Bio
A senior litigator in the Bloomfield Hills office, Robert A. Marzano currently serves as Plunkett Cooney’s Torts & Litigation Practice Group Leader.
Mr. Marzano has expertise in litigation covering several areas of practice, including trucking/transportation and motor coach liability. He also has an extensive municipal law practice and serves two large southeast Michigan cities in the capacity of City Attorney.
With respect to trucking and motor coach claims, Mr. Marzano represents commercial truck fleet and motor coach companies through their insurance providers. He has resolved numerous catastrophic claims through his aggressive representation of his clients, which seeks to protect his clients’ business interests while minimizing their financial exposure in litigation.
Many of the claims Mr. Marzano handles involve multiple parties and monetary demands that extend into the millions of dollars. This area of practice requires an extensive knowledge of medicine and medical procedures, as well as threshold legal requirements plaintiffs must meet under Michigan law, including serious impairment or loss of an important bodily function.
Mr. Marzano lectures and provides client in-service training on trucking and transportation liability under Michigan law. He currently serves as Michigan State Chair for the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (CLM), which focuses on several areas of practice, including trucking and transportation liability.
Representative Client Work
• Successfully resolved a large motor coach claim brought by a handicapped passenger who was allegedly injured as a result of the alleged negligent operation of a handicap ramp
• Favorably settled a major bus accident case – to the client’s complete satisfaction – through aggressive negotiations with approximately 20 plaintiffs injured in the accident, which they claimed was as a result of driver error
• Received a number of summary judgments in favor of defendants in catastrophic tractor trailer accidents resulting in serious injuries and property damage
Professional Affiliations
- State Bar of Michigan (Negligence Law Section)
- Oakland County Bar Association
- International Conference of Shopping Centers
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 automobile/trucking liability
- Various lectures on issues dealing with premises liability
- Various lectures on issues dealing with municipal issues
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
- ALFA International (Hospitality Law Committee)
- Council on Litigation Management (Michigan State Chair; Premises Liability Committee Member)
- State Bar of Michigan (Negligence Law Section)
Publications and Lectures
- "Premises Liability Trends: Michigan," Co-presenter, CLM, Oct. 8, 2024
- “Civility in the Law,” Presenter, ALFA International Hospitality and Retail Regional Conference, Chicago, Aug. 28, 2023
- ALFA International 2021 Hospitality & Retail Law Compendium, Author, Michigan Chapter
- “Taking Advantage of Michigan’s Broad Economic Loss Doctrine,” Author, Michigan Defense Quarterly, Volume 15, No. 4, 1999.
- Various lectures on issues dealing with premises liability, automobile/trucking liability and municipal issues
Areas of Practice
Trending
Credentials
Education
- Michigan State University College of Law, cum laude, J.D., 1995
- Michigan State University Law Review, Managing Editor
- Clark, Klein, & Beaumont Award for Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Research, Writing, and Advocacy Instructor
- Michigan State University, B.S., 1992
Admissions
- Michigan, 1996
Honors/Awards
Honors & Recognitions
- Best Lawyers in America® for Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, 2026 - 2027
