Christine E. Ficks

Christine E. Ficks focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation and general corporate matters. She has extensive experience in the financial services Industry.

She partners well with management to create optimal cost-effective solutions in various legal and business contexts. Christine prepares invaluable recommendations in order to drive critical legal decisions. Representing corporations in litigation at both the trial and appellate levels. She is a results-driven professional with solid business judgment, superior communication abilities and excellent negotiation skills.

Christine has provided counsel to Tier 1 and 2 suppliers in supply chain disputes involving obsolescence, application of the UCC, and analysis of various contract documents, including competing terms and conditions, purchase orders, and releases. She has represented employers before federal/state courts, administrative bodies, and in arbitrations. Christine also has significant experience prosecuting commercial lending claims on behalf of banks, including claims arising from guarantor liability. She has served as defense counsel in lender liability claims against financial institutions and defended against claims of breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duties, and fraud. Christine also has a represented broker-dealers and their registered representatives in litigation arising out of recommendation and sale of various securities before state/federal courts and FINRA. Representative matters include:

• Prosecuted claim for a top 40 financial institution involving a multi-million dollar loan facility, advising its vice president to settle the matter resulting in full repayment of indebtedness and fees;
• Worked diligently to dismiss all plaintiff’s claims by regularly counseling a top 5 financial institution on case strategy and loss mitigation when defending against lender liability claims;
• Worked closely with the president of an automotive manufacturing corporation to successfully defend disputed supplier contract;
• Interfaced with management to assess liability and exposure for steel manufacturer involved in a post-acquisition dispute resulting in a settlement with terms highly satisfactory for the client;
• Consulted management of an automotive manufacturer with $16 billion in annual revenue on strategy and loss mitigation resulting in successful dismissal of all claims related to an ERISA lawsuit;
• Prosecuted multi-party environmental cost-recovery lawsuit, working closely with drain board and drain commissioner to consult on environmental issues achieving a settlement in excess of $1million.

Christine has broad litigation experience in both the trial and appellate levels. She has filed briefs before the Michigan Court of Appeals, the Michigan Supreme Court and the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and has argued appeals before the Michigan Court of Appeals. Christine is admitted to practice law in Michigan.

Bar Admissions

• Michigan Bar Association.

Education

• J.D., cum laude, Order of the Coif-2002, Wayne State University Law School
• B.A., with honors-1999, Michigan State University

Practice Areas

• Mediation, arbitration and litigation
• Employment
• Environmental

Experience

• Ottenwess, Taweel & Schenk, Senior Attorney, 2018-2020
• Bodman PLC, Partner, 2002-2013

Representative Cases

• Prosecuted claim for a top 40 financial institution involving a multi-million dollar loan facility, advising its vice president to settle the matter resulting in full repayment of indebtedness and fees;
• Worked diligently to dismiss all plaintiff’s claims by regularly counseling a top 5 financial institution on case strategy and loss mitigation when defending against lender liability claims;
• Worked closely with the president of an automotive manufacturing corporation to successfully defend disputed supplier contract;
• Interfaced with management to assess liability and exposure for steel manufacturer involved in a post-acquisition dispute resulting in a settlement with terms highly satisfactory for the client;
• Consulted management of an automotive manufacturer with $16 billion in annual revenue on strategy and loss mitigation resulting in successful dismissal of all claims related to an ERISA lawsuit;
• Prosecuted multi-party environmental cost-recovery lawsuit, working closely with drain board and drain commissioner to consult on environmental issues achieving a settlement in excess of $1million.

Awards and Recognition

• Author of “Does the Michigan Merit Award Scholarship Program Discriminate Against Minorities and Underprivileged Students?” 47 Wayne L. Rev. 1135 (2001)
• Speaker at Wayne State Law School’s Women’s Law Caucus Annual Symposium (2010)
• Participant in 2005 and 2006 Midwest Securities Law Institute
• Volunteer with Legal Aid and Defender Association, Inc. and Children at Risk

Associations and Memberships

• State Bar of Michigan
• Oakland County Bar Association’s Chapter of American Inn of Courts (2003-2013)
• Michigan State University Alumni Association, Chicago IL chapter