Mr. Halpert is a partner in the law firm of Halpert, Weston, Wuori & Sawusch, PC and has tried cases for over thirty years. He has frequently lectured and published for ICLE. Throughout his career he has lost only one personal injury case while at the same time setting multi-million dollar verdict records in several rural Southwestern Michigan communities. He specializes in representing burn survivors and his firm has had the highest reported settlements in the State of Michigan in two out of the last five years. He believes that the obligation of a personal injury lawyer is to help the client recover physically, emotionally and psychologically from the injuries.
Practice Areas:
Personal Injury; Wrongful Death; Products Liability; Burn Injury Litigation.
Education:
Kalamazoo College (B.A., 1969)
Indiana University (J.D., with honors, 1972)
Professional Activities:
Listed in: Who's Who in American Law, 1996—. Who's Who in America, 1997—. Writer, 1970-1971 and Note Editor, 1971-1972, Indiana Law Journal.
Lecturer: "How to Prevent Suits for Medical Malpractice, National Meetings of: Outpatient Ophthalmic Surgery Society; the American Society of Outpatient Surgeons; Association of Freestanding Radiation-Oncology Centers; "The Lawyers as a Member of the Burn Team," National Meeting of the American Burn Association.
Author: "The Policeman's Right to Free Speech: Muller v. Conlisk," 46 Indiana Law Journal 538, 1971; "Evaluating Damages Trial Strategy" and "Developing Damages in Closing Argument," Michigan Law of Damages, 2 ed., The Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Ann Arbor, 1989. Co-Author: "Proving Liability in Automobile Cases," 1981; "Suing the Government for Personal Injuries," 1981; "How to Handle the Auto Negligence Case in Michigan," 1981, 1983, 1985, 1988; "No-Fault Automobile Accident Update," 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985; "Comparative Negligence," 1982; "Art of Successful Courtroom Persuasion," 1982; "How to Prove Pain and Suffering," 1982; "Effective Use of Experts," 1982; "Handling a Wrongful Death Case," 1986; "Basic Skills," 1987; Public Sector Damage Suits," 1987; "Product Liability," 1989; "Michigan Ultimate Trial Notebook," 1990, 1993, 1996, 2003; "Effective Use of Documents in Product Liability Cases," 1991; "Art of Cross Examination," 1988; "The New World of Michigan Tort Reform: Survival Strategies," 1997; "Jury Persuasion: You're Right--Now Convince the Jury," 1997; Co-Author: "Trial Techniques for Proving Damages in Injury and Death Cases," Michigan Law of Damages and Other Remedies, 3 ed., 2002 (all published by Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Ann Arbor, Michigan).
Experiences: Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, 1972-1973; Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, 1974; Special Prosecuting Attorney, 1977, Van Buren County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. Special Investigator, Attorney Grievance Commission, 1977. Trustee, Central Michigan University, 1981-1983.
Member:
Kalamazoo County Bar Association (Chairman, Committee on Professional Responsibility, 1981-1983); State Bar of Michigan (Member: Committee on Professional and Judicial Ethics, 1980-1982; Negligence Section); Kalamazoo County Trial Lawyers Association (President, 1982-1983; Member, 1980—); Michigan Trial Lawyers Association; The Association of Trial Lawyers of America; American Burn Association (Member, Rehabilitation Committee, 1997-2000); The Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors (1st Vice President; Member, Board of Trustees, 1997—); International Society For Burn Injuries.
AV Peer Review Rated