Julie I. Fershtman, Attorney at Law
A National Leader in Equine Law
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  • WHY JULIE FERSHTMAN IS A NATIONAL LEADER IN EQUINE LAW:

    Books Authored:

    Equine Law & Horse Sense

    MORE Equine Law & Horse Sense

    NEW!  Recently approved by the American Bar Association to co-author and edit a new ABA book tentatively entitled: "The ABA Tort, Trial & Insurance Law Practice Guide to Litigating Animal Law Cases."

  • Equine Industry Honors:

    “Catalyst Award” - Michigan Horse Council

    “Outstanding Achievement” Award - American Riding Instructors Association and "Partner in Safety" Award - American Riding Instructors Association

    "Associate Service Award" - United Professional Horsemen's Association

    National "Partnership in Safety" Award - CHA - Certified Horsemanship Association

  • Boards and Organizations (Partial List) :

    Past Board Member, American Youth Horse Council

    Past Board Member, Equestrian Land Conservation Resource

    Founder, “Equitana U” Business & Professional Development Workshop

    Member, Planning Committee, University of Kentucky National Conference on Equine Law

    Honorary Director, Communication Alliance to Network Thoroughbred Ex-Racehorses (“CANTER”)

    Board of Advisors, American Riding Instructors Association

    Board of Advisors, CHA - Certified Horsemanship Association

    Vice Chair, American Bar Association Tort, Trial & Insurance Law Section's Animal Law Committee

    Chair, ABA Tort, Trial & Insurance Law Section Animal Law Committee Sub-Committee on Animal Insurance Law

  • National Article Publications (Partial List) :

    Author of monthly Equine Law column since 1993

    Author of articles in 400 equine publications & web sites

    Co-Author, "Recent Developments in Animal Tort and Insurance Law," ABA Tort, Trial & Insurance Law Journal sections on Equine Liability and Animal Insurance Law (Spring 2006, Spring 2007, and Spring 2008 issues)

  • Speaking Engagements (Partial List) :

    National Conference on Equine Law

    Equine Affaire Convention (California, Massachusetts, and Ohio locations)

    American Youth Horse Council

    American Horse Council

    U.S. Dressage Federation Annual Meeting

    Virginia Intermont College

    American Morgan Horse Association Annual Convention

    Hoosier Horse Fair

    National Tennessee Walking Horse Celebration

    All-American Quarter Horse Congress

    American Riding Instructors Association Annual
    Convention

    Midwest Horse Fair

    U.S. Pony Clubs Annual Convention

    North American Riding for the Handicapped Association

    American Paint Horse Association

  • RECENT SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS:
                                                                 
    American Paint Horse Association Annual Convention,
    San Antonio, Texas, October 2006.  ISC Agribusiness Conference, Des Moines, Iowa, October 22, 2007.                            
  • UPCOMING SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS:

    - American Riding Instructors Association National Convention, Naples, Florida, December 3, 2007.  www.riding-instructor.com
    - Carriage Operators of North America Annual Convention, Charleston, South Carolina, March 1, 2008
    - National Conference on Equine Law, Lexington, Kentucky, April 30, 2008. 

ABOUT JULIE I. FERSHTMAN, ATTORNEY AT LAW:

Julie I. Fershtman is one of the best known and most experienced Equine Law practitioners in the United States.

Crossing virtually all horse breeds and disciplines, her law practice serves a national clientele of stables, industry professionals, associations, businesses, show management, insurance companies, trainers, clinicians, and individual horse owners.

With extensive trial, appellate, and arbitration experience, she has achieved numerous courtroom victories on a national level.  In 2004, alone, she won jury trials in three different states, two appeals, and a major Federal insurance case -- all on equine matters.  Her personal website, with more information, can be found at www.fershtmanlaw.com.

A member of the Michigan Bar since 1986, she is rated “AV” [the highest possible rating a lawyer can receive for abilities and ethics] by Martindale-Hubbell, an independent lawyer rating service (online at www.martindale.com), and has been listed in Who's Who in American Law and The Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers.

She is a 1983 graduate of Emory College, earning two bachelors degrees, and a 1986 graduate of Emory Law School. In 1995, the American Bar Association’s Barrister Magazine named her one of “21 Young Lawyers Leading the Nation Into The 21st Century.” In 1996, Crain's Detroit Business selected her as one of "40 Best and Brightest Business Leaders Under 40" in the Metropolitan Detroit area.  More recently, she was named one of Michigan's "100 Most Influential Business Women" by Crain's Detroit Business in 2007.  She became the youngest recipient ever of the prestigious “Professionalism Award” from the Oakland County Bar Association (www.ocba.org), which is Michigan’s largest voluntary bar association. 

For her service to the equine industry, Ms. Fershtman has received several distinctions. CHA (Certified Horsemanship Association) honored her with its prestigious national "Partner in Safety" Award in 1997. In 1998, the American Riding Instructors Association presented her with an “Outstanding Achievement” Award, and she received the organization's "Partner in Safety" Award in 2007.  She received an “Associate Award” from the United Professional Horsemen's Association in 1998. In 2002, she was honored with the Michigan Horse Council’s “Catalyst Award.” She is one of a select group of lawyers nationwide profiled online by the American Bar Association (ABA) “Profiles in the Profession.”

Ms. Fershtman is the author of two books, Equine Law & Horse Sense (published in 1996) and MORE Equine Law & Horse Sense (published in 2000). With speaking engagements in 24 states, Ms. Fershtman is the nation’s most sought after speaker on Equine Law. Her articles have appeared in over 400 publications and web sites.

Extensively involved in Bar Associations (lawyer organizations), Ms. Fershtman is currently the Treasurer of the 38,000-member State Bar of Michigan (www.michbar.org).  She also serves as Secretary of the Oakland County Bar Association (www.ocba.org), which is Michigan's largest voluntary bar association, and is a Trustee of the Michigan State Bar Foundation (www.msbf.org).  Active in the American Bar Association (www.abanet.org), she is a Vice-Chair of the ABA's Animal Law Committee, which is part of the ABA's Tort, Trial & Insurance Law Practice Section, and is Chair of its subcommittee on Animal Insurance Law.

Joining Ms. Fershtman in her practice is April L. Neihsl.  April is a 2006 cum laude graduate of Wayne Law School, where she was an editor of the Wayne Law Review.  She was a 2003 graduate, with High Honors, from Michigan State University, with an Animal Science major.  April's life-long involvement with horses brings tremendous depth and expertise to the many Equine Law matters on which she works.

ANOTHER EQUINE LAW TRIAL VICTORY:  On April 2, 2008, Ms. Fershtman represented the plaintiffs in an equine sale fraud dispute in the Livingston County, Michigan, Circuit Court.  The judge ordered that the defendants take back the horse and awarded the plaintiffs their damages.  At a hearing on May 16, 2008, the Court awarded the defendants to pay the plaintiffs over $40,000 in attorney fees and court costs. 

 Visit the Firm Web Site

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Julie I. Fershtman, Esq.
Of Counsel to
Zausmer, Kaufman, August, Caldwell & Tayler, P.C.
31700 Middlebelt Rd.
Suite 150
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
Phone: (248) 851-4111, ext. 160



IMPORTANT NOTE:

We're busy, but we always welcome and value new clients!  If you are interested in contacting Ms. Fershtman, please remember that we need to avoid ethical conflicts (since Ms. Fershtman is counsel for several individuals and entities).  For this reason, we ask that you please do not e-mail, fax, or mail us the details of your potential legal case or matter.  Instead, please call Ms. Fershtman or her associate during normal business hours at 248-851-4111.  They will discuss your matter with you first.  Sometimes, if we cannot assit you we will make every attempt to refer you to a lawyer in your area.

BOOKS AVAILABLE NOW!

Julie Fershtman's Equine Law books can help you learn how to AVOID legal disputes.  MORE Equine Law & Horse Sense, sells for $22.95 + $5 shipping and handling, and Equine Law & Horse Sense sells for $17.95 + $5 shipping and handling. Order both books together for the discounted price of $42.90, first-class shipping included. To order, call Horses & The Law Publishing at 1-866-5-EQUINE, a toll-free, 24 hour number. Or, mail check or money order to Horses & The Law Publishing, P.O. Box 250696 Franklin, MI 48025-0696.

These books are written in a down-to-earth style that you can easily understand. (The books do not include forms.)  You will use these books for reference time and time again.  Numerous equine studies programs nationwide include Julie Fershtman's "Equine Law & Horse Sense" book series in their curriculum.