“My first case out of law school was a published win and should be all easy from there, right? Well you quickly learn that not every case is resolved that way, and you have to really look at every case each time as if you’re reinventing yourself, and you have to never stop short of giving it everything you can. ” ~ Joel Finnell
Joel T. Finnell
A Trusted Voice in Michigan Appellate Law
Joel Finnell joined Sinas Dramis Law Firm in 2011 and quickly stood out for his skill in appellate law. In fact, he earned a favorable published appellate decision in the very first appeal he handled after law school – an impressive start to his legal career.
Today, Joel focuses almost exclusively on representing clients in the Michigan Court of Appeals and Michigan Supreme Court, where he helps shape legal arguments that can have long-lasting impact across the state.
A Unique and Valuable Role
As the firm’s dedicated appellate attorney, Joel plays a key role in developing legal strategies that can stand up to the scrutiny of higher courts. He works closely with senior attorneys to ensure complex and high-stakes cases are prepared for every legal challenge – especially in areas like auto no-fault, truck accidents, catastrophic injury, and wrongful death.
Other attorneys at the firm regularly rely on Joel for legal research and strategic insight, especially in cases involving tough opposition or complex legal questions.
Unlike many law firms, Sinas Dramis benefits from having a full-time, in-house appellate law specialist. Joel’s deep knowledge of Michigan law and appellate procedure allows the firm to provide a higher level of legal support and advocacy – something that sets it apart from others in the state.
Why He Does This Work
For Joel, the most rewarding part of his job is being able to make a difference. As he puts it:
“Having the opportunity to do very meaningful work to help others while working with some of the most talented lawyers in the state.”
Joel Finnell joined Sinas Dramis Law Firm in 2011 and quickly excelled at appellate law, earning a favorable published appellate decision in the first appeal he handled out of law school. He now primarily focuses his practice on representing clients in the Michigan Court of Appeals and Michigan Supreme Court.
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Connect with Joel Finnell
Email: joelfinnell@sinasdramis.com
Phone: 517-394-7500
Toll Free: 866-758-0031
Education
- B.S., Eastern Michigan University, 2001
- J.D., Thomas M. Cooley Law School, 2011
Admissions
- State Bar of Michigan
- United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois
- United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
- The Supreme Court of the United States
Professional Associations
- State Bar of Michigan
- State Bar of Michigan – Appellate Practice Section
- Michigan Supreme Court Historical Society
- Michigan Association for Justice
- The National Trial Lawyers Association
- Coalition Protecting Auto No-Fault (CPAN)
- Ingham County Bar Association
- American Bar Association
Awards & Recognition
- Distinguished Brief Award – Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law Review, 2019
- Rising Star – Michigan Super Lawyers, 2015-2021
- Super Lawyer – Michigan Super Lawyers, 2022-2023
- Top 40 Under 40 Trial Lawyer in Michigan – The National Trial Lawyers, 2017-2018
- Top 100 Trial Lawyer – The National Trial Lawyers, 2019
- Leading Lawyer – Leading Lawyers of America, 2022-present
Appellate Practice Areas
Noteworthy Cases
Of Joel’s many successful appeals, he has most notably handled or been involved in:
- Brown v Home-Owners Ins Co, 298 Mich App 678 (2012) – Set important legal precedent requiring no-fault insurers to pay work-loss benefits under Michigan’s No-Fault Act for the loss of “flow-through” income earned by incorporated small-business owners.
- Linden v Citizens Ins Co, 308 Mich App 89 (2014) – Set important legal precedent preventing no-fault insurers from denying no-fault benefits to minor children who had no way to comply with the No-Fault Act’s one-year statute of limitations.
- People v Timothy Panagis, Circuit Court No. 15-28686-AL (2016) – Received national attention in 2016 in the field of bicycle law when a bicyclist was unlawfully cited for “impeding traffic.” However, dashboard camera footage made it clear the officer was driving too close to the bike, and the burden of correcting this distance rests upon motor vehicle operators in Michigan. The appeals court judge, Judge Reader, commented on Joel’s exceptional brief, stating, “This is a $10,000 brief for a $200 citation.“
- Swick v Farm Bureau, Unpublished Opinion of the Court of Appeals, Docket No. 324829 (2014) – Prevented a no-fault insurer from illegally relying on the Michigan motorcycle helmet law to deny auto no-fault survivors loss benefits to the surviving minor children of a fatally injured motorcyclist.
- Bacon v City of Flint, Unpublished Opinion of the Court of Appeals, Docket No. 339009 (2018) – Successfully overturned the incorrect dismissal of a Flint water case brought on behalf of a Flint woman who fatally contracted Legionnaires’ disease as a result of being exposed to the contaminated Flint public water supply.
- Hughes v City of Livonia, Unpublished Opinion of the Court of Appeals, Docket No. 340447 – Reaffirming the right of an elderly passenger to bring a cause of action against the city of Livonia for the negligent operation of a city bus.
- Kulghert v Michigan State University,328 Mich App 357 (2019) – Successfully obtained the affirmance of several lower court rulings finding that our client’s tort claim was not barred by the worker’s compensation exclusive remedy rule.
- Slocum v Farm Bureau and USAA, 328 Mich App 626 (2019) – Successfully obtained an Order from the Court of Appeals directing the defendant insurer’s in this case to pay no-fault survivors loss benefits for the full cost of purchasing replacement health insurance for the surviving widow and three minor children of a deceased motorcyclist.
Publications
In addition to his appellate practice, Joel co-authors several publications dealing with the auto no-fault law that are relied on by practitioners throughout the State, including Sinas & Finnell, Tort Threshold Update (Lansing: ICLE, 2014-2018); and Sinas & Finnell, The No-Fault Tort Threshold: An Annual Survey of the Law (Lansing: Michigan Association for Justice, 2014-2017). He is also a regular contributing author to the No-Fault Red Book Online.
Additional publications include:
- When Should I Hire an Auto No-Fault Insurance Attorney?
- “The No-Fault Tort Threshold: A Comprehensive Survey of the Law” co-authored with George T. Sinas, available for purchase through the Michigan Association for Justice
- Delay, Deny, Defend – Tactics Insurance Companies Use to Avoid Paying Claims
- Auto No-Fault Intentional Injuries Exclusion – You Don’t Have to Prove Innocence
- How “Don’t Worry About It” Can Lead to Car Insurance Fraud
- “Tort Threshold Update” ICLE No-Fault Summit, 2020
- “The No-Fault Tort Threshold: An Annual Survey of the Law” – Michigan Association for Justice, 2019
- AutoNoFaultLaw.com Digital Library – Regular contributor and editor
Speaking Engagements
- Tort Threshold Update, No-Fault Summit (ICLE) – Annual Co-Author
- Survivor’s Loss and Work Loss Benefits, No-Falt Institute XVI, October 2019
- No-Fault Tort Threshold Update, No-Fault Institute – Annual Co-Author