Daniel W. Mabis

An attorney in the firm’s East Lansing office, Daniel W. Mabis focuses his practice primarily in the areas of civil and criminal litigation, municipal law, property law, school law, employment law and medical malpractice.

Prior to joining Plunkett Cooney, Mr. Mabis worked as a research attorney for Judge Stanley J. Latreille of the Livingston County Circuit Court. He also served as an Adjunct Professor of Legal Methods at Thomas M. Cooley Law School.

Representative Client Work

• Defended a dram shop case involving a plaintiff who sustained facial lacerations with some permanent scarring after allegedly being struck in the head with a beer bottle by an Allegedly Intoxicated Person (AIP). The original demand amount of $150,000 was reduced to $35,000 after a factual issue was created, challenging whether the AIP was intoxicated when served another drink by the dram shop and whether the AIP or the dram shop was the proximate cause of the plaintiff's injuries.
• Resolved another similar dram shop case seeking $250,000 by a plaintiff who claimed she was struck in the head with a beer bottle by an AIP, resulting in facial scarring. The defense argued that the AIP was not visibly intoxicated when served and that the alleged intoxication was not the sole or contributing cause of the plaintiff's injuries. The case was settled for $25,000. 
• Prosecuted hundreds of cases as city attorney for a growing municipality in central Michigan
• Trial counsel for major home improvement chain
• Successfully defended large armored car company in a motor vehicle accident action where the plaintiff had spinal decompression surgery and where the plaintiff demanded $250,000 from the jury
• Successfully defended fire suppression system installer in action for property damage due to alleged sprinkler head malfunction where the plaintiff demanded over $200,000 
• Received large jury verdict in case where the client was injured in motor vehicle accident
• Successfully defended several school districts, particularly with respect to FMLA claims
• Defended a HVAC company in a wrongful death action where it was alleged that deaths were caused by a carbon monoxide leak, which the HVAC company failed to detect, and where the plaintiff sought in excess of $1 million in damages
• Defended and obtained summary dismissals in several automobile accident personal injury cases
• Defended several veterinarians in negligence actions

Professional Affiliations

• Livingston County Bar Association
• Eaton County Bar Association
• State Bar of Michigan
• American Bar Association

Lectures:

• Speaker/presenter - Family Medical Leave Act

Academic Positions

• Adjunct Professor of Legal Methods – Thomas M. Cooley Law School