Julie I. Fershtman, Attorney at Law

webassets/Fershtman.jpg

Tireless Lawyer With 37 Years of Experience Representing Businesses and Individuals - Locally and Nationally** 
Equity Shareholder at the Full-Service Law Firm, Foster Swift Collins & Smith, PC

webassets/FosterSwiftLogo.jpg

Julie Fershtman is an attorney with more than 37 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, premises liability, construction/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 the 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, defended 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 20 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 of the books co-authored, and contributing writer to 4 other books published by the American Bar Association. In 2019, the ABA published her newest book, which received four 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, Property Loss Research Bureau (PLRB) National Claims Conference, 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 the presidential blog (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, which is the ABA's policy-making body.

Recognition

 

  • Named "Woman of the Year" in Michigan's legal profession by Michigan Lawyers Weekly (2016).
  • Listed in The Best Lawyers in America ® 2013-2024 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" (2019-2023) and one of the "Top 50 Women Lawyers" in Michigan (2013-2023). 
  • 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 Deroit Business as a "Woman to Watch" (2010) and among its "40 Under 40" (2016).
  • Recognized among the list of "Top Lawyers" by DBusiness Magazine (2009-2010, 2015-2024).
  • 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
Firm website: www.fosterswift.com 

 ANNOUNCEMENTS

Happy to share that Julie Fershtman was just named a 2024 "Notable Woman in Law" by Crain's Detroit Business and is featured with a group of other women lawyers in its latest issue.

  HighStakes.jpg

 

Areas of practice include:

• Business Litigation
• Insurance Defense
• Insurance Coverage
• Premises Liability
• Personal Injury
• Agribusiness Liability
• Sporting Liability
• Recreational Liability
• Contract Disputes
• Contract Drafting
• Construction Law
• Sales Disputes
• Property Disputes 
• Uniform Comm. Code
• Fraud Litigation 
• Fiduciary Duty Cases
• Employment Law
• Intentional Tort Cases
• Class Action Defense 
Trials, Arbitrations, Facilitations, Appeals

  • 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 EngagementsFive 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). 

 

 ** What State(s) Does Your Legal Matter Involve?

Julie Fershtman has clients around the country but cannot work all alone in every state. 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 has been approved by courts in 20 jurisdictions nationwide to work on particular cases as lead counsel or co-counsel. Contracts she drafts for out-of-state clients require local counsel approval. For your out-of-state matter, you'll need your local lawyer to work in some capacity with her.



Respected and Highly Experienced National Lawyer, Speaker, Litigator, Legal Consultant, and Author

https://www.litcounsel.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Full-badge-C-SF.jpg

10.0Julie I. Fershtman \ View Julie Fershtman's profile on LinkedIn
Julie I. Fershtman
Rated by Super Lawyers


loading ...