Attorney Profile

Sole Practitioner  Focusing on personal injury (plaintiff and defendant), estate planning, drunk driving and drug possession defense, and business organization. Serve as neutral mediator in Wayne and Oakland Counties. Serve as neutral arbitrator in the tri-county area.

TRANSAMERICA INSURANCE GROUP 
(July 1978 - June 1993)
Montagne, Schmidt, Matthews & Belanger
40 Oak Hollow, Suite 320
Southfield, MI
(313) 357-3200

Managing Attorney (1982 1993)
Managed an eleven (11) person staff counsel office (five attorneys, five secretaries, and one paralegal). Staff counsel consisted of one nine (9) person office for civil litigation, handling both personal and commercial lines, including No-Fault auto, homeowners, premises, products, police pursuit cases, and various miscellaneous personal injury and property damage cases, and, a two (2) person workers compensation office. Responsible for handling an active caseload including trials and arbitrations covering southeastern and central Michigan (an area consisting of twenty-five (25) counties). Responsible for all administrative matters regarding budgeting, personnel performance/salary reviews, recruiting, training, and selection of outside vendors (independent medical examiners, court reporters, subpoena service, etc.). Supervised design for in-house billing system to track the cost effectiveness of staff counsel operations nationwide. Work was done with the assistance of a professional computer programmer.
 
Trial Attorney (1978-1982)
Responsible for a full caseload of civil litigation in Wayne and Oakland Counties. Responsible for prompt, accurate and thorough reporting to the claims department. Assisted the claims department with evaluations and reserve setting on litigated files and pending claims.

MICHIGAN ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFICE 
(December 1976-December 1977)
Consumer Protection Division
525 W. Ottawa, Room 670
Lansing, Michigan 48913

Law Clerk
Prepared pleadings for formal and informal administrative hearings for the suspension or revocation of residential builders licenses. Also performed legal research and drafted pleadings relating to the enforcement of the Consumer Protection Act.

UNITED STATES ARMY
(June 1972-April 1974)
Military Service in the Republic of Korea. Responsible for the screening of individuals' medical and personnel records for the purposes of granting security clearances and assignment to sensitive positions. Taught English in a Korean High School. Awarded the Army Commendation Medal and Honorably Discharged.

Areas of Practice

• Estate Planning, Wills and Trusts
• Elder Law and Senior Planning
• Pet Trusts
• Probate, Estate Administration and Guardianships
• Traffic Violations and Drunk Driving
• DUI/OWI/OVI/UBAL
• Driver's License Appeals
• Drug Possession Defense
• Organization of Corporations, Partnerships and Limited Liability Companies
• Personal Injury and Medical Malpractice Claims
• Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

Certification/Specialties

• Mediator Training (40 hrs), ICLE, Conducted by Steven L. Schwartz & Tracy L. Allen

Bar Admissions

• Michigan, 1978
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Michigan, 1979

Education

• Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Lansing, Michigan, 1978
  J.D.
  
  
• University of Detroit, 1972
  B.A.
  Honors: Cum Laude
  
  
• De La Salle Collegiate High School, Detroit, MI, 1968
  
  

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Michigan State Bar, Negligence and Probate Sections
  Member
  
  
• Michigan Trial Lawyers Association
  Member
  
  
• Mediation Tribunal Association (Neutral Case Evaluator)
  Member
  
  
• Oakland County Circuit Court (Neutral Case Evaluator)
  Member
  
  
• Detroit Goodfellows
  Member
  
  

Past Employment Positions

• Transamerica Insurance Group, Managing Attorney, 1982 - 1993
• Transamerica Insurance Group, Trial Attorney, 1978 - 1982
• Michigan Attorney General Office, Law Clerk, 1976 - 1977
• United States Army, 1972 - 1974

Birth Information

• 1950