Top Rated Insurance Coverage Attorney in Birmingham, MI

Other Outstanding Achievements

• Featured on national public radio, WDET, The Craig Fahle Show, legal issues related to American cities, October 29, 2012
• Developed five year strategic plan for State Bar of Michigan Insurance and Indemnity Law Section, 2014
• Lead Trial Counsel, Michigan State University, Trial Attorney, MI Court of Claims, 2017
• Featured in Detroit Legal News, Vol. CXVIII, No. 42, February 27, 2013, “Profile in Brief, Dual Specialist”
• Featured in Michigan Lawyers Weekly, Vol. 26, No. 32, June 18, 2012, “On the Stand”

Educational Background

• Wayne State University Law School, JD, 2000
• The American Institute for Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters, Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), 2010
• National Association of Trial Advocacy (NITA), 2008
• Michigan State University, James Madison College, Political Theory Constitutional Democracy, BA, 1997

Pro bono/Community Service

• Through 2017, William Booth Legal Aid Clinic, Board Member, 2010

Special Licenses/Certifications

• Fellow, American Bar Foundation, 2017
• Fellow, Oakland County Bar Foundation, 2017
• National Institute Trial Advocacy, Advocate Designation, 2015
• Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU®).  A professional designation in property-casualty insurance and risk management. It is the premier designation in the insurance industry. He is a frequent lecturer and author on the subjects of insurance, risk management, title litigation and creditor's rights., 2010

Bar/Professional Activity

• American Bar Foundation Fellow, 2018
• State Bar of Michigan, Insurance and Indemnity Law Section, Chairperson, 2017
• Fellow, Oakland County Bar Foundation , 2017
• State Bar of Michigan, Insurance and Indemnity Law Section, Board Member, 2016
• Oakland County Circuit Court Discovery Mediator, 2015
• Oakland County Bar Association Circuit Court Committee, member, 2014
• State Bar of Michigan, Insurance & Indemnity Section, Council Member, 2012

Honors/Awards

• Peer Review, AV Rated Preeminent, Martindale Hubbell, 2019
• Peer Review Designation, Leading Lawyer, Leading Lawyers , 2018
• Top 100 Attorneys, Super Lawyers, 2018
• Through present, Included in Best Lawyers in America, Insurance Coverage, Best Lawyers in America, AMBest, 2017
• dbusiness magazine Top Lawyer, Business Litigation, Insurance Coverage, Top Lawyer, dbusiness, 2017
• National Institute for Trial Advocacy, Advocate Designation (NITA), Advocate, NITA, 2015
• Greater Detroit Chapter of CPCU; Course: CPCU 530 - TheLegal Environment of Insurance, Instructor, CPCU Society, 2012
• Person of the Year, CPCU Society, CIG, 2012

Scholarly Lectures/Writings

• On February 26, 2022 Kutinsky spoke on Maximizing Insurance Coverage to the Michigan Association for Justice (MAJ) at its annual winter seminar in Crystal Mountain, Michigan. Established in 1945, the MAJ is a non-profit membership association dedicated to advancing the needs and interests of trial lawyers in the pursuit of a fair and effective legal system. , Speaker, Maximizing Liability Insurance , Michigan Association of Justice, Attorneys, 2021
• Article responding to insurance company arguments against coverage for business income losses due to pandemic., author, Coverage for Covid-19 losses under Business Income Loss Insurance, State Bar of Michigan Insurance & Indemnity Journal, State Bar Of Michigan, 2021
• Article advocating for insurance coverage for COVID-19 claims., author, Business Income Loss Coverage Under Commercial Property Policies, Detroit Free Press, Commercial Businesses, 2020
• Bar Journal Article, Author, Michigan Recognizes Claims for Bad Faith Insurance Practices, State Bar of MI, State Bar Of MI, 2019
• Presented at the Winter Conference for the Real Property Section, State Bar of MI, Speaker, Insurance and Indemnity in Real Property Transactions, State Bar of Michigan Real Property Section, State Bar Of MI, 2019
• Credited as author of ther damages chapter in authoritative legal publication., Author, ICLE Residential Real Estate , Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Law, 2017
• Presentation at YLS State Bar of Michigan 8th Annual Summit, Speaker, How to Prepare Your Client for Mediation, State Bar Of Michigan, YLS, 2015
• Author, Court of Appeals Issues Unpublished Opinion that Discusses Common Claims Related to Reformation of Mortgages (and then vacates it), The Title Examiner, Michigan Land Title Association, 2015
• How to Prepare Your Client for Mediation, Speaker, State Bar of Michigan, Annual Meeting, YLS, 2015
• Moderator, Effective Facilitation of Insurance and Indemnity Dispute, Insurance and Indemnity Section, State Bar Of Michigan, 2015
• Author, Advocating Allocation of Liability and Exhaustion of Policy Limits: Policyholder and Carrier Perspectives, Strafford Publications, 2014
• Author, Common Issues in Insurance & Indemnity Litigation, Homeward Bound, ICLE And The Real Property Law Section Of The State Bar Of Michigan, 2014
• Author, Protection for Professional Liability Losses: Insurance and Indemnity, Journal of Insurance and Indemnity , Insurance And Indemnity Section State Bar Of Michigan, 2013
• ICLE, co-sponsored, Speaker, Common Issues in Insurance and Indemnity in Real Estate Transactions, Homeward Bound, Real Property Section Of State Bar Of Michigan, 2013
• Speaker, State Bar of Michigan Real Property Law Section 2013 Winter Conference, State Bar of Michigan, Real Property Section Of State Bar Of Michigan, 2013
• Author, Protecting Against Privacy, Cyber-Liability Risks in a Changing Business Environment, Michigan Lawyers Weekly, 2013
• Presented on legal issues related to city infrastructure, featured speaker, Revisiting the American City: A National Survey of Urban Legal Frameworks, Wayne Law Review Symposium, 2012
• Authored an article discussing recent cases affecting the duties imposed on insurance agents under Michigan law.  , Author, The Insurance Agent’s Duty - The Harts "Special Relationship" Test, The Journal of Insurance and Indemnity, a publication of the State Bar of Michigan, Legal, 2011
• Authored an article discussing the significance to Medical Practices of considering the legal duties imposed upon insurance agents and brokers during the selection process., Author, Who Does Your Insurance Agent Represent?, Michigan Lawyers Weekly, Heath Care, 2010
• Authored Article concerning the duties imposed on insurance agents under Michigan Law., The Duties of an Insurance Agent Under Michigan Law, Greater Detroit CPCU Society, Greater Detroit CPCU Society, 2010
• Featured Speaker at MLTA Fall Educational Seminar on handling title claims involving fraud and other legal issues., Featured Speaker, Claims and Fraud from an Outside Claims Counsel Perspective (Storm Stories), Michigan Land Title Association, Michigan Land Title Association, 2010
• Featured presenter on managing risks and insurance in connection with construction projects., Speaker, Insurance and Risk Management for Construction Project Owners, Owners Training Institute, BOMA, 2010
• Authored article on protecting businesses against construction project risks., Author, Protect Against Construction Project Risks, Michigan Business Law Journal, State Bar Of Michigan Business Law Section, 2010
• Regularly summarize significant insurance cases for insurance and indemnity quarterly journal., Author, Significant Insurance Decisions, Journal on Insurance and Indemnity, State Bar Of Michigan Insurance And Indemnity Section, 2009

Verdicts/Settlements

• In the first civil jury trial in Montmorency County Michigan since the pandemic began KUTINSKY obtained a unanimous verdict of $1,875,925.90 in a dispute related to defective construction of a home.  The resulting judgment is covered under a commercial general liability (CGL) insurance policy after the insurance company unsuccessfully attempted to deny coverage. Interest on the judgment exceeds $572,137.65., 2021
• Established full coverage for individual under long term care policy., 2021
• Represented municipality to handle an insurance bad faith situation. Settlement resulted in saving over $200,000 for the client and ended a 2 1/2 year dispute in a few months. In an address to the City Council, the City's  Mayor described Kutinsky as the "game changer.", 2020
• Obtained a settlement in the amount of $975,000 against an insurance company that refused to defend and indemnify a building owner in a premises liability lawsuit., 2020
• Recovered $1,000,000 under disability policy for individual., 2019
• Recovered $1,000,000 under a corporate buy out insurance policy for principal of company., 2019
• In 2017, as lead defense trial counsel to one of the largest public universities in the United States, Mr. Kutinsky successfully tried a high exposure case to verdict in the Michigan Court of Claims.  At trial, the plaintiff claimed more than ten million dollars ($10,000,000) in economic damages, but received a verdict of zero dollars ($0) in economics ., 2017
• Represented a fraternal order of police which was sued by an Insurance Company which refused to cover a wrongful death action.  Obtained complete dismissal of the lawsuit which was upheld on an appeal that resulted in a published Court of Appeals opinion., 2017
• Obtained complete dismissal of a multi-count lawsuit brought against a small business by a goliath financial services firm and recovered his client's attorney fees., 2016
• Obtained a $550,000 Judgment against an insurance company that refused to pay for substantial storm damage to a nursing facility., 2012
• Defended a business in  complex litigation involving unusually rare  insurance law issues.  He obtained complete dismissal of the multi-count lawsuit for his client., 2011
• Through 2019, obtained complete dismissal of multiple lawsuits on motion for summary disposition., 2010
• Through 2018, successfully resolved approximately 100 insurance coverage disputes, ranging from commercial real property, residential real property, professional liability, auto-liability, PIP, and other miscellaneous coverages. More than 95% of cases were settled under reserves., 2010

Representative Clients

• Devon Title Agency, 2021
• Jacobson Brothers Real Estate Management and Investment, 2021
• City of Melvindale, 2020
• Midtown Charlotte, LLC, 2018
• Michigan State University, 2017
• Premium Transportation Staffing, 2016
• Manufacturers Technology Mutual Insurance Company, 2015
• Fidelity National Title Company, 2014
• Stewart Title Guaranty Company, 2013
• First American Title Insurance Company, 2012
• FH Management, 2011
• REDICO, 2010
• RSM Management, 2009
• Orthopedic Institute of Michigan, 2008
• NYX, Inc., 2006
• Lakeside Title and Escrow Agency, 2005
• Ari-El Enterprises, Inc., 2002

Industry Groups

• Business Owners
• Individuals
• Insurance
• Insureds
• Land Owners
• Policy Holders
• Public Entities
• Real Property
• Risk Management