Amy Blackwell

Associate General Counsel

Email: acbla@med.umich.edu
Telephone: (734) 615-8528 (direct line)
Fax: (734) 647-2781

Secretary:  Anita Simon
Telephone:  (734) 764-2178
Email:  anitasim@med.umich.edu

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

Primary Practice Areas

  • Medical Malpractice
  • Risk Management/Patient Relations & Clinical Risk
  • Litigation

Amy has twenty years’ experience investigating medical malpractice cases, first as a trial attorney and then at the University of Michigan.  As a trial attorney, Amy litigated complex medical malpractice cases on behalf of major medical centers (including the University of Michigan) and individual healthcare providers.  Amy assisted the senior partner in defending and trying the most challenging cases, often those involving catastrophic injuries.  Amy joined the University of Michigan’s Risk Management Office in 2006 to offer guidance to risk management consultants on pre-suit medical malpractice claims investigations.  For the next twelve years, Amy managed the University’s medical malpractice claims process that has become known as the “Michigan Model,” a principled approach to medical errors and malpractice claims.

In 2018, Amy joined the Office of the Vice President and General Counsel as an Associate General Counsel.  Amy’s current practice involves analyzing the University’s pre-suit medical malpractice cases and offering guidance to Patient Relations & Clinical Risk on all aspects of pre-suit claims.  Amy also directly handles a number of pre-suit medical malpractice cases.  Amy frequently speaks to Michigan Medicine faculty, trainees, and caregivers on the University’s approach to malpractice claims, informed consent, credentialing, documentation, and other medical-legal issues facing healthcare providers.

In her spare time, Amy enjoys reading, playing competitive tennis, playing board games with her husband and three children, and attending her children’s sporting events.

University Committees

  • Clinical Care Review Committee
  • Claims Management Committee
  • Mott Golf Committee

Education

  • JD, University of Detroit Mercy, School of Law (1999)*
  • BA, English, magna cum laude, University of Detroit Mercy (1996)*

 * Full athletic scholarship for playing on and coaching the University of Detroit Mercy’s NCAA Division I Women’s Tennis Team

Professional Memberships

  • State Bar of Michigan (1999)
  • Michigan Defense Trial Council (MDTC)
  • Washtenaw County Bar Association