Attorney Daniel J. Williams
Background and Education
Upon completion of his undergraduate education, Dan went immediately into law school, moving to Detroit in 2005 to begin his legal education at Wayne State University Law School. During law school Dan participated in the Moot Court Appellate Advocacy Program.
In 2006, Dan was awarded the Arthur Neef Competition Best Oral Advocate distinction, and in 2008, Dan was a member of the National Moot Court Competition Team, where he helped the team win the Sixth Circuit Regional and finish in the top-20 nationally out of 153 participating teams. As part of that competition, Dan was awarded the Justice Lewis F. Powell, Jr. Medal for Excellence in Advocacy by the American College of Trial Lawyers.
During his time in law school, Dan was also elected to the Student Board of Governors, representing the student body on faculty committees, including the Curriculum Committee which helped determine the courses that would be available to students. Dan also assisted Professor Peter Henning as a student assistant with the editing of a definitive compendium related to Federal Criminal Law and Procedure.
Upon completing law school Dan sat for and passed the Michigan Bar Exam as a first time taker, and was licensed to practice law in the State of Michigan in 2008. In March of 2016, Dan was admitted to the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States, a prestigious admission which allows him to file and argue matters before the United States Supreme Court.
In His Spare Time
Dan was elected as a Councilman in November, 2017 to serve a four year term on the City of Grosse Pointe City Council, an endeavor he could not have completed without the support of all of his family, friends, and the voters who supported him.
Dan is a die-hard fan of the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres, knowing all too well what it means to support and root for the underdog.
Employment
Criminal Law Experience
From 2006-2008, while still in Law School, Dan worked as an intern, conducting probable cause hearings, known as preliminary examinations in Michigan, and assisting prosecutors in the homicide division and auto theft division prepare and argue motions, including complex evidentiary issues and those relating to whether actions undertaken by police officers were legally or constitutionally permitted.
From November, 2008 until April, 2010 Dan was a contract attorney with the Prosecutor’s Auto Theft Unit, where he reviewed warrants, continued to conduct preliminary examinations, and began trying felony cases in the Third Circuit Court. Dan was also heavily involved and trained to review, investigate and prosecute complex financial crimes cases, including identity theft, credit card fraud, counterfeiting documents and money, and embezzlement.
Past Cases
Dan handled the dockets of five different judges during that time, and after a year, he was moved into the Elder Abuse Unit of the Special Victim’s Unit. Dan was in the Elder Abuse Unit from 2011 until March of 2015. As an Elder Abuse Prosecutor, Dan was responsible for vertically prosecuting, from warrant to conclusion, serious felony matters with victims or witnesses who were 65 years and older, who adults who were considered vulnerable persons by State law. Dan prosecuted murders, home invasions, robberies, rapes, carjackings, vulnerable adult abuse and nursing home abuse, but also financial crimes committed by persons taking advantage of seniors.
During his four years, Dan handled numerous media cases, including several high-profile homicides. He also conducted over 100 jury trials during his five years in the trials division and the Elder Abuse Unit. Dan conducted trials with multiple juries, multiple defendants, insanity defense cases, and even worked on an appellate matter related to peace bonds, and the First Amendment right to protest.
Assistant City Attorney Experience
As an Assistant City Attorney, part of Dan’s work was prosecuting misdemeanor and traffic offenses for the Cities of Westland and Wayne. However, at that time, Dan also began to handle family law matters, working with several very experienced family law litigators. Within one year, Dan was handling his own docket of family law and probate clients, and was in the family courts in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw, and Livingston Counties on almost a daily basis.
Dan left Fausone Bohn, LLP in August of 2017 to start Fowler & Williams, PLC because the opportunity to work with his long term significant other in their own endeavor, coupled with being able to have an office in Grosse Pointe, rather than having a nearly two-hour round trip commute each day was too good to pass up.
Current Cases
Family law can be very complex, both legally and emotionally, for clients and sometimes for the lawyers. Dan focuses his practice on helping client’s get out of high-conflict court battles and ensuring that clients are heard by the Court and presses for outcomes that ensure the Courts understand the source of the conflict and the best means by which to address the issues.
Dan has substantial experience dealing with psychologically complex divorces, including those that involve narcissistic and borderline personalities, as well as cases that involve allegations of parental alienation, parental estrangement and “gaslighting.”
Criminal Defense Attorney
Most importantly, Dan is not afraid to go to trial for clients. He has handled more jury trials in his nine years of practice than most attorneys handle in their entire career. No matter is too complex or too difficult for Dan to take on, and he will do so fearlessly.
If you want an attorney to take care of you who has the experience, know-how and willingness to fight for you, Dan is your lawyer.
Outside of Work
If a formal meeting in the office isn’t your thing, Dan and Aimee will be happy to meet you at your local coffee shop, favorite restaurant, or even at your home, if that’s your preference.
