Bio

An aggressive and accomplished trial attorney, D. Jennifer Andreou currently serves as managing partner of the firm’s Detroit office. She is also a member of Plunkett Cooney's Medical Litigation Practice Group.

Ms. Andreou specializes in the defense of physicians, hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living and long-term care facilities in claims alleging medical malpractice. Other areas of expertise include representation of health care professionals in state investigations and licensing matters as well as representation of health care professionals and institutions in claims alleging sexual assaults.

Representative Client Work

  • Successfully defended to no cause for action many claims relating to ectopic pregnancies against emergency medicine physicians, family practice physicians and obstetricians/gynecologists. 
  • Successfully defended a cardiologist in a wrongful death action where plaintiff alleged improper work up of heart disease resulting in a myocardial infarction while driving an automobile causing the plaintiff’s death and the death of the individual whom plaintiff hit.  A no cause for action was obtained on all counts.
  • Successfully defended to no cause for action several claims alleging wrongful death (stillborn) as a result of claimed improper management during labor and delivery.
  • Successfully defended to no cause for action many claims alleging improper surgical technique against general surgeons, orthopedic surgeons, interventional cardiologists and interventional radiologists. 
  • Successfully defended to no cause for action several claims against nursing homes and nursing home personnel, alleging improper Coumadin management, decubitus ulcers and fractures due to falls. 
  • Successfully defended to no cause for action several claims against cardiologists alleging a failure to diagnose cardiac disease and/or failure to timely get a patient to the Cardiac Catheterization Lab.
  • Successfully defended to no cause for action several claims alleging failure to timely diagnose and initiate stroke protocol treatment.
  • Successfully defended to no cause for action several claims alleging a failure to timely diagnose cancer.
  • Daubert Hearings:  In an era when the Michigan Court of Appeals and the Michigan Supreme Court have instructed trial courts to assert their gatekeeper role, Ms. Andreou has been successful in convincing trial courts to hold Daubert hearings (evidentiary hearings which test the scientific reliability of a proffered theory) and has prevailed at such hearings.
  • Dispositive Motions:  An aggressive litigator, Ms. Andreou constantly looks for ways to obtain early dismissal of a case and has prevailed in having dozens of cases dismissed based on successful challenges to the statute of limitations, expert qualifications and proximate cause.

Publications and Lectures

  • "Nuts and Bolts of Health Law," Presenter, Federal Bar Association - Health Law Section, May 3, 2024
  • "NextGen Medical Liability - Strategies, Tactics & Technology in the Millennial Age," Presenter, Plunkett Cooney’s Medical Liability Seminar, Detroit Athletic Club, May 31, 2019
  • “The Power of Technology in the Physician Practice,” Presenter, Oakland County Medical Society, Bloomfield Open Hunt Club, March 31, 2017
  • “Riding the Wave - The Future of Medicine & the Law,” Presenter, Plunkett Cooney’s Medical Liability Seminar, Detroit Athletic Club, May 20, 2016
  • "From Deposition to Verdict," Presenter, Plunkett Cooney’s Medical Liability Mock Trial, The Dearborn Inn, Feb. 7, 2015
  • "Anatomy of a Lawsuit," Speaker, Beaumont Hospital, Oct. 6, 2014
  • "Anatomy of a Lawsuit," Speaker, Detroit Medical Center, Sept. 30, 2014
  • "From Deposition to Verdict," Presenter, Plunkett Cooney’s Medical Liability Mock Trial, Troy Marriott Hotel, May 31, 2014
  • "The Future of Medical Malpractice in Michigan," Presenter, Plunkett Cooney’s Medical Liability Seminar, The Dearborn Inn; April 12, 2013
  • "Perfect Game," Moderator and Presenter, Plunkett Cooney’s Medical Liability Seminar, Detroit Athletic Club; April 7, 2011
  • "The Right Side of Checkmate," Moderator, Plunkett Cooney’s Medical Liability Seminar, Detroit Athletic Club; April 30, 2010
  • Mock Trial Presentation, Detroit Medical Center, 2006
  • Mock Trial Presentation, Meadowbrook Insurance Company, 2006
  • “A Legal Primer for the Physician Assistant,” Speaker, The Michigan Academy of Physician Assistants, 2006
  • Mock Trial Presentation, St. John Medical Center, 2005
  • “HIPAA and its Impact on Meeting with Treating Physicians,” Speaker, Plunkett & Cooney client seminar, 2004
  • Mock Trial Presentation, Detroit Medical Center, 2004
  • “Deposition Preparation:  Knowledge is Power,” Speaker, Grand Rounds, General Surgery, Detroit Medical Center, 2003
  • “Deposition Preparation:  Knowledge is Power,” Speaker, Grand Rounds, Orthopedics, Detroit Medical Center, 2002
  • “What can we Learn from Tobin?,” Tobin v Providence Hospital, Mich App (2001), Healthcare Law Summary, 2001
  • “Deposition Preparation:  Knowledge is Power,” Speaker, Grand Rounds, Internal Medicine, Detroit Medical Center, 2000
  • “An Overview of the top Medical Malpractice Decisions of 2000,” Healthcare Law Summary, 2000
  • “Anatomy of a Lawsuit,” Speaker, Detroit Medical Center, 1998 & 1999
  • “Nursing Home Liability: Ordinary or Professional Negligence,” Legal Panelist, Port Huron Hospital, 1996
  • “Practice Guidelines - Risk or Risk Reduction,” Panelist, Michigan Defense Trial Counsel, 1996
  • “Ethical Considerations with DNR Codes and Patient Advocate Designation,” Legal Panelist, Port Huron Hospital, 1995
  • “Deposition Preparation: Knowledge is Power,” Legal Panelist, Bon Secours Hospital, 1990

Professional Affiliations

  • Macomb County Bar Association
  • State Bar of Michigan (Litigation Section)
  • Michigan Defense Trial Counsel
  • American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
  • Federal Bar Association

Community Involvement

  • Port Huron General Hospital Ethics Committee (1994-1997)
  • Detroit Barristers (Board of Directors; Chairperson-Holiday Food Fund; Chairperson-American Cancer Lock Up; Chairperson-Senior Citizens Law Day)

Credentials

Education

  • University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, cum laude, J.D., 1985
  • Wayne State University, with honors, B.A., 1982
  • University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1978-1981

Admissions

  • Michigan, 1986

Honors/Awards

Honors & Recognitions

  • Best Lawyers™ 2022 Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants "Lawyer of the Year" in Detroit
  • Best Lawyers' Troy Medical Malpractice Law Defense "Lawyer of the Year," 2018 - 2019
  • Best Lawyers in America® for Medical Malpractice Law (Copyright 2022 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC), 2015 - 2024
  • Martindale-Hubbell’s highest rating-AV Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated
  • Michigan Super Lawyer in Personal Injury Defense: Medical Malpractice, 2009 - 2023
  • Michigan Super Lawyers, Top 50 Women Attorneys in Michigan, 2012-2015, 2018, 2020- 2023
  • Leading Lawyer in Medical Malpractice Defense Law, Leading Lawyers Magazine Michigan, 2015 - 2021
  • Top Lawyer in Medical Malpractice Law, dbusiness Magazine, 2015-2020, 2022, 2024
  • Notable Women in Law Honoree, Crain’s Detroit Business, 2024
  • Go To Medical Malpractice Lawyer honoree, Michigan Lawyers Weekly, 2021
  • Women in the Law honoree, Michigan Lawyers Weekly, 2011
  • Elected to American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), 2009

Insights

Speaking Engagements

Press Releases