Timothy P. Monsma

Litigation Attorney

Tim is a partner on the firm’s Litigation and Trial Practice Team. His practice focuses on helping clients resolve business disputes, including complex commercial tort and contract litigation, supply chain disputes,  trade secret and unfair competition matters, and corporate governance issues. He has represented clients in a broad range of industries including automotive, banking, energy, construction, manufacturing, trucking and logistics, and health care. This diverse experience allows Tim to tailor his approach to each case with the client’s particular business objectives in mind. He has litigated cases in state and federal courts around the country and has experience in all forms of alternative dispute resolution.

Tim also regularly represents clients in cases involving complex employment-related matters, including breach of non-competition agreements, misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of fiduciary duty, tortious interference with contracts, and unfair competition. He has successfully represented both plaintiffs and defendants in these cases, obtaining numerous multimillion dollar verdicts and settlements on behalf of his clients.

Tim is also actively involved in the firm’s recruiting and retention efforts. He currently serves as the chair of the firm’s Associate Recruiting Committee and is the past chair of the firm’s Summer Associate program.

Experience

Successfully defended former executive and equity holder against multi-million dollar claims for misappropriation of trade secrets asserted by buyer in connection with asset sale transaction involving a multi-state cybersecurity firm. Obtained nuisance value settlement following successful dispositive motion practice.

Secured $1.25 million recovery for manufacturing employer in connection with former sales executive’s misappropriation of trade secrets and diversion of business opportunities to a competitor.

Represented international manufacturing company in connection with litigation against fourteen former executives, alleging breach of fiduciary duty and a violation of the executives’ employment agreements in connection with their unlawful solicitation of nearly one hundred employees on behalf of several competitors.

Defended surgical practice and its physicians against $20 million claims for breach of noncompetition agreements and breach of fiduciary duty asserted by a major health system and arising out of the practice’s decision to affiliate with another independent surgical practice. Successfully defeated plaintiff’s request for injunctive relief that would have put the practice out of business.

Defended property owner against breach of contract claims asserted by engineering firm and construction contractor totaling $15 million in connection with two solar energy projects. Asserted multiple counterclaims in excess of $7.3 million, plus attorneys’ fees, arising out of plaintiff’s undue delays and ultimate decision to abandon the projects.

Secured multiple appellate victories on behalf of social services agency in connection with defending multiple statutory and constitutional claims relating to Michigan’s Safe Delivery of Newborns Law. Successfully defended complete victory at the trial court in both the Michigan Court of Appeals and the Michigan Supreme Court, resulting in favorable interpretations of the statue on numerous questions of first impression.

Successfully defended social services agency and several of its employees against multiple civil claims totaling $50 million and arising out of alleged violations of Michigan’s Safe Delivery of Newborns Law. Secured dismissal of all claims, together with significant attorneys’ fee award.

Defended minority member of a limited liability company in suit alleging shareholder oppression and breach of fiduciary duty. Secured dismissal of all claims, together with a negotiated buyout of client’s minority interest for $1.6 million, substantially more than the plaintiff’s appraised value.

Successfully represented an international fintech company in pursuing claims of breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty against former sales executive. Obtained summary judgment of all claims and counterclaims in client’s favor, a $3.8 million judgment in client’s favor, together with negotiated all-assets security interest in executive’s assets and those of his competing business.

Represented manufacturer in misappropriation of trade secrets litigation against former executive and competitor in connection with theft of more than 30,000 confidential files and trade secrets. Secured forensic review of competitor’s electronic systems, together with all misappropriated files, together with termination of former executive’s employment.

Successfully defended international telecommunications provider against multiple tort and breach of contract claims filed by a competitor and totaling $6 million following the acquisition of local fiber company and alleged denial of splicing rights to an extended fiber network purchased as part of the transaction. Obtained summary disposition of all claims in client’s favor as well as a declaratory judgment terminating the plaintiff’s rights to access the network, pursuant to the terms of the agreements assumed in the transaction.

Successfully defended national less-than-truckload provider against complex misappropriation of trade secrets and unfair competition claims filed by a competitor and totaling $70 million in litigation spanning Michigan, Delaware, Utah, Texas, Arkansas, Pennsylvania, and Kansas. Obtained summary judgment of all claims against client, along with a significant attorneys’ fee award in client’s favor.

Represented international electronics component distributor in pursuing complex misappropriation of trade secrets, tortious interference and fraud claims against former executive and competitor, obtaining $600,000 verdict in client’s favor, following a two-week trial.

Served as national litigation counsel to a Fortune 500 manufacturer.

Successfully defended electronics manufacturer against breach of contract claims arising out of licensing agreement and totaling more than $10.1 million, obtaining nuisance value settlement.

Represented nationwide logistics broker in pursuing complex misappropriation of trade secret claims against a competitor and several former high-level employees after competitor and employees solicited client’s employees and customers and misappropriated massive amounts of confidential information, obtaining a multimillion dollar recovery.

Defended limited liability company against claims for withdrawal distributions totaling $1 million filed by several former members. After obtaining judgment in client’s favor in a case of first impression, the decision was unanimously affirmed by the Sixth Circuit.

Represented former shareholders in pursuing litigation against the purchaser of a large beverage manufacturer in litigation arising out of the purchaser’s breach of a stock purchase agreement through failure to pay accrued tax benefits following the sale, obtaining an $8.5 million settlement on clients’ behalf.

Successfully defended limited liability companies against contract and successor liability claims exceeding $1 million arising out of plaintiff’s alleged right to receive sales commissions following the termination of his relationship with the defendant companies.

Defended physicians group, its management company, and several corporate officers against numerous tort and contract claims in multimillion dollar litigation brought by the co-owner of an outpatient surgical center, obtaining dismissal of all claims, a result affirmed in its entirety on appeal.

Successfully defended real estate developer against statutory conversion and UCC claims totaling in excess of $1.5 million. The multiday trial resulted in a decision in favor of the developer on all counts. The decision was affirmed in its entirety on appeal.

Honors and Recognitions

Best Lawyers in America^®, Commercial Litigation, 2025

Crain’s Grand Rapids, Notable Litigators & Trial Attorneys, 2025

Grand Rapids Magazine’s Top Lawyers, Litigation – Commercial, 2020, 2023; Trade Secrets, 2020

Michigan Lawyers Weekly, Up and Coming Lawyer, 2018

Michigan Super Lawyers^®, Rising Star since 2013

Professional Affiliations

Federal Bar Association

Grand Rapids Bar Association: Litigation Section; former Executive Board member

Grand Rapids Economic Club

State Bar of Michigan

Transportation Lawyers Association, Litigation Committee

Community Involvement

Conductive Learning Center, Board member

Heart of West Michigan United Way, Project Blueprint, former Board member

Literacy Center of West Michigan, Board member

South End Community Outreach Ministries (SECOM), former Board member

West Michigan Arthritis Foundation, Board member

Presentations

“Protecting the Keys to the Kingdom: Managing Information and Competition in Today’s Work Environment,” Varnum Labor and Employment Seminar, March 2015

“This is the End: How to Handle Employment Terminations,” Varnum Labor and Employment Seminar, March 2016