Brian C. Summerfield

Brian C. Summerfield focuses his practice on helping companies and individuals effectively and efficiently resolve disputes through mediation, arbitration, and litigation. Recognizing the best way to avoid these disputes is anticipating and handling them before they arise, Brian also consults with clients about commercial, employment, real estate, and construction agreements. He has assisted national and local lenders, loan servicers, title companies, real estate developers, construction companies, landlords, tenants, property owners, title companies, religious institutions, private schools, and tech developers, among others. Representative matters include:

• Obtaining a summary judgment declaring a $1.2 million commercial mortgage and foreclosure void;
• Preventing the discharge of a debt through bankruptcy and obtaining a judgment for treble damages;
• Leading his team during foreclosure crisis to defend suits against mortgage lenders, servicers, and brokers, which included an investigation into fraudulent lending activities;
• Defeating a motion to enjoin a former employee from working under a noncompete agreement;
• Reinstating an erroneously discharged mortgage;
• Providing initial start-up advice and agreements for new businesses and deals in the construction and tech industries;
• Reducing a judgment against a university by several thousand dollars on appeal; and
• Restoring title to a real property owner after a fraudulent sale.

Brian began his legal career serving as a trial attorney with the United States Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG). During his service in the military, Brian represented service members in courts-martial procedures, clinical privilege hearings, and administrative discharge boards. He received several awards and decorations while in the Navy, including the National Defense Service Medal, two Navy Commendation Medals and the Navy Achievement Medal.

Brian is admitted to practice law in Michigan, New York, U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit, U.S. Courts-Martial, United States District Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan, and United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern and Western District of Michigan.