The 2027 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® includes 111 Varnum attorneys in 53 practice areas, with 18 additional attorneys named in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, and seven named “Lawyer of the Year” in their respective practice areas.
Best Lawyers® is a peer-review publication that highlights attorneys recognized by their colleagues for their work in specific practice areas. Being listed is considered a meaningful honor within the legal profession.
Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® recognizes attorneys earlier in their careers who have shown excellence in private practice.
The “Lawyer of the Year” award goes to the lawyer who receives the highest peer feedback in a particular practice area and region. Only one lawyer per specialty and location is selected each year.
Best Lawyers®
Ann Arbor, MI
- Shalini Nangia
- Collaborative Law: Family Law
- Family Law
- Family Law Mediation
- Charles M. Russman
- Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
- Shawn Strand
- Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Sarah L. Wixson
- Health Care Law
Birmingham, MI
- Thomas H. Bergh
- Litigation – Trusts and Estates
- Trusts and Estates
- Brendan G. Best
- Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Gabriel Edelson
- Corporate Law
- J. David Garcia
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation – Intellectual Property
- Rebecca L. Grove
- Tax Law
- Trusts and Estates
- Ziyad I. Hermiz
- Commercial Litigation
- Corporate Law
- Trade Secrets Law
- Robert E. Kass
- Trusts and Estates
- Samuel Kokoszka
- Corporate Law
- Real Estate Law
- Christopher M. Mann
- Corporate Law
- Trusts and Estates
- Eric M. Nemeth
- Litigation and Controversy – Tax
- Tax Law
- Jeffrey Stefan
- Artificial Intelligence Law
- Corporate Law
- William L. Thompson
- Commercial Litigation
- Sarah S. Weston
- Banking and Finance Law
Grand Rapids, MI
- Stephen P. Afendoulis
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation – Real Estate
- Scott D. Alfree
- Corporate Law
- Health Care Law
- Mark S. Allard
- Commercial Litigation
- Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
- Insurance Law
- Litigation – ERISA
- Jonathan W. Anderson
- Real Estate Law
- John D. Arendshorst
- Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
- Luis E. Avila
- Employment Law – Management
- Labor Law – Management
- Kimberly A. Baber
- Banking and Finance Law
- Corporate Law
- Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Jeffrey W. Beswick
- Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
- Corporate Law
- Trusts and Estates
- Adam J. Brody
- Commercial Litigation
- Robert A. Buchanan
- Municipal Law
- Steven Buquicchio
- Litigation – Banking and Finance
- Jon M. Bylsma
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation – Banking and Finance
- Litigation – Mergers and Acquisitions
- Litigation – Securities
- David T. Caldon
- Land Use and Zoning Law
- Municipal Law
- Real Estate Law
- Christopher J. Caldwell
- Trusts and Estates
- Laura A. Chappelle
- Energy Law
- Energy Regulatory Law
- Kimberly A. Clarke
- Immigration Law
- Jeffrey A. DeVree
- Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
- Litigation and Controversy – Tax
- Tax Law
- Ronald G. DeWaard
- Bet-the-Company Litigation
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation – Banking and Finance
- Nyal D. Deems
- Real Estate Law
- Scott A. Dienes
- Land Use and Zoning Law
- Municipal Law
- Brion Doyle
- Commercial Litigation
- Jacob A. Droppers
- Corporate Law
- Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Timothy E. Eagle
- Trademark Law
- James Eardley
- Corporate Law
- Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Matthew B. Eugster
- Environmental Law
- Richard D. Fries
- Employment Law – Management
- Stacey A. George
- Real Estate Law
- Linsey Gleason
- Trusts and Estates
- Bruce Goodman
- Environmental Law
- Janelle G. Haggadone
- Trusts and Estates
- Charyn K. Hain
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation – Trusts and Estates
- Scott J. Hill
- Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
- Corporate Law
- Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- William R. Hineline
- Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
- Herman D. Hofman
- Commercial Litigation
- John M. Huff
- Trusts and Estates
- Robert M. Huff
- Trusts and Estates
- Kaplin S. Jones
- Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
- Tax Law
- David E. Khorey
- Employment Law – Management
- Labor Law – Management
- Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Harvey Koning
- Banking and Finance Law
- Corporate Law
- Financial Services Regulation Law
- Kyle P. Konwinski
- Litigation – Environmental
- Thomas G. Kyros
- Litigation – Trusts and Estates
- Trusts and Estates
- Marilyn Lankfer
- Trusts and Estates
- Joseph B. Levan
- Corporate Law
- Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Timothy J. Lundgren
- Administrative / Regulatory Law
- Energy Law
- Energy Regulatory Law
- Environmental Law
- Water Law
- Michael S. McElwee
- Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Litigation – Bankruptcy
- Nicholas B. Missad
- Family Law
- Family Law Mediation
- Daniel C. Molhoek
- Corporate Law
- International Trade and Finance Law
- Robert D. Mollhagen
- Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Timothy P. Monsma
- Commercial Litigation
- Steven J. Morren
- Real Estate Law
- Gary J. Mouw
- Appellate Practice
- Commercial Litigation
- Lawrence J. Murphy
- Commercial Litigation
- Employment Law – Management
- Labor Law – Management
- Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Melissa B. Papke
- Commercial Finance Law
- Real Estate Law
- Aaron M. Phelps
- Litigation – ERISA
- Litigation – Environmental
- Eric R. Post
- Corporate Law
- Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Laura E. Radle
- Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
- Trusts and Estates
- Dean F. Reisner
- Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
- Corporate Law
- William E. Rohn
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation – Construction
- Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Michael J. Roth
- Commercial Litigation
- Peter G. Roth
- Corporate Law
- Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Perrin Rynders
- Bet-the-Company Litigation
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation – ERISA
- Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Jeff L. Schad
- Banking and Finance Law
- Joan E. Schleef
- Banking and Finance Law
- Peter A. Schmidt
- Real Estate Law
- Stephanie R. Setterington
- Employment Law – Management
- Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Mary Kay Shaver
- Banking and Finance Law
- Public Finance Law
- Elizabeth Wells Skaggs
- Employment Law – Management
- Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Peter A. Smit
- Litigation – Banking and Finance
- Litigation – Intellectual Property
- Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
- Richard R. Symons
- Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers
- Fredric A. Sytsma
- Trusts and Estates
- John N. Titley
- Corporate Law
- Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Joseph J. Vogan
- Employment Law – Management
- Labor Law – Management
- Bryan R. Walters
- Commercial Litigation
- John Patrick White
- Employment Law – Management
- Labor Law – Management
- Michael G. Wooldridge
- Corporate Law
- Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Michael E. Wooley
- Immigration Law
- Susan M. Wyngaarden
- Banking and Finance Law
- Public Finance Law
- Kurt G. Yost
- Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
- Corporate Law
- Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Matthew D. Zimmerman
- Administrative / Regulatory Law
- Energy Law
- Environmental Law
- Land Use and Zoning Law
- Municipal Law
- Water Law
Kalamazoo, MI
- John W. Allen
- Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants
- Litigation – Banking and Finance
- Litigation – Trusts and Estates
- William A. Dornbos
- Banking and Finance Law
- Native American Law
- Real Estate Law
- Erika Leuffen Salerno Shadowens
- Family Law
- Family Law Mediation
- Fred Schubkegel, Jr.
- Commercial Finance Law
- Corporate Law
Naples, FL
- Steve Adamczyk
- Community Association Law
- Real Estate Law
- Thomas Forster
- Real Estate Law
- Christopher I. Miller
- Real Estate Law
Novi, MI
- Bradley S. Defoe
- Commercial Litigation
- Real Estate Law
- Richard T. Hewlett
- Commercial Litigation
- Construction Law
- Litigation – Construction
- Richard A. Hooker
- Employment Law – Management
- Labor Law – Management
- Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Paul L.B. McKenney
- Litigation and Controversy – Tax
- Tax Law
- Julia A. Perkins
- Family Law
- Family Law Mediation
- Michael Romaya
- Banking and Finance Law
- Maureen Rouse-Ayoub
- Employment Law – Management
- Labor Law – Management
- Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Kristen M. Veresh
- Banking and Finance Law
- Sam J. Vitale
- Appellate Practice
- Commercial Litigation
Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch®
Birmingham, MI
- Kathryn Ahlbrand
- Tax Law
- Jailah Emerson
- Commercial Litigation
- W. Caleb Griscom
- Corporate Law
- Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Jeffrey Hewlett
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation – Intellectual Property
- Trevor Lloyd
- Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Real Estate Law
- Jordan M. Small
- Corporate Law
- Zachariah Snyder
- Corporate Law
- Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Grand Rapids, MI
- Justin Allen
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation – Trusts and Estates
- Seth B. Arthur
- Environmental Law
- Litigation – Environmental
- Ashleigh E. Draft
- Labor and Employment Law – Management
- Christopher M. George
- Corporate Law
- Yvonne George
- Immigration Law
- Regan A. Gibson
- Commercial Litigation
- Justin K. Ooms
- Energy Law
- Michael Stroup
- Real Estate Law
- Katherine Szymanski
- Litigation – Trusts and Estates
- Trusts and Estates
- Neil Youngdahl
- Appellate Practice
Novi, MI
- Louis Ronayne
- Appellate Practice
- Commercial Litigation
- Construction Law
Lawyer of the Year
Ann Arbor, MI
- Bradley S. Defoe
- Real Estate Law
- Shawn Strand
- Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Grand Rapids, MI
- Mark S. Allard
- Litigation – ERISA
- Ronald G. DeWaard
- Litigation – Banking and Finance
- Harvey Koning
- Banking and Finance Law
- Thomas G. Kyros
- Trusts and Estates
- Melissa B. Papke
- Real Estate Law
Founded in 1983, Best Lawyers® has grown into one of the most trusted resources for recognizing legal talent. Its rankings are based entirely on peer review, with attorneys voting on the abilities of their colleagues in specific practice areas. Because no fees are involved to be considered or included, being named to Best Lawyers® is widely seen as a genuine and meaningful honor.
