Thompson, O'Neil and VanderVeen was recognized again in 2009 by the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, a distinction granted to only five percent of all law firms. This recognition is not the product of an application process and involves no purchase of services or solicitation. The firm has been recognized in this manner without interruption for nearly twenty years.
Dan O'Neil and John VanderVeen both spoke recently to audiences made up of attorneys who handle injury claims. At the request of the Michigan Association of Justice, VanderVeen talked on the subject of fire claims and O'Neil gave advice dealting with the cross-examination of hostile experts during litigation.
A short biography of our firm was included in the issue of Traverse the Magazine on December, 2008 newstands. The January, 2009 issue of the magazine was designed to recognize northern Michigan attorneys who enjoy the highest rating for ethics and ability as documented by the Martindale-Hubbell rating agency. Our firm has enjoyed the highest rating possible ("av") for twenty years.
For three years, an outside agency has published a listing of the "top lawyers in Michigan", and each year our partner, George Thompson, has been on that short list of "top" attorneys who practice personal injury law, representing victims, in Michigan. None of the other Traverse City firms who advertise for injury work have a partner who has been included on this list even once. We think this designation reflects the respect our firm has earned over three decades for its quiet, professional and compassionate mangement of injury victims' rights.
On Thursday, June 19, 2008, Dan O'Neil spoke at a local non-partisan gathering of concerned citizens seeking judicial reform in Michigan. The meeting was well-attended, and O'Neil presented statistics from several public sources, documenting the highly partisan and financially skewed decisions emanating from Michigan's highest court. A summary of that data will be collated and published on this website in the next few days, and will also appear as an article in a respected journal of sociology. Unfortunately, with the Michigan Chamber of Commerce pledging to spend 20 million dollars in November to protect the judicial seat of its pet Justice, Clifford Taylor (husband of former Governor Engler's chief of staff: can you guess how he came to be appointed to the Court?), broad dissemination of information probably won't be enough to improve the performance of Michigan's Court.
George Thompson was recently notified that he had been included in the latest "Honors Edition" of Who's Who Among Professionals and Executives. He did not buy the book.
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Firm attorney Dan O'Neil recently joined George Thompson as a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. The Forum is limited to attorneys who have served as "principal counsel" in cases where they have won million dollar or multi-million dollar verdicts, awards and settlements. The Forum was created in 1993 to acknowledge "excellence in advocacy" and fewer than one percent of the nation's attorneys qualify for membership. Our firm has achieved more than ten qualifying recoveries in contested settings. The firm or individual attorneys in the firm have also been listed in the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, the LawDragon 500, and the Superlawyers' "Top Lawyers in Michigan". It has been accorded the highest possible rating for skill and ethics from the most prominent rating organization in the country and it was a finalist for the Primerus Group's annual Community Service Award.
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For the second straight year, an agency has canvassed more than 30,000 Michigan lawyers in an attempt to identify the best of the best. For the second year, it has named our partner, George R. Thompson, as one of the "Top Attorneys in Michigan" in its publication that accompanied the September 12 edition of the Detroit News. While no "beauty contest" of this nature is entirely reliable, this is not a "paid" or "purchased" endorsement and the entire membership of the State Bar is invited to participate. All candidates are evaluated on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement. These factors include Verdicts and settlements, scholarly lectures and writing, honors and awards, special certification and community service, among other qualities. No other Plaintiff [victim's representative] personal injury attorney from the Traverse City area was identified in either year.
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Our partner Dan O’Neil has been re-appointed to serve as a member of the Executive Board of the Michigan Association For Justice (formerly the Michigan Trial Lawyers Association) for 2007. Dan has been a member of Association since 1990 and a member of the Board for 10 years.
The Michigan Association for Justice is an organization of 2000 Michigan lawyers who are dedicated to helping working families seek justice when they are injured by unsafe products, drunk drivers or another person’s negligence. Association members work to promote safety for all Michigan citizens by standing up for individual and corporate account ability and responsibility.
Thompson, O’Neil and VanderVeen has a long history of supporting the Michigan Association for Justice. All of the partners are members of the Association and provide financial support, serve on its committees and regularly teach other lawyers on trial advocacy and other legal topics at Association sponsored seminars.
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