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Phone: 616-336-6000
Website: www.varnumlaw.com
About Us:
Varnum is a regional business law firm with more than 150 lawyers, serving clients in a full range of practice areas. We have built our reputation by helping clients identify opportunities, negotiate and close commercial transactions, win lawsuits and benefit from up-to-the-minute legal advice. Our clients range from large world-leading companies to smaller businesses who want world-class attention and service.

The primary goal of this website is to provide information on our services and our people in an easy-to-navigate manner. For those who don't know us, we have also provided some pages that describe how we incorporate values that are important to us - diversity, inclusion and commitment to community - into our firm culture.

Ever since the firm was founded more than 120 years ago, a guiding principle has been our commitment to excellence

Contributing authors from Varnum LLP:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Agriculture and Farm Law Practice Varnum attorneys have practical experience serving the needs of agricultural producers, food processors and their suppliers. Our team approach provides expertise in each legal area while...	Seth W. Ashby Partner Seth is a partner in the corporate services and business law group. He is experienced in business representation, planning and counseling. He focuses on mergers and acquisitions, private...
Linsey A. Aten Associate Linsey is an associate in the estate planning group. Her practice includes full-service estate plan preparation, estate and trust administration, guardianship and conservatorship...	Luis E. Avila Associate Luis focuses his practice on immigration and refugee law, international law, civil liberties, and international trade and finance. He has first chair trial experience in a wide variety of...

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Kimberly A. Baber Partner Kim is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group where she represents both publicly-traded and private businesses at all stages of growth in a variety of transactional matters. Although Kim...	Christopher P. Baker Partner Chris has significant experience representing resorts, hotels, restaurants, retail developers, and casino operators in all areas of alcoholic beverage regulatory matters, including...
Thomas H. Bergh Partner Tom is the chairperson of Varnum’s Estate, Tax & Benefits Practice Group. His practice focuses on estate and business planning with an emphasis on qualified plan and IRA...	Sarah B. Brody Associate Sarah's practice focuses on environmental law, including environmental due diligence, real estate transactions, and air and hazardous waste regulation.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Cable & Telecommunications Practice Group Varnum LLP represents municipalities nationwide on cable and telecommunications matters such as wireless projects, cell tower leases and zoning, and cable franchise renewals and...	Christopher J. Caldwell Partner Chris focuses his practice on working with clients and their advisors to create estate plans that enable them to plan for today as well as for future generations. Chris regularly prepares...
Marla Schwaller Carew Associate Marla’s practice focuses on federal and state and local tax planning and controversy litigation, as well as property tax matters. She also has substantial experience in corporate and...	Kimberly A. Clarke Partner Kim focuses her practice on immigration matters, including nonimmigrant petitions, both employment- and family-based permanent residence applications, expatriation and foreign visa issues....
Kristiana M. Coutu Counsel Kristiana’s practice focuses on agricultural law, taxation, estate/succession planning, and general business matters. Kristiana previously practiced as a certified public accountant...

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Jessica M. DesNoyers Associate Jessica is a staff associate in the firm’s corporate practice group. She is a regular contributor on estate planning matters in Varnum's blog, under the Legacies category.	Dennis M. Devaney Counsel For more than 25 years, Dennis has represented clients in labor and employment disputes, in litigation and on legislative and regulatory matters. His labor and employment practice focuses...
Jeffrey A. DeVree Partner Jeff chairs Varnum's employee benefits practice group. He has 25 years of experience working with employers, executives and third-party administrators on a wide range of employee...	Ronald G. DeWaard Partner Ron has accumulated a vast amount of first chair trial experience. As an Assistant United States Attorney in Miami for seven years, he tried several large criminal cases. In his final year...
Brion B. Doyle Partner Brion is a member of the Trial Practice Group. He is experienced in commercial andenvironmental litigation in state and federal court. Brion has represented clients in a wide...

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Pamela Emenheiser Partner Pamela Emenheiser is a partner in the Corporate and Health Care practice groups. She provides transactional and strategic counseling to a wide array of business sectors, with a...	Energy Practice Group From finance and siting issues to regulation and tax incentives, energy law is a diverse and thriving practice at Varnum. Our client-focused, service team approach has made us a beacon in...
Estate Planning At Varnum, we believe that each person has a vision for life and the legacy he or she will leave behind. The vision changes and matures but at any one time it is expressed as an objective...	Matthew B. Eugster Partner Matt’s vast experience includes general environmental law, environmental compliance counseling, transactional due diligence, administrative law, civil and administrative enforcement...

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Nancy L Farnam Partner Nancy represents a wide range of employers in the design, documentation, administration and taxation of welfare benefit plans, qualified retirement plans and non-qualified...	Nancy L. Farnam Partner Nancy represents a wide range of employers in the design, documentation, administration and taxation of welfare benefit plans, qualified retirement plans and non-qualified deferred...
Richard D. Fries Partner Rick is a partner in the Kalamazoo office. Since 1981, he has represented employers exclusively in solving labor and employment law problems in the workplace. He devotes most of his time to...

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

James D. Gallagher Associate Jim Gallagher is an associate in the corporate practice group and is active in the firm's Financial Institutions Industry group. Jim's practice focuses on banking and securities...	Bruce Goodman Partner Bruce Goodman practices environmental law, energy law and construction law. His environmental expertise includes air quality permitting work, compliance counseling on air emissions, state...
Jeffrey T. Gray, Jr. Associate Jeff Gray is an associate in the Labor and Employment Relations practice group where he provides labor and employment advice and litigation services to public and private sector clients....	Randall J. Groendyk Counsel Randy focuses his practice on creditor's rights law, including collections, bankruptcy, landlord-tenant, claim and delivery, foreclosure, and commercial and general civil litigation....
Eric J. Guerin Partner A partner in Varnum's trial group, Eric represents individuals, associations and business clients in lawsuits involving contract disputes, quiet title actions and other civil disputes....

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Mark E. Hills

Partner

Mark is member of the Trial Practice Group. His practice focuses on commercial, construction, real estate and land use litigation.

Richard A. Hooker

Partner

Dick Hooker has had significant experience in traditional labor relations, state/federal agency work, employment litigation, union election campaigns, unemployment insurance taxation...

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Thomas J. Kenny Partner Tom is a partner in the firm's tax group. His practice includes civil and criminal tax litigation. He was employed by the Department of Attorney General, State of Michigan from 1979 to...	David E. Khorey Partner Dave’s “client-centered” practice involves a variety of labor and employment issues. He provides practical and confidential ongoing advice and consulting on a number of...
Michael P. Kling Associate Michael focuses on mergers and acquisitions, cross-border transactions, private equity, angel and venture capital, securities, and other general corporate matters. He routinely counsels...	Steve Kluting Partner Steve helps regulated businesses - in particular, food and medical device companies - successfully bring their products to market. He also advises management on the day-to-day legal issues...
Harvey Koning Partner Harvey Koning is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group and is active in the firm’s Financial Institutions Industry group. He works with a wide variety of businesses,...	Kyle P. Konwinski Associate Kyle Konwinski is a member of the Litigation and Trial Services Practice Group. A former law clerk for the Honorable Gordon J. Quist of the United States District Court for the Western...

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Labor and Employment Practice Good business sense combined with good people sense. That's perhaps the best way to describe our approach to labor and employment law at Varnum. Our labor and employment attorneys...	Life Sciences Law Group The future of our good health depends on innovators like you. And you can depend on us. We understand that you must distill success from a complicated formula consisting of regulatory,...
Timothy J. Lundgren Partner Tim Lundgren is a partner in the Environmental Practice Group and chair of the firm's Water Law Specialty Area. Tim works on matters related to water quality and water supply and use,...

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Stephen F. MacGuidwin Associate Stephen is an associate in the trial group where he focuses his practice on federal court litigation.	Mary W. Manguse ERPA/Paralegal Mary is involved primarily with the design of complex retirement plan programs and compliance with the requirements of the IRS, Department of Labor, and the Pension Benefit Guaranty...
Paul L.B. McKenney Partner Paul’s practice focuses upon representation of business and individual taxpayers in federal tax planning as well as in controversies at administrative levels and the tax...	Zachary J. Meyer Associate Zachary Meyer is a member of the Corporate Practice Group and assists clients in matters of business law. Zachary practices in the areas of corporate governance and structuring,...
Kimberley P.H. Mitchell Associate Kimberley is an associate in the Employee Benefits practice group concentrating on executive compensation and deferred compensation.	David M. Moss Associate David is a litigation and trial law attorney who is currently focusing his practice on commercial litigation.
Gary J. Mouw Partner Gary is a member of the Litigation and Trial Services Practice Group. As a former clerk for the Honorable Corniela G. Kennedy of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and...	Lawrence J. Murphy Partner Larry is an experienced trial attorney concentrating on the defense of individuals and organizations in employment litigation, including matters involving discrimination, harassment...

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Deborah Ondersma

Counsel

Deborah has extensive experience handling all levels of property tax appeals. She has represented both Petitioners and Respondents in matters involving assessed values, taxable values,...

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Melissa B. Papke Partner Melissa focuses her practice on corporate and real estate matters, with an emphasis on commercial sales, acquisitions, leasing, and redevelopment, as well as ...	John W. Pestle Partner John is co-chair of the firm’s Cable and Telecommunications Practice Group. He focuses on representing municipalities nationwide on cable and telecommunications matters including the...
Aaron M. Phelps Partner Aaron's practice is focused on commercial and environmental litigation in state and federal courts and Michigan Agriculture Law. On the commercial side, Aaron regularly...	David E. Preston Partner Dave is a member of the Environmental Practice Group and the Energy Law Practice Group. He works in the defense of federal and state environmental enforcement actions...

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Laura E. Radle Associate Laura is an associate in the estate planning group with an emphasis on cottage succession planning, and estate and trust administration. Laura is licensed to practice estate planning law in...	Dean F. Reisner Partner Dean is a partner in the Corporate and Estate Planning practice groups. He concentrates his practice on business transactional matters, general corporate work, real estate acquisition,...
Labor and Employment Relations Good business sense combined with good people sense. That's perhaps the best way to describe our approach to labor and employment law at Varnum. Our labor and employment attorneys...	Michael J. Romaya Associate Michael is a member of the regulatory law practice group focusing his practice on commercial and real estate finance, including loan restructuring and workouts, as well as mergers and...

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Fred Schubkegel Partner Fred provides general legal counsel to private business interests and non-profit organizations. He has over 25 years experience assisting for-profit and non-profit companies with advice,...	Stephanie R. Setterington Partner Stephanie advises employers on a wide variety of labor and employment matters, with an emphasis on employment litigation defense and the identification and development of best practices in...
Mary Kay Shaver Partner Mary Kay focuses on municipal finance transactions, corporate finance transactions and creditors' rights issues. In the area of municipal finance, she advises clients on establishing...	Elizabeth Wells Skaggs Partner Beth is a partner in the labor and employment practice group, focusing employment issues and litigation. She has counseled business clients on a variety of matters affecting the workplace,...
Jeffrey D. Smith Partner Jeffrey Smith represents clients nationally in the defense of products and warranty liability, admiralty claims and complex litigation matters. His clients include many national and...	Fredric A. Sytsma Partner Fred is a member of the Estate Planning Practice Group. He has been assisting his clients with their estate planning needs since he first began his practice, and he has...

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Nina Thekdi Associate Nina focuses her practice on immigration matters, including nonimmigrant visa petitions and both family and employment-based permanent residence petitions. She is a member of Varnum...	Larry J. Titley Partner Larry is counsel to employers on employee benefit matters including pension plans, profit sharing 401(k) plans, employee stock ownership plans, and other retirement and fringe benefit...
Pamela J. Tyler Partner Pam’s estate planning practice, complemented by a strong tax background, focuses on business and family succession planning, asset protection, limited liability companies,...

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Joseph J. Vogan

Partner

Joe Vogan has litigation experience in all areas of employment law, including wrongful discharge, the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, Title VII, Age Discrimination in Employment Act...

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Bryan R. Walters Partner Bryan is a partner in Varnum’s trial group specializing in federal court and bankruptcy court litigation, both in west Michigan and across the country. He also assists businesses in...	John Patrick White Partner Pat White's practice concentrates on the full spectrum of civil rights issues, race and gender disability matters, free speech and electronic privacy issues in the workplace. In...
Michael G. Wooldridge Partner Mike is a partner in the corporate practice group and served as the former Chair of the firm’s Policy Committee. His practice focuses on corporate governance, securities, and mergers...

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Matthew D. Zimmerman

Partner

Matt is a member of the Environmental and Energy Practice Groups. A significant portion of Matt’s practice involves representation of municipalities and private developers in regard to...

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