Anthony Pieti has 20 years of experience and focuses his practice on defense of professional liability claims, including medical and legal malpractice, design professionals including architects and engineers, and life agent/broker-dealers. Anthony is a mechanical engineer with 10 years of engineering experience at Ford Motor Company and Visteon where he worked in automotive design and test engineering before pursuing a legal career. Anthony’s field engineering experience provides him the unique ability to analyze and understand nuances of professional services, and claims that arise from these services, in much the same way his professional clients would. Anthony also has a master’s degree in finance and handles commercial litigation and transactions and analysis of all financial aspects/impacts to professional liability claims.
Anthony has successfully represented and defended insureds and insurers in a variety of claims in federal, state and municipal courts in all facets of litigation and alternative dispute resolution, and regularly handles appeals in the Michigan Court of Appeals. Anthony draws on his diverse career experience to aggressively advocate on behalf of his clients. He is focused on developing and fostering a client relationship based on trust, attention and responsiveness, while working toward cost-effective resolution directed to the client’s specific needs.
Anthony began his legal career in the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office and subsequently served as a judicial law clerk before entering private practice. His time in the prosecutor’s office and as a judicial law clerk provided excellent litigation experience and training, as well as an opportunity to gain insight of the court’s perspective, which he is able to apply in analyzing all matters.
Areas of Focus
Professional Liability
Anthony has defended doctors, accountants, lawyers, engineers, architects, brokers and insurance agents. His prior experience in the field of engineering provides a particular insight and understanding of the claims and potential liability that professionals may encounter. He advises clients on risk management and risk transfer, working to develop effective strategies and the means to protect against liability through review and revision of client’s written and operating procedures. Anthony is a member in the firm’s Design Professional practice team, and a contributor to the firm’s comprehensive Artisan/Construction Defect 50-State Law Review.
General Liability
Throughout his legal career, Anthony has defended numerous clients against a multitude of general liability claims, including premises liability, first- and third-party auto liability, general negligence, nuisance, property loss, real estate and financial/ business torts. Anthony’s combination of skill and experience has enabled him to handle unique and complex matters. Clients he has represented include restaurants, transportation companies, retail outlets, construction entities, manufacturers, municipal entities, contractors, engineering firms, fabricators and property owners.
Coverage
Anthony is called on frequently to review coverage and provide opinions on the potential risk, liability and possible indemnity that clients may face under any given circumstance. Great detail is considered in analyzing and applying relevant state and federal law to a client’s policy and written and operating procedures. Anthony has provided coverage opinions in many different areas, including general liability, commercial litigation and transactions, real estate, mortgage lending and insurance/ forced place insurance, first- and third-party liability, and subrogation.
Product Liability
Anthony has successfully defended manufacturers and sellers in product liability claims involving medical devices and automotive products, including negligent design and/or manufacture, breach of contract and warranty. He also has counseled clients on the application of Michigan product liability law early on in the design and manufacturing process, and drafting terms and conditions in sales contracts, including wavier of warranty and reducing the period of limitations.
Transportation/Auto Liability/Subrogation
Michigan No-Fault law is unique in that it provides the possibility for lifetime medical benefits for reasonable and necessary products, services and accommodations for an injured person’s care, recovery or rehabilitation related to or arising out of a motor vehicle accident. The Michigan No-Fault Act has abolished tort claims for negligence arising out of a motor vehicle accident and, in most circumstances, limited possible recovery to non-economic damages depending on proof of a “threshold” injury. Anthony has advised clients, pre-suit, on potential liability arising out of a motor vehicle accident. He has provided numerous coverage opinions analyzing priority of insurers under the No-Fault Act and with respect to coverage involving out-of-state accidents to which Michigan law applies and in-state accidents involving out-of-state residents − all in regard to first-party medical and economic benefits.
Anthony has successfully defended numerous third-party auto liability claims under Michigan’s revised tort system for motor vehicle accidents. His practice in the area of transportation and auto liability primarily focuses on commercial insurance policies and interstate trucking/ transportation. Michigan’s unique No-Fault Act, which applies to all motor vehicle accidents, includes a complex statutory scheme requiring the first-party insurer to pay for medical benefits to an injured person, but also provides a limited opportunity for the insurer to seek subrogation from an insurer higher in priority and/or from the at-fault party in out-of-state accidents. Anthony has successfully recovered reimbursement for his clients from insurers higher in priority.