GRL
Grand River Law
- Arizona (2001) - No longer active
- Illinois (2002)
- Michigan (2013)
Bar Admissions
- University of Illinois College of Law, 2001
- summa cum laude
- Order of the Coif
- Law Review
- United States Air Force Academy, 1994
Education
My legal career began in the litigation and environmental departments of large Chicago law firms with offices throughout the country.
Drawing from my experience and training at these firms, I now represent clients in all types of litigated matters, including environmental, property damage and personal injury suits. I also routinely represent environmental firms and contractors in malpractice suits and have substantial experience representing product manufactures, distributors and sellers in suits seeking to recover for defective products, whether asserted as individual product liability claims or in consumer class actions.
As de facto in-house counsel for a number of small and medium-sized businesses, clients turn to me for advice and counseling on a wide variety of legal issues encountered in their day-to-day operations. This includes contract drafting and negotiation, commercial leases, service agreements, risk management and collecting outstanding accounts. I pride myself in providing practical solutions to the real world legal problems facing my clients.
I am admitted to the state bars of Michigan and Illinois, and have been admitted pro hac vice in a number of other jurisdictions, including Wisconsin, Missouri, Indiana, Florida, Washington and Ohio. In addition, I have been admitted to practice in a number of federal district courts, including district courts for the Western District of Michigan, the Eastern District of Wisconsin, the Northern and Central Districts of Illinois, the Southern District of Florida, the Northern District of Ohio, and the Eastern District of Washington.
I have argued four appeals in the United States Court of Appeals. These decisions are reported at:
- Siding and Insulation Co. v. Alco Vending, Inc., 822 F.3d 886 (6th Cir. 2016)
- Chapman v. First Index, Inc., 796 F.3d 783 (7th Cir. 2015)
- Nat’l Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States
- Grupee v. Gonzales, 400 F.3d 102 (7th Cir. 2005)