Legal roundup: Charfoos & Christensen lawyers join Sommers Schwartz.

Byline: Thomas Franz

The three attorneys of Royal Oak firm Charfoos & Christensen PC have joined Sommers Schwartz PC in Southfield.

David W. Christensen, Mary Pat Rosen and David R. Parker recently changed firms but will continue their medical malpractice and personal injury caseloads.

"I really wanted to find a place where my cases could go where I had more depth, more resources, and a larger operation than I had," Christensen said.

Christensen, 74, said age and his office lease arrangement were other factors in making the change.

"The age didn't bother me as much as the fact that the lease was up and at my prior office address, they wanted a five-year lease and I said I couldn't guarantee I'd be around for five more years," Christensen said. "We started looking for an alternative that would add something to our practice and to the Sommers Schwartz practice."

Christensen said Charfoos & Christensen began working in professional negligence in the 1960s and 70s, and Sommers Schwartz has been one of its main rivals.

"In my opinion, the two firms have led the way on professional negligence. I just thought it was a natural fit," Christensen said. "With their experience base, the depth of their practice, and their reputation, I've always viewed them as my chief competitor."

Christensen joins Sommers Schwartz as of counsel, while Rosen is a shareholder and Parker, an appellate specialist, is an independent contractor.

Richard L. Groffsky, chair of Sommers Schwartz's personal injury and medical malpractice practice group, said Christensen started talking with Norman D. Tucker, who is of counsel with Sommers Schwartz.

"I knew that Dave (Christensen) was wanting to wind down his practice in the sense of handling a lot of cases, but he still has a lot of work," Groffsky said. "They have great reputations, so we knew they would continue to get work. When we found out they were interested in coming here, we were interested in having them."

Groffsky said the trio has fit well into Sommers Schwartz's culture.

"The opportunity to get people of their reputation and caliber was a pretty easy decision," Groffsky said. "They're as well-known and well-respected as anybody out there. They're certainly the kind of people that we want here."

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