Varnum partner Luis Avila has been recognized as a “Go To Lawyer” for Employment Law by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
Avila is a member of Varnum’s Labor and Employment Practice Team with experience representing both public and private sector employers. He handles a broad range of traditional labor matters, including grievances, arbitrations, collective bargaining negotiations, union drives, and matters before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Michigan Employment Relations Commission (MERC).
In addition to his labor work, Avila provides comprehensive guidance on workplace policies and procedures. He develops effective employee handbooks, designs disciplinary and dispute resolution systems, and addresses issues related to discrimination, disability accommodations, wage-hour compliance, family and medical leave, and harassment prevention. He also helps organizations build strong workplace cultures, minimize risk, and implement proactive strategies that support both leadership and employees.
Avila has represented employers in state and federal courts under statutes including the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act (ELCRA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
In the Grand Rapids community, he applies his legal expertise through leadership roles on the boards of the Downtown Development Authority, the Grand Rapids Art Museum, the Grand Rapids Symphony, and the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. He is an alumnus of the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce Emerging Leaders Series (Class of 2012) and Leadership Grand Rapids (Class of 2018). Avila is also a five-time recipient of Crain’s Grand Rapids “40 Under 40” Business Leaders.
Additionally, Avila serves on the American Bar Association’s Committees on the Development of the Law and on Practice & Procedure under the NLRB, is a member of the State Bar of Michigan Labor and Employment Section Council, and the Grand Rapids Bar Association.
A special section of the December 2025 edition of Michigan Lawyers Weekly will feature a profile of Avila, along with the other honorees.
