Bio

A member of Plunkett Cooney's Board of Directors and Senior Vice President of the firm, Jeffrey S. Hengeveld has diverse litigation experience that include professional liability matters, class actions and commercial litigation.

Mr. Hengeveld, who serves as Co-Leader of the firm's Professional Liability Practice Group, has received recognition for his work defending attorneys in legal malpractice actions. He also regularly presents and consults on ethics issues and represents attorneys before the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission.    

Mr. Hengeveld represents accountants in litigation and ethics matters arising from all levels of engagement, from tax to audit matters. He has co-authored a chapter on accounting standards and the duties accountants owe to their clients in a handbook on the subject of fraud deterrence.  

In addition, Mr. Hengeveld represents a range of other professionals, including securities brokers and dealers, investment advisors, real estate brokers and agents, and officers and directors in complex litigation matters.

Mr. Hengeveld regularly handles class action lawsuits, including those involving the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Telephone Consumer Protection Act and data breaches.

His experience also includes complex commercial litigation in both state and federal courts.

Representative Client Work

  • Defended various professional liability cases with multi-million dollar exposure

  • Tried cases to jury verdict in both state and federal court

  • Represented attorneys before the Attorney Grievance Commission

  • Consulted with accountants on IRS, AICPA and MICPA issues

  • Regularly defended class action lawsuits

  • Experienced in complex commercial litigation 

Professional Affiliations

  • ALFA International (International Practice Group; Professional Liability Practice Group Steering Committee)
  • American Bar Association
  • Federal Bar Association
  • The Association of Credit and Collection Professionals - Members' Attorney Program
  • State Bar of Michigan
  • Oakland County Bar Association

Publications and Lectures

  • “Sanctions: From Safe Harbor to Shipwreck – What Every Lawyer Must Know” presentation to LMRM Conference, March 5, 2026

  • “Cyberattack Risks and Insurance Strategies for Law Firms” presentation to ALFA International Professional Liability Conference, February 20, 2026 

  • Accounting ethics presentation to MICPA Small Practitioners Group, September 2, 2025

  • “Top Plaintiff Tactics & How to Respond to Them” presentation to ALFA International Professional Liability Conference, November 8, 2024

  • State Professional Liability Trends: Michigan webinar, Co-presenter, CLM, Nov. 13, 2024

  • “Accounting Malpractice: The Ship is Sinking,” Presenter, Michigan Association of CPAs East Metro Small Practitioners Monthly Meeting Group, Grosse Pointe, Feb. 28, 2024

  • "Hot Topics in Professional Liability," Co-presenter, ALFA International's 2022 Insurance & Professional Liability Seminar, The Logan, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 23, 2022

  • “Hot Topics and Recent Case Law Regarding Legal Malpractice,“ Co-presenter, 2021 Professional Liability Conference, ALFA International Professional Liability Webinar, June 25, 2021

  • “Professional Liability and Insurance Practice Challenges – Confronting the New Normal,“ Co-presenter, 2021 ALFA International Professional Liability & Insurance Virtual Seminar, June 24, 2021

  • “Accounting Malpractice: The Jig is Up,“ Presenter, Accounting for the Tax Practitioner Conference, Michigan Association of CPAs, June 24, 2021

  • “Simple Advice for Complex Times: The Top 5 Pieces of Advice Insurers Can Give to Their Law Firm Insureds,“ Co-presenter, ALFA International Professional Liability Webinar, Sept. 24, 2020

  • “Who’s on First, What’s on Second, I Don’t Know’s on Third - Dealing with Ethical Dilemmas,“ Co-presenter, ALFA International 2019 Professional Liability Mini-Seminar, Aug. 2, 2019

  • “Fair Debt Collection Practices Act: The Basics and Beyond,” Co-Presenter, FDCPA Webinar, June 27, 2019

  • “Know  When to Hold ’em and Know When to Fold ’em,” ALFA International’s Professional Liability Section, Program Chair, Foxwoods Resort & Casino, Connecticut, Aug. 3, 2017

  • MACPA Anti-Fraud Conference, Presenter, May 2013

  • "Professional Liability Insurance Coverage: A Compendium of State Law," Chapter Co-Author, DRI, Copyright 2012

  • Malpractice Avoidance for MACPA Birmingham Small Practitioners Group, Presenter, June 2012 

  • Best Practices for MACPA Lansing Small Practitioners Group, Presenter, January 2011

  • “The Handbook of Fraud Deterrence,” Chapter Co-Author, Wiley Publishing Company, Copyright 2006

Credentials

Education

  • Michigan State University College of Law, magna cum laude, J.D., 2003
    • Law Review member, Note & Comment Editor
    • American Jurisprudence Award, Research, Writing and Advocacy Research, Writing and Advocacy
    • Best Brief Competition Finalist All School Moot Court Competition
  • Michigan State University, James Madison College, B.A., 1999

Admissions

  • Michigan, 2003
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, 2003
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan, 2011

Honors/Awards

Honors & Recognitions

  • Leading Lawyer in Professional Malpractice Defense Law: including Legal/Technical/Financial, Leading Lawyers Magazine Michigan, 2021 - 2026
  • Michigan Super Lawyer in Professional Liability Defense; Michigan Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters publication, 2023
  • Top Lawyer in Legal Malpractice Law, dbusiness Magazine, 2018, 2023
  • Michigan Super Lawyer Rising Star in Professional Liability Defense; Michigan Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters publication, 2008, 2010 - 2017
  • Martindale-Hubbell’s highest rating-AV Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated

Insights