Mr. Bernard persuaded an Oakland County Circuit Court judge to dismiss claims of defamation and injurious falsehood against a university and one of its professors. The professor had posted on his website a paper written by a student for a business ethics assignment. The paper contained statements critical of an actual business and several employees. The business and the employees sued, claiming the publication of the paper on the website constituted defamation and injurious falsehood. On behalf of the professor and the university, Mr. Bernard argued that there was no defamatory intent and no pecuniary motive and that the plaintiffs could not prove a direct link to their claimed damages. The judge agreed and granted a motion to dismiss the case.
Client name withheld by request.