Please join us in welcoming Paul Leonidas Lin to the Firm. He has joined CMDA as an attorney in the Firm’s Riverside office where he focuses his practice on defending public entities in civil litigation, including municipal law and insurance defense. He manages all phases of litigation, from initial case assessment and strategic planning through discovery management, substantive motion practice, and preparation for hearings and trials. He draws on over […]

Please join us in welcoming Lanae L. Monera to the Firm. She has joined CMDA as an attorney in the Firm’s Grand Rapids office where she focuses her practice in the areas of civil litigation defense, insurance defense, and municipal law. Prior to joining CMDA, she served as Assistant Corporation Counsel for a Michigan county with emphasis on contract review and formation and statutory compliance. She also focuses her practice […]

Greg Grant, a partner in our Traverse City office, recently obtained dismissal in a negligence case against a Northern Michigan defendant. In the case, the female plaintiff was dancing on the dance floor at an employee holiday party at a large Northern Michigan resort. The plaintiff claimed that the defendant, a younger male, was also dancing when he fell backward and onto plaintiff resulting in a broken foot. The plaintiff […]

Joel Ashton, a partner in our Livonia office, was the guest speaker at the Michigan Chapter of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors’ (NAIFA) Virtual Event held on June 18, 2024. Mr. Ashton spoke to insurance and financial advisors on the current state of the Michigan No-Fault Act following the substantial amendments of 2019 with a focus on helping the advisors best serve their customers. He provided an […]

We are pleased to announce that Carol A. Smith has been elected a partner at CMDA. Chris Schultz, managing partner, explains, “Carol maintains excellent client relations and is an exceptional mentor to our newer associates and law clerks. Further, she has made significant contributions to the overall Firm by participating in On-Campus Interviews and other community events. Lastly, she is dedicated to providing outstanding legal services to our clients. We […]

Please join us in welcoming Kimberly M. Coschino (née Moehle) to the Firm. She has joined CMDA as an attorney in the Firm’s Clinton Township office where she focuses her practice on municipal law, employment and labor law, business law, insurance defense, and law enforcement defense and litigation. Ms. Coschino has significant experience representing clients in various stages of litigation, conducting legal research, drafting pleadings, handling discovery issues, and preparing […]

CMDA congratulates Attorney Carol Smith on another trial victory. Carol represented a trucking company and its driver who admitted negligence for an automobile accident. At issue were the injuries of a 31-year-old plaintiff who underwent two cervical spine fusions and is left with what his Beaumont surgeon testified is likely permanent nerve damage. The plaintiff denied any prior neck pain and, though there was a question of whether that was […]

Please join us in congratulating Carol Smith on her selection to Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s Class of 2024 Up & Coming Lawyers. She is one of only 25 attorneys in Michigan to be selected to this year’s class. Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s “Up & Coming honorees have excelled in the profession and are standouts among their peers — all in their first 10 years of practice. These lawyers are establishing themselves as […]

We are pleased to announce that a familiar face is back in the Firm’s Traverse City office. Please join us in welcoming Matthew W. Cross back to CMDA. Matt Cross is a partner in our Traverse City office where he focuses his practice in the areas of insurance defense litigation, law enforcement defense and litigation, and municipal law. Matt has experience handling employment law, personal injury defense, marijuana licensing litigation, […]

On July 31, 2023, the Michigan Supreme Court held that the new fee schedule and attendant care limitations contained in MCL 500.3157 do not apply retroactively to PIP insureds who sustained accidental bodily injuries prior to the effective date of the 2019 No-Fault amendments.  In Andary et al v USAA Casualty Insurance Company and Citizens Insurance Company of America, the Court reasoned that the No-Fault insurance policy and disputed portions […]