Amanda M Ghannam

Amanda M. Ghannam is a Detroit-based attorney representing workers in employment disputes, whistleblowers, survivors of sexual abuse, and victims of police misconduct in negotiations and lawsuits in state and federal court. Amanda specializes in advocacy for clients experiencing discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in the workplace. She has secured numerous settlements for clients who were wrongfully terminated and has a record of success defending employees accused of breaching non-competition agreements.

Amanda also has years of experience representing victims and survivors of sexual assault, abuse, and harassment, including with cases involving former Olympic sports doctor Larry Nassar. Amanda approaches her cases with a combination of expertise, compassion, and fierce advocacy to help her clients obtain not just compensation, but accountability and closure.

In 2020, Amanda and her co-counsel obtained a historic federal restraining order injunction prohibiting the Detroit Police Department from using excessive force against Black Lives Matter protestors. The case, Detroit Will Breathe, et al. v. City of Detroit, et al., resulted in a $1.03-million-dollar judgment in favor of Amanda's clients.

Amanda earned her Juris Doctor with a specialization in Labor, Work, and Income from Northeastern University School of Law in Boston, Massachusetts. During her time at Northeastern, she worked at the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, interned for the Eastern District of Michigan's Honorable Victoria Roberts, and clerked at two Boston labor and employment firms. Amanda joined NachtLaw in 2018 and manages the firm's Detroit office.

Northeastern University School of Law

J.D. (2018) | Labor, Work, and Income

2015 - 2018

Honors: Full Tuition Merit Scholarship

Activities: Texas Young Lawyers Association National Trial Competition Student Bar Association Teaching Assistant to Professor Jessica Silbey (Constitutional Law) Research Assistant to Professor Margaret Russell

Attorney

NachtLaw, P.C.

2018 - Current

Attorney specializing in plaintiff-side employment and civil rights litigation.

Law Clerk

Hirsch Roberts Weinstein LLP

2017 - 2018

- Researched and wrote legal memoranda regarding issues arising in management-side employment practice (including cutting-edge noncompete and trade secret issues; employer background check and equal opportunity employment policies; anti-harassment training guidelines; and wage-and-hour claims). - Attended and presented at client trainings and seminars. - Wrote motions in Superior Court proceedings. - Wrote position statements in state agency proceedings.

Law Clerk

Sandulli Grace, P.C.

2017 - 2017

- Researched and wrote legal memoranda on issues arising in union-side labor and employment law, including race discrimination, sexual harassment, accommodation of disabled employees, arbitration of employee discipline, collective bargaining, and constitutionality of agency fees, public employee retirement, FMLA leave, and more. - Attended labor arbitrations, agency proceedings, and contract negotiations. - Wrote motions in state agency proceedings and post-hearing arbitration briefs.

Judicial Intern to Judge Victoria A. Roberts

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

2016 - 2017

- Researched a wide range of legal issues arising at the federal trial level, including intellectual property, First Amendment gender discrimination, First Amendment retaliation, and garnishment of wages as restitution in criminal cases. - Wrote legal memoranda and drafted judicial opinions, including rulings on motions in limine during trial. - Edited jury instructions and helped negotiate agreements between parties on jury instructions & verdict forms pre-trial. - Observed court proceedings including motion and plea hearings, sentencings, and trials.

Legal Intern

Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination

2016 - 2016

- Interviewed complainants and filed lawsuits under Massachusetts state anti-discrimination laws. - Investigated active employment discrimination cases by requesting information from complainants, respondents, and attorneys, reviewing all the evidence, and deciding whether each case met the standard for a probable cause finding. - Wrote investigative dispositions after concluding investigations. - Researched and drafted legal memoranda on novel legal issues.

National Arab American Bar Association

Current

State Bar of Michigan  # P83065

Member

Current

Women Lawyers Association of Michigan

Member

2018 - Current

Michigan Association for Justice

Member

2018 - Current

National Employment Lawyers Association

Member

2018 - Current

Michigan

State Bar of Michigan

ID Number: P83065

Federal District Court for the Central District of Illinois

Federal District Court for the Northern District of Indiana

Federal District Court for the Northern District of Ohio

Employment Law

Employment Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, Whistleblower, Wrongful Termination

Civil Rights

Discrimination, Employment, Police Misconduct

Education Law