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Automotive Litigation

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Headquartered in Detroit - the birthplace of the global automotive industry – since 1852, Miller Canfield has counseled and represented companies that are active in all tiers of the automotive supply chain throughout North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia.

Miller Canfield’s Automotive Litigation team has presented or defended a wide range of cases in state and federal courts across the United States, including the U.S. Court of International Trade, as well as many domestic and international arbitration tribunals.  We are actively involved with many trade organizations and continually strive to learn new technologies to aid in our representation.

Clients look to Miller Canfield’s Automotive Litigation team to solve their problems from “bet-the-company” to routine.  We have handled nearly every possible automotive-related claim, including those involving:

  • Antitrust
  • Appeals
  • Autonomous vehicles
  • Class actions
  • Commercial disputes
  • Component parts
  • Consumer fraud
  • Contract formation, cancellation, and termination
  • COVID delays
  • Dealer relations
  • Delay or non-delivery
  • Department of Commerce investigations
  • Electric vehicles and technology
  • Force majeure
  • Franchise
  • Heavy machinery
  • Indemnification
  • Insolvency
  • Intellectual property
  • International Trade Commission investigations
  • National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) recalls and investigations
  • Personal injury
  • Plant shut-downs
  • Pricing
  • Product liability
  • Resourcing
  • Sales representatives
  • Supply chain
  • Tariffs
  • Tooling
  • Trademarks and trade secrets
  • Transportation
  • Vehicle warranty (including California warranty litigation)

We have been privileged to work closely with hundreds of automotive clients, and pride ourselves on understanding the technology, the business issues, and the industry as whole. 

Represented numerous OEM and tier automotive suppliers in pricing, supply chain, personal injury, contract, commercial, force majeure and stop-shipment lawsuits

Represented multiple United States-based and multinational manufacturing companies with international supply chains in tariff and duty challenges imposed under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, one of the principal statutes by which the United States enforces trade agreements and addresses unjustifiable burdens on U.S. commerce

Served as chief outside counsel for international automotive supply companies, assisting them in a wide variety of legal and business matters

Represented OEM in multiple dealer arbitrations

Lead trial counsel for OEM in dealer dispute concerning termination of brand

Multiple representations for OEM and tier automotive suppliers for trademark and trade secrets

Successfully represented tier one automotive supplier in multi-million-dollar trade secret litigation arising out of an asset sale to a competitive supply company. Obtained summary judgment prior to the close of discovery

Secured multiple preliminary injunctions and/or favorable settlements for a large automotive manufacturer against suppliers arising out of disputes on pricing, purchase order terms and conditions, disruption costs and sub-supplier delays

Counsel for an international auto supplier in multi-district class actions alleging price-fixing and market allocation

Obtained denial of plaintiff’s request for temporary restraining order in a stop-shipment lawsuit seeking injunction for continued shipment of goods

Successfully represented a multinational automotive supplier in a $50 million warranty dispute alleging defective manufacture and design of turbochargers. Obtained summary dismissal of claims, affirmed on appeal

Represented major wheel manufacturer in Department of Commerce and International Trade Commission investigations regarding potential anti-dumping (ADD) and countervailing duties CVD) on steel wheels supplied from the People’s Republic of China

On multiple occasions, represented major OEMs and multiple major automotive and recreational vehicle suppliers in connection with regulatory investigations and compliance procedures

Successfully defended automotive clients in product liability matters involving allegations of defective air bags, brakes, engines, fires, rollover and roof crush, seats, and tire and wheel over-inflation, under-inflation, tread defects and structural challenges

Serve as national discovery counsel for product liability, class action and warranty litigation