Merrill Gordon is an honest, aggressive, tough attorney with more than 35 years of experience in fighting for clients in divorce and family court proceedings along with all manners of civil actions, including personal catastrophic injuries, wrongful death claims, auto accidents, drunk driving representation, insurance coverage disputes, dog bites , slip-and-fall cases, medical malpractice and civil litigation matters. Lawyer.com Member Questionnaire How did you build a successful practice? By always being responsive to clients needs and effectively communicating with clients What should clients look for in a lawyer? Some one who is tough, aggressive and puts their needs first, it is also important to look for someone who can effectively coomunicate with them How important is local knowledge to the success of your cases? It is very important to have someone who knows the court, judges and court system well so that effective representation can be provided What information can you provide in a free phone consultation? I always provide information about the family law process and an evaluation of the facts of the clients particular case and my thoughts on a proposed plan of action What information do you need in a free phone consultation? Any information the client wishes to share although the more information that I have the more targeted my response can be What differentiates you from other lawyers in your community? I am a sole practionar who can give all of my clients individual attention. I work extensively with divorce, custody, support and other family law cases so that my personal service to my clients us unmatched What is the most rewarding aspect of your job? Helping clients navigate a difficult period of their life and seeing that they maintain personal relationships with their children and remain healthy financially following the conclusion of their case What are your other interests in addition to law? Bicycle riding, cross country skiing, hiking, and all forms of outdoor activity Are you involved in your community? I am involved in both my Temple and other community activities

Harry Steven Ellman was admitted to the State Bar of Michigan in 1971 and practices law in Oakland, Wayne and Macomb counties. From 1971 to 1987 he was actively engaged in the general practice of law with a strong emphasis on real estate, secured transactions and business matters. From 1987 until 2006 he owned and operated a title insurance agency, Fidelity Title Company, specializing in commercial transactions insuring over Five Billion Dollars in closings. Since 2006 he has resolved many legal matters without the need to litigate. Harry recently settled a $3 Million Dollar breach of contract matter within 5 months without filing a lawsuit. Located in Bingham Farms, Michigan, we work with clients in the Detroit Metro area, including Farmington Hills.

The Michigan personal injury attorneys at Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C., have a reputation for meticulous case preparation-an approach that results in major verdicts and settlements for our clients. We handle all types of accident and injury cases, including auto accidents, motorcycle accidents, wrongful death cases, medical malpractice lawsuits, nursing home neglect cases, slip and fall cases, dog bite attack cases, and all other personal injury matters. Our family-owned Michigan personal injury law firm was founded by David and Vicky Buckfire in 1968. They're now retired and their two sons, Daniel and Lawrence, run the firm. They have continued the firm's reputation as an award winning personal injury law firm in Michigan and have assembled a top team of lawyers and support staff. They have earned the highest possible rating in the legal profession for ability and integrity and are rated Superb by the top Internet lawyer rating service Daniel Buckfire specializes in cases involving automobile negligence, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, no-fault insurance litigation, dram shop liability, and general negligence cases. He is rated as a "Superb" lawyer by the top internet lawyer rating service and "Best Personal Injury Lawyer" by a Detroit business magazine. Daniel's adept knowledge of these areas of law has resulted in numerous significant settlements and verdicts on behalf of his injured clients. He is member of the Michigan Association for Justice and the American Association for Justice. He is also a member of the Brain Injury Association of Michigan and the Michigan Brain Injury Provider's Council.

Sheldon L. Miller has defended the rights of Michigan residents as a top litigator and expert counsel for more than 40 years. Mr. Miller graduated from Wayne State University Law School in Detroit, Michigan, in 1961. In 1971, he originated the idea for what is called "mediation" in the state of Michigan. As a pioneer in this area of law, Mr. Miller was asked to form a committee to put the concept into rule form. He also served as the first mediator on behalf of the Plaintiff's Bar in the State of Michigan. In 1979, Mr. Miller served as president of the newly founded Mediation Tribunal Association, a non-profit corporation, formed to oversee the mediation process in Wayne County ( Detroit ). He served as president until 1992. With the Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA), Mr. Miller served as a former vice-president, parliamentarian and secretary, and he was also president of the Detroit chapter of the ATLA. He also received the prestigious Champion of Justice award from the ATLA in 1998, and he has served on the Board of Governors of the ATLA since 1977. Mr. Miller served as president of the Michigan Trial Lawyers Association (MTLA) and also received the Champion of Justice award from the MTLA. As a trial lawyer, Mr. Miller introduced new concepts to the legal community. In Placek v. City of Sterling Heights, he served as trial and appellate counsel and brought pure comparative negligence to Michigan. This case was cited 13 times by the Illinois Supreme Court when it threw out contributory negligence and adopted comparative negligence as the standard. Mr. Miller is a frequent lecturer and author on trial strategies and also teaches trial practice as an adjunct professor of law. Mr. Miller's other accomplishments include testifying on Federal No-Fault before the U.S. Congress, founding Trial Lawyers for Public Justice, and authoring several well-received legal articles. Mr. Miller was profiled in the books The Million Dollar Lawyers and Detroit's Powers and Personalities, and he was also rated by the New York Law Journal as "one of the top tort litigators in the United States." To find out more about Sheldon L. Miller or any of our other personal injury lawyers, contact our firm near Detroit today.

Lawrence J. Buckfire (Larry Buckfire) earned his undergraduate degree in economics from the University of Michigan in 1986 and his juris doctor degree from Wayne State University School of Law in 1989. He has been in private practice since successfully completing the bar exam in 1989. He is admitted to practice law in the State of Michigan, State of Ohio, and in the United States District Court. Lawrence is the lead trial attorney and managing partner at Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. The law firm was founded in 1969 by his father David Buckfire with the principle of representing clients with the highest degree of integrity, compassion, and professionalism. Lawrence’s mother, Vicky Buckfire, joined David in the firm several years later. Lawrence and Daniel both joined their parents upon their completion of law school. Mr. Buckfire has devoted his legal career to helping the most vulnerable members of our society, children and the elderly. He specializes in child lead paint poisoning, wrongful death, nursing home neglect, medical malpractice, and other serious injury cases. “Successfully pursuing these cases is the best way to protect the members of our community from future harm,” said Larry.

Dondi R. Vesprini earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology in 1996 from Oakland University with a minor in Sociology. He earned his Juris Doctor degree in 1999 from the University of Detroit – Mercy School of Law where he was on the Moot Court Board of Directors, represented the law school in national moot court competition, and was a member of the St. Thomas More Society. He is admitted to practice law in the State of Michigan, the United States District Court of the Eastern District of Michigan, the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Cincinnati, Ohio. Prior to joining Buckfire & Buckfire, Dondi worked for 11 years as a trial attorney for the Law Offices of Lawrence S. Katkowsky, P.C., which specialized in motorcycle accidents. Previously, Dondi worked for the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office for two years where he tried felony drug cases and also worked on criminal appeals. Dondi has recovered millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for his injured clients and specializes in issues affecting motorcyclists such as motorcycle accidents, roadway defect accidents, and Michigan No Fault claims. He also litigates wrongful death, automobile negligence, slip and fall, dog bite attacks, and other personal injury matters. In addition to trial work, he has also argued cases in front of the Michigan Court of Appeals, the Michigan Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Cincinnati, Ohio. Dondi’s advocacy extends beyond the courtroom as he proposes legislation and meets with the Governor’s office, legislators and lobbyists regarding legislation affecting injured motorcyclists and non-motorcyclists alike, including but not limited to the Michigan motorcycle helmet law and fighting to preserve Michigan’s No Fault system and the benefits it provides to injured people. He recently drafted an amendment to MCL 500.3114, which was formally introduced as House Bill 4809 on May 6, 2021.

Christopher Frayer earned his Bachelor of Business Administration from Northwood University in 1991. He later earned his Juris Doctor degree in 2001 from Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Chris joined the firm in February 2024, focusing primarily on medical malpractice, nursing home neglect, birth injury, civil rights, and governmental claims. Prior to joining Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C., Chris served as a medical malpractice attorney at a firm in metro Detroit. He previously represented healthcare companies, professionals, and corporate clients litigating medical malpractice cases in state and federal courts.

Nicolas A. Vesprini earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology in 2000 from Oakland University. He earned his Juris Doctor degree in 2003 from the University of Detroit – Mercy School of Law where he served as the Executive Director of Moot Court Board, represented the law school in national moot court competition, and was an active member of the Student Bar Association Board of Governors, and a Book Award recipient. Nicolas is admitted to practice law in the State of Michigan, the United States District Court of the Eastern District of Michigan, and the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan. Prior to joining Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C., Nicolas served as a partner at a preeminent insurance defense law firm with a focus on defense litigation in catastrophic first-party automobile claims, third-party auto negligence, personal injury, premises liability and general negligence. He represented various national clients and several major insurance carriers throughout the state of Michigan. He has tried cases in both state and federal court and has argued before the Michigan Court of Appeals.

Randall M. Blau earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Kalamazoo College in 1993 and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Detroit School of Law in 1996. He is admitted to practice law in state and federal courts throughout Michigan and has handled cases in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Minnesota and Florida. He has obtained numerous settlements that have been listed in the Top Ten Settlements of the Year for the State of Michigan multiple times during the last decade. Randy has obtained millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for his injured clients. He specializes in medical malpractice, birth injuries, nursing home negligence, wrongful death, and automobile negligence cases. He is a member of the Michigan Association for Justice, the Oakland County Bar Association and the State Bar of Michigan. Randy has been an invited speaker at a variety of legal seminars, an invited member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and has been consistently listed in Who’s Who in Law throughout his career.

Robert Lantzy is a graduate of Central Michigan University and graduated cum laude from the Detroit College of Law at Michigan State University in 1997. Robert is an experienced trial attorney and concentrates his practice in many areas of civil litigation, including truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, motor vehicle accidents, dog attacks, lead paint exposure and child lead poisoning, mold exposure and cases involving other general environmental contamination. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Michigan Association for Justice, and the Macomb County Bar Association. Robert spent the first years of his legal career as a defense attorney handling cases for insurance companies and their insured. He was named a Partner at a preeminent insurance defense law firm before joining Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. Lantzy has developed a successful track record of significant trial verdicts. He is well-received by juries due to his detailed trial preparation and his presentation which provides jurors with great insight into his integrity and his compassion for helping his injured clients. He has been named a “Super Lawyer” for his accomplishments. Clients consistently provide excellent feedback in the form of five-star reviews and thoughtful and compassionate praise of his file handling and resolution of claims on behalf of his clients. Robert has been a featured speaker for Mothers Against Drunk Driving, hospital case managers, city and county health departments and motorcycle advocate organizations.