04.01.2021

Plunkett Cooney partner Courtney L. Nichols was recently named to the 2021 class of “Go To Lawyers” in employment law as determined by Michigan Lawyers Weekly (MLW), an industry publication serving the state’s legal community.

“Courtney possesses that unique combination of excellence in her knowledge of law, vigorous advocacy for clients and civility in the practice,” said Lawrence R. Donaldson, Nichols’ colleague who nominated her for the award. “She has established herself as a go-to attorney within the firm, the legal community and with clients alike, and she is very deserving of this award.” 

Nichols will be featured, along with 19 other attorneys, in a special section of an April edition of the Michigan Lawyers Weekly. In its second year, Michigan’s Go To Lawyers is a peer-nomination program that recognizes the top lawyers across the state in a given practice area.

Attorneys are selected as a “Michigan Go To Lawyer” based on expertise in their field, including how well-versed they are in the nuances of the case law, statutes and regulations clients will encounter. Selection criteria also includes a successful record with cases and/or transactions, high referral rate based on expertise and accomplishments, and creative problem solving that identifies all options for clients. Nominated lawyers are those whose colleagues would refer to a friend or use themselves in that field of expertise.

Nichols serves as a co-leader of the firm's Labor and Employment Law Practice Group. She focuses her litigation practice in the area of employment law, including harassment, discrimination and retaliation claims brought under state and federal statutes. In addition,

Nichols provides counsel to employers of all sizes regarding complicated employment and labor issues prior to litigation, including compliance with the ADA, FMLA, and FLSA. She also advises institutions of higher education with respect to Title IX sexual assault claims on campus.

Nichols has been designated by Michigan Super Lawyer Magazine as a “Rising Star” in the area of employment & labor law for five years, and she received the "Up & Coming Lawyer" Award from MLW in 2015. Nichols is a member of the Oakland County Bar Association, the State Bar of Michigan, DRI - The Voice of the Defense Bar, and the Labor & Employment Practice Group of ALFA International.

Admitted to practice before the state and federal courts in Michigan, she received her law degree, cum laude, from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2011. Nichols received her undergraduate degree from the James Madison College at Michigan State University in 2008.

The members of Plunkett Cooney’s Labor & Employment Practice Group assist clients with human resource matters and defend employment actions brought against them in state and federal courts. The firm provides an array of services designed to assist employers with workforce management issues and to comply with state and federal employment requirements. Practice group members also assist clients with employee handbook reviews/updates, hiring and firing situations, employment policy reviews/updates, internal investigations, wage and hour issues, and workplace safety compliance.

Established in 1913, Plunkett Cooney, which is one of the Midwest’s oldest and most accomplished law firms, is a leading provider of business and litigation services to clients in the private and public sectors. The firm employs approximately 150 attorneys in seven Michigan cities, Chicago, Illinois; Columbus, Ohio; and Indianapolis, Indiana. Plunkett Cooney has achieved the highest rating (AV) awarded by Martindale-Hubbell, a leading, international directory of law firms.

For more information about Courtney Nichols’ selection as a 2021 MLW “Go To” Employment Lawyer, contact the firm’s Director of Marketing and Business Development John Cornwell at (248) 901-4008; jcornwell@plunkettcooney.com.

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