Murphy, Francis join Plunkett Cooney

Erin R. Murphy, a member of Plunkett Cooney's Insurance Law and Litigation practice groups, and Gary W. Francis,  a member of the firm’s Labor and Employment Practice Group, recently joined Plunkett Cooney, one of the Midwest’s largest full-service law firms.

An attorney in the firm’s Detroit office, Murphy focuses her practice in the areas of insurance coverage law and general liability. She represents insurance companies in complex coverage matters, including complex insurance coverage litigation and advises clients on coverage matters prior to litigation. Her coverage work includes matters relating to complex environmental contamination and premises liability.

A summa cum laude graduate from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 2007, Murphy received numerous academic awards, including an honors scholarship, 10 certificates of merit and the James E. Burns Award, which recognizes the achievement of the student who graduates first in his or her class. She received her undergraduate degree from Northern Michigan University in 2003. Murphy is licensed to practice in Michigan and Indiana.

Gary W. Francis is an attorney in the firm’s Bloomfield Hills office who focuses his practice primarily on traditional labor law, employment law and employee benefits (ERISA).

Francis' previous work experience includes complex litigation involving medical malpractice, premises liability and long-term care claims. He has also represented clients in administrative law matters and mass tort litigation.

Francis received his law degree from Michigan State University College of Law in 2002, where he was a member of the Moot Court and Advocacy Board, as well as an Associate Editor of the Journal of International Law. While attending law school, he clerked in the Trials Division of the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, where he drafted motions and legal memoranda. In 2007, Francis earned his Master of Laws in Labor Law at Wayne State University Law School.

Plunkett Cooney’s Insurance Law Practice Group is unique in its depth and breadth of experience. The group is comprised of attorneys who specialize in defined aspects of insurance coverage law, and who have achieved national reputations for themselves in those areas. A.M Best Company, recognized worldwide as the benchmark for assessing insurers' financial strength, has designated several members of the practice group among its “recommended insurance attorneys” for 2008.

Plunkett Cooney represents private corporations, multi-employer associations, and a variety of public employers in all aspects of employment litigation and labor law. The firm’s labor and employment attorneys defend clients in matters before the National Labor Relations Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, the Michigan Employment Relations Commission, and other labor and employment agencies. They represent management in negotiating labor agreements, in dealing with unfair labor practice charges, strikes, and arbitrations. 

Established in 1913, Plunkett Cooney employs more than 150 attorneys in nine Michigan cities, Columbus, Ohio and Indianapolis, Indiana. The firm has achieved the highest rating (AV) awarded by Martindale-Hubbell, a leading, international directory of law firms. 

For more information about the addition of Erin R. Murphy and Gary W. Francis, contact the firm’s Practice Development Manager, John E. Cornwell at (248) 901-4008.

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