, as well as the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Central Michigan University, B.S., 1990; Detroit College of Law, J.D., 1994 (Cum Laude); member of the American, Michigan and Detroit Metropolitan Bar Associations; admitted to practice in Michigan's state and federal courts, as well as the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Email address:  mbrauer@rmrtt.com  

 

 

 

Dora A. Brantley

Text Box: Ms. Brantley is engaged as a trial attorney who focuses her practice on the defense of claims involving medical and dental malpractice, as well as general civil liability.  She has successfully defended claims brought against physicians and dentists, restaurants, food manufacturers, automobile drivers, landlords and other property owners.  She is a member of the Michigan Bar Association, National Bar Association, Wolverine Bar Association and the Michigan Defense Trial Counsel.  With the Michigan Defense Trial Counsel, she has had the privilege of sitting as both a board member as well as the General Liability Section Chair. University of Michigan, B.A. 1990; Wayne State University Law School, J.D. 1993; member of Michigan Bar Association, National Bar Association, Wolverine Bar Association and Michigan Defense Trial Counsel; admitted to practice in Michigan state courts, United States District Court – Eastern District of Michigan and United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Email address:  dbrantley@rmrtt.com    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joseph J.Wright

 

Text Box: Mr. Wright specializes in the defense of corporations, business owners, insurers and individuals in the areas of personal injury, product liability, construction site injury litigation, premises liability, automobile and no-fault litigation (first and third-party claims), insurance coverage disputes, commercial contract disputes, environmental contamination claims, complex litigation, and appellate proceedings.  He is the author of "Making Sense of Retained Control and Common Work Area Liability," Michigan Defense Quarterly, Vol. 21, No. 2 (2004), and "Reconciling the Notice of Non-Party Fault and the Taxation of Costs Pursuant to Michigan's Prevailing Party Statutes," Michigan Defense Quarterly, Vol. 21, No. 4 (2005). Michigan State University, B.A. 1984; Detroit College of Law, J.D., 1987; member of the State Bar of Michigan, Michigan Defense Trial Counsel, Association of Defense Trial Counsel, Defense Research Institute; admitted to practice in the United States District Court - Eastern and Western Districts, and in the United States Court of Appeals Sixth Circuit. Email address:  jwright@rmrtt.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Text Box: University of Detroit Mercy, B.A. 1995 (Magna Cum Laude); Wayne State University, J.D., 1998; member of the American and Michigan Bar Associations and Association of Defense Trial Counsel; admitted to practice in Michigan and Federal Courts. Email address:  aschlotterer@rmrtt.com  

 

Amy E.Schlotterer

Madeleine R. Szymanski

Text Box: Wayne State University, B.A. 1992; University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, J.D., 1996; member of the American and Michigan Bar Associations; admitted to practice in Michigan and Federal Courts. Email address:  mszymanski@rmrtt.com  

Dale A. Robinson

Text Box: University of Windsor, B.A. Political Science, 1989; Detroit College of Law, J.D., 1996; member of the American, Michigan and Detroit Metropolitan Bar Associations, Association of Defense Trial Counsel and Society of Automotive Engineers; admitted to practice in Michigan and Federal Courts. Email address:  drobinson@rmrtt.com  

Text Box: University of Detroit Mercy, B.A., Magna Cum Laude, 1996; Wayne State University, J.D., 1999; member of the State Bar of Michigan, Michigan Defense Trial Counsel, Defense Research Institute and the Negligence Section of the Michigan State Bar.  Admitted to practice in the State of Michigan and in the United States District Court – Eastern District of Michigan. Email address:  mthomas@rmrtt.com   Matthew J. Thomas