Jeffrey Schroder Cannabis Healthcare Governmental Law Attorney Plunkett Cooney Bloomfield Hills: business law and litigation defense services

Bio

A partner in the firm's Bloomfield Hills office, Jeffrey M. Schroder serves as a Co-Leader of Plunkett Cooney's Cannabis and Health Care Industry groups.

Mr. Schroder focuses his practice in the areas of cannabis and liquor license applications and compliance, health care compliance and audit defense, fraud and embezzlement recovery, municipal law, and zoning/land use. His practice includes all aspects of state and local regulatory compliance, as well as related business issues, including license approvals, transactions, real estate and related litigation.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Schroder worked as an Assistant Attorney General – Senior Attorney for the Health Care Fraud Division for the state of Michigan. He initiated Medicaid fraud civil recoveries, prosecuted Medicaid provider fraud, prosecuted financial abuse in resident care facilities, represented the state in Qui Tam cases filed by whistleblowers under the Medicaid False Claims Act, and he served on national teams with other Qui Tam states to investigate and prosecute global fraud cases.

Mr. Schroder also has extensive experience in governmental law, having served as an assistant city attorney for the city of Warren for approximately nine years. While there, he represented the city in litigation and court proceedings; negotiated and recommended contracts for consideration and approval; prosecuted criminal cases, including warrant authorization and bench/jury trials; represented the city’s planning commission, library commission, and brownfield authority; researched and responded to Freedom of Information Act requests; drafted city ordinances and resolutions; drafted legal opinions for elected officials and department heads; and worked extensively on state governmental relations issues with the city lobbyist.

Representative Client Work

Assists clients with the procurement, administration and regulation of government contracts; examples include contracts between a nonprofit organization and municipalities for community media services and contracts between a waste hauler and municipalities for waste collection services.
Assists clients with municipal and state applications for cannabis business licenses
Successfully defended two elected officials against recall petition language before County Elections Commission
Assists cannabis industry clients with land use and zoning approvals
Assists clients with hemp grower registration and hemp processor-handler licenses with the Michigan Department of Agriculture
Advocates for cannabis business licenses and land use approvals before state and municipal boards and agencies
Litigation of cannabis industry disputes, including zoning and land use denials
Prosecuted complex felony health care fraud and embezzlement cases; examples include conviction of county mental health official for fraud by approving bogus consulting agreements and conviction of Oakland County nursing home worker for embezzling over $460,000 from patients
Represents health care providers and pharmacies in audits and investigations by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG)
Represented the state in complex global civil litigation involving allegations of health care fraud; negotiated, drafted, and recommended settlements to the Department of Health and Human Services; represented the state in dozens of civil fraud cases that produced over $40 million in recoveries
Under the Medicaid False Claims Act, produced Michigan’s first monetary recovery for civil damages suffered by a Managed Care Organization (MCO) as a result of provider fraud
Experienced in health care provider fraud cases in numerous areas, including hospitals, pharmacies, mental and behavioral health, dental, nursing homes and providers with potential Stark and Anti-Kickback violations
Served on municipal RFP committees and negotiated contracts; examples include a $9.1 million contract for new automated water meters, a banking services contract and a contract for performance management and citizen response software
Represented Planning Commission; assisted successful adoption of a zoning ordinance enabling the multi-use development of large parcel of land, and drafted a zoning ordinance that heightened development standards for used car lots
Represented Brownfield Redevelopment Authority; worked with petitioner to obtain state approval for a tax exemption certificate to redevelop dilapidated hotel into a modern independent and assisted living facility
Represented Library Commission; assisted with consolidation of libraries and sale of library property with successful rezoning condition
Handled municipal water and sewer issues; reviewed engineering contracts and easement agreements; negotiated 30-year contract extension with Detroit Water and Sewerage Department; provided advice on water shutoffs and revised job descriptions for union employees that enabled cross-training and greater efficiency
On behalf of municipality, successfully petitioned Michigan Department of Corrections to relocate sex offenders from a halfway house near a female youth volleyball academy
On behalf of municipality, assisted successful appeal of HUD denial to spend Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) grant funds on a proposed community center in an economically depressed area
Extensive experience with Election Law matters related to candidate eligibility and providing advice to Election Commission
Prosecuted thousands of municipal criminal and ordinance violations; extensive experience drafting ordinances and prosecuting violations related to zoning, blight, and property maintenance

Professional Development

NAMFCU Health Care Fraud Annual Training Program, Salt Lake City, UT, 2014
Immigration Training by ICE Agents in Detroit, 2013
NAMFCU Health Care Fraud Global Case Training Program, Kansas City, KS, 2013
ICLE Annual Health Law Institute, Plymouth, MI, 2011, 2013
American Bar Association National Institute on Health Care Fraud, Miami, FL, 2011
National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units (NAMFCU) Medicaid Fraud 101 Training Program, Santa Fe, NM, 2011

Professional Affiliations

Incorporated Society of Irish-American Lawyers
State Bar of Michigan (Health Care Law Section - Appointed to Governing Council, 2017 - 2020; Legislative Committee, Chair, 2017 - 2018), Marijuana Law Section

Community Involvement

Elks Lodge #1588, Ferndale, MI
Volunteer for Election Day integrity efforts (1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2012)

Publications/Articles and Lectures

"Smoker on the Water," presenter, ALFA International's 2025 International Client Seminar, Tucson, Arizona, March 7, 2025
"Ballots, Polling, Firearms Oh My! A Primer on New Laws along with Old Issues Plaguing our Clerks and Election Officials," presenter, State Bar of Michigan Government Law Section Annual Winter Education Seminar, Feb. 9, 2024
“Ask the Experts,” MiCIA magazine, Volume 5 #2 2023
"Can the Cannabis Industry Continue to Stay the Same?" panelist, Turnaround Management Association West Michigan Annual Luncheon Series, Feb. 21, 2023
"Find Your Funding," panelist, Detroit Regional Chamber's Cannabusiness Series, Jan. 13, 2022
"Marijuana Retail: The Struggle is Real(ty)," presenter, Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants Cannabis Summit, Troy, Michigan, Dec. 7, 2021
"Cutting Through the Haze: Marijuana in Michigan," presenter, Institute of Continuing Legal Education 25th Annual Health Law Institute, March 8, 2019
"Cannabis - From Cradle to Grave," presenter, Risk Management Association West Michigan Chapter seminar, Grand Rapids, Michigan, May 15, 2018
"Medical Marijuana in Michigan: Navigating State and Local Regulations,” presenter, State Bar of Michigan, Health Care Law Section webinar, May 3, 2017
"The Latest in Health Care Fraud Enforcement," Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants Anti-Fraud Conference, featured speaker, May 21, 2013