Christensen Law founder Dave Christensen and managing partner Sarah Stempky-Kime have both been named to the Michigan Legal 250 in the Personal Injury category, Michigan Lawyers Weekly announced. The program is the publication's premier recognition of the most influential and accomplished attorneys across the state, honoring lawyers across dozens of practice areas for their impact on clients and the profession. The dual recognition marks the second time both leaders of the Southfield-based firm have been singled out by Michigan Lawyers Weekly, which inducted Christensen into the inaugural class of its Hall of Fame in 2021 and named Stempky-Kime a Leader in the Law.
A recognized authority on Michigan No-Fault law and complex traumatic brain injury litigation, Christensen has tried more than 60 jury trials over his three-decade career, including a $17.8 million verdict for a non-fatal crash that stood as a state record at the time. This year's honor places them among a select group of personal injury attorneys the publication identified as shaping outcomes for injured clients across Michigan. The recognition matters because it signals to clients and peers which attorneys are driving the field forward, particularly in a state where No-Fault law and catastrophic injury litigation remain fiercely contested.
Christensen, who founded the firm 16 years ago, said the recognition means more because he's sharing it with Stempky-Kime, who joined him early in the firm's history and has since risen to managing partner. "Being recognized among Michigan's Top 250 attorneys is a tremendous honor, but sharing it with Sarah makes it especially meaningful. Over the last 16 years I have watched her become an exceptional trial lawyer and leader, and I could not be prouder of what she and our entire team have accomplished for our clients."
Christensen also has worked to advance access to justice in Michigan and nationally, advocating to protect the No-Fault system, jury-trial rights and fair compensation for injury victims. He led the modernization of Michigan's civil discovery rules and served on the national Civil Justice Improvements Committee, helping develop model reforms to make state courts more efficient and accessible. He has chaired the State Bar of Michigan's Negligence Section and served more than 20 years on the Executive Board of the Michigan Association for Justice. His individual honor is detailed on the Dave Christensen profile page, while Stempky-Kime's recognition appears on the Sarah Stempky-Kime profile page. The full Michigan Legal 250 list was published for this year's honorees.
Christensen Law represents clients across Michigan in traumatic brain injury, wrongful death and motor vehicle accident cases, with offices in Detroit, Southfield, Ann Arbor, Troy and Grand Rapids. The firm has built its reputation on large verdicts and settlements for catastrophically injured clients, along with a practice culture the firm says is grounded in direct client contact throughout a case. More information about the firm and its attorneys is available at Christensen Law.
The Michigan Legal 250 designation carries weight beyond prestige: it highlights attorneys whose courtroom records and advocacy shape how injury claims are resolved in Michigan. For Christensen Law, having two of its leaders on the list reinforces its standing as a firm that not only secures top results but also influences the legal landscape through reform and leadership. As the publication's premier recognition, the honor also offers a signal to prospective clients navigating complex injury cases, pointing to attorneys with a proven track record of protecting victims' rights and securing fair compensation.
