About David M.
David M. McCleary earned his law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law in 1983. He entered the bar after graduating and built a career that includes work in both trial courts and appellate forums. His legal training in Detroit gave him foundations in courtroom procedure and legal research, which he carried into private practice.
He practices at McCleary & Associates, P.C., where he has represented clients in a range of matters in Michigan courts. He is admitted to practice in Michigan and before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. That combination of state and federal appellate admission means he can handle matters that begin in state trial courts and move into federal appellate proceedings.
Over the course of his career McCleary has balanced courtroom advocacy with written appellate work. Trials demand attention to witness testimony and procedural detail. Appeals require tight legal writing and an eye for precedent. He has taken on both types of work, preparing briefs for higher courts and arguing cases where permitted.
Colleagues describe him as steady and pragmatic in the courtroom. He favors clear explanations over legal jargon. That approach helps when cases involve technical points of law or complex factual records. He prepares witnesses and documents carefully, and he places emphasis on the record that will matter if a case is reviewed on appeal.
Outside the courtroom he has kept ties to the local legal community. His professional activity has continued steadily since the early 1980s. He has maintained an active practice through changes in law and procedure, adapting to electronic filing and evolving appellate rules while continuing traditional advocacy techniques.
Clients and opposing counsel encounter an attorney who understands both trial strategy and the appellate process. He practices from McCleary & Associates, P.C., and continues to represent clients in Michigan and in the Sixth Circuit on matters that require trial and appellate advocacy.
