Photo of Sonal Hope Mithani

Sonal Hope Mithani

Principal
Ann Arbor Resident Director
General Counsel

Offices

T:
+1.734.668.7786
O:
+1.734.663.2445
F:
+1.734.747.7147
O:
+1.202.572.6150
F:
+1.202.572.6151
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Education

Harvard Law School, J.D., 1994

University of Michigan, B.B.A.

Bar Admissions

Court Admissions

U.S. Court of Appeals

  • Sixth Circuit

U.S. District Courts

  • District of Columbia
  • Eastern District of Michigan
  • Western District of Michigan

Recognized by Michigan Lawyers Weekly as one of 2017's "Women in the Law" and named by Crain's Detroit Business as one of its "Notable Women in the Law" for 2019, Soni Mithani has more than 25 years of experience litigating complex commercial and governmental litigation matters, with an emphasis on non-compete and trade secret litigation, consumer class action litigation, construction litigation, real estate litigation, and municipal litigation, including several class action matters challenging the constitutionality of municipal fees. She also serves as the firm's General Counsel.

General Business and Complex Commercial Litigation  

Soni maintains a broad general commercial litigation practice that encompasses cases ranging in value from seven-to-nine figures. Her cases include disputes over the enforcement of non-compete and confidentiality provisions, insurance coverage work, securities litigation and scores of business-to-business breach of contract and breach of warranty matters. Her commercial litigation practice covers matters not only in trial courts but appellate courts, as well, where she has frequently obtained favorable decisions either reversing or upholding trial court rulings. She also provides general legal advice to several clients including large corporations, governmental entities, mid-size businesses, private schools and non-profit organizations.

Real Estate and Construction Litigation 

Soni represents entities in disputes involving real estate, including lien enforcement actions, lease disputes, eminent domain actions and actions to quiet title. She also represents owners and contractors involved in construction disputes. Her construction practice involves trial and appellate litigation and larger-scale arbitrations involving claims for liquidated damages, negligent design, recovery under the Spearin doctrine, delay, inefficiency, acceleration, schedule compression, changed conditions and contract abandonment. 

Municipal and Headlee Amendment Litigation and Counseling

Soni has handled cases on behalf of a variety of municipal entities including bond-related disputes, actions to enforce consent judgments against municipalities, ballot challenges, and claims involving the Open Meetings Act. She is also well-versed in defending challenges to imposed utility fees based on the theory that the fees are impermissibly-assessed taxes under the Michigan Constitution, having handled in the last five years more than a dozen cases brought against municipalities under the Headlee Amendment. She has also handled several claims challenging the reasonableness and appropriateness of municipal rates and fees under state and federal law and has counseled communities regarding the legality of their ordinances and rate setting methodologies. 

False Claims Act/Qui Tam Litigation 

Soni represents various entities and individuals who have been sued for allegedly violating federal and state false claims acts. She has defended against these qui tam claims in federal district and appellate courts. In this capacity, she has successfully defended against several multi-million dollar claims for damages. She has also obtained dismissal of the complaints prior to protracted litigation. She has also counseled clients in connection with issues concerning the Anti-Kickback Law and the Stark Law, along with other fraud and abuse issues.

Health Care Litigation 

Soni represents health care entities (including nursing homes, diagnostic groups, hospitals and DME suppliers) and health care practitioners (including physicians, pharmacists and nurses) in a variety of matters ranging from licensing investigations, contract disputes, peer review hearings, challenges to medical staff decisions, government investigations, claims for reimbursement and responses to subpoenas requesting information or testimony. She has worked with physician groups and other health care entities to ensure that they are properly reimbursed by payors for work performed. She has also successfully defended hospitals against claims brought by physicians alleging wrongful termination of privileges.

Representative Matters

Honors

State Bar of Michigan Pro Bono Honor Roll, 2020-present

Crain's Detroit Business, Notable Women in the Law, 2019

Best Lawyers in America, Ann Arbor Real Estate Litigation Lawyer of the Year, 2019, 2021 & 2023; Ann Arbor Construction Litigation Lawyer of the Year, 2019 & 2024; Recognized for Commercial Litigation, 2009-present & Real Estate Litigation and Construction Litigation, 2012-present

Michigan Super Lawyers, Civil Litigation Defense, 2011-present; Business Litigation, 2024; Top 50 Women Michigan Super Lawyers, 2012 & 2023; Rising Star, 2008

DBusiness Magazine, Top Lawyers, Commercial Litigation & Construction Litigation, 2020-present

Leading Lawyers, Law Bulletin Media, 2018-2019

Michigan Lawyers Weekly, Women in the Law, Class of 2017

American Bar Foundation, Fellow

Michigan State Bar Foundation, Fellow

Litigation Counsel of America, Fellow

Harvard Law School, J.D., cum laude

University of Michigan, B.B.A., with high distinction, Phi Beta Kappa

Professional Activities

American Bar Association, 1995-present; Forum on the Construction Industry, 2011

State Bar of Michigan, 1994-present; District G Character and Fitness Committee, 2004-2009; Standing Committee on Character & Fitness, Advisor Member, 2011-2020, Regular Member, 2020-2022, Presiding Member, 2022-present; Government Law Section Council, Member, 2017-present, Secretary-Treasurer, 2020-2021, Vice Chair, 2021-2022, Chair, 2022-present

District of Columbia Bar Association, 1996-present

Washtenaw County Bar Association, 1999-present, Board of Directors, 2004-2006; Judiciary Committee, 2001-2004; Co-Chair, 2003-2004

Civic, Cultural & Social Activities

Ozone House, Board of Directors, 2013-2022; President of the Board of Directors, 2017-2019, 2020-2021

Ann Arbor Summer Festival, Board of Trustees, 2014-2016

Ann Arbor City Housing and Human Services, Advisory Board, 2008-2013

Washtenaw Community College Foundation, Board of Directors, 2007-2013

Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, Ann Arbor, MI, Board of Trustees, October 2002-September 2008

Neighborhood Senior Services, Ann Arbor, MI, Board of Directors, February 2001-April 2006; Secretary, January 2003-December 2004; Chair, January 2004-April 2006; Marketing Committee, 2006

2004 Democratic National Convention, At-Large Delegate

Leadership Ann Arbor, 2001 Graduate

Speeches

"Refresher Course on Ethics for In-House Counsel," Sponsored by Miller Canfield, Findlay, Ohio (November 29, 2017)

"Do You Have a Bolt Problem?," Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys/Public Corporation Law Section of the Michigan State Bar Summer Education Conference (June 24, 2016)

"Do You have a Bolt Problem?," Michigan Municipal League Annual Convention (September 15, 2016)

"False Claims Act Liability: The Basics," Association of General Contractors 95th Annual Convention (March 4, 2014)

"Legal Issues Surrounding Stormwater Utilities in Michigan,"  Gray Skies No More: New Opportunities for Funding Your Aging Sanitary & Stormwater Systems, OHM Advisors Lunch & Learn (September 25, 2012)  

"Preserving + Enforcing Non Competition Provisions in Michigan," Sponsored by Miller Canfield, Troy, Michigan (March 7, 2012)

Publications

"Litigation Issues for the Prime Contractor," Green Building and the Construction Lawyers: A Practical Guide to Transactional and Litigation Issues, American Bar Association Forum on the Construction Law (2014)

"What to Expect From Michigan's Revised Uniform Arbitration Act" (co-author Caroline B. Giordano), State Bar of Michigan Litigation Newsletter (Summer 2013)

Articles

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