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Jonathan R. Marko
Part of the Marko Law team in downtown Detroit, fighting every day for clients across Michigan.
The largest single-plaintiff verdict in Michigan history
The largest premises-liability verdict in Michigan history
The largest race-discrimination verdict in Michigan history
The largest uninsured-motorist verdict in Michigan history
The largest loss-of-consortium verdict in Michigan history
The second-largest religious-accommodation and discrimination verdict in world history
The second-largest civil verdict of any kind in Michigan history
The largest correctional-healthcare verdict in world history
Jonathan Marko knew that he wanted to be a lawyer for as long as he can remember. As a little boy, he was always being told by his teachers and authority figures to use his inside voice because he was too loud; to not argue with opinions that he didn't agree with; and to always follow the rules, even if they didn't make any sense. These traits that got Jon in so much trouble when he was younger are what make him a great attorney today.
The Path to Trial Law
| Stage | Experience |
|---|---|
| Aquinas College | Bachelor's in history at a small Catholic liberal arts school in Grand Rapids |
| American University | Law school; active in trial advocacy and graduated in the top 10 percent of his class |
| Washington, D.C. | Clerked for Maryland Circuit Court Judge Michael Mason and worked on Capitol Hill, lobbying for the interests of Michiganders |
| Michigan Supreme Court | Worked under Chief Justice Marilyn Kelly, exclusively on appeals |
| Trial Training | Trained under renowned trial attorneys Geoffrey Fieger and Ven Johnson |
| Marko Law | Founding attorney of a Detroit-based firm taking on some of the toughest cases in the state |
Although the cloistered environment of the Michigan Supreme Court did not involve the trial advocacy that Jonathan desired, it was there that he was able to pursue intellectual legal issues and help shape and form the law of the state of Michigan. Jon's appellate experience gives him a unique background in his practice today.
A Legacy of Justice
Today, Jonathan Marko is one of Michigan's top trial lawyers and the founding attorney of Marko Law, a Detroit-based firm known for taking on some of the toughest, most high-profile cases in the state. His practice covers personal injury, civil rights, employment, whistleblower, and catastrophic injury litigation: cases where the stakes are high and justice matters most.
Record-Setting Results
Under Jon's leadership, Marko Law has built a record of results that places him among Michigan's most accomplished trial attorneys. Each verdict represents a client whose life, livelihood, family, or constitutional rights were placed in the hands of a jury, and a legal team willing to take the case all the way.
| Verdict | Case | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| ~$896.5 Million | Catastrophic injuries during a vehicle demonstration at Continental's Auburn Hills test track | New benchmark for a single-plaintiff verdict in Michigan |
| $307.6 Million | Federal civil-rights case involving the denial of necessary medical care in a correctional setting | Constitutional protections do not stop at prison walls |
| $76.7 Million | Explosion at a Kroger facility that caused life-altering injuries to a worker | Largest premises-liability award in Michigan history |
| $2.066 Million | Claim of the victim's father, from the Continental test track incident | Largest bystander claim verdict in Michigan history |
These results span catastrophic personal injury, premises liability, employment discrimination, civil rights, insurance disputes, and correctional healthcare litigation. The Continental verdict demonstrated what can happen when a trial team combines years of investigation, expert testimony, lifetime-care planning, and relentless courtroom preparation.
Awards and Recognition
| Recognition | Year | Organization |
|---|---|---|
| "Go To Lawyer", Negligence Law (only 23 lawyers recognized) | 2023 | Michigan Lawyers Weekly |
| Employment & Discrimination Law Trailblazer | 2023 | National Law Journal |
| Plaintiff's Attorney Trailblazer | 2023 | National Law Journal |
| "Section of The Year Award" for leading the Civil Rights Section | 2023 | Detroit Bar Association |
| "Go To Lawyer", Employment Law (only 20 lawyers recognized) | 2021 | Michigan Lawyers Weekly |
| Appointed to Board of Directors | 2020 | Detroit Bar Association |
| Named "Lifetime Fellow" | 2020 | Detroit Bar Association |
| "President's Award" for Civil Rights Work, its most prestigious award | 2018 | Detroit Bar Association |
| Nationally recognized "Super Lawyer" | 2012 to 2024 | Super Lawyers |
- Chair of the Civil Rights Section of the Detroit Bar Association
- Selected to serve on the State Bar Law Related Education & Public Outreach Committee
- Michigan Lawyers Weekly Leader in the Law
- Fellow of the Michigan State Bar Foundation, an honor reserved for less than 5% of Michigan attorneys
Beyond the Courtroom
Jon frequently appears on FOX 2 Detroit as a legal expert, hosts the Cases Gone Wild podcast, and speaks at major legal conferences, including the Michigan Trial Lawyers Summit, where he shares his insights on advocacy, justice, and the future of the law.
Jon's philosophy is simple: the law should protect people, not power.
His dedication to his clients, his community, and the courtroom has built not just a career, but a legacy of justice that continues to make an impact across Michigan and beyond.
Jonathan Marko knew that he wanted to be a lawyer for as long as he can remember. As a little boy, he was always being told by his teachers and authority figures to use his inside voice because he was too loud; to not argue with opinions that he didn't agree with; and to always follow the rules, even if they didn't make any sense. These traits that got Jon in so much trouble when he was younger are what make him a great attorney today.
The Path to Trial Law
| Stage | Experience |
|---|---|
| Aquinas College | Bachelor's in history at a small Catholic liberal arts school in Grand Rapids |
| American University | Law school; active in trial advocacy and graduated in the top 10 percent of his class |
| Washington, D.C. | Clerked for Maryland Circuit Court Judge Michael Mason and worked on Capitol Hill, lobbying for the interests of Michiganders |
| Michigan Supreme Court | Worked under Chief Justice Marilyn Kelly, exclusively on appeals |
| Trial Training | Trained under renowned trial attorneys Geoffrey Fieger and Ven Johnson |
| Marko Law | Founding attorney of a Detroit-based firm taking on some of the toughest cases in the state |
Although the cloistered environment of the Michigan Supreme Court did not involve the trial advocacy that Jonathan desired, it was there that he was able to pursue intellectual legal issues and help shape and form the law of the state of Michigan. Jon's appellate experience gives him a unique background in his practice today.
A Legacy of Justice
Today, Jonathan Marko is one of Michigan's top trial lawyers and the founding attorney of Marko Law, a Detroit-based firm known for taking on some of the toughest, most high-profile cases in the state. His practice covers personal injury, civil rights, employment, whistleblower, and catastrophic injury litigation: cases where the stakes are high and justice matters most.
Record-Setting Results
Under Jon's leadership, Marko Law has built a record of results that places him among Michigan's most accomplished trial attorneys. Each verdict represents a client whose life, livelihood, family, or constitutional rights were placed in the hands of a jury, and a legal team willing to take the case all the way.
| Verdict | Case | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| ~$896.5 Million | Catastrophic injuries during a vehicle demonstration at Continental's Auburn Hills test track | New benchmark for a single-plaintiff verdict in Michigan |
| $307.6 Million | Federal civil-rights case involving the denial of necessary medical care in a correctional setting | Constitutional protections do not stop at prison walls |
| $76.7 Million | Explosion at a Kroger facility that caused life-altering injuries to a worker | Largest premises-liability award in Michigan history |
| $2.066 Million | Claim of the victim's father, from the Continental test track incident | Largest bystander claim verdict in Michigan history |
These results span catastrophic personal injury, premises liability, employment discrimination, civil rights, insurance disputes, and correctional healthcare litigation. The Continental verdict demonstrated what can happen when a trial team combines years of investigation, expert testimony, lifetime-care planning, and relentless courtroom preparation.
Awards and Recognition
| Recognition | Year | Organization |
|---|---|---|
| "Go To Lawyer", Negligence Law (only 23 lawyers recognized) | 2023 | Michigan Lawyers Weekly |
| Employment & Discrimination Law Trailblazer | 2023 | National Law Journal |
| Plaintiff's Attorney Trailblazer | 2023 | National Law Journal |
| "Section of The Year Award" for leading the Civil Rights Section | 2023 | Detroit Bar Association |
| "Go To Lawyer", Employment Law (only 20 lawyers recognized) | 2021 | Michigan Lawyers Weekly |
| Appointed to Board of Directors | 2020 | Detroit Bar Association |
| Named "Lifetime Fellow" | 2020 | Detroit Bar Association |
| "President's Award" for Civil Rights Work, its most prestigious award | 2018 | Detroit Bar Association |
| Nationally recognized "Super Lawyer" | 2012 to 2024 | Super Lawyers |
- Chair of the Civil Rights Section of the Detroit Bar Association
- Selected to serve on the State Bar Law Related Education & Public Outreach Committee
- Michigan Lawyers Weekly Leader in the Law
- Fellow of the Michigan State Bar Foundation, an honor reserved for less than 5% of Michigan attorneys
Beyond the Courtroom
Jon frequently appears on FOX 2 Detroit as a legal expert, hosts the Cases Gone Wild podcast, and speaks at major legal conferences, including the Michigan Trial Lawyers Summit, where he shares his insights on advocacy, justice, and the future of the law.
Jon's philosophy is simple: the law should protect people, not power.
His dedication to his clients, his community, and the courtroom has built not just a career, but a legacy of justice that continues to make an impact across Michigan and beyond.
Michigan
Supreme Court of the United States
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
U.S. District Court, District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.)
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, South Dakota, State Courts of California & Colorado (Pro Hac Vice)
- Lowrey v LMPS & LMPJ, Inc, 313 Mich App 500, 503; 885 NW2d 638 (2015)
- Cahoo v SAS Analytics Inc, 912 F3d 887, 892 (CA 6, 2019)
- West v Dep’t of Natural Resources, NW2d; 2020 Mich. App. LEXIS 5069, at *1 (Ct App, Aug. 6, 2020)
- Sexton v. Cernuto, 18 F.4th 177 (6th Cir. 2021)
- Miller v. Mich. Dep't of Corr., No. 356430, 2022 Mich. App. LEXIS 5095 (Ct. App. Aug. 25, 2022), lv granted Miller v Dep't of Corrections, 511 Mich 860 (2023)
- Nugent v. Spectrum Juv. Just. Servs., 72 F.4th 135 (6th Cir. 2023)
Action (Settled For $490 Million)
Bar Association
done as head of the Civil Rights Section
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