Client-Recommended Attorneys, Adjusters and Experts
Client-Recommended Attorneys, Adjusters and Experts



Best's Recommended Insurance Attorneys - General Defense


800 West Long Lake Road, Suite 200, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan 48302

Established: 1990

Practice Areas

  • Insurance Defense
  • Product Liability
  • Premises Liability
  • Toxic Torts
  • Environmental Law
  • Asbestos Litigation
  • Workers' Compensation
  • Employer Liability
  • Automobile Liability
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Contracts
  • Contract Disputes
  • Directors and Officers Liability
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution


About Us

Blake, Kirchner, Symonds, Larson, Kennedy & Smith, P.C. is a mid-sized law firm located in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan with satellite offices in both Detroit and Lansing, Michigan. Our lawyers offer professional legal services in several important areas of law including litigation and workers' compensation defense. The Firm represents clients throughout the State of Michigan and also acts as National Counsel for clients involved in litigation outside of the State of Michigan.

Blake, Kirchner, Symonds, Larson, Kennedy & Smith, P.C., is committed to providing all of its clients, whether individuals, businesses, insurers, or major corporations, with innovative and dynamic legal representation. The firm's mission is to provide top-quality legal services that meet our clients' particular needs, without forcing our clients to incur unreasonably high legal fees. The litigation and business attorneys at Blake, Kirchner, Symonds, Larson, Kennedy & Smith, P.C., strive to command and use a broad understanding of all of the factors that impact our clients' legal situation to provide our clients with the best professional legal services possible.


Client Information

Insurance Clients

Non-Insurance Clients

  • Ascension Health
  • Dana Companies, LLC
  • Detroit Edison Company
  • General Electric Company
  • Republic Waste Services, Inc.
  • St. John Hospital and Medical Center
  • Sanit-Air
  • SmithGroup Companies, Inc.
  • Standard Electric Company
  • Waste Management, Inc.

Personnel Information

Partners


Arthur G. Kirchner III

Bloomfield Hills, MI

Admitted
  • Michigan, 1976
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, 1976
Memberships:
  • State Bar of Michigan (Workers' Compensation Section)
  • Defense Research Institute
Education:
  • Wayne State University, B.A., 1970
  • Detroit College of Law, J.D., 1976

Born: 1947


Kevin T. Kennedy

Bloomfield Hills, MI

Admitted
  • Michigan, 1987
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
Memberships:
  • American and Oakland County Bar Associations
  • State Bar of Michigan (Negligence Section)
  • Defense Research Institute
Education:
  • Western Michigan University, B.B.A., 1984
  • Detroit College of Law, J.D. (cum laude), 1987

Born: 1962


Richard P. Smith

Bloomfield Hills, MI

Admitted
  • Michigan, 1984
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
Additional Biographical Details:

Special Assistant Attorney General for the State of Michigan

Memberships:
  • American, Macomb County and Detroit Bar Associations
  • State Bar of Michigan
  • National Employment Lawyers Association
  • Defense Research Institute
Education:
  • Wayne State University, B.A. (with distinction), 1981
  • Detroit College of Law, J.D. (cum laude), 1984
Fraternity Information:
Delta Theta Phi

Born: 1959


David B. Klein

Bloomfield Hills, MI

Admitted
  • Michigan, 1990
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan, 1990
Memberships:
  • American and Detroit Bar Associations
  • State Bar of Michigan (Workers' Compensation Law Section)
  • Defense Research Institute
Education:
  • Michigan State University, B.A. (with distinction), 1987
  • University of Detroit, J.D., 1990

Born: 1964


John A. O'Brien

Bloomfield Hills, MI

Admitted
  • Michigan, 1989
Memberships:
  • Macomb County Bar Association
  • Michigan Self-Insurer's Association
Education:
  • University of Detroit, J.D., 1989

Born: 1964


Associate


Karen M. Melcher

Bloomfield Hills, MI

Admitted
  • Michigan, 2001
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, 2001
Memberships:
  • State Bar of Michigan
Education:
  • Michigan State University, B.A., 1998
  • University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, J.D., 2001

Born: 1976


Of Counsel


Henry J. Andries, Jr.

Bloomfield Hills, MI

Admitted
  • Michigan, 1995
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
Memberships:
  • Oakland County Bar Association
Education:
  • Georgetown University, B.S. Business Admin., 1991
  • Michigan State University College of Law, J.D. (magna cum laude), 1995

Jeffrey Buehner

Bloomfield Hills, MI

Admitted
  • Michigan, 1996
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan
Education:
  • Eastern Michigan University, B.S., 1991
  • University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, J.D., 1995

Thomas H. Hill

Bloomfield Hills, MI

Admitted
  • Michigan, 1983
  • Supreme Court of Michigan
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. Supreme Court
Education:
  • Michigan State University College of Law, J.D. (cum laude), 1983

 Back To Top



Contact Our Team | About Best's Insurance Professional Resources | FAQs | Qualification Guidelines | Important Notice