Thursday Profile: Stephen Sinas

Stephen H. Sinas is a shareholder in Sinas, Dramis, Brake, Boughton & McIntyre, P.C. He concentrates his practice on cases involving the Michigan No-Fault Auto Insurance Law, personal injury cases and constitutional rights cases. He has successfully litigated cases in state and federal courts across Michigan, and handled cases at the Michigan Court of Appeals and Michigan Supreme Court.

Sinas currently teaches the Michigan No-Fault Auto Insurance Law course as an adjunct professor at MSU Law.  He has given numerous lectures and published various legal articles.
He serves as a member of the Executive Board of the Michigan Association for Justice, and is also a member of the State Bar of Michigan’s Character and Fitness Committee.  He has been named a Super Lawyer in the field of Plaintiff’s Personal Injury each year since 2013. 

Sinas received his undergrad degree from the University of Michigan and his law degree from Wayne State University Law School.

By Sheila Pursglove
Legal News

Residence: East Lansing

What is your most treasured material possession? A ring that is over 100 years old, originally owned by my great-great-grandfather.

What advice do you have for someone considering law school? Don’t go because you cannot think of a better graduate school.  Do it because you can see yourself pursuing a career as an attorney.  Also, always make time for exercise.  You need to have an active body in order to balance the mental stress of law school or the legal profession.

Favorite local hangouts: Soup Spoon Café, Hopcat, and any place my son wants to go

Favorite websites: www.npr.org, www.vox.com, www.newser.com

Favorite app:  Spotify – it allows me listen to (just about) any music at any time and (just about) anywhere – what is better than that?

Favorite CD: I like all kinds of music, but I would have to say Miles Davis’ “Kind of Blue,”  an album of musical perfection. 

What is your happiest childhood memory? Receiving my admission letter to the University of Michigan.

What would surprise people about your job?
It would be a tie between how much free work I end up doing for people and the amount of things a litigator has to worry about.

What do you wish someone would invent?
We have enough technology. What we really need is for people to come up with more ways to limit human suffering and injustice. 

What has been your favorite year so far? I like to think it’s always the year I am currently in. 

What’s your most typical mood? Contemplative and hopeful.

Why did you become a lawyer?  I enjoy helping people find fair and reasonable solutions to their problems.

What are the most awe-inspiring places you’ve been? The Greek Islands and the Hawaiian island of Kauai. 

How did you spend a recent weekend? Attended my goddaughter’s high school graduation dinner in Chicago, went for a long run, and hung out with my son, wife and family.  And, of course, worked…..

If you could trade places with someone for a day, who would that be? An astronaut in space.

If you could have one super power, what would it be? To never suffer any physical or mental decline or deterioration until the moment I die. 

What would you say to your 16-year-old self? You were right about some things but wrong about more. 

What’s your proudest moment as a lawyer? Becoming a partner at my firm.

Favorite joke: Did you hear the story about three holes in the ground? Well, well, well…

What do you do to relax?
Play with my son.  Long-distance running and swimming. Listen to music.

How would you describe your home? Pretty chill and full of love.

If you were starting again and couldn’t go into law, what career path would you choose?
Computer science or entrepreneur. 

What’s your biggest regret? Any time in my life  I failed to express proper gratitude to someone who helped me in some way.

What word(s) do you overuse? “You know.”   

What is something most people don’t know about you?
This October, I will run my 7th marathon when I run the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington D.C., and raise money for the Azalea Charities’ Aid for Wounded Warriors. My fundraising page is https://fundraising.active.com/fundraiser/StephenSinas2
 
If you could have dinner with three people, living or dead, who would they be?
My late grandfather, Thomas G. Sinas; Greek author Nikos Kazanstakis; Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall.

What’s the best advice you ever received?
With anything in life, what you get out of it always depends upon what you put into it. 

If you can help it, where will you never return? The emergency room.   

What do you drive? 
2007 Toyota Prius.

What would you drive if money were no object? Tesla roadster or some other luxury electric car.

Favorite place to spend money: Going out for dinner and a night out with my wife, Heidi.

What is your motto? Strength and honor.

What would you like carved onto your tombstone? He tried his best and his heart was full of love.

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