Litigation Attorneys in Ann Arbor, Michigan

A contract dispute that started with a missed payment. A tort claim arising from a construction project gone wrong. A commercial relationship that ended with accusations on both sides. A threatened supply chain interruption that could impact the price and availability of critical materials and products. Civil litigation takes many forms, but the fundamentals remain the same: building a case on facts, applying the right law, and positioning the client for the best possible outcome.

The civil litigation attorneys at Conlin, McKenney & Philbrick, P.C. represent individuals, businesses, institutions, and governmental entities in disputes throughout Washtenaw County and Southeast Michigan. CMP Law’s litigation group is the firm’s largest practice, and its work reaches well beyond the insurance defense litigation for which the firm is widely known. The team handles the full range of civil disputes, from breach of contract and commercial torts to professional liability defense, construction claims, and appellate advocacy.

For decades, its attorneys have tried cases in every county in the region and in both the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan’s federal courts, representing clients that range from individuals to multinational corporations. Several have prevailed before the Michigan Court of Appeals and the Michigan Supreme Court. Seven former CMP partners have gone on to serve on the bench, a distinction that reflects the caliber of the firm’s trial practice.

Commercial Disputes and Breach of Contract

Breach of contract claims make up a significant share of civil litigation in Michigan courts. The statute of limitations for most contract actions is six years, though certain contract types carry shorter periods. Proving breach requires establishing the existence of a valid contract, identifying the specific term or obligation that was violated, demonstrating actual damages, and showing that the non-breaching party performed its own obligations or had a legal excuse for non-performance.

CMP Law litigates contract disputes involving commercial leases, supply and distribution agreements, construction contracts, partnership and operating agreement disputes, employment agreements, and professional services agreements. The firm’s litigation attorneys work closely with the business and corporate law and real estate practice groups, a structural advantage when the underlying transaction was complex and the contractual language requires interpretation considering the deal’s full context.

Tort Litigation and Negligence Defense

Michigan’s tort system operates under a modified comparative fault rule that makes the allocation of fault a central issue in nearly every negligence case and creates opportunities for defense counsel to reduce or eliminate non-economic exposure through well-supported comparative fault arguments.

CMP Law defends clients in negligence actions, professional liability claims, construction defect disputes, and commercial tort matters including tortious interference, fraud, and conversion. The firm’s defense work spans individual claims and multi-party litigation involving businesses, property owners, design professionals, contractors, and governmental entities. When tort claims arise alongside contractual disputes, the litigation team coordinates with the firm’s transactional attorneys to present a unified defense.

Alternative Dispute Resolution and Case Evaluation

Not every dispute requires a trial. Michigan’s court system encourages resolution through multiple mechanisms, and effective use of these tools can save clients significant time and expense. CMP Law attorneys participate in:

• Case evaluation, where a three-attorney panel issues a monetary assessment of the case;
• Court-ordered and private mediation;
• Facilitation and other ADR processes by party stipulation;
• Arbitration under contractual arbitration clauses or Michigan’s Revised Uniform Arbitration Act.

The decision to settle or proceed to trial is always the client’s. CMP Law’s role is to ensure that the client makes that decision with a clear understanding of the costs, risks, and likely outcomes at each stage. The firm prepares every case with trial in mind, which strengthens its negotiating position in settlement discussions and ADR proceedings.

Appellate Practice in Michigan Courts

An appeal is not a second trial. It is a focused legal argument about whether the trial court applied the law correctly. CMP Law’s appellate attorneys handle appeals in the Michigan Court of Appeals, the Michigan Supreme Court, and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. The firm also represents clients in original proceedings, including motions for leave to appeal and applications for emergency relief.

Appellate work at CMP Law is not limited to post-verdict appeals. The firm’s trial attorneys integrate appellate strategy into pretrial practice, drafting dispositive motions and preserving issues for appellate review from the earliest stages of litigation. That approach is particularly valuable in cases involving novel legal issues, statutory interpretation questions, or claims where municipal law immunity defenses or employment law statutory frameworks may provide grounds for early dismissal.