Alethia Battles

Associate General Counsel

Email: abattles@med.umich.edu
Telephone: (734) 764-2178
Fax: (734) 647-2781

Secretary:  Tammi Kortema
Telephone: (734) 615-6438
Email:  kortema@med.umich.edu

Address:
300 North Ingalls Building, Room 3B04
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-5476

Primary Practice Areas

  • Litigation
  • Probate/Estate Planning/Mental Health
  • Risk Management/Patient Relations
  • Clinical Services/Patient Care

Alethia joined the Office of the General Counsel in 2017 and has a dual appointment in the Department of Social Work at Michigan Medicine, where she has worked as a clinician and a supervisor for over 20 years.  Alethia is also an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Michigan School of Social Work.

The majority of Alethia’s current legal practice involves guardianship and mental health consultation and litigation.  Alethia advises medical providers throughout Michigan Medicine on complex patient care issues related to decisional capacity, substituted decision making, and medicolegal ethics.

Alethia has over 30 years combined experience as a clinical social worker and health care attorney.  She has presented at University, local, state, national and international conferences on issues related to guardianship pathways, medicolegal ethics, complex patient care issues, and transitions of care.

While in law school, Alethia was a member and Title Editor for the University of Detroit Mercy Law Review and Vice President of the Black Law Student Association.  She was also an extern for the Honorable Marilyn J. Kelly and completed a summer associateship at Dykema Gossett, PLLC.

University Committees

  • Michigan Medicine Ethics Committee (Adult/Pediatrics)
  • Michigan Medicine Anti-Racism Oversight Committee; Diversifying the Workforce Subcommittee
  • Mott Hospital Mental health Quality and Safety Committee

Education

  • JD, University of Detroit Mercy School of Law (2006)
  • MSW, Master of Social Work, University of Michigan (1992)
  • BS, Public Relations & Marketing, Eastern Michigan University (1990)

Professional Memberships/Outside Interests

  • Member, State Bar of Michigan, Health Care Law Section; Probate and Estate Planning Section
  • Member, Washtenaw County Bar Association, Director at-large
  • Member, National Association of Social Workers
  • Member, Vanzetti Hamilton Bar Association
  • Member, Professional Advisory Board, Cancer Support Community