Robert A. Marzano

Robert A. Marzano currently serves as Plunkett Cooney's Litigation Practice Group Leader. A member of the firm's Bloomfield Hills office, he concentrates his practice in the areas of municipal law, foodservice and hospitality law, as well as all aspects of civil litigation. 

Mr. Marzano's municipal law experience includes currently serving as City Attorney for the communities of Plymouth and Northville, Michigan. Apart from his typical duties as a city attorney, Mr. Marzano also handles specialized matters such as zoning issues, telecommunication matters, election law issues, charter revisions and annexation issues on behalf of municipal and private-commercial clients.

Mr. Marzano has handled numerous litigation matters involving food contamination, food borne illness claims, packaging defect claims, and claims related to foreign materials in food. He routinely litigates matters involving dramshop/liquor liability, and he has experience with liquor license requirements, including the application, renewal, and transfer process, as well as license violations.

Mr. Marzano's litigation practice is devoted to representing individuals, national retailers and commercial clients in disputes involving premises liability claims, security guard litigation, dramshop/liquor liability issues, general negligence claims, third-party auto negligence claims and trucking litigation.

Representative Client Work

• Election Commissioner for two municipalities
• Served as counsel for a Charter Revision
• Handled various complex election issues
• Handled various land use and zoning matters for both private entities and municipalities
• Handled annexation matters for private entities
• Represents several national retail companies in various aspects of commercial and premises litigation
• Negotiated cable franchises on behalf of municipalities

Professional Affiliations

• Oakland County Bar Association
• State Bar of Michigan (Negligence Law Section)
• Council on Litigation Management (Michigan State Chair; Premises Liability Committee Member) 
• ALFA International (Hospitality Law Committee)

Publications and Lectures

• “Taking Advantage of Michigan’s Broad Economic Loss Doctrine,” Michigan Defense Quarterly, Volume 15, No. 4, 1999.
• Various lectures on issues dealing with premises liability
• Various lectures on issues dealing with automobile/trucking liability
• Various lectures on issues dealing with municipal issues

Publications

• Michigan Supreme Court “Clarifies” Fultz Decision, Re-Defines Duty Person Performing Contractual Obligation Owes To Non-Contracting Third-Party
• Appeals Court Rules That Employer Can Be Properly Named as a Non-Party at Fault
• A Settling Tortfeasor has the Statutory Right to Seek Contribution Under MCL §600.2925a
• Michigan Court of Appeals Varies on Whether Snow and Ice is Open and Obvious

Speaking Engagements

• Crash Course! - The New Michigan Auto Injury Threshold Created by McCormick