Deborah Brouwer

Deborah Brouwer

recognized lawyers icon Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2021
Awarded Practice Areas
Employment Law - Management Labor Law - Management Litigation - Labor and Employment
Awarded Practice Areas
Employment Law - Management Labor Law - Management Litigation - Labor and Employment
Deborah Brouwer
Deborah Brouwer
Detroit, MI
Works at
Nemeth Bonnette Brouwer PC

4 Best Lawyers awards

Nemeth Bonnette Brouwer PC logo

Biography

Ms. Brouwer practices exclusively in labor and employment law, with particular experience in the defense of lawsuits against employers, including claims of race, age, religion, national origin, gender and disability discrimination, harassment and retaliation, as well as FLSA, FMLA and non-competition suits. She also provides harassment training and conducts discrimination and harassment investigations for employers. She has extensive experience in appearing before administrative agencies, including the EEOC, MDCR, MIOSHA, OSHA and the NLRB. She also appears frequently before the Michigan Court of Appeals and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Before joining Nemeth Law in 2004, Ms. Brouwer served as general counsel for the UAW Legal Services Plans, an employee benefit plan funded by the automobile companies to provide prepaid legal services to eligible auto workers. In that capacity, she defended labor, employment and ERISA claims, as well as legal malpractice suits. She also headed that firm’s appellate practice.

Ms. Brouwer earned her Bachelor of Arts and Master’s degrees from the University of Michigan, where she studied history and English literature. She received a Juris Doctor degree from Wayne State University Law School in 1980. She co-authored the Wayne Law Review’s Annual Survey of Employment and Labor Law from 2005-2010 and 2012, 2014-2015, 2019, and frequently presents seminars on emerging employment law issues. These combined experiences have allowed Ms. Brouwer to develop exceptional writing and advocacy skills, which she now employs to provide effective and successful representation to her clients.

Works at
Nemeth Bonnette Brouwer PC

4 Best Lawyers awards

Nemeth Bonnette Brouwer PC logo

Locations

Education

  • Wayne State University, Juris Doctor, (J.D.), graduated 1980
  • University of Michigan, Master of Arts (M.A.), graduated 1975
  • University of Michigan, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), with distinction, graduated 1973

Bar Admissions

  • Michigan, 1982

Court Admissions

  • Michigan State Courts
  • Eastern District of Michigan
  • Western District of Michigan
  • Second, Fifth and Sixth Court of Appeals
  • United States Supreme Court

Affiliations

  • State Bar of Michigan, Labor and Employment Law Section; Appellate Practice Section - Member
  • American Bar Association, Litigation Section - Member
  • Board of Directors, Michigan Defense Trial Counsel - President
  • Board of Directors, Assured Family Services - Chair
  • Board of Trustees, Luella Hannan Memorial Foundation - Chair
  • Michigan Supreme Court Historical Society/Advocates Guild - Member
  • DRI - Member

Client Testimonials

Awards & Focus

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
  • Employment Law - Management
  • Labor Law - Management
  • Litigation - Labor and Employment
Awards:
  • Michigan Super Lawyers, Employment Litigation-Defense
  • Leading Lawyers, Employment Management
  • Michigan Defense Trial Counsel, Anita Comorski Volunteer Award, 2022
  • Michigan Go To Lawyer in Business Law, Michigan Lawyers Weekly, 2020
  • Crain's Notable Women In Law
  • DBusiness Top Lawyer: Appellate Law
  • Class of 2018 "Women in the Law," Michigan Lawyers Weekly

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