Elizabeth Phelps Hardy
Member
Birmingham Office
280 North Old Woodward Avenue, Suite 400
Birmingham, Michigan 48009
ehardy@kohp.com
P: 248.645.0000
F: 248.645.1385
Biography
Named one of “Detroit’s Most Influential Women” by Crain’s Detroit Business, Ms. Hardy specializes in employment litigation, preventive counseling, and appellate work. She is considered one of Michigan’s most skilled and respected litigators and appellate lawyers.
Ms. Hardy is a member of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers and was named Lawyer of the Year by Michigan Lawyers Weekly in 2004 and a "2008 Power Lawyer" by Crain's Detroit Business. She received her law degree from Wayne State University Law School in 1984, where she served as Editor-In-Chief of the Law Review. She earned her undergraduate degree from George Washington University in 1978.
As highlighted below, Ms. Hardy has extensive trial and appellate experience in the employment arena, and has been named by the Michigan Supreme Court, the Governor of the State of Michigan, and the State Bar of Michigan to numerous professional and public boards. She was also twice elected on a state-wide ballot to the Wayne State University Board of Governors, where she served for 16 years.
Jury Trials
Ms. Hardy has tried as lead counsel a number of lengthy and complex jury trials in state and federal courts. Among them:
- Five jury trials for Ford Motor Company dealing with breach of contract, failure to promote based on race and gender, sexual harassment (involving both hourly and management-level employees), and various tort claims. Verdicts were rendered for Ford in each case.
- One jury trial for Club Corporation of America involving claims of weight and gender discrimination and various torts. A verdict of $210,000 for the plaintiff was set aside on appeal.
- One jury trial for the College for Creative Studies involving breach of contract and defamation claims. The jury returned a verdict for the College.
- One jury trial for Club Corporation of America involving sexual harassment allegations. The jury returned a verdict for Club Corporation.
Appeals
Ms. Hardy’s state and federal appellate practice has led to a number of significant Michigan Supreme Court opinions, which helped re-shape key legal doctrines in a favorable way for employers. In the recent past, Ms. Hardy has successfully briefed and argued McConnell v. Rollins Burdick Hunter (age discrimination/termination case), Elezovic v. Ford Motor (sexually hostile work environment case), and Maldonado v. Ford Motor (case dismissed due to efforts of the plaintiff and her counsel to taint the jury pool) in the Michigan Supreme Court.
Appointments
State Bar Judicial Qualifications Committee (State Bar of Michigan, 1991-1994;
1996-2004)
State Board of Canvassers (Governor Engler, 2001-2003)
Michigan Supreme Court Committee on Model Civil Jury Instructions
(Michigan Supreme Court, 2005-present)
Michigan Supreme Court Board of Law Examiners (Michigan Supreme Court
and Governor Granholm, 2008-present)
State-Wide Elective Office
Wayne State University Board of Governors (1991-2006)
Representative Clients
Ford Motor Company
UBS Financial Services, Inc.
Deloitte & Touche
Behr America
College for Creative Studies
Detroit area law firms
Bar and Court Admissions
Michigan
U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan
Memberships and Activities
State Bar of Michigan
American Bar Association
Oakland County Bar Association
