01.05.2021

Plunkett Cooney, one of the Midwest’s oldest and largest law firms, recently named four associate attorneys as its newest shareholders.

Ryan M. Bates, Roderick Fracassi, Matthew L. Hendricksen and Nicole Ruggirello were recently approved by the firm’s Board of Directors as the firm’s newest shareholders. The promotion from associate or senior attorney is based on the recommendations of the firm’s Shareholder Evaluation Committee, and the change in status was effective on Jan. 1.

Bates is a member of the firm’s Bloomfield Hills office who focuses his practice on insurance-related claims involving no-fault law and motor vehicle negligence, including theft and property damage. A former in-house attorney for an international insurance company, Bates has extensive experience handling cases and pre-litigation investigations involving an array of insurance matters, including subrogation, fraud and third-party actions. These claims range from potentially high-exposure litigation involving complex and catastrophic injuries to comparatively low-exposure theft.

Recognized as a Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Insurance Law, Bates received his law degree from The Dickinson School of Law at Penn State University in 2009. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan in 2005.

Fracassi is a member of the firm’s Transportation Law Practice Group. He focuses his practice primarily on servicing the transactional, regulatory and litigation needs of clients in the trucking and logistics industries. With over 17 years of experience in the transportation industry, he has extensive experience defending litigation involving catastrophic injuries and fatalities, and advising clients regarding sales, licensing, vendor services and procurement contracts. Clients also rely upon Fracassi for counsel and representation in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, real estate, intellectual property, risk management and bankruptcy.

A member of the firm’s Detroit office, Fracassi graduated from the Michigan State University College of Law in 1994. He received his master’s degree from Wayne State University the same year.

Hendricksen is a member of the firm’s Chicago office who focuses his practice in the area of commercial litigation. He represents lenders, creditors and landlords in collection lawsuits, bankruptcy proceedings, fraudulent transfer claims, replevin actions, priority disputes and troubled loans.

A member of the Chicago and Illinois State bar associations, Hendricksen graduated magna cum laude from Loyola University Chicago School of Law in 2008. He received his undergraduate degree from Marquette University in 2002.

Completing Plunkett Cooney’s lineup of new shareholders is Ruggirello, who is a member of the firm’s Bloomfield Hills office. Ruggirello practices primarily in the area of insurance coverage law, representing several major property and casualty insurance companies in coverage cases throughout the Midwest. Her coverage work includes handling a variety of issues, including environmental contamination, construction defect and high-exposure product liability claims.

Ruggirello is a former research attorney and law clerk to the Judge Michael J. Riordan of the Michigan Court of Appeals. She also worked as a judicial intern to Michigan Supreme Court Justice Stephen J. Markman and Chief Judge Gerald E. Rosen of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.

Admitted to practice in state courts in Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin, Ruggirello received both her law and undergraduate degrees, magna cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame in 2011 and 2008, respectively.

Established in 1913, Plunkett Cooney 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, Indianapolis, Indiana and Columbus, Ohio. Plunkett Cooney has achieved the highest rating (AV) awarded by Martindale-Hubbell, a leading, international directory of law firms.

For more information about Plunkett Cooney’s newest shareholders, contact the firm’s Director of Marketing and Business Development John Cornwell at (248) 901-4008; jcornwell@plunkettcooney.com.

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