Court Grants Summary Disposition, Dismisses Plaintiff’s Claims under Whistleblower Protection Act

Haider Kazim and Matt Cross, both attorneys in our Traverse City office, recently successfully handled a case for a local municipality. The Court granted summary disposition dismissing plaintiff’s claims under the Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA), holding that plaintiff was not engaged in activity protected under the WPA, and, to the extent she was, the County terminated her for legitimate reasons. Although the Court allowed plaintiff to amend her claim to add new WPA claims and a claim for termination in violation of public policy, the Court granted summary disposition a second time, dismissing her claims in their entirety and holding the County terminated plaintiff for legitimate, non-retaliation, non-protected reasons.

Haider Kazim is a partner in our Traverse City office where he concentrates his practice on municipal law, insurance defense, and law enforcement defense and litigation. Mr. Kazim represents municipalities in matters involving zoning and land use disputes, ordinance enforcement actions, tax tribunal appeals, contract negotiation, drafting ordinances, and Freedom of Information Act and Open Meetings Act issues.　He has successfully defended municipalities in both federal and state courts in a broad range of lawsuits involving wrongful discharge, discrimination claims, police excessive force cases, jail suicide cases, whistleblower actions, First Amendment claims and Section 1983 cases. He may be reached at (231) 922-1888 or hkazim@cmda-law.com.

Matt Cross is an attorney in our Traverse City office where he focuses his practice in the areas insurance defense, law enforcement defense and litigation, and municipal law. Mr. Cross has experience handling employment law, personal injury defense, and municipal issues and has earned dismissals in each of these areas. He may be reached at (231) 922-1888 or mcross@cmda-law.com.