By Teresa Killeen
Washtenaw County Bar Association
Washtenaw County Bar Association
Jennifer and Chad Engelhardt are partners in life and in the practice of law. Along with their senior partner, Stephen Goethel, Jennifer and Chad are the principal members of Ann Arbor based Goethel Engelhardt, PLLC. They focus their practice on catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases, most often after an adverse medical event. Both are also certified mediators, helping to resolve civil disputes in multiple practice areas. They have a growing consulting practice, conducting focus groups, mock trials, and other litigation consulting.
Both are strongly committed to bettering both the legal profession and the Washtenaw County community. They are actively involved with the Institute of Continuing Legal Education, where Chad serves on the Executive Committee, with both contributing multiple book chapters, editing the Torts treatise, and speaking at live and video CLE events. Both are also repeat guest lecturers at the University of Michigan Law School’s trial practice and litigation skills courses. For over a decade, they have collaboratively designed and taught the medical malpractice class at Cooley Law School, as well as mentoring law students in a clinical training program.
Both are Fellows of the Michigan State Bar Foundation, and have distinguished themselves through service to the Bar. Between them, Jennifer and Chad have held positions with the Representative Assembly, Negligence Law Section, and Committees on Character and Fitness, Professionalism and Civility, and Civil Procedure and Courts. Chad spends much of his extra-circular time in his role as education chair for the SBM Negligence Law Section, coordinating the extensive CLE partnership of the Section and the American Board of Trial Advocates-Michigan Chapter. An accomplished appellate lawyer, Jennifer chairs the Medical Malpractice division of the MAJ Amicus Committee. Both are members of the Washtenaw County Bar Association, Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, and the Michigan Association for Justice and Washtenaw Association of Justice, of which Chad is the immediate past president.
Jennifer and Chad were among the founding members of the Michigan Foundation for Judicial Refugees. This non-profit foundation provides assistance to displaced judges and their families, with their current efforts focused on judges displaced from Afghanistan.
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What jobs did you have before becoming an attorney?
Chad spent 12 years in law enforcement, working through college and law school as a deputy sheriff. This experience taught him valuable lessons in dealing with people in crisis. It also provided valuable investigative training. Jennifer’s most interesting pre-law job was as a production intern for Geraldo Rivera’s day-time talk show. She also worked at the University of Michigan in a laboratory, and as a technical writer for an insurance company.
—————
What area of the law do you like the best and why?
We focus our practice on medical malpractice and wrongful death cases. We have a shared interest in a collaborative approach (communication and resolution process) to help patients and families find answers and compensation, while improving the quality of care in our community. Using this approach, we try to help patients rebuild trust in the healthcare system. We also attempt to help the healthcare system identify and correct root causes and systemic factors that lead to adverse events and patient harm. This approach is a significant departure from traditional litigation models.
—————
Any words of wisdom to pass on to new lawyers?
Find good mentors, become an active member of the legal community, and always remember that your reputation is your most valuable asset. Treat every person with respect and be the voice of calm reason.
—————
What is your favorite movie or book?
Jen and Chad share a favorite movie: “Grosse Pointe Blank” with John Cusack. They disagree however on the best scene, and the best song on the soundtrack. Because Chad subscribes to a “happy spouse happy house” philosophy, he defers to Jen’s picks.
—————
What are some of your favorite places that you have visited?
London, Vancouver, and Hawaii together. Australia and New Zealand for Jen.
—————
What are your favorite local hangouts?
Restaurants: Zingerman’s Roadhouse and Seva. TeaHaus is awesome for a special sit down.
—————
What’s the greatest gift we can give ourselves?
Forgiveness. Lawyers are human, and humans are imperfect. We will make mistakes. We will learn from them. But we also need to forgive ourselves and others.
—————
Who has been your greatest mentor?
For both of us, Jennifer’s parents David and Leslie Christensen are incredible role models, personally and professionally. They are wonderful, caring, generous people, have built a thriving law practice, and travel the world seeking new adventures.
—————
Favorite part of your job?
Without a doubt, the incredible impact we can make in helping a catastrophically injured person and their family obtain the resources they need to obtain optimal treatment and live a better quality of life. At the same time, by working collaboratively with the health care system, instead of against it, we are often able to influence positive changes and drive patient safety initiatives.
—————
What are you listening to (music, podcast, audio book …)?
Much to our teenager’s chagrin, NPR is always playing in the background at our home and cars.
—————
What causes are you passionate about?
Along with some wonderful friends and colleagues, we are part of the Foundation for Refugee Judges. When the United States withdrew from Afghanistan, hundreds of women judges were left in dire, life-threatening circumstances. The Foundation is dedicated to raising resources and providing assistance to help these displaced judges as well as others who find themselves in this position. We are in the process of setting up a website and will follow-up with the legal community in the near future.
—————
What’s an essential part of your daily routine?
Regular exercise. Chad is a solid member of the cult of Peloton, bike, rower, strength training. Jennifer enjoys Pilates and caffeine. Both enjoy walks through the west-side of Ann Arbor, the townships, parks, and trails.
(Reprinted with permission from the Washtenaw County Bar Association newsletter Res Ipsa Loquitur.)
Both are strongly committed to bettering both the legal profession and the Washtenaw County community. They are actively involved with the Institute of Continuing Legal Education, where Chad serves on the Executive Committee, with both contributing multiple book chapters, editing the Torts treatise, and speaking at live and video CLE events. Both are also repeat guest lecturers at the University of Michigan Law School’s trial practice and litigation skills courses. For over a decade, they have collaboratively designed and taught the medical malpractice class at Cooley Law School, as well as mentoring law students in a clinical training program.
Both are Fellows of the Michigan State Bar Foundation, and have distinguished themselves through service to the Bar. Between them, Jennifer and Chad have held positions with the Representative Assembly, Negligence Law Section, and Committees on Character and Fitness, Professionalism and Civility, and Civil Procedure and Courts. Chad spends much of his extra-circular time in his role as education chair for the SBM Negligence Law Section, coordinating the extensive CLE partnership of the Section and the American Board of Trial Advocates-Michigan Chapter. An accomplished appellate lawyer, Jennifer chairs the Medical Malpractice division of the MAJ Amicus Committee. Both are members of the Washtenaw County Bar Association, Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, and the Michigan Association for Justice and Washtenaw Association of Justice, of which Chad is the immediate past president.
Jennifer and Chad were among the founding members of the Michigan Foundation for Judicial Refugees. This non-profit foundation provides assistance to displaced judges and their families, with their current efforts focused on judges displaced from Afghanistan.
—————
What jobs did you have before becoming an attorney?
Chad spent 12 years in law enforcement, working through college and law school as a deputy sheriff. This experience taught him valuable lessons in dealing with people in crisis. It also provided valuable investigative training. Jennifer’s most interesting pre-law job was as a production intern for Geraldo Rivera’s day-time talk show. She also worked at the University of Michigan in a laboratory, and as a technical writer for an insurance company.
—————
What area of the law do you like the best and why?
We focus our practice on medical malpractice and wrongful death cases. We have a shared interest in a collaborative approach (communication and resolution process) to help patients and families find answers and compensation, while improving the quality of care in our community. Using this approach, we try to help patients rebuild trust in the healthcare system. We also attempt to help the healthcare system identify and correct root causes and systemic factors that lead to adverse events and patient harm. This approach is a significant departure from traditional litigation models.
—————
Any words of wisdom to pass on to new lawyers?
Find good mentors, become an active member of the legal community, and always remember that your reputation is your most valuable asset. Treat every person with respect and be the voice of calm reason.
—————
What is your favorite movie or book?
Jen and Chad share a favorite movie: “Grosse Pointe Blank” with John Cusack. They disagree however on the best scene, and the best song on the soundtrack. Because Chad subscribes to a “happy spouse happy house” philosophy, he defers to Jen’s picks.
—————
What are some of your favorite places that you have visited?
London, Vancouver, and Hawaii together. Australia and New Zealand for Jen.
—————
What are your favorite local hangouts?
Restaurants: Zingerman’s Roadhouse and Seva. TeaHaus is awesome for a special sit down.
—————
What’s the greatest gift we can give ourselves?
Forgiveness. Lawyers are human, and humans are imperfect. We will make mistakes. We will learn from them. But we also need to forgive ourselves and others.
—————
Who has been your greatest mentor?
For both of us, Jennifer’s parents David and Leslie Christensen are incredible role models, personally and professionally. They are wonderful, caring, generous people, have built a thriving law practice, and travel the world seeking new adventures.
—————
Favorite part of your job?
Without a doubt, the incredible impact we can make in helping a catastrophically injured person and their family obtain the resources they need to obtain optimal treatment and live a better quality of life. At the same time, by working collaboratively with the health care system, instead of against it, we are often able to influence positive changes and drive patient safety initiatives.
—————
What are you listening to (music, podcast, audio book …)?
Much to our teenager’s chagrin, NPR is always playing in the background at our home and cars.
—————
What causes are you passionate about?
Along with some wonderful friends and colleagues, we are part of the Foundation for Refugee Judges. When the United States withdrew from Afghanistan, hundreds of women judges were left in dire, life-threatening circumstances. The Foundation is dedicated to raising resources and providing assistance to help these displaced judges as well as others who find themselves in this position. We are in the process of setting up a website and will follow-up with the legal community in the near future.
—————
What’s an essential part of your daily routine?
Regular exercise. Chad is a solid member of the cult of Peloton, bike, rower, strength training. Jennifer enjoys Pilates and caffeine. Both enjoy walks through the west-side of Ann Arbor, the townships, parks, and trails.
(Reprinted with permission from the Washtenaw County Bar Association newsletter Res Ipsa Loquitur.)
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