By Sheila Pursglove
Legal News
Attorney Todd Holleman owes his passion for the law to a boyhood love of fictional TV lawyers.
“They were always litigators, so that’s what I chose,” he says. “I love the competitive aspects of litigation as well as assisting clients resolve legal issues and further their business objectives.”
A principal with Miller Canfield in Detroit, Holleman includes in his practice the defense of retail securities brokers and brokerage firms against claims by customers in arbitration. He also defends against and pursues claims by brokerage firms related to the violation of non-compete and non-solicitation agreements.
“It’s a challenging and changing area of the law, and my clients are typically well established reputable companies made up of great people,” he says.
In one case, he defended a brokerage firm and two of its brokers against claims made by a disgruntled investor. The case was pending for months – then, in a three-day arbitration, Holleman prevailed in obtaining an order from the arbitrator dismissing the claims and vindicating his clients who had done nothing wrong and had suffered through months of having been wrongfully accused.
He also finds class-action shareholder disputes particularly interesting because of the complicated fact patterns and legal theories and defenses that have to be considered and addressed.
“Most recently, these have included challenges by dissident shareholders to the acquisitions of several Michigan companies,” he notes.
In addition, he has defended individuals and companies against regulatory actions by the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission related to allegations of insider trading or rule violations.
“This is an expanding area of regulatory law that we’re on the forefront, and I look to broaden my practice in this area working from my Chicago office and utilizing my Illinois license there as well as in Michigan.”
He has represented general contractors against claims by subcontractors for payment from a defunct owner or other defunct subcontractors; and represented general contractors making claims against payment and performance or surety bonds. He has defended against claims of bankruptcy trustees against officers and directors of the bankrupt company, including claims for breach of fiduciary duty, negligence and fraud; and he has substantial experience in working to enforce payment obligations under equipment leases and enforcing both foreign and domestic judgments in Illinois, Michigan and Ohio.
He also represents commercial entities and businesses in cases involving complex contracts, including supply agreements governed by the Uniform Commercial Code; defends against and pursues claims for payment of sales commissions, and defends against and pursues claims arising from shareholder derivative actions or corporate control and governance disputes.
“I find my practice fascinating because of the different people I get to meet and know through working with them on cases, and the diverse factual issues my cases address,” he says.
A native of Grand Rapids, Holleman started his career path by earning a B.B.A. in marketing, magna cum laude, from Grand Valley State University.
“I’ve always been interested in business and was drawn to the marketing aspect of it because of the creative elements involved in promoting products and services, but I wanted to pursue something more than simply being in business. In my business litigation practice, I’m able to draw on my business education and experience and build on them to assist businesses in addressing and resolving legal issues.”
He earned his JD, summa cum laude, from Wayne Law, where he was associate editor of the Law Review.
“I enjoyed the smaller size of the school, I felt I was known by my professors and not lost in a larger population of law students.”
He spent a year as a Judicial Law Clerk to Justice Marilyn Kelly of the Michigan Supreme Court, and interned with Judge Lawrence Zatkoff of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
A Fellow of the Michigan State Bar Foundation, he is a member of the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association, the Federal Bar Association, state bars of Michigan, and Ohio; and a member of the American Bar Association where he has served in various leadership positions with committees within the Section of Litigation for nearly 12 years.
“I’ve been able to serve hundreds if not thousands of my colleague members through the presentation of substantive programming and publications and the support of the profession that the ABA provides,” says Holleman, who is currently co-chair of the Section’s Social Media Committee.
“I’ve enjoyed this as it exposes me to the newest forms of communications being used by clients and colleagues to be as effective and efficient as they can be.”
When not in the spotlight in a trial, he enjoys a different spotlight – participating in several Easter and Christmas stage presentations with Brightmoor Christian Church in Novi, including the lead role of Elliot Herzog Jr. in a December 2012 Christmas musical “The Christmas Post,” his fifth such musical and third leading role.
Very involved and supportive of his church, he has served on the Deacon Board for 7 years, and participated in several mission trips: to Kenya in 2008 where participants built a church and conducted a medical clinic; to Tanzania in 2010, where the group initiated construction on a school in a Masai village; to Nicaragua in 2012 and the Dominican Republic last year.
Father to three children, ages 15, 14 and 12, Holleman enjoys spending time with his family at their Milford home.
“I love the flexibility that the practice of law provides, which allows me, in most instances, to be there for their sporting and school events,” he says.
His commitment to family included service on the school board of Franklin Road Christian School in Novi and he coached for the North Farmington West Bloomfield Little League.
Dedicated to living a healthy lifestyle and to working out regularly, he runs or bikes at least three times a week. This past year, he ran his first two marathons: a June marathon in Charlevoix and the U.S. Air Force Marathon in Dayton in September. His goal is to run five, the next being the U.S. Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C. in October.
A volunteer host at Selfridge Air National Guard Museum from 2003 to 2007, he enjoys visiting historic sites, his favorites being Air Force museums and retired naval ships.
“And I love traveling to any place with warm water and soft, sandy beaches,” he says with a smile.
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