Frederick (Rick) A. Berg

Frederick (Rick) A. Berg is a Shareholder practicing in Butzel's Detroit office. He concentrates his practice on commercial law and commercial litigation.

Mr. Berg represents businesses and municipalities in an array of complex disputes, including his position as lead counsel for the City of Flint in the Flint Water Crisis cases. The defense of these claims includes many state and federal class action claims, including substantive due process claims for violation of the Equal Protection Clause under the 14^th Amendment to the US Constitution and the Michigan equivalent, and personal injury claims asserting invasion of bodily integrity.

In addition to his recent experience with the Flint Water Crisis, Mr. Berg represents businesses in an array of complex commercial disputes, arising from equipment and transfer line purchase agreements, supply chain controversies, security agreements, trade secret disputes, environmental disputes, and other manufacturing/sale of goods contracts. He also litigates corporate governance issues and complex corporate disputes that involve majority and minority groups in limited liability companies and corporations, as well as media clients in connection with their commercial interests, dispute avoidance, and defamation issues.

Mr. Berg has extensive experience drafting and reviewing complex commercial agreements, including purchase orders, supply agreements, equipment purchase agreements, manufacturing and license agreements, and manufacturer's representative agreements and security agreements. His practice has focused on the automobile manufacturing and supply industries, the construction industry, media companies, and numerous small- to medium-sized businesses.

He also counsels clients who deal with bankruptcy or insolvency issues, either as a debtor or as a creditor. Mr. Berg assists with secured creditor workouts, preference claims, fraudulent conveyance claims, pursuit of secured collateral, tool liens, protection of a client's right to payment from an insolvent customer, and other related disputes.

Mr. Berg is a graduate of the University of Michigan (B.A., 1981, with honors) in Ann Arbor, MI, and of Wayne State University Law School (J.D., 1985, cum laude). He is the recipient of Wayne State University Law School's Donald E. Barris Trial Advocacy Award. He is admitted to the Michigan State Bar, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. He is a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute, the State Bar of Michigan's Debtor/Creditor Rights Committee, and the American Bankruptcy Institute's Secured Creditor and Uniform Commercial Code Committees.

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Education

University of Michigan Undergraduate 1981, B.A.

Wayne State University Law School Law School 1985, J.D.

Admissions

Memberships

• American Bankruptcy Institute
• Debtor/Creditor Section State Bar of Michigan
• Salvation Army ARC Advisory Council, 1997-2009
• St. Clare Finance Council
• Detroit Athletic Club

Awards & Recognitions

The Best Lawyers in America® - Commercial Litigation, 2024, 2026, 2027; Construction Litigation, 2025, 2027; Real Estate Law, 2026, 2027; Construction Law, 2026; Litigation - Environmental, 2026, 2027; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants, 2026, 2027

Michigan Super Lawyers, 2006

DBusiness Top Lawyers, Business Litigation, 2013; Real Estate Law, 2017; Commercial Litigation, 2013, 2018 & 2022, 2023; Construction Litigation, 2018; Insurance Law, 2020-2023; Commercial Law 2021

Martindale-Hubbell® - AV Preeminent® Rated

Federal Bar Association Pro Bono Award (5-time recepient)

Donald E. Barris Trial Advocacy Award, Wayne State University Law School, 1985