Ebony L. Duff Appointed Chair of Garan’s Executive Committee

Detroit, Michigan – Garan is pleased to announce that Ebony L. Duff has been named Chair of the firm’s Executive Committee. She is Garan’s first female chair. 

Ebony works in the Detroit, MI, office and practices municipal and employment law. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys, The Library Network, and the Grosse Pointe Chamber of Commerce. Ebony is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, the Michigan Trial Lawyers Association, the Association of Defense Trial Counsel, the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association, the National Association of Insurance Women, and the Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys. 

Timothy Jordan, the previous chairperson, will continue to be a member of the Executive Committee. He is in the Detroit, MI, office and specializes in maritime, construction, and IP law. Timothy is a board member of the Michigan Judo Development Association and is a member of The Maritime Law Association of the United States.  

“While challenging at times, it has been a privilege and honor to have been entrusted by my partners to serve as the Firm’s Chair to help guide Garan during these post-COVID years as we, like many businesses, found it necessary to adapt and modify our business model,” said Timothy. “With Garan on a solid foundation, it is with great pleasure that we pass the baton to Ms. Ebony Duff and wish her well as she leads us into the next 75 years.” 

Ebony is one of three women on the five-person committee, serving alongside Stacey L. King and Tara L. Velting.  

Stacey, also in the firm’s Detroit office, practices automobile no-fault and negligence law. She is a member of the Women’s Lawyer Association of Michigan, the Women’s Bar Association in Oakland County, the Association of Defense Trial Counsel, and the Negligence Section of the State Bar of Michigan. 

Tara is the managing partner of the firm’s Grand Rapids office. She handles a wide range of civil defense claims and litigation, in addition to maintaining a probate and estate practice. Tara was recently honored as one of the Michigan Lawyers Weekly 2024 Influential Women of Law. She belongs to the State Bar of Michigan and is active in the Grand Rapids bar. Tara was recently appointed by the Kent County Circuit Court Chief Judge to serve on the Circuit Court’s ADR Oversight Committee in Kent County.

Additionally, Fredrick Plumb is a member of the committee. He is in the Detroit office and practices general tort litigation. Rick was honored in the 2024 Michigan Lawyers Weekly Hall of Fame and is a member of The American Board of Trial Advocacy (ABOTA).  

At Garan, we know that diversity makes us more effective, and our Executive Committee brings a rich tapestry of perspectives, experiences, and insights to the table. We look forward to a productive and successful year with our Executive Committee.  

About Garan  

With over 50 attorneys located throughout the Great Lakes Region, Garan provides quality legal representation on a personalized basis. Our attorneys are exceptionally knowledgeable, experienced, and diverse, bringing a variety of perspectives, experiences, backgrounds, talents, and interests to the practice of law. 

Garan was founded in Michigan in 1948, primarily focused on auto negligence and premises liability law.  Over the years, Garan has expanded into a full-service law firm with attorneys who have extensive experience in virtually every area of tort litigation defense in Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois.