Cheryl A. Bush

• Won summary disposition in a multi-million dollar employment suit brought by an executive of a major automotive manufacturer and then successfully defended the win on appeal.
• Secured settlement shortly before trial for pharmaceutical manufacturer.
• Obtained numerous favorable settlements in high-exposure product liability actions across the country against a major automotive manufacturer, including cases involving alleged traumatic brain injury, paraplegia, and other serious alleged injuries.
• Represented a major automotive manufacturer in wrongful death action and secured favorable settlement through strategic motions in limine.
• Obtained no cause following one-week jury trial in case involving negligence allegations related to the death of a truck driver.
• Obtained no cause following two-week jury trial in product-liability action relating to severe upper body injuries suffered in high-speed crash.
• Obtained no cause following three-week jury trial in product liability action arising from accident in which eight-year-old was rendered a ventilator-dependent quadriplegic.
• Obtained no cause following two-week trial involving closed head injuries and broken bones sustained teacher in accident in which vehicle went over a cliff.
• Obtained no cause in highly publicized four-week trial involving seven-year-old child purportedly killed by passenger airbag in a 1995 minivan.
• Obtained no cause following one-week trial in which a 17-year-old attempted to pass another car on a two-lane road.

Cheryl is an honors graduate of the University of Michigan Law School and received her Bachelor of Arts at Wayne State University while working as a waitress and working midnights at the United States Postal Service. Before co-founding BSP in 2003, Cheryl was an equity partner at Dykema Gossett and then Feeney Kellett Wienner & Bush.

Honors & Awards

Product Liability Advisory Council, Distinguished Service Award (2023)

Benchmark Litigation, Litigation Star (2015, 2020 & 2022)

Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year, Bet-the-Company Litigation (Troy, MI: 2022)

State Bar of Michigan Pro Bono Honor Roll, Tier 2 – 50-99 hours (2021)

Leading Lawyers, Number One Leading Woman Lawyer in Michigan (2020)

Leading Lawyers, Number One Leading Woman Business Lawyer in Michigan (2020)

Leading Lawyers, Top 100 Leading Lawyer in Michigan (2020)

Leading Lawyers, Top 100 Leading Women Lawyer in Michigan (2020)

Leading Lawyers, Top 100 Leading Business Lawyer in Michigan (2020)

Michigan Lawyers Weekly, Hall of Fame (2019)

Women Business Michigan Super Lawyers Top 25 (2018)

Crain’s Detroit Notable Women Lawyers in Michigan (2017)

Corp! Diversity Business Leader (2017)

America’s Top 100 Attorneys® (2017)

America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators® for Michigan (2017)

Leon Hubbard Community Service Award (2015)

Michigan Lawyers Weekly, Women in the Law (2014)

Inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America©: Commercial Litigation and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants (2012 – present), Bet-the-Company Litigation (2021 – present)

Michigan Super Lawyers (2011 –  present)

U.S. News Best Lawyers® (2010 – present)

Michigan Lawyers Weekly, Leader in the Law (2010)

DBusiness Top Lawyers (2008 – present)

National Association of Women Business Owners, Breakthrough Award

Martindale Hubbel® AV Peer Review Rating

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Professional Activities

American College of Trial Lawyers, Michigan Vice Chair, 2015-2016, Member of Jury Committee, 2016-2021, Regent, 2021-2025

American Board of Trial Advocates, Faculty, Senior Life Fellow

American Bar Association, Member 

American Bar Foundation, Fellow 

Attorney Grievance Commission, Commissioner

Federal Bar Association for the Eastern District of Michigan, Diversity Committee, Member and Sustaining Member

Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Lecturer

Lawyers for Civil Justice, Discovery Committee, Associate Member

Leading Lawyers, Member (2014-2023), Advisory Board Member (2018-2023)

National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms, Member (2009-2022)

National Association of Women Business Owners, Member

Product Liability Advisory Council, Previous Vice Chair, Former Member

The Trial Network, Member of Board of Directors

Troy Downtown Development Authority, Former Member

Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, Member (2009-2022)

Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, Sustaining Member 

Presentations

“Combating Plaintiff Reptilian Tactics in Complex Litigation: Discovery, Voir Dire, Direct and Cross-Examination,” presented on behalf of Strafford Webinars (July 2021)

“Managing Jurors in Catastrophic Personal Injury Trials: Voir Dire, Jury Selection, and Countering Sympathy,” presented on behalf of Strafford Webinars (May 2021)

“Mastering Virtual Advocacy Series,” American Board of Trial Advocates, Faculty Member (April 2021)

“Personal Injury Damages: Limiting the Risk of Inflated Verdicts,” presented on behalf of Strafford Webinars (October 2020)

“The Nuclear Verdict Combat Playbook” presented to the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms (2020 Annual Meeting)

“Cracking the Code – Risk Mitigation & Litigation Considerations for the Smart Product” The Network of Trial Law Firms, Moderator (November 2019)

“Win or Lose – How Well Did Your Company Witness Do in Deposition” presented to The Network of Trial Law Firms (April 2019)

“Managing Jurors in Catastrophic Personal Injury Claims: Voir Dire, Jury Selection and Countering Sympathy,” presented on behalf of Strafford Webinars (December 2018)

“Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing: Crisis Management and Providing the Support Your Client Needs” presented to The Network of Trial Law Firms (October 2018)

“Putting a Face on the Company in Litigation: Successful Strategies for Maneuvering the Minefield of Employee Depositions” presented to the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms (July 2018 Trials PAC Webinar)

“The Top Ten Ways In-House Counsel Can Reduce the Risk in Trial” presented to the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms (2018 Business Meeting)

“Win at Company Witness Depositions” presented to the Network of Trial Law Firms (August 2017)

“Mass and Class: Practical Realties in Complex Litigation,” DRI 2017 Corporate Counsel Roundtable

“Challenging Experts? Tactics for Mastering Expert Examinations” presented to the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms (2016 Business Meeting)

“Dare to be Different: A Case Study on Interactive and Off the Beaten Path CLE Sessions,” presented to the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms (2016 Business Meeting)

“Internal Investigations and Corporate Compliance: Lessons Learned,” presented to DRI 2016 Corporate Counsel Roundtable

“To Kill or Not To Kill The Trial Lawyer,” presented to the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms (2015 Annual Meeting)

“Litigation in the Technology World,” presented to the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms (2010 Annual Meeting)

“Ethical Issues Associated with Cost Cutting,” presented to the Product Liability Advisory Council (2009 Annual Meeting)

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Publications

“Challenging Experts? Tactics for Mastering Expert Examinations” presented to the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms, 2016 Business Meeting

“So, They Want to Take Your Client’s Deposition…,” Michigan Lawyers Weekly

For Fun

Favorite Book: To Kill a Mockingbird.  Seeing Atticus Finch stand up for what is right all told through the eyes of his young daughter is transforming.

Favorite Movie: My Cousin Vinny.  I can totally relate to Vinny.

Favorite Vacation: My home is my sanctuary

Guilty Pleasure: Real Housewives of NAME THE CITY