Industries
Education
Wayne State University Law School, J.D., 1995
Kalamazoo College, B.A., 1992
Bar Admissions
- Michigan
Court Admissions
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Court of Appeals
- Sixth Circuit
All Michigan Courts
A fellow of both the American College of Trial Lawyers and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, Gerry is an experienced trial lawyer who is well-versed in complex business, criminal, and family law litigation.
Gerry has tried nearly 200 jury trials to verdict. His non-jury trial experience includes bench trials, administrative proceedings and a number of facilitations before retired judges. He is experienced in customs enforcement matters, alcohol regulatory investigations, federal security clearance appeals and immigration enforcement matters.
His business litigation and arbitration experience includes successful representation of public and private companies and individuals in a variety of complex matters, including unlawful and unfair business practices, strike suits, non-competes, shareholder oppression, breach of contract, malpractice and fraud cases.
Gerry’s white collar defense practice includes representing witnesses and targets in federal and state criminal investigations and prosecutions, including healthcare fraud, securities fraud, bank fraud, racketeering, money laundering, environmental crimes, assault, homicide, criminal sexual conduct, larceny and embezzlement.
His family law experience includes resolving the divorces of numerous high-net-worth individuals including several cases tried to verdict. He also handles internal investigations on behalf of companies and their audit committees.
Gerry regularly conducts a variety of internal investigations of individual and corporate wrongdoing. Those investigations have resulted in a number of criminal convictions and recovery of millions of dollars in misappropriated funds.
Gerry is also experienced in juvenile proceedings, handling cases ranging from unwanted messages to criminal sexual conduct and school and mass injury threats.
Prior to joining Miller Canfield in 2005, he was an assistant Oakland County Prosecuting Attorney. As a prosecutor, he tried difficult, high-profile cases, including homicide, fraud, racketeering, child abuse, domestic violence and juvenile delinquency. He has also appeared as a legal analyst for WXYZ Channel 7 in Detroit.
Representative Matters
Representative Criminal Cases
People v MD, (Eaton County Circuit Court) secured a jury verdict of acquittal for an attorney accused of identity theft
United States v H.A. (E.D. Michigan) secured an acquittal of an attorney charged with conspiracy and controlled substance offenses
United States v KW (E.D. Michigan) secured a jury verdict of acquittal on federal firearms charge
People v S.M (Oakland County Circuit Court) secured a jury verdict of acquittal for a client charged with aggravated resisting and obstructing a police officer
People v J.K. (Oakland County Circuit Court) secured a jury verdict of acquittal for a client charged with home invasion first degree and armed robbery
People v T.R. (Oakland County Circuit Court) secured dismissal of computer/internet sexual solicitation charge after successful Fourth Amendment challenge
United States v H.S. (E.D. Michigan) member of the trial team that secured a jury verdict of acquittal for a Federal Agent accused of conspiracy, perjury and obstruction of justice in the first terrorism trial after September 11, 2001
United States v N.M. (Oakland County Circuit Court, 46th District Court) secured dismissal for a client charged with false pretenses in a racketeering conspiracy case during the preliminary examination
People v T.B. (Macomb County Circuit Court) secured dismissal of all charges for a client charged with multiple counts of criminal sexual conduct first degree
Representative Civil Cases
Kozma v Chelsea Lumber, et al. (Washtenaw County Circuit Court) secured a jury verdict of no cause of action in a civil fraud case
R.M. v M (Oakland County Family Court) secured an extremely favorable verdict upholding a prenuptial agreement in a divorce trial
In addition to the trials identified above, Gerry has been able to secure numerous favorable confidential settlements and plea agreements for clients in federal, state and local courts.
Reported and Published Decisions
Cole v Ladbroke Racing Michigan, 241 Mich.App. 1 (2000)
Honors
International Academy of Trial Lawyers, Fellow
American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow
Litigation Counsel of America, Senior Fellow
Oakland County Bar Association, Distinguished Service Award
State Bar of Michigan Pro Bono Honor Roll, 2021
Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation and Criminal Defense: General Practice, 2013-present; Bet-the-Company Litigation, 2024; Troy Criminal Defense: General Practice Lawyer of the Year, 2020 & 2022
Michigan Super Lawyers, Top 100 Lawyers, White-Collar Criminal Defense, 2014-present
Top 50 Consumer Lawyers, 2014-2017
Top 5 Consumer Lawyers, 2015
General Litigation, 2011-present
DBusiness Magazine, Top Lawyers, White-Collar Criminal Defense & Non-White-Collar Criminal Defense
The National Trial Lawyers, Top 100 Trial Lawyers 2012-present
Wayne State University Law School, cum laude
Professional Activities
American Bar Foundation, Fellow
Michigan State Bar Foundation, Fellow
State Bar of Michigan, Professional Standards Division Character & Fitness Committee
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, Local Rules Advisory Committee, 2018-present; Vice-Chair, 2019-2020; Chair, 2020-2022
Oakland County Bar Association, Board of Directors, 2008-2018; President, 2017-2018; Vice President 2016-2017; Treasurer, 2015-2016; Secretary, 2014-2015
Trial Law Institute, Member
Diversity Law Institute, Member
Order of Centurions, Barrister
OCBA Youth Law Committee, Chair, 2006
Oakland County Bar Association Inns of Court, Board of Directors, 2002-2005
Oakland County Circuit Court Criminal Assignment Committee, 2006-2008
National Drug Court Institute, United States Department of Justice, Adult Drug Court Planning Initiative Training Series, 2001
National College of District Attorneys Forensic Evidence Course, 2000
National College of District Attorneys Career Prosecutor Course, 1997
Teaching
Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Visiting Professor, "Evidence"
Oakland County Police Academy, Instructor, "Civil Law and Court Functions/Courtroom Testimony," (instructed classes biannually in the areas of civil and criminal procedure, preparation of students for testimony in a jury setting), 1997-2005
Oakland County Bar Association, Instructor, "Introduction to Practice: Conduct of Trials" (instructed new attorneys in the trial process as conducted in Oakland County), 2001-present
Speeches
"PPP Loan Audits: What To Expect And How To Prepare," Detroit Regional Chamber webinar, Oct. 6, 2020
"Parole & Commutation Issues," Practical Law Show, Bloomfield Cablevision (Channel 15), September 6-11, 2011
"e-Discovery: No Longer an Option - It's a Rule, So Now What?," (Moderator), Oakland County Bar Association, September 2, 2009
"Hiring Foreign Nationals: What You Need To Know," Miller Canfield, Southfield, Michigan, May 12, 2009
"So Your Child is 18 – What Now?" Birmingham/Bloomfield Families in Action, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, March 12, 2015; U of D Jesuit High School, October 2006, March 2008; Marian High School, November 2006, February 2009; Troy Community Coalition, April 2007; Rochester/Auburn Hills Community Coalition, May 2007; International Academy, March 2006, March 2008, January 2009; West Bloomfield Community Coalition, March 2008; Waterford Coalition for Youth, June 2008
Publications
"Michigan Criminal Law Survey," co-authored with Matthew P. Allen and Jeffrey A. Crapko, 64 Wayne L. Rev. 607 (2019)
"Health Care Fraud," (Co-author Irene Bruce Hathaway), Laches, Oakland County Bar Association, February 2013
"Cooperation: The Key To Early Parole Eligibility in Major Controlled Substance Offense Sentencing," Oakland County Bar Association, 2001
"Presenting Scientific Issues in the Opening Statement," For the Defense, 1997
"A Rose Is Not A Rose: Misuse of Environmental Statutes and Common Law Theories in Private-Party Litigation," Defense Research Institute, 1993
