Press Releases
Wilson Elser Announces 28 New Partners
January 11, 2023
Val Mock concentrates her practice on insurance defense litigation with a focus on complex tort claims, medical malpractice, general liability, product liability and employment law. In addition, she handles matters that include, but are not limited to, trucking liability, professional licensing claims, fair housing claims, truth in advertising and errors and omissions claims. She also defends medical practitioners and accountants in state licensing matters and employers on claims before the EEOC and state agencies.
Val practices in courts throughout the state and has filed briefs in the state’s highest courts and in the United States Supreme Court.
In addition to her current practice, Val has a 12-year manufacturing background during which she was responsible for ensuring in-house and vendor compliance with performance standards. She prides herself on learning the clients’ business and is particularly adept at assessing the strengths and weaknesses of a case in the early stages to effectively contain litigation expenses. She has made numerous presentations to groups throughout her career and authored literature in the legal defense space, such as contributing to portions of the Michigan Practice Handbook and Michigan Construction Litigation Desk Reference.
Val is a regional representative for Wilson Elser’s Women Attorneys Valued & Empowered (WAVE) initiative, which is dedicated to the advancement of women attorneys’ professional aims and personal well-being.
Val Mock concentrates her practice on insurance defense litigation with a focus on complex tort claims, medical malpractice, general liability, product liability and employment law. In addition, she handles matters that include, but are not limited to, trucking liability, professional licensing claims, fair housing claims, truth in advertising and errors and omissions claims. She also defends medical practitioners and accountants in state licensing matters and employers on claims before the EEOC and state agencies.
Val practices in courts throughout the state and has filed briefs in the state’s highest courts and in the United States Supreme Court.
In addition to her current practice, Val has a 12-year manufacturing background during which she was responsible for ensuring in-house and vendor compliance with performance standards. She prides herself on learning the clients’ business and is particularly adept at assessing the strengths and weaknesses of a case in the early stages to effectively contain litigation expenses. She has made numerous presentations to groups throughout her career and authored literature in the legal defense space, such as contributing to portions of the Michigan Practice Handbook and Michigan Construction Litigation Desk Reference.
Val is a regional representative for Wilson Elser’s Women Attorneys Valued & Empowered (WAVE) initiative, which is dedicated to the advancement of women attorneys’ professional aims and personal well-being.
Valerie Mock (Partner-Detroit), Katherine Beres (Of Counsel-Detroit), and Nicole Gettler (Of Counsel-Detroit) prevailed on a motion for summary disposition in the Oakland County Circuit Court in Pontiac, Michigan, for a national hair removal franchisor client. The plaintiff allegedly sustained injury to her genitals during an improperly performed waxing procedure conducted by an employee at the hair removal franchisee location. The plaintiff sued the franchisee and its employee for negligence and sued our client franchisor for vicarious liability based on actual or apparent agency. Valerie, Katherine, and Nicole filed a dispositive motion clarifying that no actual agency relationship existed between the franchisor and the franchisee because our client did not exercise control over the franchisee’s operations. The Detroit team also demonstrated that apparent agency was likewise not viable, as the plaintiff could not show reasonable reliance on her subjective belief that the franchisee acted as the franchisor’s agent. The court agreed and granted summary disposition in favor of Wilson Elser’s franchisor client.
Valerie Henning Mock, Katherine M. Beres and Nicole L. Gettler