Practice Areas
Industries
Education
University of Chicago Law School
Chicago, Illinois
J.D., with honors, 1985
Augustana College
Rock Island, Illinois
B.A., magna cum laude, 1982
Bar Admissions
Illinois
Michigan
Pennsylvania
Court Admissions
All Michigan state courts
United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
Corporate Attorney
Fred provides general legal counsel to private business interests and nonprofit organizations. He has over 30 years of experience assisting for-profit and nonprofit companies with advice, strategies and services related to startup, growth, development and exit, including entity formation and governance, financing, contracts, mergers and acquisitions, executive compensation, asset protection and business succession planning.
Fred has extensive knowledge in real estate and economic development with a particular knack for packaging incentives and credits to make the impossible deal possible, as well as businesses or properties impacted by environmental regulations or concerns. He is a frequent speaker on utilizing new markets tax credits (NMTCs), qualified opportunity zones, low-income housing tax credits, historic tax credits, and other tax-advantaged programs to enhance development and infrastructure projects.
Fred is also one of Varnum’s “go to” attorneys for legal matters involving business ventures of Native American tribes and minority business enterprises.
Honors and Recognitions
Best Lawyers in America®, Corporate Law, 2021 and 2022
Martindale-Hubbell® Distinguished™ Peer Review Rated
Michigan Super Lawyers®, since 2007
Professional Affiliations
Federal Bar Association: Indian Law Section; Real Estate Law Section
Illinois State Bar
Kalamazoo County Bar Association
Pennsylvania State Bar
State Bar of Michigan: American Indian Law Section; Real Property Law Section; Environmental Law Section; Business Law Section
Community Involvement
Southwest Michigan First, Board of Directors and Council of 100, member
Kalamazoo Downtown Partnership, Coalition for Growth, Board member
Presentations
Panelist, Strategic Discussion on Tribal Business Development Opportunities, MiBiz, July 2021
Panelist, Strategic Discussion on Tribal Business Development Opportunities, MiBiz, March 4, 2019
“Real Estate Development Prospects Under the Trump Administration: The Developer in Chief,” January 2018
“Infrastructure Investment Using New Markets Tax Credits: A Step-by-Step Approach,” June 2017
“Using New Markets Tax Credits to Enhance Your Brownfield Redevelopment Project,” January 2017
“Maximizing the Business Advantage of Tribal Sovereignty,” June 2016