John Bredell has been a trial lawyer since 1984. For 4 years, Mr. Bredell worked at the defense firm of Davis and Fajen, where he conducted 5 jury trials, achieving 5 defense verdicts. The final defense case that Mr. Bredell tried to verdict was a no fault case against Robert Logeman, the author of No-Fault Automobile Law and Practice in Michigan. After no causing Bob Logeman on a wage loss claim, Mr. Bredell accepted a job with Logeman and Connors, which eventually became Logeman, Connors and Bredell. While an associate at Logeman and Connors, Mr. Bredell settled a first party no fault case for $1,000,000, which was real money back in the early 1990's.
In 1995, Mr. Bredell and his trial lawyer wife, Lynn Bredell, founded Bredell and Bredell. While at Bredell and Bredell, John Bredell tried over 100 cases to verdict. Three times in his long career, Mr. Bredell achieved a verdict in the top ten in the state of Michigan, as recognized by the Michigan Lawyer’s weekly. In 2008, Mr. Bredell achieved a jury verdict of $3,533,491 after a 4 day trial in a first party no fault case. The highest offer was $200,000. At the time, this was the largest no fault verdict in the history of the State of Michigan. Mr. Bredell defended this verdict on appeal and was affirmed. Elser v Auto Owners, No. 294068 (Mich App Mar 14, 20213).
The husband and wife firm of Bredell & Bredell handled all of their own appeals and achieved several cases that have been widely cited, including Douglas v Allstate, 492 Mich 241 (2012) (first party no fault); O’Donnell v Garasic, 259 Mich App 569 (2004)(Premises liability); Lymon v Freedland 314 Mich App 746 (2016)(premises liability); Watkins v Manchester, 220 Mich App 337 (1996)(attorney malpractice); Rafferty v Markovitz, 461 Mich App 265 (1999). Mr. Bredell has argued his own cases in the Court of Appeal and Michigan Supreme Court more than 30 times.
In his own practice, Mr. Bredell was able to acheive settlements in cases with legal issues that could not be avoided or waived. In the case of Wilson v Titan, Hallie Wilson was severely injured in a motor vehicle accident and incurred over $250,000 of allowable expenses. Titan had cancelled the policy prior to the accident. Bredell filed a lawsuit against Titan, Claiming that the cancellation was improper and therefore invalid. The trial court denied Titan’s motion for summary disposition. Mr. Bredell convinced Titan to stipulate to damages in the amount of $250,000 and entered a final order preserving Titan’s right to seek an appeal of right. The Michigan Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court and Hallie Wilson collected the $250,000.
Without this creative strategy, the parties would have been required to conduct an expensive and time consuming trial and then pursue an appeal. Titan could have pursued an interlocutory appeal, but there was no assurance that the Court of Appeals would accept the appeal and even if it did, the case would still need to be settled.
In the case of Lymon v Freedland, 314 Mich App 746 (2016), Joyanna Lymon was working as a home health aide and she was walking up the ice covered driveway to provide home care to an elderly patient. Joyanna slipped on the icy driveway and suffered a fracture leg. The trial court denied the defense motion for open and obvious. Rather than trying the case, risking a defense verdict which is always a risk in a slip and fall case, and then defending an appeal of the open and obvios ruling, Bredell convinced the defense to stipulate to a verdict in the amount of $330,000 with the preservation of Defendant’s appellate rights. The Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court affirmed the ruling of the trial court and Joyanna Lymon collected the entire $330,000.
During his long career, Mr. Bredell has handled a wide variety of claims, including employment, fire loss, third party auto, first party claims, premises liability and many varied general negligence claims. But perhaps some of the most painful experience Mr. Bredell acquired to equip him to be a facilitator were some cases that Mr. Bredell did not win. On at least two occasions, Mr. Bredell stood before a jury and requested a verdict in excess of a million dollars and was no caused. Like every lawyer that has triad many cases, Mr. Bredell lost a handful of cases in the trial court and lost a few verdicts on appeal. Every effective facilitator must personally experience the joy of victory and the agony of defeat to realize that a fair settlement is usually the best outcome. Mr. Bredell has won cases he thought he would surely lose and lost a few cases that he believed he could not lose.
Most of the actors in civil litigation are seasoned professionals. The lawyers have typically handled many cases and have become hardened and accustomed to the plight of the litigants. Insurance adjusters have become cynical of many plaintiffs and often feel the plaintiff is malingering or worse. Too often the discussion turns to a sterile discussion of how much.
Many plaintiffs, especially when experiencing a life altering injury to themselves or a family member, are insulted by the cold calculation of placing a monetary value on their predicament, even though this is all our legal system allows us to do. The Bredell Mediation Center has been thoughtfully laid out so a plaintiff and their family feel heard and respected. Rather than sitting in front of a desk that is the model in many consumer transactions such as buying a car, interviewing for a job or applying for a loan, the litigants are afforded a comfortable and elegant seating arrangement. This approach was inspired by retired Judge Timothy Connors, who has been inspirational in advancing the native American Peacemaking Court.
The Bredell Mediation Center is a dedicated mediation facility, that is only used for mediations. John Bredell has converted his 1892 historic law office into a mediation center. The office has been meticulously renovated and maintained. Although many cases, particularly first party provider cases, are only about money and can be effectively handled by phone or zoom. But other cases, involving significant injuries, are more effectively handled by an in person mediation. The office has been laid out, furnished and designed to make the litigants and the lawyers comfortable. Research has shown that consumers are more likely complete a major transaction if they feel comfortable with their surroundings. None of us have ever bought an expensive car from a shabby looking dealership. The Bredell mediation center is as elegant as any high end luxury car dealership.
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