| Address: Pilchak Cohen & Tice, P.C. 3062 East Walton Boulevard Auburn Hills, Michigan 48326 |
Phone: (248) 409-1900 Fax: (248) 409-1999 Web site: www.mi-worklaw.com Firm Size: 4 Lawyers |
Primary Contact: William Pilchak wpilchak@mi-worklaw.com |
Pilchak Cohen & Tice, P.C. (“PC&T”) represents management exclusively specializing in the defense of labor, employment and housing discrimination matters. We take pride in identifying creative defenses, counter claims and winning strategies for employers. In addition, we strive to identify defects in the Plaintiff’s case at the earliest possible stage of litigation, to achieve early dismissal or to illustrate low settlement value of a case to the opponent.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
Our clients benefit by our identification of the following components of our litigation success over many years:
Creativity
Identifying creative and unusual defenses for our clients is routine at PC&T. Similarly, our clients have benefited from a creative approach to the investigation of matters.
Quality Work Product/Persuasive Writing
We have sometimes worked without pay to turn out a fine legal product. We recognize that our reputation in the courts depends on the quality of every presentation. Accordingly, the quality of our product results from our own standards and has never been limited by the client’s ability to pay. It is no accident that when we obtain summary dismissal or a favorable mediation award, we are usually complimented on the quality of our briefs. Superior writing means that our product actually gets read. Our attorneys write both professionally and for recreation.
We Care Passionately About Our Clients
We are honored that our clients place their trust in us. We earn our pay by taking on our clients’ problems, so they do not have to suffer the burden. And sometimes our commitment to our clients extends beyond the practice of law. Ask us about the times where we have been prepared to “take a bullet” for the client – literally.
Personal Involvement
Going to the “scene of the crime,” finding and personally interviewing witnesses and digging up facts can make the difference. We often uncover important facts and defenses during an unannounced visit with key non-party witnesses. Some of our cases have been “blown open” during evening interviews with shady characters, illicit paramours (in loss of consortium cases) or an opportune visit to an ex-girlfriend’s home to learn the real story.
A Reputation for Tightfisted Settlement Practices
We are regarded as tightfisted when it comes to settlement. We have been told that we disregard the interests of “the bar” in general by not coughing up sufficient settlement dollars for opposing counsel. Six figure settlements have occurred only occasionally in our practice, and only when presented by very troublesome facts.
Justice and Ethics
If our client isn’t “guilty” it is our job to do everything ethically possible to make sure he or she wins. We recognize that being wrongly labeled as one who discriminates or harasses can have lifelong consequences. We can identify a number of times when we have literally “saved” the company from bankruptcy or the owner’s life savings from the prospect of an unjust verdict or inordinate settlement.
OUR COMMITMENT TO VALUE
We strive to make sure our bill reflects services with obvious value to the client. If we have recorded time that objectively does not seem to be worth the cost to the client, we have an easy solution: We don’t bill it. We believe our commitment to value is demonstrated by the following:
Lower Fees
Because we serve clients ranging from the smallest to the largest businesses, we have intentionally kept our rates as low as possible so they remain affordable to the entire range of clients. We realize other firms charge significantly more per hour for partner level trial attorneys. However, we are grateful and loyal to our clients. Accordingly, we are not willing to price ourselves beyond what our long-time clients can pay, because they have helped us build our firm. Nor do we feel it is fair to charge larger clients more for our services than our other clients.
No Nonsense Billing
At Pilchak Cohen & Tice, we just don’t like certain billing practices. For example, our clients rarely see a bill that reports a “conference” between two attorneys. While we confer constantly on strategy, we do so on our time. Accordingly, if our clients are actually billed for a “conference,” they can be sure that it was a major strategy brainstorming session, where the attorneys have pulled out their resource files and contributed significantly to the meeting.
Early Disposition Of Cases
We have identified many strategies for obtaining dismissal or settlement early in the litigation process. We have obtained many dismissals or nominal settlements through vigorous depositions, discovery, requests for admissions and motions in limine. Of course, we also use motions for summary disposition to eliminate claims and damages.
Rhonda H. Armstrong has represented management exclusively in labor and employment issues since 1997. Ms. Armstrong concentrates her practice in advising and counseling employers on how to remain union-free, including assisting employers in promoting positive employee relations, training managers on how to recognize union organizing efforts at early stages, and training managers on how to legally and successfully respond to union organizing drives at both the pre-petition and post-petition stages. Through the use of creative and innovative strategies, she has assisted numerous employers, ranging from as few as 3 unit employees to as many as 700 unit employees, in successfully defeating union organizing efforts. Ms. Armstrong is also experienced in advising employers on how to handle strikers and picketers on the job-site, in assisting employers in negotiating collective bargaining agreements, and in handling the many complicated labor relations issues that arise in these situations.
Ms. Armstrong also devotes much of her practice to advising employers and human resource professionals on how to handle everyday employment issues that arise in conducting business, including advising employers on how to handle discrimination and harassment issues, leave issues, and pay and benefit issues that arise under State and Federal employment laws, including the ADA, FMLA, COBRA, FLSA and their State counter-parts. Ms. Armstrong is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, the American Bar Association, and the Oakland County Bar Association.
Robert C. Tice concentrates his practice representing management in the areas of labor law and employment litigation. Mr. Tice has specialized in civil litigation since 1978; regularly appears before the state and federal courts in Michigan and elsewhere. He is a cum laude graduate of Michigan State University and Detroit College of Law. Mr. Tice served a judicial clerkship to Judge Richard D. Kuhn, Oakland Circuit Court.
He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, Labor and Employment Section; American Bar Association Litigation and Labor and Employment Sections; Oakland Bar Association, Employment Law Committees; District and Circuit Court Mediator; and Wayne County Mediation Tribunal.
Mr. Tice is a regular speaker to insurance companies, self-insured employers and other groups on labor and employment law. He counsels employers regarding employment rights and obligations. Mr. Tice holds the highest rating assigned by Martindale-Hubbell.
Attorneys Admitted to Practice In:
Michigan
