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During my tenure in the Inkster Police Department, serving under several administrations, I had the opportunity to work with various attorneys retained to defend our interests. In my last 12 years as Chief of Police, I was privileged to work with an…
– Terry Colwell, Retired Chief of Police, City of Inkster
Edward D. Plato
Ed Plato has successfully litigated cases for over 30 years in both the state and federal courts. He has been admitted and practiced before all Michigan trial courts, the Michigan Court of Appeals and the Michigan Supreme Court. In the federal system, Mr. Plato has been admitted and practiced before the United States District Courts in Michigan and the U. S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Mr. Plato has been designated as a Michigan "Super Lawyer" for fifteen consecutive years by the national publications, Law & Politics and Thomson Reuters. He was selected for the areas of municipal/government law, construction law and personal injury defense.
He was also voted a Top Lawyer by his peers in DBusiness Magazine and Crain’s Detroit business for the years 2012 – 2021 in the areas of municipal law, construction law and personal injury defense. Ed Plato has been nominated and selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America for eight consecutive years. He has been granted the highest rating of "AV" by the National Law Directory, Martindale-Hubbell, the best possible rating for legal ability and ethical standards. He is a member of the Litigation, Negligence, Public Corporation, and Employment Sections of the State Bar of Michigan. He is also a member of Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys, the Michigan Municipal League and the Michigan Townships Association. He is a frequent speaker at the annual conventions of the Michigan Municipal League and the Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys and is also a regular speaker for the State Bar Public Corporation Section and the Institute for Continuing Legal Education.
Education
- Michigan State University College of Law, JD with honors
- Recipient of American Jurisprudence Achievement Award
- Central Michigan University, BS with honors
Professional Activities / Memberships
- Legislative Committee of the Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys
- State Bar of Michigan, Negligence, Employment and Municipal Sections
- Oakland County Bar Association
- The Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys
- The Michigan Municipal League
- The Michigan Townships Association
- The FOIA and Open Meetings Act Task Force of the Michigan Municipal League
- Southeast Michigan Council of Governments
- Michigan Defense Trial Counsel
- Defense Research Institute
Community Activities / Involvement
- Board of Directors of Angels' Place, a Michigan non-profit corporation providing homes and life care for adult developmentally disabled individuals in Southeast Michigan
- President, Board of Directors, Country Ridge Homeowners Association
- Legal advisor for and member of Oak Pointe Church in Novi, legal advisor for Oak Pointe Church in Milford and The Lakes Community Church in Walled Lake
- Volunteer and teacher for Angels' Place
Awards
- 2022 – The Plato Law Firm was selected as a Tier 1 Best Law Firm for the 2022 Edition of the US News & World Reports – Best Lawyers publication.
- 2021 - Named one of America’s Top 100 Civil Defense Litigators for 2021.
- 2021 - Named a Top Lawyer by Crain’s Business Magazine in the areas of municipal law, construction law and liability defense.
- 2021 - Designated as a Michigan Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters for the 16th consecutive year in the areas of government/municipalities, construction law and liability defense.
- 2021 - Selected by peer nomination and election for inclusion in the US New & World Reports 2021 Best Lawyers in America.
- 2021 - Named a Top Lawyer by DBusiness and Hour Magazine in the areas of municipal law, construction law and personal injury defense.
- 2020 - Named one of America’s Top 100 Civil Defense Litigators for 2020.
- 2020 - Named a Top Lawyer by Crain’s Business Magazine in the areas of municipal law, construction law and liability defense.
- 2020 - Designated as a Michigan Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters for the 15th consecutive year in the areas of government/municipalities, construction law and liability defense.
- 2020 - Selected by peer nomination and election for inclusion in 2020 Best Lawyers in America.
- 2020 - Named a Top Lawyer by DBusiness and Hour Magazine in the areas of municipal law, construction law and personal injury defense.
- 2019 - Named one of America’s Top 100 Civil Defense Litigators for 2019.
- 2019 - Named a Top Lawyer by Crain’s Business Magazine in the areas of municipal law, construction law and liability defense.
- 2019 - Designated as a Michigan Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters for the 14th consecutive year in the areas of government/municipalities, construction law and liability defense.
- 2019 - Selected by peer nomination and election for inclusion in 2019 Best Lawyers in America.
- 2019 - Named a Top Lawyer by DBusiness and Hour Magazine in the areas of municipal law, construction law and personal injury defense.
- 2018 - Named one of America’s Top 100 Civil Defense Litigators for 2018.
- 2018 - Named a Top Lawyer by Crain’s Business Magazine in the areas of municipal law, construction law and liability defense.
- 2018 - Designated as a Michigan Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters for the 13th consecutive year in the areas of government/municipalities, construction law and liability defense.
- 2018 - Selected by peer nomination and election for inclusion in 2018 Best Lawyers in America.
- 2018 - Named a Top Lawyer by DBusiness and Hour Magazine in the areas of municipal law, construction law and personal injury defense.
- 2017 - Named a Top Lawyer by Crain’s Business Magazine in the areas of municipal law, construction law and liability defense.
- 2017 - Designated as a Michigan Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters for the 12th consecutive year in the areas of government/municipalities, construction law and liability defense.
- 2017 - Selected by peer nomination and election for inclusion in 2017 Best Lawyers in America.
- 2017 - Named a Top Lawyer by DBusiness and Hour Magazine in the areas of municipal law, construction law and personal injury defense.
- 2016 - Named a Top Lawyer by Crain’s Business Magazine in the areas of municipal law, construction law and liability defense.
- 2016 - Designated as a Michigan Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters for the 11th consecutive year in the areas of government/municipalities, construction law and liability defense.
- 2016 - Selected by peer nomination and election for inclusion in 2016 Best Lawyers in America.
- 2015 - Designated as a Michigan Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters for the 10th consecutive year in the areas of government/municipalities, construction law and employment law.
- 2015 - Named a Top Lawyer by DBusiness and Hour Magazine in the areas of municipal law, construction law and employment law.
- 2015 - Selected by peer nomination and election for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America.
- 2014 - Designated as a Michigan Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters in the areas of government/municipalities, construction law and employment law.
- 2014 - Named a Top Lawyer by Crain’s Business Magazine, DBusiness Magazine and Hour Magazine in the areas of municipal law, construction law and employment law.
- 2014 - Selected by peer nomination and election for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America.
- 2013 - Designated as a Michigan Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters in the areas of government/municipalities, construction law and employment law.
- 2013 - Named Top Lawyer by DBusiness and Hour Magazine in the areas of municipal law, construction law and employment law.
- 2013 - Selected by peer nomination and election for inclusion in 2013 Best Lawyers in America
- 2012 - Named a Top Lawyer by DBusiness and Hour Magazine in the areas of municipal law, construction law and employment law.
- 2012 - Designated as a Michigan Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters in the ares of government/municipalities, construction law and employment law.
- 2012 - Selected by peer nomination and election for inclusion in 2012 Best Lawyers in America.
- 2011 - Designated as a Michigan Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters in the areas government/municipalities, construction law and employment law.
- 2010 - Designated as a Michigan Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters in the areas of government/municipalities, construction law and employment law.
- 2009 - Designated as a Michigan Super Lawyer by Law & Politics in the areas of government/municipalities, construction law and employment law.
- 2008 - Designated as a Michigan Super Lawyer by Law & Politics in the areas of government/municipalities, construction law and employment law.
- 2007 - Designated as a Michigan Super Lawyer by Law & Politics in the areas of government/municipalities, construction law and employment law.
- 2006 - Designated as a Michigan Super Lawyer by Law & Politics in the areas of government/municipalities, construction law and employment law.
Publications / Presentations
- Presentation for Guy Hurley Blaser & Heuer Seminar on Defending Liability Claims.
- Featured speaker for the Institute for Continuing Legal Education on "Hot Topics in Municipal Law".
- Oakland County Bar Association, Public Corporation Group, a presentation regarding proposed amendments to the Governmental Tort Liability Act.
- Featured speaker at the State Bar of Michigan, Public Corporation Section, Winter Seminar, regarding the litigation and legislative history of highway/sidewalk liability in Michigan.
- Authored article regarding roadway/sidewalk liability and governmental immunity for the Michigan Public Corporation Quarterly.
- Featured moderator and presenter at the annual convention of the Michigan Municipal League, in Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Featured speaker and moderator at the Michigan Municipal League Annual Convention on Mackinac Island
- Speaker at the Annual Meeting of the Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys in Petoskey. Topic: Protecting the Public Right-of-Ways
- Speaker on excessive force by police officers, protecting against and defending jail suicides, the scope of proper search & seizure
- Speaker on defending claims of sexual discrimination in the workplace, defending employment termination claims, proper procedures for employment
- Speaker on defending construction site accidents and investigating the construction site accident.
- Speaker on interpreting construction indemnity agreements and loss prevention/risk management at the construction site.
- Speaker at statewide workshops presented by the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments
- Featured speaker at annual conventions of the Michigan Municipal League and the Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys in 2006 and 2007.