David Kotzian, Of Counsel
Areas of Practice
-
Mediator
-
Arbitrator
-
Workplace Investigator
​​​
Philosophy
In order for a business to run successfully, employees and their employer should have an amicable and mutually beneficial relationship. But when problems in the workplace do arise, it’s best to go to an experienced attorney who can help resolve these issues. David Kotzian is a skilled mediator, arbitrator and investigator when employees and employers need a neutral third party to assist with their disputes. Mr. Kotzian approaches each matter with a focus on which option is best for the particular parties. The knowledge he has gained representing both employees and employers and serving as a neutral enables him to approach each case with a unique perspective.
Biography
David Kotzian grew up in Sterling Heights, Michigan. He then attended the University of Michigan, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in 1981 majoring in math theory and economics. Mr. Kotzian went on to a joint degree program at the University of Michigan, where he earned his Juris Doctor in 1984 and his Ph.D. in Economics in 1987 with a concentration in econometrics and labor economics.
​
Mr. Kotzian’s legal practice has been concentrated in employment rights litigation, counseling, arbitration and mediation from 1985 to the present. He has experience in a vast number of industries with nearly every type of employment claim, including whistleblower, retaliation, discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, Family and Medical Leave Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, sales commissions, employment agreements, severance agreements, commercial litigation and other related matters. He currently focuses on serving as a neutral mediator, arbitrator and workplace investigator in employment and commercial matters, including individual claims, class actions, and collective actions.
Honors and Accomplishments
-
Recipient of the 2024 Distinguished Service Award from the State Bar of Michigan Labor & Employment Law Section.
-
Elected to the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers in 2009.
-
Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s Hall of Fame Honoree in 2025.
-
Selected as one of the Best Lawyers in America in Employment Law since 2001.
-
Recognized by Best Lawyers as a Lawyer of the Year in Employment Law in 2018, 2023, 2025.
-
Selected as one of the Top 100 Lawyers in Michigan by Super Lawyers for 2006-2025, Top 10 in Michigan for 2009-2013, and Top 5 for Consumers for 2013, 2015-2018.
-
Selected as Member to American Board of Trial Advocates in 2013.
-
Received the highest rating (AV) in Martindale Hubbell for ethics and skills.
Memberships and Activities
-
State Bar of Michigan, Labor and Employment Law Past Section Council Member.
-
Oakland County Bar Association, Past Chair of Employment Law Committee
-
Counsel in numerous trials in state and federal courts.
-
Mediator and Arbitrator in hundreds of cases.
-
Extensive experience as author and seminar speaker on topics regarding employment rights litigation, including programs and publications by the American Arbitration Association, State Bar Labor and Employment Law Section, National Employment Lawyers Association, the Institute for Continuing Legal Education, Michigan Court Administration Association, the Oakland County Bar Association, and Council on Education in Management.
-
Roster of Neutral Employment Law Arbitrators and Mediators for the American Arbitration Association;
Education
University of Michigan:
-
Bachelors in Mathematics and Economics with Highest Distinction (1981).
-
Juris Doctor, Magna Cum Laude, Order of the Coif (1984).
-
Ph.D. in Economics (Dissertation: An Economic Analysis of Employment Discrimination, 1987)