12.14.2020

Plunkett Cooney partner Douglas C. Bernstein was recently named to the inaugural class of Go To Lawyers in business law as determined by Michigan Lawyers Weekly (MLW), an industry publication serving the state’s legal community.

“Doug is recognized throughout Michigan as a leading banking law and bankruptcy attorney,” said Thomas P. Vincent, Plunkett Cooney’s President & CEO. “He is a tireless advocate for his clients and a leader here at the firm, so we congratulate him for this well-deserved honor.”

Bernstein will be featured, along with 19 other attorneys, in a special section of Michigan Lawyers Weekly on Dec. 28. Michigan’s Go To Lawyers is a new peer-nomination program that was launched by MLW earlier this year that identifies and recognizes the top lawyers across the state in a given practice area. The first area of practice selected is business law.

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.

A member of Plunkett Cooney’s Bloomfield Hills office, Bernstein serves as the firm’s Business Law Department Leader. He concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial litigation, loan restructuring, commercial loan documentation, bankruptcy, banking-related litigation and appeals. His clients include numerous regional and national banks, credit unions and loan servicers, as well as automotive suppliers and charitable foundations.

Prior to joining Plunkett Cooney, Bernstein worked as an in-house attorney at Michigan National Corporation for over 20 years. He subsequently joined the Standard Federal Bank Legal Department when the bank merged with Michigan National Corporation in 2001.

Bernstein earned his undergraduate degree in 1978 from Wayne State University and his law degree in 1982 from the Detroit College of Law. He has received several honors for his legal work, including an AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell, a leading peer-to-peer professional ratings service, and selection as a Michigan Super Lawyer by Super Lawyers magazine for over 12 years and a Best Lawyers in America® from 2014 to 2021.

Plunkett Cooney is one of Michigan’s leading law firms to the banking and finance industry. The firm represents numerous local, regional and national lenders in loan originations, loan workouts, acquisition of new banking powers, regulatory/legislative issues and related litigation. Plunkett Cooney attorneys also serve as counsel to businesses in the areas of bankruptcy and creditors’ rights with noteworthy participation in numerous complex and high-profile bankruptcy and creditors’ rights matters, including the city of Detroit’s historic bankruptcy.

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 Doug Bernstein’s selection as a MLW Go To Business Lawyer, contact the firm’s Director of Marketing and Business Development John Cornwell at (248) 901-4008; jcornwell@plunkettcooney.com.

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