Overview

Stefania Gismondi is a Shareholder and a member of the General Litigation Practice Group in the Southfield office. Her practice includes:

• Representing and defending parties and businesses in insurance coverage disputes
• Managing and resolving first and third party no-fault automobile claims
• Defending against claims for uninsured/underinsured motorist benefits
• Advising insurance institutions on administrative and compliance matters under the regulatory framework imposed by Michigan's Insurance Code and the DIFS
• Insurance and liability issues and trends regarding autonomous vehicles

On most days she is handling one or more motion hearings, pre-trial conferences, depositions, case evaluations, or preparing for settlement conferences or trial. 

Prior to joining Foster Swift, Stefania represented individuals in a broad range of legal disputes, including first and third party automobile claims, general negligence claims, and premises liability claims. She also represented medical providers.

During law school, Stefania was recruited and selected as an intern by the Chief Judge, Gerald Rosen, of the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan. She also separately interned for Magistrate Judge Paul Komives of the Eastern District.

Stefania is fluent in Italian and proficient in French. She enjoyed using her language skills when she attended the Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne in Paris, France through a special program for U.S. law students run by Cornell Law School. Today, she keeps her Italian and French sharp through family, friends, colleagues, and international travel. She also enjoys learning about wines and cuisines of different cultures.

Honors & Recognitions

Affiliations

Memberships & Affiliations

Legal Affiliations:

• State Bar of Michigan
  • Negligence Law Section
  • Insurance Indemnity Law Section
  • Litigation Section
• Italian American Bar Association of Michigan
  • Board Member, Secretary, Present
  • Board Member, Treasurer, 2023-2024
• American Bar Association
  • Litigation Section
• Oakland County Bar Association
  • Oakland County Bar Foundation Fellow
• Detroit Bar Association
  • Inn of Court Member 2016-2018
• Women Lawyers Association of Michigan
  • Women Bar Association, Oakland County, Member

Community Affiliations:

• Ross Alumni Club of Southeast Michigan
• University of Michigan Alumni Association
• Dante Alighieri Society of Michigan

Experience

Representative Matters

• Co-chaired a first party no-fault jury trial in Wayne County Circuit Court which resulted in a verdict in favor of the client
• Drafted, argued, and secured summary disposition in favor of an insurance company where the Court held that the claimant’s alleged injuries of over $1,000,000 were unrelated to the motor vehicle accident
• Drafted and argued a winning appeal that reversed the trial court’s denial of a motion for summary disposition and resulted in a dismissal based on the claimants’ lack of standing to file the lawsuit
• Drafted, argued, and secured summary disposition in favor of an insurance company where the Court determined that another carrier was higher in priority to pay the claims
• Drafted, argued, and secured summary disposition in favor of an insurance company on claims exceeding $200,000 where the injured parties sued the wrong company

Communications

Publications

• Autonomous Vehicles: Who Should be Liable for Accidents Involving Them?, State Bar of Michigan - The Journal of Insurance and Indemnity Law, July 25, 2021
• A Practical Approach to Preserving and Asserting No-Fault Fraud Defenses in the Wake of Haydaw, Fortson and Glasker-Davis, State Bar of Michigan (SBM): The Journal of Insurance and Indemnity Law, September 2, 2020
• Summary of Glasker-Davis, Foster Swift Litigation News Update E-blast, September 2, 2020
• Summary of Meemic v Fortson, Foster Swift Litigation News Update E-blast, September 2, 2020
• What the New Michigan No-Fault Laws Mean for Employees Injured in Accidents while Occupying an Employer-Owned Vehicle, Foster Swift Agricultural Law News, June 3, 2020

News & Events

Speaking Engagements

• 2019 No-Fault Reforms in Focus - Q & A, Insurance Alliance of Michigan (IAM) Claims Seminar
• Who is Liable When No One is Behind the Wheel?, Foster Swift 2nd Wednesday Morning Break, February 9, 2022
• Autonomous Vehicles: Who is Liable?, Insurance Alliance of Michigan, September 20, 2021

News

• Seven Foster Swift Attorneys Listed as Best Lawyers® "Ones to Watch" 2025, Best Lawyers in America, August 15, 2024
• Preparing Women Business Leaders for 2024 Legal Challenges, Meltwater Newswire, February 20, 2024
• Foster Swift Best Lawyers® 2024 "Ones to Watch", Best Lawyers in America, August 17, 2023
• Foster Swift Best Lawyers® 2023 "Ones to Watch", Best Lawyers in America, August 18, 2022
• New Virtual Program Addresses Legal Strategies for Women Business Leaders, Michigan Business Network, March 28, 2022
• Foster Swift Best Lawyers® 2022 "Ones to Watch", August 19, 2021
• Foster Swift Attorneys Named Best Lawyers® 2021 "Ones to Watch", August 20, 2020

Media

2nd Wednesday Lunch Break

Who is Liable When No One is Behind the Wheel?