Thomas J. McGraw

Mr. McGraw is the founder and president of MCGRAW MORRIS P.C. For nearly 30 years, he has specialized as a trial attorney in the areas of civil rights defense, specifically employment and police liability claims, as well as auto-negligence defense, personal injury defense, zoning/land-use and commercial disputes. His clients are municipalities, insurance companies, school districts and businesses. He has significant litigation experience in all state and federal courts in Michigan, Ohio and throughout the Midwest, and has been admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth, Seventh and Eleventh Circuits, and the United States Supreme Court. Mr. McGraw is a frequent presenter on matters including sexual harassment, police liability, auto negligence, disability discrimination, computer and electronic communication issues, social media, the Whistleblowers’ Protection Act, and related legal issues.  His speaking engagements include the following:

• Legal Ramifications of Social Media and Anatomy of a Lawsuit – Michigan Local Government Management Association
• Social Media Pitfalls and Legal Compliance
• Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act, FMLA and Medical Marijuana Update
• Retention and Production of Electronically Stored Documents
• Contracting for Employment and Services
• Unemployment, Wage and Hour and Workers Compensation Issues
• Family and Medical Leave Act
• Americans with Disabilities Act
• Michigan Open Meetings and FOIA
• FOIA and Electronic Documents
• Human Resources Hot Topics
• Hiring and Interviewing in a Facebook World
• Title VII Retaliation
• Attorney’s Fees in Civil Rights Cases
• The Law of Sexual Harassment
• Michigan No-Fault Law Update
• Liability under 1983 for First Amendment Activity (and policymaker exception)
• First Amendment Retaliation and Immunity
• Sexual Discrimination Caselaw Update
• Garcetti v Ceballos – First Amendment, A Bright Line Test?
• Wrongful Discharge Over view
• An Overview of Title VII and Potential Damages
• American’s With Disabilities Act
• Preparing a Defense to an Employment Claim
• First Amendment, Procedural Due Process, Whistleblower’s and Public Policy Tort Claims
• Sexual Harassment and Disability Discrimination in the Workplace
• Defending Claims under the Whistleblower’s Protection Act
• Employer’s Guide to Avoiding Whistleblower Claims

Areas Of Practice

• Civil Rights Defense
• Employment Litigation
• Police Defense
• Auto-Negligence
• Municipal Law and Litigation
• Labor Law

Bar Admissions

• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Michigan
• U.S. District Court Western District of Michigan
• U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit
• United States Supreme Court

Education

• University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, Detroit, Michigan, 1993 – Honors: Cum Laude
• Michigan State University, Lansing, Michigan, USA – B.A. Finance, 1990

Professional Associations & Memberships

• State Bar of Michigan
• Oakland County Bar Association
• Michigan Public Risk Management Association
• State Bar of Wisconsin

Seminars, Videos & Educational Presentations 

• Videos created – Educational videos for business and municipal groups.
  • Reducing the Risk: ADA Discrimination in the Workplace
  • Race, Sex, Religion, Whistleblower’s and Other Forms of Discrimination in the Workplace
  • Sexual Harassment in the Workplace  (Winner of Axiem Award for Educational Videos)
  • Know your Liabilities
  • So You’ve been Sued