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Practice Areas

Industries

Education

Vanderbilt University Law School
Nashville, Tennessee
J.D., 1975

Denison University
Granville, Ohio
B.A., 1972

Bar Admissions

Michigan

Court Admissions

All Michigan state courts

United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

United States Court of Federal Claims

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan

United States Supreme Court

Public Sector, Litigation and Real Estate Attorney

Bob focuses his practice on public sector, litigation and real estate matters. Within his public sector practice, he provides litigation services to cities, villages, townships, counties, and public authorities in the areas of land use, right-of-way acquisition, contract disputes and eminent domain. Bob has significant experience in street vacations and plat amendments under the Land Division Act for public and private developments.

Bob has a unique focus advising both general aviation and commercial service airports throughout Michigan on regulatory matters, operations, leases and agreements and real estate acquisition. 

Experience

Northwest Airlines v County of Kent, 510 US 355 (1994): Represented the Gerald R. Ford International Airport in an action involving airline rates and charges which were claimed to violate the Anti-Head Tax Act (AHTA) and the Commerce Clause for the Airlines’ use of the Airport; obtained a court decision upholding the rates and charges as reasonable.

Honors and Recognitions

Best Lawyers in America®, Lawyer of the Year,  Municipal Law, 2017

Best Lawyers in America®, Municipal Law, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2022

Grand Rapids Magazine’s Top Lawyers, Municipal Law, 2019

Leading Lawyers: Aviation Law; Land Use, Zoning & Condemnation Law; Real Estate Law – Commercial

Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated

Michigan Super Lawyers®, Real Estate and Aviation Law

Professional Affiliations

Grand Rapids Bar Association

Grand Rapids Bar Justice Foundation, life member

State Bar of Michigan: Public Corporation Law Section; Real Property Law Section

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