Steven L. Barney

Steven L. Barney is the senior litigation partner in the firm’s northern Michigan office handling a variety of cases, including trucking & transportation claims, construction liability, product liability, professional liability, directors & officers liability, errors & omissions liability, complex commercial claims and alternative dispute resolution.

Mr. Barney is the Past President of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and American Board of Trial Advocates. 

Representative Client Work

Transporation and Automotive 

• Representation of a number of companies and carriers in a variety of cases including commercial trucking, farm equipment, ATVs, autos, hitched trailers, off-load vehicles, motorcycles and golf carts.

Professional Liability

• Representation of attorneys in professional negligence matters involving domestic relations, employment, commercial contracts, personal injury, real estate and criminal law
• Representation of realtors and appraisers in a variety of matters including negligent appraisals, breach of professional responsibilities and unauthorized practice of law
• Representation of accountants in the defense of claims involving audits, business planning and commercial transactions
• Representation of pharmacists in matters relating to negligent dispensation of prescriptions
• Representation of architects and engineers in a variety of matters

Construction Liability

• Commercial Construction – Architectural and Structural
• Mechanics Lien
• Contract Administration and Interpretation Disputes
• Construction Arbitration Proceedings
• Soil, Erosion and Underground Utilities
• Zoning and Permitting 
• Electrical and Mechanical including HVAC
• Flooring Systems – Design and Installation
• Roofing Systems – Design and Installation
• Construction Accidents including Coverage and Indemnity Issues
• Residential Homes – Design and Construction

Product Liability

• Personally handled hundreds of products liability cases including the following examples: stamping presses, wood molding machines, autos, farm equipment, ATVs, motorcycles, automatic sensing equipment, electrical conduits and wiring, fire and explosions including chemicals, mechanical presses, fire suppression systems and chainsaws.

Complex Commercial and Business Torts

• Cases litigated include commercial lending, commercial contracts, personal and business defamation and employment.

Professional Certifications

• Approved Arbitrator:  American Arbitration Association National Roster of Arbitrators and Mediators, Commercial & Construction Panel Member
• Certified Mediator/Facilitator, U.S. District Court Western District of Michigan
• Certified Mediator, Michigan Supreme Court’s Community Dispute Resolution Program
• Chartered Institute of Arbitrators’ Associate Member
• Completion of Defense Research Institute’s Mediation Seminar
• Completion of Harvard Law School’s Program of Instruction for Lawyers Mediation Workshop
• Completion of 2^nd Annual Advanced Negotiation & Dispute Resolution Institute Mediation Training
• Completion of 5th Annual Mediators' Forum: Advanced Mediation Training (June 2009)
• Completion of Advanced Mediation Training Program, A Perspective on Facilitative Mediation:  Strengths of the Process (November 2007)
• U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan Advanced/Refresher Mediator Training (February 2006)
• Completion of United States District Court, Western District of Michigan’s Advanced/Refresher Mediator Training (February 2004)
• Completion of American Arbitration Association’s Arbitrator II Workshop:  Advanced Case Management Issues (May 2002)
• Completion of American Arbitration Association’s Construction Arbitrator Training Workshop (October 2000)

Professional Affiliations

• Emmet/Charlevoix Bar Association
• Michigan Bar Association
• American Bar Association (TIPS) 
• American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow
• American Board of Trial Advocates, Michigan Chapter
• Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (President, 2008-2009; President-Elect, 2007; Board of Directors, 2007; Secretary-Treasurer, 2006)
• Defense Research Institute  
• Michigan Defense Trial Counsel (Past President)

Academic Position

• FDCC Litigation Management College, Faculty Member (1997-2002)
• FDCC Litigation Management College,Graduate Faculty Member (2003-2007)

Community Involvement

• Top of Michigan Trails Council (Past President)
• Petoskey Bay View Country Club (Board of Directors, Past Member)
• Petoskey Area Chamber of Commerce (Board of Directors Past Member)
• Petoskey Housing Commission (Past)

Publications and Lectures

Various publications and in conjunction with personal presentations, most recently on facilitation, products liability, technology, Internet discovery, etc. including:

• What’s Working – What’s Not in ADR
• ADR Section of the State Bar of Michigan, Preparing Yourself and Your Client for Facilitative Mediation
• Alternative Dispute Resolution for the South Dakota Defense Lawyers Association
• How to be a Better Advocate in Facilitated Mediations
• Discovery of Electronic Information:  How to Discover and Retrieve Evidence From Opponent’s Computer and Draft or Respond to Electronic Discovery Requests
• Using Technology to Reduce Your Litigation Costs
• How To Digest Written Discovery Requests
• Products Liability:  Benefits of Early Detection and Investigation
• Avoiding Sanctions in Discovery, Joint International Conference, Barcelona, Spain
• Discovery in the International Setting – E-Discovery, British Insurance Law Association, London, England

Prepared and presented numerous presentations for the FDCC and others on legal malpractice, products liability, electronic discovery, foreign discovery, etc. most recently including:

• Technology and the Business of Litigation
• Surf and Turf:  Cyberspace from the Ground Up – The Issues (Legal and Otherwise) of Electronic Information
• Case Evaluation Software
• Ethics Issues for the Defense:  You Be the Judge
• How to Prepare Your Client and Yourself for Mediation

News

• Plunkett Cooney attorneys among Michigan ‘Super Lawyers’ 2011
• Plunkett Cooney attorneys among Michigan 'Super Lawyers' 2010
• Plunkett Cooney attorneys among Michigan ‘Super Lawyers’ 2009
• Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel elects 2008 – 2009 officers at annual meeting
• Plunkett Cooney attorneys among Michigan 'Super Lawyers' 2008
• Plunkett Cooney Attorneys Named 2007 Michigan 'Super Lawyers'