Cynthia Haffey, Butzel Long Photo

Cynthia J. Haffey has been an advocate for businesses, with a specialty in representing automotive suppliers, for over 20 years. Cynthia is a Shareholder practicing in Butzel's Detroit office and focuses her practice on litigation and counseling.  She is the co-chair of the firm’s Automotive Industry Group. Cynthia also serves as Co-Chair of the firm's Global Automotive practice and is a member of the Mexico International Team.

Overview

Cynthia J. Haffey has been an advocate for businesses, with a specialty in representing automotive suppliers, for over 20 years. She frequently counsels clients on upstream and downstream supply contracts and disputes that arise in commercial relationships.

Cynthia is a Shareholder practicing in Butzel's Detroit office and focuses her practice on litigation and counseling. She is the co-chair of the firm’s Automotive Industry Group. Cynthia also serves as Co-Chair of the firm's Global Automotive practice, Co-Chair of the firm's Alternative Fee Committee and is a member of the Mexico International Team.

She has been recognized in Chambers USA, Best Lawyers and Michigan Super Lawyers. 

Cynthia is co-author of MEMA, the Vehicle Suppliers Association, North American OEM Production Purchase Order Terms and Conditions Comparative Analysis and has served as legal counsel for its Communication Executives Council. She is also a co-drafter of the North American Die Casting Association (NADCA)'s Model Terms and Conditions.

Cynthia’s litigation experience also includes shareholder disputes, corporate merger, acquisition and other transaction disputes, fraud and other business torts, sales commission disputes, breach of non-compete agreements and misappropriation of trade secrets, real estate disputes, construction contract disputes, anti-trust, bankruptcy and securities litigation. She also has significant experience in advising and defending clients at trial and in arbitration in age, sex, and racial discrimination actions and other wrongful discharge claims. Ms. Haffey regularly appears before federal and state courts, as well as arbitration tribunals.

Cynthia is a member of the Federal Bar Association, Eastern District of Michigan, the American Bar Association, the State Bar of Michigan and the Oakland County Bar Association, and the co-chair of the Federal Bar Association, Eastern District of Michigan Chapter's Social Justice Committee.

Ms. Haffey is a graduate of Wayne State University Law School (J.D., cum laude, 1997) and Western Michigan University (B.S., magna cum laude, 1980). While in law school Ms. Haffey was the recipient of the Norman I. Lemmon award, the Walter Nussbaum award and the Boaz Siegel Award.

Representative Experience:

  • Obtained favorable settlement in litigation between Tier 1 and Tier 2 supplier payment set-off dispute.
  • Lead counsel on in 163 separate actions on behalf of major tier 1 automotive supplier. Obtained over $25 million dollars in settlement.
  • Obtained favorable early settlement on behalf of automotive supplier in a breach of contract/breach of warranty dispute.
  • Obtained favorable early settlement on behalf of defense manufacture in dispute with terminated executive.
  • Obtained the dismissal of an action on behalf of an automotive supplier in a breach of contract/breach of warranty dispute.
  • Successfully arbitrated and obtained $7.2 million award, including $675,000 in attorney fees and costs, in breach of contract dispute between aerospace supplier and aircraft manufacturer.
  • Obtained a $7.25 million settlement for German automotive corporation in dispute relating to the acquisition of a piston manufacturing company.
  • Successfully represented Tier 1 Automotive Supplier in breach of contract action in the United States District Court, North District of Illinois.
  • Successfully represented Tier 1 Automotive Supplier in breach of contract disputes with its supply base.

Credentials

Education

Wayne State University Law School 1997, J.D.

Western Michigan University, B.S.

Admissions

  • Michigan

Memberships

  • American Bar Association
  • Federal Bar Association, Eastern District of Michigan
  • Federal Bar Association, Co-chair of the Eastern District of Michigan Chapter's Social Justice Committee
  • Oakland County Bar Association

Awards & Recognitions

Awards & Recognitions

The Best Lawyers in America®: Commercial Litigation, 2024, 2025

Top Women Attorneys of Michigan, 2014

DBusiness Top Lawyers in Metro Detroit, Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights Law, 2012; Litigation - Commercial, 2018, 2020-2023

Top Women in the Law, 2012

Michigan Super Lawyers, Business Litigation, 2013-2024

Top 50 Female Michigan Super Lawyers, 2014-2015

Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers for Business, Litigation-Commercial, 2019-2023

Experience

  • Defended and Represented counter-claimant in aviation supplier litigation
  • Defended corporation in employment whistleblower action
  • Lease dispute for major exposition center
  • Obtained favorable case evaluation settlement on behalf automotive supplier in employment whistleblower action.
  • Defended corporation in employment whistleblower action
  • Obtained summary judgment on behalf of retailer clothing chain in employment wrongful discrimination action.
  • Successfully represented Tier 1 Automotive Supplier in breach of contract disputes with its supply base.
  • Successfully arbitrated and obtained $7.2 million award, including $675,000 in attorney fees and costs, in breach of contract dispute between aerospace supplier and aircraft manufacturer.
  • Defended party in business fraud action
  • Defended party in contract dispute
  • Obtained summary judgment on behalf of purchaser of real estate development in a dispute with surety.
  • Obtained a $7.25 million settlement for German automotive corporation in dispute relating to the acquisition of a piston manufacturing company.
  • Contract dispute
  • Successfully represented Tier 1 Automotive Supplier in breach of contract action in the United States District Court, North District of Illinois.
  • Obtained summary judgment on behalf of public university on Section 1983 claim.
  • Successfully represented residential real estate multi-list entity in antitrust dispute.
  • Defended party in contract dispute
  • Obtained jury verdict in favor of Defendant in a $5 million lawsuit brought by a major hospital/health care system in connection with an acquisition of client’s optometric centers.
  • Successfully positioned the defense of breach of contract dispute concerning the sale of a business so that plaintiff withdrew its claim with prejudice in the middle of arbitration.
  • Lead counsel in over 150 litigation actions on behalf of major tier 1 automotive supplier.
  • Represented party in their claim of fraudulent misrepresentation against seller of business
  • Defended client in contract dispute
  • Successfully represented healthcare technology company in breach of contract and misappropriation of trade secret/confidential information dispute.
  • Automotive supplier dispute
  • Represented tier 1 auto supplier in contract dispute against OEM; settled in favor of our client
  • Successfully represented healthcare technology company in Non-Compete/Trade Secret dispute.
  • Defended client in fraud claims relating to sale of business
  • Successfully represented document imaging company in Non-Compete/Trade Secret dispute.
  • Defended client in First Amendment action
  • Successfully positioned client at trial to obtain a significant settlement on behalf of the defendant/counter-plaintiff in a dispute alleging breach of contract and fraudulent inducement relating to the sale of electrical control panel company.
  • Obtained jury verdict in favor of defendants in a $5 million lawsuit brought by a major hospital/health care system in connection with an acquisition of client’s optometric centers.
  • Successfully represented client in breach of executive level employment agreement.
  • Obtained directed verdict at trial on behalf of defended corporation in employment whistleblower action.
  • Defend corporation in employment discrimination action
  • Real estate litigation contract dispute

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