Stephen Adams
Effective March 1, 2024, Mr. Adams will be of counsel to the Firm.
For over thirty years Mr. Adams has practiced criminal law both as a prosecutor and a defender in Federal Court and state courts throughout Southeastern Michigan. He has tried cases involving murder, homicide, criminal sexual conduct, and robbery in addition to domestic violence and drunk driving. A fighter in the courtroom, Mr. Adams is recognized by judges and colleagues as a vigorous advocate committed to representing his clients passionately. He has successfully litigated RICO and drug conspiracies in Federal Court and has argued in Michigan's Court of Appeals and Supreme Court. Mr. Adams brings the same level of commitment and professionalism to delinquency and abuse-neglect proceedings under the Juvenile Code drawing on his years of experience in the Family Division court.
Mr. Adams attended night classes at Wayne State University working his way through law school as a law clerk to the late Kenneth V. Cockrel, a former Detroit City Council Member. Graduating with honors in the top 16% of his class, Adams joined the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office followed by over twenty-five years as an Assistant Public Defender with the Washtenaw County Public Defender's Office.
Throughout his career, Mr. Adams has kept pace with the development of police technology such as DNA comparisons and video from body cameras, dashcams, and surveillance cameras. Adams has trained in the use of Call Detail Records to gather location information and has jury trial experience both as a prosecutor presenting cell tower location data as well as a defense attorney proving the limits of its reliability on behalf of a client.
Above all, Mr. Adams knows that results matter. Working with his clients, Adams develops reasonable goals then passionately seeks to achieve those goals through negotiation or litigation.
