Automotive Law

Butzel Long is the nation's premier law firm within the American automotive industry.

Dozens of our attorneys focus on automotive matters. Our Global Automotive Team is relied upon for virtually every type of legal service required by automotive suppliers, and their work involves important matters in North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia.

Butzel Long was centrally involved in establishing the American automotive industry at the beginning of the 20th Century. Today, our Global Automotive Team is shaping the manner in which the industry's disputes are resolved and transactions are accomplished. And we are profoundly involved in restructuring the industry, including its most significant acquisitions and divestitures, workouts and bankruptcies, technological developments and general commercial transactions.

Our Global Automotive Team includes seasoned veterans of the industry, and each member is a front-running expert in his or her field. They study, analyze, write about, and speak on the automotive industry, and their viewpoints are frequently sought by the national and international media that covers the industry.

Experience

Served as court-appointed Commercial & Litigation Counsel for major automotive supplier
Negotiated settlement for a Tier 1 supplier with OEM resulting in sizeable financial payment to supplier and long-term future business commitment
Negotiation of a Complex Supply Agreement for major Tier I Automotive Supplier with an OEM; included subsidies and exit provisions
Engaged by a leading insurance company to anlayze the direct and indirect impact of the bankruptcies of GM, Chrysler and major Tier 1 and Tier 2 auto suppliers on its insured bond portfolio
Successful representation of automotive suppliers in numerous breach of contract disputes
Created loan/financing structure for capital acquisition and industrial expansion for Canadian and U.S. structure and operations
Obtained favorable case evaluation settlement on behalf automotive supplier in employment whistleblower action.
Negotiation of complex Settlement Agreement with an OEM of claims arising under long-term Supply Agreement
Represented numerous Tier I auto suppliers in federal Antitrust investigations
Represented a Tier 1 supplier in over 100 supplier disputes arising from OEM program cancellation
Negotiations of series of sales representative agreements with multi-national entities
Negotiated a settlement agreement for a major auto supplier with an OEM resulting in $40,000,000 in payments to the supplier, deal also included commitment by OEM to provide significant additional future business to supplier
Counsel to the OESA Chief Executive Officers' Council; Member of OESA Legal Counsel
Represented automotive inspection company in copyright lawsuit related to car inspection software
Lead counsel in over 150 litigation actions on behalf of major tier 1 automotive supplier.
Successfully obtained temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions for Tier 1 and Tier 2 supplier to avoid supply disruptions
Engaged by a Major Tier 1 Plan Administrator to oversee the implementation of Delphi Corporation's confirmed chapter 11 plan
Prosecution of $1.5 billion avoidance action on behalf of official creditors committee in chapter 11 proceedings of major automotive manufacturer
Lead counsel for all commercial matters of international automotive OEM
Lead counsel in negotiating and developing extended OEM warranties and back-up insurance policies
Obtained a $7.25 million settlement for German automotive corporation in connection with acquisition of a piston manufacturing company
Advise Tier I suppliers on FMVSS and NHTSA regulations and rule making process.
Representation of multiple major Tier 1 and Tier 2 automotive suppliers in litigation of price disputes involving potential emergency manufacturing plant shut downs
Counseled and advised numerous Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers
Obtained a $7.25 million settlement for German automotive corporation in dispute relating to the acquisition of a piston manufacturing company.
Represented Tier I auto supplier in parallel proceedings conducted by US Attorney’s Office
Represented a wide variety of suppliers and purchasers in multiple industries with respect to contractual issues arising in connection with commercial supply agreements
Represented the American subsidiary of China's third largest privately held company in an automotive supplier breach of contract dispute
Negotiation of Complex Supply Agreements for major Tier 1 automotive suppliers with OEMs
Lead supplier counsel on several bet the farm OEM/Tier I warranty and recall disputes with demands ranging from $25 to $125 million.
Lead supplier counsel on several bet-the-farm OEM/Tier 1 warranty and recall disputes with demands ranging from $25 to $125 million
Represented a Tier 1 supplier in over 115 supplier disputes involving financially troubled supplier
Lead counsel on hundreds of supply chain disputes between OEMs and Tiered Suppliers.
Drafted Terms and Conditions for numerous leading Tier 1 and other automotive suppliers
Obtained summary judgment in favor of automotive supplier, dismissing lower tier supplier’s breach of contract claims
Obtained dismissal by summary disposition and summary judgment of asbestos claims
Represented an automotive fasteners company in a disposition merger
Successfully represented Tier 1 Automotive Supplier in breach of contract disputes with its supply base.
Represented an automotive supplier against a casting supplier which filed for Chapter 11 relief in a motion to reject the supply contracts with our client and several other key customers
Obtained a summary disposition for a tire failure case
National and Regional counsel for leading tire manufacturers in tread separation and other catastrophic personal injury cases.
Engaged by the agent for a lending syndicate which extended more than $50 million in pre-bankruptcy loans to a Tier 2 auto supplier
Asserted claims on behalf of over 50 suppliers against large automotive debtor
Automotive Company Litigation
Engaged by a Major Tier 1 Plan Administrator to oversee the implementaion of Delphi corporation's confirmed chapter 11 plan.
Lead counsel in negotiating and developing extended OEM warranties and back-up insurance policies.
Successfully represented Tier 1 Automotive Supplier in breach of contract action in the United States District Court, North District of Illinois.
Commercial counsel for automotive companies
Principal author, in partnership with OESA, of OESA N.A. OEM Production P.O. Terms and Conditions Comparative Analysis, since the publication’s inception
Counsel to numerous clients during the bankruptcy proceedings of Chrysler and General Motors
Engaged by agent for lending syndicate which extended more than $50 million in pre-bankruptcy loans to Tier 2 auto supplier
Represented an automotive parts supplier in a contentious termination of the supply relationship with the supplier based on an accommodation agreement and access and security agreement
Lead counsel in negotiating and developing extended OEM warranties and back-up insurance policies
Counsel to the OESA Chief Purchasing Officers' Council.
National counsel for the defense of ABS and Rollover Protection System cases for several leading suppliers.