Detroit-based law firm with a national Transportation and Logistics practice offering trucking liability defense, 24/7 accident response, freight contracts, cargo disputes and regulatory help.
Services
Who it serves
Overview
Clark Hill PLC is a law firm founded in 1890 that lists more than 800 attorneys and professionals and 30 offices in the United States, Ireland and Mexico. Chambers USA lists its head office in Detroit. Its Transportation and Logistics practice serves businesses that move commercial goods by ground, air or sea, and it presents itself as a national, litigation-backed group that also handles transactional and regulatory work.
Trucking companies are the practice's main focus. The page refers to trucking clients, owner-operators, terminals, intermodal facilities and truck stops, and names brokers, freight forwarders and subcontractors as parties to the contracts the team drafts. The practice is led by Sam Hallman and Bradford G. Hughes and draws on a national litigation department of more than 200 litigators.
A standout feature for carriers is the firm's 24/7/365 emergency accident response across the US.
Beyond accident work, the practice covers the business side of running a fleet: contracts with shippers, brokers and owner-operators, cargo and freight charge disputes, regulatory proceedings, bankruptcy matters involving transportation companies, and patents and trademarks for trucking and logistics businesses.
Compare with other Transportation Attorneys providers: Fox Rothschild, LegalShield and Scopelitis, Garvin, Light, Hanson & Feary, or see all Transportation Attorneys.
Services
Liability defense. The team defends wrongful death, catastrophic injury, property damage and subrogation claims involving commercial vehicles.
Accident response. The firm offers round-the-clock emergency response nationwide, sending teams to secure evidence and witness statements under the attorney work-product doctrine.
Contracts. It drafts and periodically reviews contract carriage, broker-carrier and owner-operator agreements, with attention to insurance and cargo liability limits, pricing disputes and owner-operator classification.
Regulatory and administrative. The practice handles licensing, enforcement and other agency proceedings and advises on operational safety and hazardous materials, working with the US Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration.
Freight disputes. The team handles cargo loss and damage claims and freight charge disputes, including collection tools, plus disputes over federal preemption of state laws affecting transportation.
Bankruptcy and IP. It represents equipment lenders and lessors in transportation bankruptcies and handles patents, trademarks and unfair competition matters for trucking and logistics companies.
Who it is for
Clark Hill's practice is built mainly for motor carriers and their insurers that need accident response and liability defense, along with the contract and regulatory work that goes with running a fleet. Owner-operators and fleets that lease on owner-operators can use the contract and classification work.
Brokers can use the firm for broker-carrier agreements and freight charge collections. Equipment lenders and lessors with trucking customers in financial trouble can use the bankruptcy team.
How working with them works
The firm does not publish fees on its website. For accident response, the practice describes a 24/7 national emergency line and teams that go to the scene. For other matters, engagement typically starts with a conflict check and an engagement letter.
The practice page says its attorneys hold leadership roles in the ABA Commercial Transportation Litigation Committee, the Transportation Lawyers Association, the Trucking Industry Defense Association and the American Trucking Associations, and that the firm draws on investigators and outside industry advisors and subject matter experts.
For non-emergency work, a good first step is to send the team your current contract set, such as your broker-carrier agreement, owner-operator lease and shipper terms, and ask for a scoped review. The practice page says it reviews these agreements periodically, so ask whether it offers a recurring review on a set schedule and how that is priced.
Questions to ask before you sign
How does your accident response work in practice? Ask for the emergency number, typical response times in the states where you run, and whether your insurer must approve the firm first.
Do you represent my insurer, a competitor or the other party in my matter? Ask for a conflict check, especially if your insurer assigns defense counsel.
How do you bill: hourly, flat fee for contract reviews, or under insurer billing guidelines for defense work?
Which states are your attorneys licensed in, and how do you handle a crash or lawsuit in a state where you have no office?
For brokers: can you review my broker-carrier agreement for cargo liability limits and indemnity terms, and handle collection of unpaid freight charges?
Company background
Clark Hill's About page says the firm was founded in 1890 and has more than 800 attorneys and professionals in 30 offices across the United States, Ireland and Mexico. Its Chambers USA profile lists the head office at 500 Woodward Avenue in Detroit and names John Hensien as chief executive officer.
The Transportation and Logistics practice is supported by the firm's national litigation group, intellectual property attorneys, bankruptcy attorneys and investigators.
Sources
Information compiled from public sources. Last verified November 2026. Confirm details directly with the company.
