Julie Fershtman is a Shareholder with Foster, Swift, Collins & Smith, P.C., in its Farmington Hills, Michigan, office. Her practice is
primarily focused on general insurance defense, insurance coverage, business litigation (plaintiff and defense), premises
liability, sporting and recreational liability, sales and contract disputes, fraud litigation, and equine law.
Our
Valued Clients
Ms. Fershtman has 25 years of experience
serving businesses, insurers, and individuals throughout the country.
National
Expertise
With a law practice that is uniquely national in scope, she has
successfully tried cases before juries in 4 states. In addition, she has been approved by state and Federal courts in Florida,
Arizona, Georgia, Missouri, South Carolina, Illinois, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, and Connecticut to actively handle particular
cases as pro hac vice (specially admitted out-of-state) counsel, following ethical guidelines in each state.
Publications and Speaking
A frequent
speaker and writer, she has authored 2 books and contributed chapters to 4 books published by the ABA. She has
written over 200 published articles, including 5 law journal articles for the ABA Tort, Trial & Insurance Practice
Section Law Journal. She is also a contributor to a new ABA book entitled The Road to Independence.
Her speaking engagements include expos, conventions, universities, law schools, and CLE conferences
in 27 states. She has been a speaker at the ABA Annual Meeting, Institute for Continuing Legal Education, Insurance
Skills Center, and the Property Loss Research Bureau (PLRB) National Claims Conference, among others.
Leadership - Local, State and National
She is the 2011-2012 President of the 42,000-member State Bar of Michigan and only the fifth woman in the organization's 77-year history to be elected
to this position. In the ABA, she is a Vice-Chair of a committee of the Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Law
Section and a member of its House of Delegates. She is also a former director and officer of the Oakland County Bar Association.
Recognition
In 2010 Michigan Lawyers Weekly named her
a "Leader in the Law" and Crain's Detroit Business named her one of 15 "Women to Watch"
for innovation and leadership. Crain's also named her one of the area's "Most Influential Women" in 2007.
As a young lawyer, the ABA Barrister Magazine profiled her as one of "21 Young Lawyers [Nationwide] Leading
Us into the 21st Century." She also received the Oakland County Bar Association’s prestigious “Professionalism Award.” She is a Fellow of the American, Michigan,
and Oakland County Bar Foundations and a Trustee of the Michigan State Bar Foundation.
She graduated from
Emory College in 1983 and Emory Law School in 1986.
Our Goal
Our
clients expect and deserve results. While no lawyer can guarantee results, we consistently strive to achieve them for our
clients through the highest standards of advocacy, professionalism, communication, preparation, and ethics. And we pride ourselves
on many satisfied clients, including some of the world's largest insurers, who entrust their legal matters to Ms. Fershtman
year after year.
ANNOUNCEMENT:
Julie is the 2011-2012 President of the State Bar of Michigan, an organization with over 42,000 members. Please
visit her unique president blog www.sbmpres2012.com. This blog, created and maintained by Julie, chronicles her travels and spotlights the many activities of the
State Bar, its sections and committees, and local and special purpose bar associations across Michigan. Here's a link
to a press release.
Julie I. Fershtman, Esq.
Foster, Swift, Collins & Smith, P.C.
32300 Northwestern Hwy., Ste. 230
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
Direct Line: (248) 785-4731 / Main Office: (248) 539-9900
E-mail: jfershtman@fosterswift.com
