Attorneys
Attorneys
William R. Seikaly
William (Bill) Seikaly is proud to have been a protégé of Richard M. Goodman, one of the original icons in the area of products liability, medical malpractice and especially the field of automobile design liability.
Bill is a graduate of James Madison College at Michigan State University. He was a member of the Teacher Corps program in Indianapolis, obtained a Masters in Education (magna cum laude) and taught in the Indianapolis Public School System. He returned to the Detroit area five years later to attend The University of Detroit School of Law and graduated at the top of his class (magna cum laude).
While Bill has specialized in litigation and trial practice for the last 41 years, he is a pioneer in the areas of sexual harassment, as it applies to students and children. He has represented small businesses, multi-national companies and individual people in complex litigation .
EDUCATION
Michigan State University, B.A.
Indiana University, M.Ed. magna cum laude
University of Detroit School of Law, J.D. magna cum laude
BAR AND COURT ADMISSIONS
State of Michigan
District Court for the Eastern District of MI
U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
James C. Zeman
Jim specializes in labor and employment law with a sub-specialty in education law. His practice includes: collective bargaining in both public and private sectors, administrative tribunals (EEOC, NLRB, MERC), labor and grievance arbitrations, trial litigation, discrimination, wrongful termination, harassment and civil rights claims.
Jim devotes significant time helping clients avoid costly litigation by guiding them through difficult situations among an array of employment related statutes (ADA, FMLA, Workers Comp., etc.). He has extensive expertise in complex litigation at both the trial and appellate levels.
EDUCATION
Cornell University, B.A.
University of Michigan School of Law, J.D.
BAR AND COURT ADMISSIONS
State of Michigan
Derek T. Johnson
Derek started his legal career helping large institutions like the Detroit Public Schools, Wayne County Community College District, and the Detroit Medical Center with their improvement programs. His focus on real estate, construction, procurement and related matters, primarily for public sector clients, continued over the next decade. In 2010, he became the sole in-house counsel at Wayne County Community College District, where he encountered and managed a wide range of legal issues, including labor negotiations, employee and student related administrative proceedings and lawsuits, vendor relations and contracts, risk management, and Freedom of Information Act and Open Meetings Act inquiries. He joined Bellanca Beattie in late 2017 and then joined Seikaly and Zeman PC in January of 2021.
EDUCATION
University of Michigan
Wayne State University School of Law
BAR AND COURT ADMISSIONS
State of Michigan
State of Colorado (Former)
Larry W. Bennett - Of Counsel
Larry’s practice focuses on litigation issues involving environmental hazards, defective products, and unsafe practices that result in physical and economic injury. Larry has obtained substantial jury verdicts and settlements for injury victims in courts throughout Michigan and several states. He has been involved in cases challenging the safe design of aircraft and automobiles; the health impact of contaminated home and business environments; and injuries resulting from construction, trucking, or other wrongful conduct.
Larry is also involved in complex litigation, including insurance coverage disputes, disability insurance claims, as well as contract, unfair competition and shareholder disputes.
Larry has served on numerous committees with respect to litigation related issues, including the Civil Justice Reform Act Advisory Group for the United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan. He has been a frequent speaker at seminars involving litigation related topics. He has also served as an arbitrator and a mediator for the Wayne County Mediation Tribunal Association, the Oakland County Bar Association and the Macomb County Bar Association. Larry recently served as Chair of the Insurance and Indemnity Section of the State Bar of Michigan.
Larry is a member of the State Bar of Michigan and is admitted to practice before the United States District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan; the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court.
Larry has an “AV” Preeminent Review rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest ranking by peers for general ethical standards and legal ability. He has also been selected as a Michigan Super Lawyer for multiple years including 2019-2023. He has also been recognized by Dbusiness and the New York Times as a Top Attorney in Michigan.
EDUCATION
Wayne State University, B.S., J.D
BAR AND COURT ADMISSIONS
State of Michigan U.S.
U.S. District Court Eastern District of MI
U.S. District Court Western District of MI
U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
U.S. Supreme Court
Jeffrey T. Stewart
Attorney Jeffrey Stewart is a lifelong Michigander who was born and raised in metro Detroit. Jeff has handled diverse cases across the spectrum of law, including medical malpractice, legal malpractice, product liability, general personal injury, worker’s compensation, probate litigation, and business litigation, among many other disciplines.
He serves as a hearing panelist for the Michigan Attorney Discipline Board and has authored numerous opinions in attorney discipline cases. A graduate of Wayne State University Law School, Jeff has been specially admitted to practice law in Missouri and Texas, and has tried cases in both Michigan and Ohio, receiving multi-million-dollar verdicts in each.
EDUCATION
Michigan State University, B.S.
Wayne State University School of Law, J.D.
BAR AND COURT ADMISSIONS
State of Michigan U.S.
State of Missouri U.S.
State of Texas U.S.
State of Ohio U.S.