Cheryl L. Chandler
Of Counsel – Retired

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Biography

Cheri is a seasoned and highly regarded Michigan trial lawyer. In her 40 year career as a successful litigator, she has handled hundreds of cases – from claim filing to pretrial settlements to jury verdict and/or appeals as needed. She holds a coveted AV peer rating by Martindale-Hubbell, Inc., the highest rating offered by this prestigious organization.

Cheri has tried cases and appeals before judges and juries in all county Circuit Courts in the Detroit tri-county area, Washtenaw County, Traverse City, Monroe, Adrian, as well as in Federal Court, the American Arbitration Association and the Michigan Supreme Court. As appropriate for each situation and case, she conducts detailed case assessments to determine whether settlement or trial will most likely attain the most favorable outcome for the client.

Cheri defends physicians and health care entities in medical malpractice cases involving all areas of medicine – from family practice, radiology technologists, nurses – to the more technical areas of obstetrics and gynecology, neurosurgery, orthopedics, urology, cardiology, gastroenterology, plastic surgery, radiology and cardiovascular surgery. She represents numerous health care facilities of all types who operate in Wayne, Washtenaw, St. Clair and Macomb counties, many of whom face claims throughout Michigan. In addition, Cheri will assist and advise on other commercial cases and claims.

Experience

Client success:
Cheryl Chandler successfully defended doctors in two recent trials in Monroe and Wayne Counties. In the first trial, she represented an emergency department doctor in a case related to treatment of a facial wound/alleged human bite. In the second trial, she represented a psychiatrist in a suicide case.

Client success:
Cheryl Chandler successfully defended physicians in three recent medical malpractice trials. In the first trial, she represented a gastroenterologist in Oakland County. In the second trial, she defended an internist in Wayne County in a below the knee amputation case. In the third trial, she represented a psychiatrist in a suicide case in Wayne County.

Representation of a national drug company as Michigan Counsel in the defense of product liability claims relating to the ingestion of a medication manufactured by the company. She helped negotiate several favorable settlements on behalf of the company in conjunction with other national drug companies who manufactured the same medication.

Representation of a physician through trial to the Michigan Supreme Court where a verdict for the defense was affirmed. This case created the rule of law that allows a jury instruction to be given in medical malpractice cases that indicates bad results, in and of themselves, are not malpractice.

Successful representation of three pediatricians in a failure to diagnose meningitis case resulting in alleged catastrophic neurological injury to the child. This case was appealed to the Supreme Court and favorable defense law created regarding claims raised at trial must be consistent with allegations pled in the complaint.

Successful defense of a nationally prominent academic medical center in an admitted liability case regarding administration of a blood transfusion of the wrong blood type.

Successful representation of a radiologist in the death of a woman due to an alleged failure to diagnose a pulmonary embolism on x-ray.

Obtained a no cause judgment for action in a plastic surgery case of a young woman, after breast reduction. The allegation was disfigurement.

Obtained a no cause in a case alleging failure to properly diagnose an EKG resulting in death of a young man.

Successful defense of an obstetrician in a still birth case.

Admitted

State Bar of Michigan, 1981

Education

Miami University (B.S. in Secondary Eduction, Social Studies, 1974)

The Institute for Paralegal Training (1974)

University of Detroit School of Law (J.D., 1981)

Accolades

Included in the 2013-2024 editions of The Best Lawyers in America® for Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants

Selected to the 2014-2022 Michigan Super Lawyers lists for Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Defense

Recipient, AV Preeminent® Peer Rating Martindale-Hubbell® (2022)

Listed as a "Local Litigation Star" in Benchmark Litigation (2021-22) - Professional liability, Medical malpractice

Listed as a "Go To Lawyer" in Business Law for Michigan Lawyers Weekly (2022)

Listed as one of Hour Detroit's "Top Women Attorneys In Michigan" (2017, 2020)

Named to Michigan Lawyers Weekly Women in the Law (2018)

Listed as a "Local Litigation Star" in Benchmark Litigation (2015) -- Medical Malpractice Defense

Listed, DBusiness Top Lawyer (2015)

Listed, Leading Lawyers (2014) -- Medical Malpractice Defense Law

Named to Michigan Lawyers Weekly Leaders in the Law (2013)

Recipient, American Physicians' 2010 Outstanding Defense Attorney Award

Recipient, Michigan Defense Trial Council (MDTC) "Excellence in Defense" Award (2019)

Affiliations

Member, American Bar Association

Case Evaluator, Wayne County Circuit Court

Member, Michigan Society of Hospital Risk Managers

Featured speaker, Lorman Education Services sponsored seminars

Fellow, Michigan State Bar Foundation

Member, American Board of Trial Advocates

Board Member, Dawn Farms

Board Member and Vice President, Metro Health Foundation