Commitment to Community

We encourage involvement and leadership in the communities in which we live.

The Varnum Team Promise

The people who invest their careers at Varnum are part of an organization that values the many roles people play in life. We're not only lawyers, support professionals and administrators, we're also parents, spouses, siblings and members of the communities in which we live. These roles are vitally important and they are celebrated at Varnum.

Varnum's commitment to the community includes significant financial contributions to a variety of organizations, from arts, education and health care agencies to social service, community and economic development endeavors. Our Contributions Committee meets monthly to review and evaluate requests.

The firm also has a strong relationship with Buchanan Elementary School. Several years ago, Varnum employees provided Christmas gifts and personal items for over 100 of Buchanan’s neediest students in a program called Seasons for Giving. We quickly realized that the needs of Buchanan School families do not end with the holiday season, however, and what began as a time of holiday sharing has developed into a year-round relationship. Some of our activities include:

• In May, Buchanan teachers provide a "wish list" of school needs. Items include everything from classroom supplies to sports equipment for the playground. Varnum employees shop over the summer months to provide the supplies in August before school begins.
• Firm staff create a much-beloved "Haunted File Room" at our Grand Rapids office for older students during Halloween.
• We provide warm outdoor clothing in the winter, boxes of Valentines in February, and an end-of-school-year ice cream social for students. The firm also puts on an appreciation luncheon for school staff.
• For the past several years, Varnum has involved the school's fourth grade art students in the design of our holiday card. Watch a video of Santa's visit and presentation of the framed card to the students.

Our Buchanan relationship is significant, but it is just one of many ways we are involved in the community. See Community Involvement for a more comprehensive list of organizations in which we are involved.