History of Law Firm

Hamilton, McDonald & Carter, PLLC
2750 South State Street
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104
Phone: (734) 769-8570
Fax: (734) 769-6904
Email hmclaw@sbcglobal.net

This Law Firm began with the blood, sweat, and tears of Vanzetti M. Hamilton, when he opened an office in Ypsilanti, MI in 1956, occupying some three locations in the Ypsilanti Area.  Mr. Hamilton built a very lucrative practice serving clientele primarily in Washtenaw, Wayne,  Monroe and Oakland counties.  Mr. Hamilton was a very popular gentleman who gave unselfishly of himself to his church, family and community, while also operating a very thriving law practice.

In 1968, Frederick L. McDonald became associated with Vanzetti M. Hamilton, and readily learned that there was too much business for both of them.  While living in Ann Arbor, Attorney McDonald immediately began building a clientele in the Ann Arbor community and became a partner in 1972.  In 1973, Hamilton & McDonald, P.C. was founded and the Ann Arbor Office opened in the First National Building on Main Street.
 
Hamilton, McDonald & Carter, PLLC prides itself on representing people and not issues, thereby, representing a wide variety of clients from all over their practice area.   Of course, it is not unheard of for them to regularly end up in the far corners of the State of Michigan as well as other states.  Hamilton, McDonald & Carter, PLLC has many controversial cases and is oftentimes publicized for its representation of high profile clients in the practice areas, always lending its offices for many public and quasi-public meetings.  The office is known equally for its involvement in the legal community as well as the civic arena in the Ypsilanti-Ann Arbor area.  In the late 70s, Vanzetti M. Hamilton became Vice President of the Washtenaw County Bar Association while also being elected to the Washtenaw Community College Board of Trustees.  The Law Firm’s involvement in the Bar Association began with Attorney Hamilton which was followed by Frederick L. McDonald who subsequently became President of the Washtenaw County Bar Association while also serving as President of many local and civic organizations and serving on the Boards of Directors of city, county, state and national organizations.  Attorney McDonald became a member of almost every local brotherhood and remains very active in them as of this writing.  Attorney McDonald served as a member of the in the Representative Assembly of the State Bar of Michigan, while continuing to maintain a substantial practice in the areas of Business and Corporate, Immigration and Naturalization, Wills, Trusts and Estates, Housing and Land Development, and providing expertise across the scope of the practice.

Stefani A. Carter, who already had a well-established reputation in the legal community, having been an Assistant Washtenaw County Prosecutor and an Assistant Ann Arbor City Attorney.  She began practicing law in 1977.   She was appointed by the Michigan Supreme Court for a term as a Member of the Board of Commissioners of the State Bar of Michigan.  She was elected President of the Washtenaw County Bar Association, was selected as a Trustee for the State Bar of Michigan Foundation and in her indefatigable manner, she continued to build upon an already thriving personal injury and civil rights/employment rights practice.  She has served on several community boards and organizations, including the Ann Arbor Public Schools Foundation and the National Association of  Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs.  She is also active in her church.

In addition to her active practice, Stefani A. Carter is a respected lecturer, having taught courses and seminars on trial skills and trial advocacy as a guest Lecturer at the University of Michigan Law School for the Institute for Continuing Legal Education and for the Michigan Trial Lawyers Association.

Even though only attorney colleagues are specifically mentioned in this history, it cannot go unsaid that there are many other colleagues who have played pivotal roles for long periods of time in promoting and enhancing the services we deliver to our clients.  Many other associates, partners, and legal support staff have moved on to other positions, both bench and bar, as well as retirement.  The Honorable J. Cedric Simpson was a partner in the firm and was primarily responsible for enhancing the landlord tenant practice during his 15-year tenure.

Suffice it to say that service to our clients and our community involvement are benchmarks of Hamilton, McDonald & Carter, PLLC, and we endeavor to remain on the cutting edge of technology in further enhancing our delivery of first class legal services now and into the distant future as we promote and seek justice for all.

Call Hamilton, McDonald & Carter, PLLC
(734) 769-8570