Sharon M. Woods, Attorney

Senior member in the law firm of Barris, Sott, Denn & Driker, P.L.L.C. and Chairman of its Management Committee; Chairman of firm's Litigation Department. Practice is primarily in the area of business litigation (commercial and complex litigation, construction, securities, intellectual property litigation, employment litigation, class action litigation, professional malpractice defense).

Member, State Bar of Michigan (admitted May 23, 1972); Admitted to practice before United States Supreme Court, United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, United States Federal Court of Appeals, United States Court of Claims and various United States district courts.

Bar Admissions

Michigan, 1972 

Education

J.D., 1971, University of Detroit School of Law, Summa Cum Laude

• Articles Editor, Urban Law Journal
• Recipient of various academic honors
  
  
  

B.S., 1968, University of Detroit, Magna Cum Laude

• Major: Biology. Minors: Mathematics and Chemistry
• Recipient of various academic honors
• Officer of various academic societies and student government
  
  

Honors, Awards and Professional Affiliations 

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, and Professional Malpractice Law

Recognized in Chambers USA, Client's Guide to America's Leading Lawyers, for Commercial Litigation

Recognized in Michigan Super Lawyers, 2006 - Business Litigation, "Top 100" Michigan Lawyers,  and "Top 50" Women Lawyers, 2007 "Top 100" Michigan Lawyers and "Top 10", 2008 'Top" 100" Lawyers.

Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers, 1989 to present. Regent -- 2001-2005 and member of its Committee of Federal Rules of Evidence, 1990 to 1998 and on Publications Committee, 1993 to present, Chairman, 1998-2000, and Complex Litigation Committee, 1995 to present

Fellow, International Academy of Trial Lawyers, 2003 to present

Fellow, American Bar Foundation

Fellow, Michigan Bar Foundation

Kappa Beta Pi Honors Sorority

Historical Society of the United States District Court for the Eastern District, 1993 to present; President, 1995-1997; Trustee 1993 to 2008

Historical Society of the United States Supreme Court, member, 1993 to present, State Chairman 1994 to 1997

Member and Counsel, Board of Accounting of State of Michigan by gubernatorial appointment, 1977-1986

Administrative Committee (Grievance Committee) of State Board of Accountancy, 1977-1986

Trustee, Detroit Bar Association Foundation, 1996 to present, President-elect, 2001

Member, American Law Institute

Leadership Detroit graduate, 1988

The Detroit Club, Director 1998 to Present, Vice-President, 2000-2001, President 2001-2002

Member, Board of Directors and Co-Chairman of Civil Litigation Committee, Federal Bar Association

Member and Vice-Chairman, Advisory Committee on Local Rules of the United States District Court by appointment of U.S. district court judges, 1984-1991

Arbitrator, American Arbitration Association (including Complex Litigation Panel)

Faculty, U.S. District Court Trial Advocacy Program, 1987 to present

Faculty, ICLE Trial Advocacy Program, Ann Arbor

Lecturer on business litigation, Detroit Bar Association, ICLE, Lorman Business Center, Inc.

Lecturer on employment litigation, American Corporate Counsel Association, 1988

Coordinator, First Annual Torts Law Seminar, ICLE, 1990; Faculty, 1994 Business Tort Seminar ICLE

Panelist, CPR Institute for Dispute Resolution

Completed week long course in ADR Training at Harvard Law School, 1999

Mediator, Oakland Circuit Court

Member, ADR Section, Michigan Bar Association

Member, Oakland Circuit Court Committee, 1992

Member, American Judicature Society

Fellow, Michigan State Bar Foundation

Fellow, American Bar Association

Wayne County, Michigan Task Force on Competitiveness, Co-Chairman (Legal Committee)

Wayne County, Michigan Highland Park Task Force, Chairman (Public Safety Committee)

Representative Publications

"Coping With Multi-Plaintiff Employment Litigation", co-authored with Sandra J. Defebaugh (Michigan Consolidated Gas Company), published in Journal of American Corporate Counsel Association, Spring, 1989

"Commercial Torts", Chapter of Michigan Torts, 1992 (updated 1993, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2004) (rewrote chapter, 2000)

Past Employment Positions

State of Michigan, Board of Accountancy, Member and Counsel, 1977 - 1986