MICHELLE C. HARRELL, shareholder, is an experienced litigator and chairs our Complex Litigation and Risk Advisory group. She served as a member of the firm’s Executive Committee from July 2017 through December 2021. Michelle concentrates her practice in the areas of complex commercial litigation, real estate matters (land use/zoning, easements, landlord/tenant), shareholder disputes, receiverships, franchise and distribution law, hospitality law, family law (divorce and probate), trust disputes (trustees and beneficiaries), class actions defense, and alternative dispute resolutions (ADR).
Michelle received her Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and finance, summa cum laude, from the University of Detroit in 1990 and her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Wayne State University Law School in 1993. While there, she participated in moot court competitions and received three American Jurisprudence Awards.
Michelle is a Master Emeritus in the American Inns of Court, Oakland County Chapter; a mentor in the Oakland County Bar Association Mentor Program; and an Oakland County Circuit Court case evaluator (Complex Commercial Neutral).
An approved ADR provider for Macomb County (family matters, probate) and Oakland County (civil/commercial, probate, district court), Michelle is also an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association in commercial, construction, and consumer matters. She serves as a panelist for American Settlement Centers, assisting parties to resolve their disputes through mediation and arbitration.
On January 1, 2014, Michelle was appointed by the mayor of Grosse Pointe Woods to the city’s planning commission for a three-year term. On October 3, 2014, she was appointed to the Board of Directors of Living Arts through 2019. Michelle is an active member of the Hydrocephalus Association, Michigan Chapter.
Michelle has been recognized as a Michigan Leading Lawyer in the areas of commercial litigation, land use, zoning and condemnation law and real estate law: commercial. She also was named a Top Lawyer by DBusiness Magazine for 2010 in the areas of real estate and litigation. In 2017 Crain Content Studio, the custom publishing division of Crain’s Detroit Business named Michelle one of the Most Notable Women Lawyers in Michigan. In 2020, she was recognized among Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s “Women in the Law.” Michelle was listed among Michigan’s Most Valuable Professionals in 2021 by Corp! Magazine.
