Overview
A practitioner for 38 years, Julie Fershtman represents clients in a broad range of business, contract, personal injury, and insurance coverage litigation pertaining to several industries. Her clients range from major insurance companies and businesses to individuals. Her work includes trials, arbitrations/ADR and appeals. Julie previously served on the firm's Executive Committee as former Vice President of the Southeast offices.
Additionally, she is widely considered one of the nation's leading practitioners in equine law. She has handled matters for a national clientele involving contract disputes, fraud, association liability, partnership disputes, and personal injury liability. She has also helped draft and advocate for legislation impacting the industry.
She has achieved numerous courtroom victories and successfully tried cases before juries in four states. Clients have retained her to serve as pro hac vice (specially admitted out-of-state) counsel in state and federal courts in Florida, Missouri, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Illinois, Arizona, Connecticut, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
In addition to her law practice, Julie is active in bar associations. She was the 77th President of the State Bar of Michigan, a 45,000-member mandatory bar, and was only the fifth woman in the bar’s history to be elected to this role. The State Bar appointed her to serve on the ABA House of Delegates, representing Michigan. She is well-known to judges and lawyers across Michigan through her bar leadership and her co-chair work in 2015 and 2016 for the State Bar of Michigan’s 21st Century Practice Task Force. She is Vice President of the Michigan State Bar Foundation, past Director of the Michigan Supreme Court Historical Society and a fellow of the American, Michigan, Oakland County and Detroit bar foundations. Fellow membership is typically reserved to approximately 1 percent of lawyers.
A frequent author on legal issues, she has written more than 400 published articles, eight ABA law journal articles (co-authored), two blogs, and four books. The ABA published her last two books. Her latest book, Equine Law and Horse Sense, received four national book awards since its publication in 2019, including a “First Place” in the NYC Big Book Awards, and a “Silver” Award from the Independent Book Publishers Association.
A highly sought-after national speaker in 29 states, her topics cover issues involving law, liability, agribusiness, insurance, equine law, and risk management. Her speaking engagements include a law school commencement address, panels at three ABA Annual Meetings, conferences of the International Risk Management Institute, Property & Liability Resource Bureau National Claims Conferences in three states, as well as conferences of the State Bar of Michigan, New York State Bar Association, Kentucky Bar Association, and Washington State Bar Association.
Honors & Recognitions
Legal Ratings:
AV® Preeminent™ (5.0/5) Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory
Best Lawyers in America® - Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, 2013-2025
Michigan Super Lawyers, ® Civil Litigation Defense, 2008-2024
“Top 50 Women Lawyers,” Michigan Super Lawyers, ® 2013-2024
"Top 100 Michigan Lawyers," Michigan Super Lawyers, ® 2019-2024
Michigan Leading Lawyer by the Leading Lawyers Network, 2014-2024
"10.0/10 - Superb" (highest rating) by avvo.com
"Top Lawyer," in Insurance Law, DBusiness Magazine 2009, 2010, 2015-2018, 2020-2025
Senior Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America (2014 - )
America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators®, 2023, 2024
Recognitions:
Michigan Lawyers’ "Hall of Fame,” Michigan Lawyers Weekly, 2024
“Notable Woman in Law,” Crain's Detroit Business, 2024
"Woman of the Year" Award in the Michigan Legal Profession, Michigan Lawyers Weekly, 2016
"Roberts P. Hudson" Award, State Bar of Michigan, 2018
"Jean L. King Leadership Award," Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, 2018
"Notable Women Lawyers in Michigan," Crain's Detroit Business 2017
"Excellence in the Advancement of Animal Law Award," American Bar Association: TIPS Section, 2017
Michael Franck Award - State Bar of Michigan, 2014
"Respect for Law Award," Bloomfield Hills Optimist Club, 2012
"Michigan Top Lawyer (Insurance Law)", Dbusiness Magazine, 2009-2010, 2015-2018, 2021-2025
"Top 15 Women to Watch," Crain's Detroit Business, 2010
"Leader in the Law," Michigan Lawyers Weekly, 2010
"Woman in the Law," Michigan Lawyers Weekly, 2016
Inforum “Inner Circle” Award, 2010
"Metro Detroit's Most Influential Women," Crain's Detroit Business, 2007
"Professionalism Award," Oakland County Bar Association, 2000
"40 [Outstanding Business Leaders] Under 40," Crain's Detroit Business, 1996
"21 Young Lawyers Leading Us into the 21st Century," ABA Barrister Magazine, 1995
Industry Honors:
First Place, 2020 NYC Big Book Awards, Reference Book Category
First Place, American Horse Publications 2020 Equine Media Awards, Non-Fiction Book Category
Silver Award, 2020 Independent Book Publishers Association Book Awards, Pet Category
Finalist Medal, 2021 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, Animal/Pet Category
"Distinguished Service Award," American Youth Horse Council, 2013
"Equine Industry Service Award," Michigan Equine Partnership, 2013
"Partner in Safety" Award," American Riding Instructors Association, 2007
"Catalyst Award," Michigan Horse Council, 2002
"Outstanding Achievement Award," American Riding Instructors Association, 1998
"Associate Service Award," United Professional Horseman's Association, 1998
"National Partnership in Safety Award," Certified Horsemanship Association, 1997
Practice Areas
Education
Emory Law School, J.D. 1986
Emory College, B.A. 1983
Bar and Court Admissions
State Bar of Michigan
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
Pro hac vice bar admissions on cases in 20 jurisdictions