Thomas W Cranmer

Practice Areas

Representing individual and corporate clients in white-collar criminal defense, corporate compliance and internal investigations, complex commercial and “Bet the Company” civil litigation.

Career

Thomas W. Cranmer is a trial lawyer who concentrates his practice in civil and criminal litigation. With more than 40 years of courtroom experience, his practice focuses on white-collar criminal defense, complex commercial litigation and "bet-the-company" litigation.

Tom is recognized as one of Michigan's leading lawyers. He has been listed in the Top 10 out of more than 35,000 Michigan attorneys in every edition of Michigan Super Lawyers since its inception in 2006 and was ranked as the no. 1 Michigan attorney for 2025, 2022 and 2021. In 2020, he was also rated one of the Top 10 Michigan lawyers by Leading Lawyers, and he was recently selected to Lawdragon's "500 Leading Litigators in America" list for 2026. Since 2004, he has been ranked in Band 1 as a leading lawyer by Chambers USA, a referral guide to leading lawyers in the United States based upon the opinions of clients and peers. Chambers has noted that Tom is highlighted by commentators for his advocacy skills, courtroom presence, and "fantastic judgment." He is noted as "a first class litigator and a true trial lawyer," "the consummate trial litigator," "an outstanding lawyer," an attorney "of the highest caliber," and "a wonderful litigator who is very bright but practical in his advice." In 2014, he was recognized by Michigan Lawyers Weekly as its Lawyer of the Year. In 2015, he received the Excellence in Defense Award from the Michigan Defense Trial Counsel. In 2018, he received the Western Michigan University-Cooley Law School Integrity in the Community Award, the Professionalism Award from the Oakland County Bar Association and the Julian Abele Cook, Jr.-Bernard A. Friedman Civility Award from the Eastern District of Michigan Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. In 2025, he was recognized by Crain’s Detroit Business as one of its Notable Litigators and Trial Attorneys.

Prior to joining the firm, Tom served as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in Oakland County, Michigan, and an Assistant Chief of the Criminal Division of the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.

Tom has extensive experience as a leader and instructor of trial advocacy including teaching for one of the preeminent trial advocacy programs in the United States, the National Institute of Trial Advocacy. In addition, he has lectured and written on a wide variety of civil litigation, criminal law and evidence topics. He is a co-author of a Michigan treatise, Civil Trials and Evidence, a contributing author to Federal Civil Procedure Before Trial/Sixth Circuit, and he has served as an Adjunct Professor of Law for The Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School teaching Evidence.

Professional Memberships

American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow, 2000-present; State Chairperson, 2010; State Committee, 2025-present

International Academy of Trial Lawyers, Fellow, 2000-present

International Society of Barristers, Fellow, 2003-present; Board of Governors and State Chairperson, 2012-2015; Secretary/Treasurer, 2016-2017; Second Vice-President, 2017-2018; First Vice-President, 2018-2019; President, 2019-2020

American Board of Trial Advocates, 2000-present; Michigan Membership Chairperson, 2010; Michigan Secretary, 2011; Michigan Treasurer, 2012; Michigan President-elect, 2013; President of Michigan Chapter, 2014

National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals, 2024

State Bar of Michigan, President, 2005-2006; Statewide Access to Justice Campaign, Chairperson; Board of Commissioners, 1997-2006; Representative Assembly, 1986-1992; Chairperson, Standing Committee on Grievance, 1993-1997; Co-Chairperson, Awards Committee, 2007-2013; Law and the Media Committee, 2006-2012; Judicial Crossroads Task Force, 2010; Task Force on the Role of the State Bar of Michigan, 2014; Access and Affordability Committee of the 21st Century Practice Task Force, 2015; Judicial Tenure Commission Amendments Advisory Committee, 2016

Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Board of Directors, 2010-present

Appellate Defender Commission for the State of Michigan, appointed member and Vice-chairperson, 2011-2014; Chairperson, 2015-2023

Michigan State Bar Foundation, Board of Trustees, 2006-present

Michigan Judicial Council, 2021-present

National Center for State Courts, Lawyers Committee, 2023-present

Federal Bar Association, Eastern District of Michigan; Chapter President, 1995-1996

Oakland County Bar Foundation, Board of Trustees, 1992-2012; Charter Fellow, 1992-present; President, 2002-2003; Trustee Emeritus, 2012-present

Oakland County Bar Association, Board of Directors, 1994-2003

Oakland County Criminal Assignment Committee, Co-Chairperson and Founding Member, 1996-1999

United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, Trustee, Historical Society, 2007-present; Local Rules Advisory Committee, 1989-1992; Special Committee on Review of the Local Rules, 1990-1991

Sixth Circuit Judicial Conference, Life Member, 1999-present

American Bar Foundation, Sustaining Life Fellow, 2005-present

Michigan State Bar Foundation, Life Patron Fellow, 1995-present

American Arbitration Association, Arbitration and Mediation Hearing Panel Member

Prosecutors' Foundation for Kids, Board Member, 2010-present; Chair, 2019-present

Oakland County Circuit and District Courts, Mediator, 1986-present

Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan, 1994-present

National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 1986-present

United States Sentencing Commission, Practitioner's Advisory Group, 2009-2011

Litigation Counsel of America – Member, Trial Law Institute; Member, Diversity Law Institute; Barrister, Order of Centurions

Publications

“Civil Rico: A Tool of Advocacy,” American Bar Association, The Brief Magazine, Co-Author with James A. Johnson, Winter 2024

"The Art of Cross-Examination," Michigan Bar Journal, August 2013

"How to Handle the Media in a High-Profile Case," Ann Arbor Area Business Monthly, May 2005

"Safeguarding Your Company: Key Factors Influencing Sentencing of Business Organizations," Midwest In-House, April 2005

"Civil Trials and Evidence," West Publishing, co-author with the Honorable Gerald E. Rosen, Honorable Kurtis T. Wilder and Rodger D. Young, Esq., 2001

"Federal Criminal Practice Rules," James Publishing, Editorial Advisory Board, 1996

"Federal Civil Procedure Before Trial/Sixth Circuit," Lawyers Cooperative Publishing, contributing author, 1996

Personal

Teaching – Thomas M. Cooley School of Law, Adjunct Professor of Law, (teaching Evidence), 2005-2013; University of Detroit Mercy Inn of Court, 1996-present; Oakland County Bar Association Inn of Court, Founding Member and currently Emeritus Member, 2004-present

Work Highlights

Tom has represented a broad range of corporations, partnerships, financial institutions and individuals in criminal and civil antitrust matters; intellectual property disputes; shareholder and derivative lawsuits; breach of contract claims; class action defense matters; income tax evasion; Medicaid, Medicare and healthcare fraud; Food & Drug Administration investigations; criminal OSHA, MIOSHA and state/federal environmental matters; Customs and Border Protection violations; RICO claims; bankruptcy fraud; mail and wire fraud; insurance fraud; bank fraud and embezzlement; defense contractor fraud; national security matters, securities fraud and matters with the SEC; public corruption; controlled substance and conspiracy matters; immigration matters, labor and employment litigation, ERISA litigation and police corruption.

He has extensive experience conducting internal corporate audits, independent audit committee reviews and corporate compliance programs.

He has also represented both attorneys and judges in proceedings alleging malpractice, professional or public misconduct.

Some of Tom's representative matters include:

=> Persuaded the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to eliminate its long-standing “extraordinary circumstances” test for reentry into the securities industry, securing client reinstatement and establishing a nationally significant regulatory precedent under SEC Rule of Practice 193

=> Represented a healthcare CEO charged wth 128 counts of healthcare fraud, securing a not guilty verdict on all counts

=> Represented an official of the United States Department of State for allegedly committing perjury and obstruction of justice in connection with the first post 9/11 terrorism trial in the United States, securing a not guilty verdict on all charges

=> Represented a high technology corporation against a nine-figure patent infringement claim, successfully securing a no-cause verdict at trial.

=> Represented a client charged with violation of federal election laws, resulting in a not guilty verdict on all counts at trial

=> Represented a university professor charged with violating sanctions against Iraq, securing a not guilty verdict on all counts at trial

=> Represented a Fortune 500 electronics manufacturer in the successful defense of a shareholder derivative claim

=> Represented a national road construction company in connection with a federal criminal antitrust investigation, successfully convincing the Department of Justice not to seek an indictment

=> Represented an automobile supplier in connection with a patent infringement claim, successfully securing an eight-figure damages settlement

=> Represented a major university in connection with an internal investigation into its athletic department

=> Represented a large national insurance company as a plaintiff in connection with allegations of insurance fraud and the submission of false claims

=> Represented an officer of a Fortune 500 company in a securities action and parallel investigation by the United States Department of Justice and Securities and Exchange Commission successfully, convincing the government not to seek an indictment

=> Represented a Fortune 100 company in a successful appeal of a civil RICO case before the Sixth Circuit en banc panel

=> Represented a national banking institution in the successful dismissal of a civil RICO case and an appeal before the Eleventh Circuit

=> Represented a major financial institution in connection with a shareholder derivative claim and putative class action matter

=> Represented an individual charged with involuntary manslaughter arising out of a trucking accident, securing a not guilty verdict at trial

=> Represented one of two brothers falsely accused of felony murder, resulting in the ultimate dismissal of the charges after the client had wrongfully served more than 25 years in prison

Expert in these Jurisdictions

Bar Admissions: Michigan

Education

Awards