Professional Irony Weinstein family relative's legal expertise is representing victims of drunk drivers. RONELLE GRIER Special to the Jewish News A ttorney Barry LaKritz prides himself on advocating for his clients as if they were mem- bers of his own family. But if the Bloomfield Hills litigator is asked to take legal action on behalf of Gary Weinstein, whose wife, Judy, was killed along with their two sons, Alex, 12, and Sam, 9, on May 3 by a motorist police say was intoxicated — this standard will take on new, literal meaning. LaKritz has known the Weinstein family since he married Gary's first cousin, Cheryl, 36 years ago. Gary and Cheryl's late fathers, Fred and Hyman Weinstein, respectively, were brothers. Ironically, LaKritz, who has a private practice, spe- cializes in cases involving dramshop law, which addresses the liability of bars or restaurants that serve alcohol to a person who is visibly intoxicated and who causes the death or injury of someone else. "It is ironic that I'm a member of the family and that my specialty is so very much on point," La Kritz said. "I feel good about helping Gary, I feel energized. We will leave no stone unturned in making sure that those who are responsible pay for this horrific loss." "There are many wrinkles in dramshop litigation," he said. "You need someone who is very familiar with the territory." Several law professors contacted agreed this area of law is complex and that it's difficult to teach because each case has to be evaluated on individual circumstances. LaKritz learned his way around this area of law when he began practicing 32 years ago, representing bars and lounges in liquor liability cases. He now represents victims who have suf- fered serious injuries or death, many of which involve alcohol-related acci- dents. "In the case of a bar or a party store, there is what we call 'strict liability,"' said LaKritz. "Anyone who serves or sells liquor to a minor or to someone who is visibly intoxicated is liable if that person hurts or kills a third party. Workplace liability is more complicat- ed. It depends on what the employer knew and when they knew it, how long-standing the problem was." A GMC Denali SUV struck the Honda Accord driven by Judy Weinstein from behind as she waited to make a left turn into the parking lot of the family orthodontist on 12 Mile Road, just east of Orchard Lake Road. Judy and Alex were killed instantly, while Sam was thrown from the vehi- cle and died shortly thereafter. Thomas Wellinger, the driver of the Denali, remains in Beaumont Hospital recov- ering from injuries he sustained in the accident. According to LaKritz, Wellinger's activities on that fatal day are still unclear. It has not yet been deter- mined when and where he consumed the alcohol, or whether or not his employer was aware of his condition when he left work. LaKritz requests that anyone with information contact him at his Bloomfield Hills office. "At this point, we're still evaluating our options regarding the identity of those parties who might be liable in a civil lawsuit," he said. "We're waiting to see how the criminal case plays out." A preliminary examination of the felony charges facing Wellinger is scheduled for June 15 before Judge James Brady in the 47th District Court in Farmington Hills. LaKritz believes that the civil case will have a far-reaching impact, not just locally but nationally as well. What Is The Impact? "What makes this case so unusual is the combination of the very high blood alcohol content of the driver and the absolute innocence of the vic- tims," LaKritz said. "On a psychological level, people are waiting for the other shoe to drop, to find out what part the victims played in the accident. People don't want to believe something can happen so ran- -.0111110" A New Dean Cohen JAMD welcomes a homegrown addition to its sta SHELLI LIEBMAN DORFMAN StaffWriter R 4121 5/26 2005 14 osalie Cohen will have a busy summer. She'll be leaving her job as principal of Dominican High School and Academy in Detroit to begin Aug. 1 as dean of academics at the Jewish Academy of Metropolitan Detroit in West Bloomfield. "Coming to the Jewish Academy is like coming home," she said. "This is my community. My two daughters attended Hillel Day School [of Metropolitan Detroit], and if the Jewish Academy had been here when they were ready for it, this is where I would have wanted them to be." Cohen will succeed the school's current dean, Dr. Helene Kalson Cohen, who will move to Washington, D.C. this summer. "Rosalie will be a worthy successor who will ensure that Cohen has been prin- cipal at Dominican Helene Cohen's outstand- ing work will continue to since 1998 and was a social studies teacher thrive," wrote JAMD Head there for 13 years before of School Rabbi Lee that. The school will Buckman in an e-bulletin close in June. sent to the school's parents. "At Dominican, stu- "Rosalie is an experienced dents describe her as fair and organized high school and fun," Rabbi administrator who will make Buckman wrote. an easy transition into our, Rosalie C ohen 'Administrators attribute school. Her current duties to Rosalie the transforma- cover all aspects of the aca- tion of the school from an academi- demic side of a small faith-based col- cally second-rate Catholic school to lege preparatory school, including one where every student (all minori- scheduling, accreditation, teacher supervision, parent concerns, student ties) now goes to a college of her choice. It is exciting to think of all academic advising and curriculum the new time-tested ideas and valu- development."