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Dana L. Abrahams

Member
fax +1 248.988.1828

Dana Abrahams counsels and advises both public and private sector clients in a wide variety of transactional matters including construction; real estate; procurement of goods and services; technology acquisition and implementation; and preparing, reviewing and negotiating contractual arrangements. She develops legal solutions and assists her clients by being proactive, rather than reactive.

Dana represents public school districts, throughout the State of Michigan, on various educational and operational issues. She understands all aspects of public education, as well as their struggles and regularly assists these public entities in all forms of contracting and compliance-related matters associated with the wide-range of laws applicable to schools such as the Revised School Code, the Freedom of Information Act, the Open Meetings Act, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and other laws governing public bodies. In addition to negotiating complex contractual arrangements, she also assists schools in drafting requests for proposals and required policies and procedures.

Dana’s extensive experience in school district construction commences with requests for proposals for architects/engineers, construction managers, technology designers, owner’s representatives, various other consultants, general contractors/prime contractors and culminates with negotiating the related contractual arrangements. Dana regularly assists clients during the construction process with any disputes that arise with state and local governments relative to jurisdictional issues as well as other disputes relating to breach of contract and payment and performance bond claims.

In real estate, she regularly counsels public and private sector clients in the acquisition and disposition of real property relating to requests for proposals, appraisals, easements, license agreements, leases, purchase agreements and land contracts.

A frequent lecturer on general school, construction, real estate and other transactional law matters, Dana regularly moderates and presents at various seminars such as the annual Clark Hill PLC and Plante Moran School Law and Finance Seminar, the Michigan School Business Official and the Michigan Association of School Boards.

Education

J.D., cum laude, University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, Detroit, Michigan, 1992
LL.M., Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 1993
A.B., University of Michigan, Michigan, 1989

Recognitions

Named among The Best Lawyers in America® for Real Estate Law by Best Lawyers (2021-2024)

Named among The Best Lawyers in America® for Education Law by Best Lawyers (2023-2024)

Named a Leading Lawyer in Birmingham by Leading Lawyers℠ (2022-2024)

Memberships

American Bar Association, Public Contract Law and Real Property, Probate and Trust Sections

Michigan Association of School Attorneys, Former President

Michigan School Business Officials

National Association of Bond Lawyers

State Bar of Michigan, Computer Law, Real Property Law, Taxation, and Probate, Estate Planning Sections

State Bar Licenses

Michigan
Presentations
  • January 21, 2017 Clark Hill & Plante Moran School Law & Finance Seminar Presentation
  • 2016 Clark Hill & Plante Moran School Law & Finance Seminar Presentation on January 9, 2016
  • Fundamentals of Purchasing Policies and Procedures – MSBO Conference
  • Hot Topics in School Law – MSBO Conference
  • Clarifying Widespread Misunderstandings About Construction Laws and Procedures – MSBO Conference
  • Navigating the Minefield: Understanding the Conflict of Interest Laws – MSBO Conference