The articles in this month’s edition of the Michigan Bar Journal were written by members of the State Bar of Michigan Litigation Section. With more than 2,000 members, the Litigation Section is one of the largest in the State Bar. The section strives to bring educational content and learning opportunities related to litigation and trial preparation to its members, as well as networking opportunities.
The four articles in this issue represent a broad spectrum of litigation-related topics. In her article “The Evolution of Michigan’s Open and Obvious Doctrine,” section governing council member Ryanne Rizzo analyzes the recent Michigan Supreme Court opinions in Kandil-Elsayed v. F&E Oil, Inc and Pinsky v. Kroger Co of Michigan and explores the effects on the state’s open and obvious doctrine in premises liability cases.
With fewer opportunities for direct trial participation, sharing war stories has become more important than ever. In “Takeaways from My First Jury Trial,” section member Milica Filipovic takes readers behind the scenes of her recent successful jury trial and highlights some dos and don’ts for all trial attorneys.
Artificial intelligence-based tools have exploded in the last couple years. With such tools come both incredible opportunities and important ethical obligations. In his article “The Artificial Intelligence Revolution: A Look Back at 2023 and the Future of Artificial Intelligence and the Law,” governing council member Alexander S. Rusek guides readers through the various benefits of and precautions regarding AI, which all members of the legal community should be aware of.
Lastly, in our article “The Collaborative Advantage: Including Clients in the Litigation Process,” governing council member Emily Fields and I discuss the many benefits of attorneys including clients in the ongoing litigation and trial preparation process. Such inclusion fosters trust between clients and their legal team, ensures that clients are invested in the process, and provides an important source of ongoing information for counsel.
The SBM Litigation Section hopes these articles provide helpful information to the readers of the Michigan Bar Journal. We welcome all members of the Bar to join the Litigation Section either as a member or by attending one of our events. Find us at connect.michbar.org/litigation.