Robert F.
MacAlpine

Detroit Office
(313) 446-5524
rmacalpi@garanlucow.com

 

 

 
Education

  • B.S., Michigan State University, honors, 1975
  • J.D., Michigan State University, 1980

Bar Admissions

  • Michigan, 1980
  • Eastern District of Michigan, 1981
  • Sixth Circuit, 1992

Experience

  • Law Clerk, Oakland County Circuit Court
  • Michigan Court of Appeals
  • U.S. Marine Corp, Pentagon, Washington, D.C., 1968-1972

Professional memberships

  • State Bar of Michigan
  • Macomb County Bar Association, Negligence Committee
  • Oakland County Bar Association, Negligence Committee
  • American Society of Law and Medicine
  • Defense Research Institute

Practice

  • Self-insured Retentions
  • Premises
  • Medical Negligence
  • Products Liability
  • Nursing Home Defense
  • Governmental Liability
  • Construction Liability
  • Employment Law
  • Liquor Liability Defense

Awards

  • Louis J. Colombo Award, Most Proficient in Practice and Procedure
  • John L. Mokerskey Academic Excellence Award
  • Detroit College of Law Moot Court Competition

Other

  • Graduate of the National Institute of Trial Advocacy
  • Mediator, Oakland and Macomb County
  • Special Mediator, Brain Injury Panel

Participation in Significant Cases

  • Carl Brown v. Unit Products Corp., 417 Mich. 1100, 1983 (decided without published opinion)  Contributory negligence in construction
  • Carl Brown v. Unit Products Corp., 123 Mich. App. 157, 1983 (on remand from Michigan Supreme Court)  Contributory negligence in construction
  • Baker v. Arbor Drugs, 454 Mich. 853, 1997;  Pharmaceutical liability
  • Pollum v. Borman's Inc., 149 Mich. App. 57, 1986;  Trial issues: Thermography
  • Yates v. Keane, 184 Mich. App. 80, 1990;  Surrogacy (13th Amendment)

Handling and trial exposure cases indulging high media profile exposures including:

  • Casino Exposures
  • Nursing Home Wrongful Death, Sexual Assault
  • Abortions
  • Contaminated Food Claims
  • Elevator Failures
  • Police Misconduct, Including 42 USCß1983
  • Chemical Exposures (fire and explosions)
  • Liquor Liability
  • Employment Discrimination, Wrongful Discharge
  • Multiple Construction Accidents