Skip to content

Practice Areas

Industries

Education

University of Georgia School of Law
Athens, Georgia
J.D., with honors, 1976
Georgia Law Review, Notes Editor and Summer Editor, 1975
Legal Research Instructor

Miami University
Oxford, Ohio
B.A., with honors 1969

Bar Admissions

Michigan

Georgia

Court Admissions

All Michigan state courts

Real Estate Attorney

Nyal is a member of the firm’s Real Estate Practice Team. He focuses his practice on conveyance and lease transactions; land use approvals for various development projects including shopping centers, resorts, residential subdivisions, marinas and commercial projects; construction and permanent lending on behalf of lenders and borrowers; and real estate investment trusts. He has unique municipal experience having served as a member of the East Grand Rapids City Commission and chairperson of its Planning Commission, mayor of East Grand Rapids, and chairperson of the Grand Rapids Metropolitan Council. Nyal also served as a supply officer in the United States Navy.

Chambers USA, which ranks top lawyers and law firms, notes that Nyal “is a key member of the real estate department, maintaining well-established relationships with several major clients.” Interviewees further note “his depth of regulatory experience” including a period serving as chair of East Grand Rapids Planning Commission.

Experience

Condominium legal issues

Construction contracts and disputes

Land use approvals for various development projects including shopping centers, resorts, residential subdivisions, marinas, and commercial projects, construction and permanent lending on behalf of lenders and borrowers, real estate investment trusts

Real estate financing, transactions and leases

Waterfront development and riparian law issues

Wetlands and other environmental issues regarding development

Honors and Recognitions

American College of Mortgage Attorneys, past president

American College of Real Estate Lawyers

Best Lawyers in America® since 1991

Best Lawyers in America®, Lawyer of the Year, Real Estate Law, Grand Rapids, 2011

Chambers USA©, America’s Leading Lawyers for Business as a Senior Statesman in the field of Real Estate

Grand Rapids Magazine’s Top Lawyers: Land Use and Zoning 2019 – 2022; Real Estate Law; since 2019

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

Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated

Michigan Super Lawyers® since 2011

Professional Affiliations

American Bar Association

Georgia Bar Association

State Bar of Michigan: Real Property Section, past chair

Public Service

East Grand Rapids, mayor, 1985 – 1995

East Grand Rapids City Commission, 1983 – 1995

East Grand Rapids Planning Commission, 1980 – 1985; chair, 1981 – 1985

Grand Valley Metropolitan Council, chair, 1989 – 1995

United States Navy, 1969 – 1976

Presentations

Lecturer and moderator for seminars sponsored by International Conference of Shopping Centers, Michigan ICLE, State Bar of Michigan, Michigan Association of Realtors, Professional Education Systems, Inc., International Rights of Way Association, Builders Exchange, Western Michigan Mortgage Lenders Association, Construction Specifications Institute, Michigan State University, State Bar of Michigan, Michigan Association of Counties, Michigan Municipal League, and public sector consultants.

Sign up to be the first to access our leading legal insights.

The link you have selected will redirect you to a third-party website located on another server. We are offering the link for your convenience. Varnum has no responsibility for any external websites and makes no express or implied warranties about any external websites.

Please be aware that contacting us via e-mail does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and the firm. Do not send confidential information to the firm until you have spoken with one of our attorneys and receive authorization to send such materials.