Industries
Education
Wayne State University Law School, J.D., 2012
University of Michigan, Ph.D., 2008
Columbia University, B.A., 2001
Bar Admissions
- Michigan
Court Admissions
U.S. District Court
- Eastern District of Michigan
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
Caroline Giordano is an experienced litigator who represents a wide variety of commercial and governmental clients in state and federal courts.
Caroline has extensive experience working on multimillion-dollar cases representing governmental entities at both the trial and appellate level. Caroline is active in Miller Canfield's class action defense practice, and she has also worked on numerous matters involving business torts, physician reimbursement claims, breach of contract litigation, non-compete litigation, and trade secret disputes. Caroline has also handled a variety of copyright and trademark matters, and she provides general legal advice regarding copyright and trademark law.
While in law school, Caroline served as a judicial intern for the Honorable Helene N. White, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, where she gained first-hand knowledge of appellate procedure. Before becoming a lawyer, Caroline obtained a Ph.D. in English Language and Literature, and taught undergraduate courses on persuasive writing and critical reading. Caroline draws on her background in writing, research and teaching to craft legal briefs and arguments that effectively communicate her clients' unique and often complex stories to the courts.
Representative Matters
Helped successfully defend the City of Detroit against purported class action claims seeking more than $150 million in drainage charge refunds by obtaining a ruling that the City's drainage charge is a valid user fee and not an unlawful tax under the Headlee Amendment.
Helped defend numerous Michigan municipalities against constitutional challenges to municipal charges including storm water, sewer, and housing code inspection fees.
Obtained summary disposition in putative class action challenging constitutionality of municipal water and sewer debt charges.
Assisted in defense of municipality and law enforcement officer against federal excessive force and wrongful death claims.
Worked on legal team successfully representing municipal client defending constitutional challenge to multiple municipal taxes.
Assisted in defense of independent automotive industry manufacturer against misappropriation of trade secrets and tortious interference claims brought by former employer.
Worked on team of lawyers representing Tier 1 automotive industry supplier in supplier's action for misappropriation of trade secrets against multiple former employees.
Helped obtain summary judgment and discovery sanctions on behalf of beverage manufacturer in action for misappropriation of trade secrets and copyright and trademark infringement.
Helped obtain favorable resolution of commercial client's lawsuit against former employee for improper use of employer's company funds.
Assisted in representation of numerous municipalities against class action lawsuits challenging basis of municipalities' fees for regulatory services.
Worked on team of lawyers representing commercial bank in consumer class actions challenging bank's overdraft fees.
Assisted in representation of consumer banking institution defending class action claims for breach of customer contract.
Helped obtain favorable resolution of contract disputes on behalf of construction industry clients.
Drafted numerous appellate briefs defending municipal clients in constitutional class actions at both Michigan Court of Appeals and Michigan Supreme Court levels.
Helped persuade Michigan Supreme Court and Michigan Court of Appeals to uphold trial court decision prohibiting plaintiff contractor’s non-conforming industrial use of property on behalf of municipal client.
Obtained dismissal of adverse possession action against nonprofit environmental conservancy.
Worked on team of attorneys representing client previously convicted of second-degree murder in retrial proceedings.
Honors
Best Lawyers in America, "Ones to Watch," Commercial Litigation, 2021-present
DBusiness Magazine, Top Lawyers, Appellate, 2022-present
State Bar of Michigan Pro Bono Honor Roll, 2020 & 2022
Michigan Super Lawyers, Rising Star, Business Litigation, 2015-2022
Wayne State University Law School, J.D., magna cum laude, Order of the Coif; Wayne Law Review, Senior Note and Comment Editor 2011-2012, Assistant Editor, 2010-2011; Dean's Scholarship; John W. Reed Endowed Scholarship
University of Michigan, Ph.D., English Language & Literature; Horace H. Rackham Predoctoral Fellowship, 2007-2008; Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship in Humanistic Studies, 2002-2003
Columbia University, B.A., magna cum laude
Professional Activities
American Bar Foundation, Fellow
American Bar Association
State Bar of Michigan, Professionalism and Civility Committee
Federal Bar Association of Michigan
Washtenaw County Bar Association
Civic, Cultural & Social Activities
Girls Group (Ann Arbor), Board of Directors, 2015-2018
Leadership Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti, Class of 2015
International Society for the Study of Narrative Literature, 2004-2009
Northeast Modern Language Association, 2006-2008
Midwest Victorian Studies Association, 2006-2008
University of Michigan, Nineteenth-Century Forum, Steering Committee, 2003-2009
Teaching
University of Michigan, Department of English, Lecturer Fall 2008-Winter 2009; Graduate Student Instructor 2003-2008
Speeches
"AI in the Workplace," Co-Presenter with Ashley Higginson, Michigan Association of County Administrative Officers Annual Meeting, May 22, 2024
"Artificial Intelligence Update," Co-Presenter with Ashley Higginson, Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) General Assembly, March 21, 2024
Publications
"Selecting and working with testifying expert witnesses," Michigan Bar Journal, December 2023
"U.S. Supreme Court Holds Draft Opinions Reflecting Final Policy Are Protected From FOIA Disclosures Under Deliberative Process Privilege," (Co-author Soni Mithani), Briefly (State Bar of Michigan Government Law Section), April 2021
"Bisio v the City of the Village of Clarkston: Supreme Court Clarifies Broad Scope of Municipal Documents Subject to FOIA Disclosure," Briefly (State Bar of Michigan Government Law Section), September 2020
"Recent Developments in What's Public Under Michigan's FOIA," (Co-author Steven D. Mann), Michigan Bar Journal, July 2020
"Business Torts, A Fifty State Guide" (Co-editor - Michigan), Wolters Kluwer, 2014-present
"What to Expect From Michigan's Revised Uniform Arbitration Act" (Co-author Sonal Hope Mithani), State Bar of Michigan Litigation Newsletter, Summer 2013
"Civil Recovery of Damages in Government Contracting Schemes: Some Underused Theories Can Lead to Large Recoveries," (Co-authors Irene Bruce Hathaway and Samantha S. Galecki), For the Defense, Defense Research Initiative, January 2013
"Uses of the Class Action Device in Autism Health Benefits Litigation, "58 Wayne Law Review 157 (2012)
