The Michigan Association for Justice (MAJ), formerly the Michigan Trial Lawyers Association (MTLA) is a trade association of over 1,600 plaintiff's attorneys and staff, with offices in Lansing, Michigan.
MAJ provides members with professional networking, online listserves, a data bank of relevant court documents and legal experts, and a member directory. The organization also provides an extensive continuing legal education (CLE) program in locations throughout Michigan. Additionally, MAJ's Lansing-based government affairs staff lobbies legislators and state agencies to advance a pro-civil justice legislative agenda, intended to preserve and enhance the rights of injured people.
MAJ states that it "promotes justice and fairness for injured persons, safeguards victims' rights--particularly the right to trial by jury--and strengthens the civil justice system through education and disclosure of information critical to public health and safety." It provides information and professional assistance to its members. It is headquartered in Lansing, Michigan. The MAJ is an affiliated member of the American Association for Justice.
1945 - 49 Samuel Charfoos (d)
1949 - 53 Hon. Theodore R. Bohn
1953 - 55 Benjamin Marcus (d)
1955 - 56 Carl Gussen (d)
1956 - 57 James A. Markle (d)
1957 - 58 Saul M. Leach
1958 - 59 Duane S. Van Benschoten (d)
1959 - 60 I. Goodman Cohen (d)
1960 - 61 D. Charles Marsten
1961 - 62 Dean Robb
1962 - 63 Max Dean
1963 - 64 George L. Downing
1964 - 65 Lee C. Dramis (d)
1965 - 66 Howard Silver
1966 - 67 James E. Burns (d)
1967 - 68 Cassius E. Street
1968 - 69 James W. Baker (d)
1969 - 70 Eugene D. Mossner
1970 - 71 Irving Kroll
1971 - 72 Morton E. Schneider
1972 - 74 Harry M. Philo
1974 - 75 George Bedrosian
1975 - 76 Sheldon L. Miller
1976 - 77 James F. Logan
1977 - 78 Clifford H. Hart
1978 - 79 George M. Maurer, Jr.
1979 - 80 Jack H. Bindes
1980 - 81 Jeffrey N. Shillman
1981 - 82 Paul A. Rosen
1982 - 83 George T. Sinas
1983 - 84 Beverly Clark
1984 - 85 Sherwin Schreier
1985 - 86 Nicholas J. Rine
1986 - 87 Hon. William B. Murphy
1987 - 88 Carl R. Edwards
1988 - 89 Charles J. Barr
1989 - 90 Sheldon D. Erlich
1990 - 91 Barry Waldman
1991 - 92 Thomas Hay
1992 - 93 Marjory Cohen
1993 - 94 Michael Pianin
1994 - 95 Dave Getto
1995 - 96 Mark Weiss (d)
1996 - 97 Richard Skutt
1997 - 98 Kathy Bogas
1998 - 99 Carol McNeilage
1999 - 2000 Barry Goodman
2000 - 01 Jules Olsman
2001 - 02 Norman Tucker
2002 - 03 Alan Helmkamp
2003 - 04 Brian Waldman
2004 - 05 Michael Pitt
2005 - 06 Linda Miller Atkinson
2006 - 07 Jesse Reiter
2007 - 08 Robert Raiit
2008 - 09 Judy Susskind
2009 - 10 Richard Warsh
2010 - 11 Barry J. Gates
2011 - 12 Michael J. Behm
2012 - 13 Marc E. Lipton
2013 - 14 Gerald H. Acker
2014 - 15 Scott A. Goodwin
2015 - 16 Ven R. Johnson
2016 - 17 Thomas W. Waun
Membership and governance
The MAJ is currently presided over by President Ven R. Johnson. He works with the other officers and MAJ Executive Director Steve Pontoni, who oversees the day-to-day operation of the organization. The executive board, which meets throughout the year, is made up of 113 members including all past presidents.
