Attorneys
Michael B. Serling | Russell R. Beaudoen | Thomas A. Smith | Eric B. Abramson | Joel Waterstone
Michael B. Serling
President
280 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Suite 406
Birmingham, Michigan 48009
Telephone: 248-647-6966
Toll Free: 800-995-6991
Fax: 248-647-9630
Email: mserling@serlinglaw.com
Practice Areas:
- Asbestos and Mesothelioma
- Products Liability
- Personal Injury
- Property Damage
- Toxic Tort Litigation
- Environmental Law
- Pharmaceutical Litigation
Admitted:
- 1970, Michigan and U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, U.S. Supreme Court
Law School:
- Detroit College of Law (now known as Michigan State University College of Law), J.D., 1970
College:
- Michigan State University, B.A., 1966
Member:
- State Bar of Michigan, American Association for Justice, Michigan Association for Justice, Oakland County and American Bar Associations, International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists.
Visiting Professor:
- Law and Environment, Michigan State University
Author:
- “Asbestos and the Law,” Michigan Bar Journal, July 1986
- “Asbestos Litigation in Michigan: The Case for Schools,” Michigan School Board Journal, July/August 1984
- “Asbestos Litigation: A Ten-Year Perspective,” Laches (Oakland County Bar Journal), March 1986
- “Asbestos Toxic Tort Litigation,” Laches (Oakland County Bar Journal), January 1988
- “Asbestos Litigation: Toward Toxic Tort Liability,” Michigan Trial Lawyers Association, March 1986
- “Asbestos Disease Litigation – The American Experience,” Preservation of Our World in the Wake of Change, Vol. VIA, July 1996.
Instructor:
- Detroit Bar Association, Continuing Legal Education Seminar, “The Asbestos Dilemma,” March, 1988;
- Michigan Board of School Administrators Seminar, “Asbestos in the Schools”;
- Michigan Trial Lawyers Association Seminar, “Toxic Torts,” Fall, 1988.
Michael B. Serling is the president of the law firm and has been practicing law since 1970. He has been handling asbestos related cancer cases since 1975. He was the first attorney in Michigan to file an asbestos related wrongful death action on behalf of the family of a victim of mesothelioma cancer. He was also the first attorney in Michigan to win a jury verdict in an asbestos related disease case. His firm now handles mesothelioma cases throughout the United States and internationally.
Mr. Serling graduated from Michigan State University in 1966; he was also certified as a teacher and taught secondary education before entering the legal profession. He graduated from Detroit College of Law (nka Michigan State University-Detroit College of Law) in 1970.
Mr. Serling has been very passionate in his fight for the rights of asbestos disease victims. “The rights of American workers have been trampled upon. Nowhere is that more glaring than in the tragedy that has befallen the victims of the asbestos cancer known as mesothelioma. Each year thousands of men and women die of this dreaded disease. These deaths could have been avoided if American industry had looked out for and protected the men and women who built our country through their hard work. It has been my mission for the past 35 years to fight for the rights of those men and women and their families victimized by the tragedy of asbestos disease and death.”
Russell R. Beaudoen
Associate
280 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Suite 406
Birmingham, Michigan 48009
Telephone: 248-647-6966
Toll Free: 800-995-6991
Fax: 248-647-9630
Email: rbeaudoen@serlinglaw.com
Practice Areas:
- Asbestos and Mesothelioma
- Products Liability
- Personal Injury
- Property Damage
- Toxic Tort; Litigation
- Environmental Law
- Pharmaceutical Litigation
Admitted:
- 1988, Michigan and U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
Law School:
- Detroit College of Law, J.D., 1988
College:
- Saginaw Valley State College, B.A., 1980 Member: State Bar of Michigan; American Bar Association.
Biography:
- Mesothelioma Cancer, Asbestos-related Cancer Specialist.
Born:
- Midland, Michigan, January 13, 1957
Russell R. Beaudoen manages the asbestos docket for the firm. Since 1980, he has been involved with asbestos litigation; first as an investigator responsible for development of the exposure histories and proofs of the clients’ cases and later becoming an attorney to continue and expand his role as combatant fighting for the rights of asbestos victims.
Mr. Beaudoen graduated from Saginaw Valley State University in 1980. He graduated from Detroit College of Law (n/k/a Michigan State University-Detroit College of Law) in 1988.
Mr. Beaudoen is strongly committed to the representation of asbestos victims. He has had extensive dealings with the Building Trades, UAW and the Steelworkers.
“Our identity as a law firm and as champions of the cause of asbestos victims is very much dependent upon what we are able to accomplish on behalf of our clients.”
Thomas A. Smith
Associate
280 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Suite 406
Birmingham, Michigan 48009
Telephone: 248-647-6966
Toll Free: 800-995-6991
Fax: 248-647-9630
Email: tomsmith@serlinglaw.com
Practice Areas:
- Torts
- Asbestos and Mesothelioma
- Product Liability
- Personal Injury
- Property Damage Litigation
- Environmental Law
- Pharmaceutical Litigation
Admitted:
- 1996, Michigan
Law School:
- University of Detroit, J.D., 1994
College:
- Michigan State University (B.A., 1982; M.L.I.R., 1985)
Member:
American Bar Association, State Bar of Michigan, American Association for Justice, and Michigan Association for Justice.
Biography:
Mesothelioma Cancer Asbestos-related Cancer Specialist.
Thomas A. Smith has managed the investigation of the asbestos cases for UAW members in Michigan. He has worked as an investigator on asbestos as other toxic tort cases since 1985 and as an attorney since 1986. He has been closely involved with union and non-union tradesmen, including Carpenters, Plumbers, Millwrights, Ironworkers, Steelworkers, Insulators, Laborers, Pipefitters, Sheetmetal Workers, Plasterers, and Shipyard Workers. He has investigated some of the most difficult asbestos cases in Michigan, including those secondhand exposures of children and wives of workers.
After a career as a radio announcer, Mr. Smith graduated from Michigan State University with a B.A. in Communications, then a Masters in Labor and Industrial Relations and his Juris Doctor from University of Detroit-Mercy Law School.
“The workers we represent were exposed over 40 and even 50 years ago while building America and its industry as we know it today. While we cannot restore their health, I can find those companies responsible and help to compensate our clients for their asbestos disease.”
Eric B. Abramson
Associate
280 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Suite 406
Birmingham, Michigan 48009
Telephone: 248-647-6966
Toll Free: 800-995-6991
Fax: 248-647-9630
Email: eabramson@serlinglaw.com
Practice Areas:
- Asbestos Litigation
- Products Liability
- Personal Injury
- Property Damage
- Toxic Torts Litigation
- Environmental Law
- Pharmaceutical Litigation
Admitted:
- 2000, Michigan and U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
Law School:
- Detroit College of Law at Michigan State University, J.D., 1999
College:
- Wayne State University, B.S., 1994
Member:
- State Bar of Michigan Michigan and American Trial Lawyers Associations Trial Lawyers Care Network.
Biography:
- Mesothelioma Cancer Asbestos-related Cancer Specialist.
Languages:
- Spanish
- Hebrew
Born:
- Detroit, Michigan, September 25, 1967
Eric B. Abramson has been associated with the law firm since February 1989. His earliest assignments included investigating the identity of asbestos manufacturers for many of the building tradesmen afflicted with asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. He has traveled from California to the Middle East on behalf of the law firm to conduct investigations into the use of asbestos. His efforts have helped bring justice to a multitude of victims and their families.
Mr. Abramson pursued his education in the evening while employed full time for the firm. He graduated from Wayne State University in 1992 with an emphasis in physiological psychology. Shortly thereafter he engaged in the study of law at Michigan State University-Detroit College of Law. He achieved his law degree in 1997.
Mr. Abramson is committed to seeing that justice is served on behalf of our clients. “Even though we cannot restore our clients’ health or their lives, our efforts do bring some measure of comfort to them and their families.”
Joel Waterstone
Senior Investigator
Joel A. Waterstone, D.C. manages asbestos-related commercial property damage claims for our firm. In addition, he oversees the processing of asbestos bankruptcy claims for all personal injury and property damage clients. He has been involved in asbestos litigation throughout the United States since 1987. As an investigator, he is responsible for the detailed information, interviews and numerous types of documents needed to prove a clients exposures.
Mr. Waterstone’s extensive experience inspecting industrial, commercial and public buildings built with asbestos materials has provided the firm with a massive data base of information to assist our clients. He is widely recognized by attorneys and experts as one of the foremost product identification specialists in the field.
Mr. Waterstone graduated from Life Chiropractic University in 1983 and uses his strong medical knowledge in case evaluation. “I am committed to doing everything I can to make our client’s difficult situations a little better.”
