People
Services
Soni Mithani Named Among Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s Women in the Law
Miller Canfield is pleased to announce that Sonal Hope Mithani has been named to Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s Women in the Law Class of 2017.
Mithani, a principal attorney and the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Deputy Group Leader, also serves the firm as the Deputy Resident Director of Miller Canfield’s office in Ann Arbor, and as Deputy General Counsel.
The annual Women in the Law luncheon and awards ceremony recognizes inspiring and accomplished leaders who have shown a commitment to excellence in the practice of law, serve as mentors and give back to their communities. Thirty awardees were selected from dozens of nominees. They will be recognized at a luncheon on Sept. 7 at the Detroit Marriott Troy, and a Woman of the Year will be selected by a vote of the class.
“We are tremendously proud that Soni is being recognized for her superior legal skills and commitment to excellence, as well as for the difference she makes in the legal community and in the lives and careers of her fellow attorneys,” said Miller Canfield CEO Michael McGee. “She exemplifies the very best qualities of not only the firm but of the legal community.”
Mithani is a graduate of Harvard Law School and joined Miller Canfield in 1999. Today, she is one of the most highly respected litigators in Michigan. She’s known for her work in complex commercial litigation, and is a fellow in the prestigious American Bar Foundation, Litigation Counsel of America and the Michigan State Bar Foundation.
She is the deputy leader of the firm’s large and nationallyrecognized Litigation and Dispute Resolution Group, a position earned by possessing not only superior legal skill, but also by demonstrating the type of leadership and mentoring skills required to lead a diverse, and sometimes headstrong, group of 100 litigators who are located in our offices across the country and in Europe.
Among her recent high-profile work was a case involving the City of Detroit and the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, which had issued water shutoff notices to customers who were long in arrears on their water bills.
All over the state, Mithani has defended municipal bodies in Headlee Amendment matters and constitutional challenges when citizens and businesses argue that certain municipal fees are taxes in disguise, including Washtenaw County, for whom she obtained the successful dismissal of a claim for more than $20 million. She has worked on helping local governments preserve their ability to provide services that citizens use every day, and that municipalities can continue to perform essential services like waste management, public safety and water and sewer maintenance.
Mithani’s colleagues report that she has a strong sense of duty and acting in the best interest of the firm and the profession. The manner in which she manages client matters and matters within the firm is accepted by her peers as best practices.
She also serves on the State Bar of Michigan Character and Fitness Standing Committee, another example of her reputation for having the highest ethical judgement in the profession. Within the firm, Soni also is on Miller Canfield’s Recruiting Committee and on our Diversity Committee.