Joseph J. Shannon

Member,Detroit

T 313-393-7549F 313-393-7579jshannon@bodmanlaw.comEmail 313-393-7549

Practices & Industries

Education

University of Notre Dame Law School, J.D.
University of Southern California, B.A.

Admissions

Michigan

Court Admissions

U.S. Supreme Ct.
U.S. Ct. of Appeals, 6th Cir.
U.S. District Ct., E.D. Mich.
U.S. District Ct., W.D. Mich.

Overview

Mr. Shannon helps corporate and individual clients resolve large, multifaceted business disputes through negotiation, litigation, or alternative dispute resolution processes.

He has served clients in nearly every major industry with a particular focus on the automotive and industrial sectors, construction companies, and financial institutions. Mr. Shannon has served as lead counsel in complex matters requiring the management of large litigation teams, dozens of witnesses, millions of pages of documentary evidence, and complex e-discovery issues.

His approach to litigation combines more than 30 years of courtroom experience, business savvy, and superior communication skills to reach favorable outcomes for his clients efficiently and with minimal disruption to their businesses and reputations.

Based on his track record of success, Mr. Shannon is listed with distinction in all of the leading attorney rating services, including Chambers USA 2024 (listed under Michigan: Litigation: General Commercial), The Best Lawyers in America 2025 (listed under Commercial Litigation), Benchmark Litigation 2025 (listed as a Litigation Star) and Michigan Super Lawyers 2024 (listed under Business Litigation). Mr. Shannon is AV® Preeminent Peer rated by Martindale Hubbell and was named a 2025 “Top Lawyer” for Litigation-Commercial by DBusiness magazine.

For a decade, Mr. Shannon was a member of Bodman’s top leadership committee and also served as chair of the firm’s Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution Practice Group.

Mr. Shannon has devoted and committed a great deal of his time and efforts to serving in a number of leadership roles with numerous professional, civic, and charitable organizations, including the University of Notre Dame Law School (member, Advisory Board of Directors), Notre Dame Club of Detroit and its related charities (member, Board of Directors), Catholic Lawyers Society (member, Board of Directors), University Liggett School (member, Board of Trustees), and Detroit Bar Association (chair, Litigation Section and vice chair, Circuit Court Committee). For over a decade, he has been passionately committed to serving and supporting Matrix Human Services. Along with other family members Mr. Shannon raises money to support high school scholarships in the Detroit area. Mr. Shannon is also actively involved in educational causes including organizations that raise scholarships for underprivileged Detroit students.

He is an alumnus of Leadership Detroit and was named to the Crain’s Detroit Business “40 under 40” in 1997.

Mr. Shannon is active politically and has hosted numerous fundraisers on behalf of local, state, and national candidates. He served on the Judicial Review Advisory Committee to former United States Senator Spencer Abraham. He was appointed twice by Michigan Governor John Engler to the Department of Natural Resources Site Review Board and to the Government Task Force on Importation of Solid Waste.

Honors, Awards, and Recognition

The Best Lawyers in America® 2013-2025, Commercial Litigation
Chambers USA 2024, Litigation: General Commercial
Michigan Super Lawyers 2008-2024, Business Litigation
Michigan Super Lawyers 2020, Top 100 Attorneys
Benchmark Litigation 2023-2025, Litigation Star
DBusiness Magazine “Top Lawyers” 2010-2025, Litigation-Commercial
Volunteer of the Year, Matrix Human Services, 2017
Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent® Peer Rated for Highest Level of Professional Excellence; Endorsed for High Ethical Standing

Civic, Cultural and Community Activities

Notre Dame Club of Detroit and Associated Charities
- Board of Directors
University Liggett School
- Board of Trustees, 2016-2017
Detroit Regional Chamber, Leadership Detroit — Class XIX

Professional Affiliations

University of Notre Dame Law School—Notre Dame Law Association (NDLA)
- Advisory Committee Member
- Board of Directors, Former Member
American Arbitration Association (AAA)®
- National Roster of Commercial Arbitrators, Former Member
- Panel of Employment Arbitrators, Former Member
- Panel of Construction Arbitrators, Former Member
Detroit Bar Association (DBA)
- Litigation Section, Past Chair
- Circuit Court Committee, Past Vice Chair
Catholic Lawyers Society of Detroit
- Board of Directors, Former Member
State Bar of Michigan

Publications

Co-author, “A UFLPA Update: US Customs Impounds Thousands of Vehicles with Suspected Banned Components,” Bodman Litigation Law Update (February 20, 2024)
Co-author, “Michigan Supreme Court Overrules Court of Appeals Decision in MSSC, Inc. v. Airboss Flexible Products Co.,” Bodman Litigation Law Update (July 18, 2023)
“Gov. Whitmer Extends Her Stay At Home Order To April 30th,” Bodman COVID-19 Response Team Update, April 2020
“Cyberspace Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Issues New Critical Infrastructure Guidelines,” Bodman COVID-19 Response Team Update, April 2020
Co-Author (With Gene P. Bowen and Jeffrey G. Raphelson), “Force Majeure/Commercial Impracticability and COVID-19: Does the pandemic crisis excuse contractual performance?,” Bodman COVID-19 Response Team Update, March 2020

Representative Matters

Mr. Shannon’s recent matters include:

Represented officers and directors of an oil and gas exploration, development, and services company against claims including breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract exceeding $150 million. Mr. Shannon attacked the claimants’ efforts to force arbitration, filing a successful circuit court action for declaratory relief. Through his aggressive action, Mr. Shannon persuaded the court to dismiss his clients from the arbitration and, as a result of leverage generated by that result, achieved the full release of all claims against them.
Defended the consumer automotive finance arm of one of North America’s largest banks in an administrative action by the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services. The department’s demands would have required his client to retroactively reallocate consumer payments at a cost of approximately $10 million in operating costs and credits to former accounts. Through negotiating skill and political acumen, Mr. Shannon convinced the regulators to settle on highly favorable terms with total costs to his client of a few hundred thousand dollars.
Represented a metal casting foundry that is a Tier-1 automotive supplier in connection with its purchase of two iron foundries in Mexico. Following the purchase, the client engaged Mr. Shannon to pursue representation and warranty claims and the relevant indemnity. Mr. Shannon worked with his client to investigate, document, and ultimately settle the claims, totaling approximately $6 million, on favorable terms.
Represented a publicly-traded high tech manufacturer seeking millions of dollars in damages as an oppressed minority shareholder in a software development company. Though shareholder cases rarely survive summary judgment, Mr. Shannon navigated complex Michigan and Delaware law, convincing the court to deny defendants’ summary judgment motion, leading to a quick and favorable settlement for his client.
Defended a multinational manufacturer against breach of warranty claims exceeding $25 million involving alleged defects in parts it provided to an OEM maker of truck transmissions. The matter involved complex engineering concepts, discovery from hundreds of persons, and the coordination of forensic and remediation engineering processes. Mr. Shannon successfully guided the client and adversary to a favorable settlement for his client.
Represented a structural steel contractor in a complex matter arising from the construction of a dormitory plaza at a large public university, recovering millions of dollars in disputed payments for his client.
Represented the minority shareholder of a substantial contracting company in a multimillion-dollar action asserting minority oppression and appraisal rights. Mr. Shannon successfully tried the case in the Court of Chancery in Delaware, achieving a highly favorable verdict for his client.

Reported Cases

Blvd. & Trumbull Towing v. City of Detroit, 393 F. Supp 3d 604 (2019)
Ally Fin., Inc. v. State Treasurer, 317 Mich. App. 316 (2016)
L-3 Communs. Corp. v. Sparton Corp., 313 F.R.D. 661 (2015)
Menard Inc. v. Dep’t. of Treasury, 302 Mich. App. 467 (2013)
Chrysler Financial Services, LLC v. Dep’t of Treasury, unpublished opinion per curiam of the Court of Appeals, issued August 7, 2012 (Docket No. 304105)
Radar Safety Technologies LLC v. Pinnacle Holdings LLC, unpublished opinion per curiam of the Court of Appeals, issued January 17, 2012 (Docket No. 300591)
Kevelighan v. Trott & Trott, P.C., 771 F. Supp. 2d 763 (2010)
Paul Hollis, Personal Representative of the Estate of Dorothy Davis v. Trott & Trott, P.C., unpublished per curiam of the Court of Appeals, issued June 17, 2010 (Docket No. 289613)
Churella v. Pioneer State Mut. Ins. Co., 258 Mich. App. 260 (2003).
AOPP v. ACIA, 257 Mich. App. 365 (2003).
Baum Research & Development Co. v. Hillerich & Bradsby Co., 31 F. Supp. 2d 1016 (1998).
Hatcher v. Avis Rent-A-Car, 152 F.3d 540 (1998).
AOPP v ACIA, 1997 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12186 (1997).
Haden Schweitzer Corp. v. Arthur B. Myr Industries, 901 F. Supp. 1235 (1995).
Focus Radio v. Summit Radio, 853 F. Supp. 252 (1994).

Ann Arbor

Detroit

Grand Rapids

Troy