Patrick G. Seyferth

Product Liability

• As lead counsel obtained a full defense verdict in South Bend, Indiana on multiple automotive product liability claims including defective and unreasonably dangerous design, failure to warn, and failure to instruct and a punitive damage claim against a major automotive OEM.
• Successfully handled automotive diagnostic sensor defect claim in CT re GM LLC truck brought on behalf of quadriplegic driver
• First-chaired AZ jury trial on behalf of automotive manufacturer of a truck involving severe injuries and claim of electronic sensing defect: No cause
• Argued Sixth Circuit appeal in support of District Court’s dismissal in a high-exposure fire case: 3-0 affirmed
• First-chaired TN jury trial on behalf of automotive manufacturer involving TBI injuries in an SUV and claim of restraint defect: No cause
• Argued appeal in Michigan Court of Appeals Complex Div. to uphold defense verdict involving child death product liability case: 3-0 affirmed
• First-chaired AZ jury trial on behalf of automotive manufacturer involving significant injury in a minivan and claim of air bag defect: No cause
• Assisted in highly publicized MI jury trial in product liability involving the death of 7-year-old child: No cause
• Represented injured Plaintiff in MI jury trial that involved near-drowning: $700,000 jury verdict
• Assisted in NY federal jury trial in case involving child death and claim of product defect: Judgment as a matter of law (Published)

Commercial / Class Actions

• First-chaired OH jury trial on behalf of major finance company on contract and a $1B punitive damage claim: defense verdict
• Defeated class certification in national MDL class action involving European automotive manufacturer and claims regarding telematics (Published)
• First-chaired eight high-profile automotive dealer arbitrations
• First-chaired arbitration on behalf of national homebuilder involving former high-ranking executive
• Successfully defended closely-held corporation in $110M federal ‘alter-ego’ action that attempted to pierce the corporate veil
• Obtained favorable outcome in contractual indemnification case regarding underlying TX product liability fatality claim
• Obtained permanent injunction in National business defamation and trademark case
• Successfully represented MI Legislature in Covid-19 cases re: Governor’s Executive Orders and voter ID requirements (Published)
• Defeated AZ class certification claims on behalf of national home builder – obtained dismissal of claims and significant fee award

Mediations/ADR

• Served as court appointed facilitator in over 70 U.S. District Court cases
• Awarded Certificate of Recognition by U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan for facilitation of multiple complex cases
• Selected as a mediator in multiple Circuit Court business cases
• Served as arbitrator in multi-million-dollar breach of contract case
• Appointed as a Special Master in U.S. District Court cases involving RICO, attorney client privilege, Qui Tam and complex discovery issue

Before co-founding BSP in 2003, Patrick was an equity partner at Feeney Kellett Wienner & Bush. Patrick remains grateful to his many mentors, including his 2 years of service as a federal law clerk to U.S. District Court Judge Robert H. Cleland. Before attending law school, Patrick worked as a broker in the food service industry.

Honors & Awards

Chambers USA Guide, Product Liability: Automobile (USA – Nationwide) Band 1, Litigation: General Commercial (Michigan) Band 2 (2023)

Michigan Lawyers Weekly, Hall of Fame (2023)

Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants (Troy, MI: ‘23)

Michigan Super Lawyers, Top 100, (MI: ‘11-’17, ’20-’22)

America’s Top 100 Attorneys® (2018)

Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants (Troy, MI: ‘19)

U.S. News Best Lawyers ® (‘10-present)

Inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America©: Commercial Litigation and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants (‘12 – present), Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants (’21 – present)

U.S.D.C. Eastern District of Michigan, Certificate of Appreciation, Merit Selection Panel (‘11)

Michigan Lawyer’s Weekly, Leader In The Law (‘11)

Michigan Super Lawyers (‘06-present)

DBusiness Top Lawyers (‘08-’18, ’21-present)

Martindale Hubbell ® Peer Review Rating of AV

Professional Activities

Life Member Committee – U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals (Appointed Member)

Advisory Committee on Rules – U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals (Appointed Member)

Life Member – U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals

Federal Bar Association Eastern District of Michigan, Executive Board Member, Sustaining Member

Product Liability Advisory Council, Sustaining Member

Leading Lawyers, Advisory Board Member, 2018 – present

Oakland County Bar Foundation, Fellow

Eastern District of Michigan, Appointed Member e-Filing Rules Committee

Oakland County Bar Association, Member

American Bar Foundation, Life Fellow

Michigan Defense Trial Counsel, Member

Invited Speaker

Product Liability Advisory Council (Var. States: ‘09, ‘11, ‘14, ‘15, ‘16, 18, ‘20)

Network of Trial Law Firms (Var. States: ‘18, ’23)

Intelligent Transport Systems World Congress (Canada: ‘17)

Defense Research Institute Strictly Automotive (Var. States: ‘13, ‘15, ‘17)

North American International Auto Show – AutoMobili-D (MI: ‘17)

University of Michigan UMTRI Program (MI: ‘10, ‘11, ‘13, ‘16, ‘17)

Privacy + Security Forum (Wash. D.C.: ‘16)

Intnt’l Assoc. of Privacy Professionals Privacy. Security. Risk (CA: ‘16)

Association of Corporate Counsel Michigan Chapter (MI: ‘15, ‘16)

72nd Judicial Conference of the Sixth Circuit (TN: ‘12)

Crain’s In-House Summit (MI: ‘12)

71st Sixth Circuit Judicial Conference (KY: ‘11)

Federal Bar Association (MI: ‘10)

Speaker at Investiture of 6th Circuit Federal Judge Raymond Kethledge, Oath Administered by Justice Anthony Kennedy (MI: ‘08)

Publications

Avoiding the Blind Spots: Evidentiary Issues, Exhibits, Experts, and Trial Strategies, DRI For the Defense, Published Winter 2018

Privacy, Cybersecurity, and the Connected Car, DRI In-House Defense Quarterly, Published Spring 2015

Lawsuits Involving Component Suppliers, DRI In-House Defense Quarterly, Published Spring 2012

Trial Strategies: Humanizing the Corporate Defendant, DRI In-House Defense Quarterly, Published Winter 2010

For the Community

Patrick heads the BSP Charitable Foundation which, to date, has raised nearly $1 million for various charities. He also serves on the Advisory Board for New Day Foundation for Families, a MI non-profit that provides resources to families afflicted by cancer.  In 2018, Patrick received the New Day Foundation for Families Matt Kell and Cathy Spehn Legacy Award. In 2022, the New Day Foundation for Families honored Patrick for his steadfast commitment to the organization with the Jack Aronson Champion Award. This award recognizes those who demonstrate a champion’s spirit of humility, courage, strength, and perseverance in the effort to bring hope to families fighting cancer.

Patrick leads the firm’s pro bono efforts and has also gained positive results for individuals and families in need. In one pro bono case, Patrick helped 2 young girls deal with a child sexual abuse matter that made a “lasting impact” on their lives.

Personal

Although a Spartan to the core (he met his wife Sandi in East Lansing), Patrick is proud to have graduated from the University of Michigan Law School. Patrick and his wife Sandi – a CPA who does charity work and serves as the Controller for Annox Company – have 5 children and reside in Rochester, Michigan. Spending time with his family is Patrick’s favorite hobby.