Bio
Ellisse S. Thompson is a member of Plunkett Cooney’s Torts & Litigation Practice Group, where she focuses her practice on complex product liability, premises liability and general liability matters.
A senior attorney in the firm’s Detroit office, Ms. Thompson maintains a sophisticated litigation practice, handling complex product liability, premises liability and general liability matters, as well as first- and third-party automotive claims. She has experience assisting in the defense of complex, high-exposure litigation matters involving multiple parties and coordinated defense strategies.
Ms. Thompson brings a unique perspective to her defense practice, having previously served as in-house counsel for a major automobile manufacturer, where she managed product liability litigation and oversaw claims involving company vehicle operations. In that role, she evaluated and managed claims from their earliest stages through resolution, including pre-suit claimant handling, early case assessment and litigation strategy.
In addition, Ms. Thompson has substantial experience defending product manufacturers, component part manufacturers, distributors, retailers and online marketplaces in complex product liability matters involving consumer, automotive and recreational products on a national basis. Her practice includes working closely with engineers and technical experts in connection with product inspections, defect analysis and destructive testing.
Representative Client Work
- Managed early-stage resolution strategy and pre-suit claimant handling in complex matters, achieving favorable resolutions prior to litigation through targeted investigation, liability assessment and strategic evaluation of exposure
- Obtained dismissal of a manufacturer in a subrogation action exceeding $600,000 in claimed damages following initial inspections and expert discovery conducted prior to mediation
- Defended automobile manufacturers in complex product liability litigation involving allegations of failure to equip Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), as well as claims involving defective airbags, seat belt systems and fuel systems, requiring analysis of crash dynamics, causation and engineering-based defect theories
- Defended manufacturers and distributors of home consumer and recreational products, including firepits, hair-removal devices, grill brushes, treestands, crossbows and other hunting and outdoor equipment in complex product liability litigation involving design defect and failure-to-warn theories
- Successfully defended a major retailer in a premises liability action by drafting and arguing a dispositive motion based on plaintiff’s failure to disclose claims in bankruptcy proceedings, resulting in dismissal for lack of standing
- Represented an interested party in a contested guardianship proceeding involving an adult ward of the state, resulting in court-ordered visitation rights and positioning the matter for potential full guardianship
- Assisted in the defense of a high-exposure jailhouse suicide case, including legal research and briefing in support of a successful motion for summary judgment addressing claims of denial of medical care, failure to train, gross negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress
Professional Affiliations
- State Bar of Michigan
- Women Lawyers Association of Michigan
- Eastern District of Michigan Bar Association
Community Involvement
- National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, Louisa St. Clair Chapter (Executive Board Officer)
- GP STEAAM Foundation (Board Member)
Judicial Intern
- Hon. Nancy G. Edmunds, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, 2011
Areas of Practice
Trending
Credentials
Education
Admissions
- Michigan, 2014
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, 2014
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan, 2015
- U.S. Tax Court, 2015
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas, 2017
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana, 2023
- U.S. District Court, District of Colorado, 2024
- U.S. District Court, District of Nebraska, 2025
Honors/Awards
Honors & Recognitions
- 2014 Pro Bono Recognition Award, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan