Top best Civil Lawyers Near me in ZIP 49504

Tom is a seasoned trial attorney with years of litigation experience recovering millions of dollars for his clients from Michigan’s auto No-Fault insurance companies.. He focuses his practice on taking care of our West Michigan clients in our Grand Rapids law office.. Tom has obtained substantial settlements and verdicts for his clients over the past 25 years, including a $1 million verdict in Huron County for a serious car accident in which the insurance company refused to pay anything for rehabilitation costs for the teenage auto accident victim.Tom also has unique insights into settling cases and maximizing value for his clients, having started on the defense side at two respected insurance defense law firms. He has taken dozens of cases to trial and specializes in recovering unpaid and overdue medical expenses from No-Fault insurance companies.

Thomas R. Behm has significant experience in the areas of personal injury law, automobile no-fault law, medical malpractice, complex commercial litigation, product liability involving defective medical implants and construction site negligence. Mr. Behm also serves as a facilitative mediator in a wide range of disputes.

Raised in northern Michigan, Jim is a 2002 graduate of the University of Michigan Law School and has developed significant experience in the areas of public sector litigation, criminal and civil ordinance enforcement, and tax and election matters.Jim assists public sector and municipal clients throughout Michigan with a variety of issues, including property tax appeals and the prosecution of criminal and civil municipal ordinance violations.. Jim also practices at the appellate level; in both the circuit court where he has worked successfully to uphold the ordinances of local municipalities against constitutional and evidentiary challenges and in the Court of Appeals where he has successfully defended clients in matters ranging from easement disputes and riparian rights to constitutional issues.Jim enjoys being both advisor and advocate for his clients and offers an aggressive, yet practical, approach which allows him to present the strongest possible case.Jim resides in Plainfield Township with his wife and daughter.

Pat partners with businesses and individuals to successfully complete their real estate and construction projects. He focuses on how best to solve problems and take advantage of opportunities. Pat regularly represents:• Landlords and tenants leasing commercial and industrial space• Buyers and sellers of commercial and residential property• Developers and other property owners seeking zoning approval• Condominium and residential neighborhood associations as general counsel• Businesses and individuals in disputes regarding their real estate or construction projects• Owners and operators of environmentally contaminated sites facing enforcement action• Commercial and residential contractors in construction liens and disputes• County drain commissioners as general counselPat shares an intense interest with his clients in improving the quality of construction developments. He is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design® Accredited Professional (LEED AP), and can lead you through the evolving legal requirements relating to green building. Pat also frequently helps entrepreneurs and small businesses with their start-up needs through a variety of economic development organizations, including StartGarden and Pure Michigan Business Connect. Pat’s practical approach helps swiftly solve legal issues so that his clients can focus on what they do best.

James R. Oppenhuizen is an experienced business and insolvency attorney in Grand Rapids.  The Oppenhuizen Law Firm, PLC is business focused and results driven.  Mr. Oppenhuizen believes that entrepreneurs and business people are the catalysts for economic growth, build and sustain stable communities, and provide opportunity to huge numbers of people.  Business people who pursue long term profits through providing needed and beneficial services to their communities are the backbone of any community.  Mr. Oppenhuizen is dedicated to helping those business people thrive, through building long lasting relationships directed toward growth and profit.. Mr. Oppenhuizen also has a strong background in insolvency and restructuring matters.  Such experience can provide a springboard to success for a business that has experienced missteps, but has learned and is ready to enter the road to success.  Creativity is the most important skill a bankruptcy attorney must have to be successful.  The same is true in business, and Mr. Oppenhuizen will put his creativity to work for your business in dealing with any issue that arises.

I have helped form dozens of companies throughout Michigan and routinely offer counsel to startups, tech companies, and other business owners on a broad spectrum of matters ranging from formation to angel and venture capital funding to interaction with third parties to merger and acquisition. My skills have been recognized by my peers in a number of publications, and am often recommended by my clients to others looking for an attorney for my pragmatic approach to both the business of practicing law and the counsel I provide.. I also help other parties resolve their disputes by serving as a facilitaitive mediator. I have taken extensive dispute resolution, and am approved by the Kent County Circuit Court to serve as a facilitaitive mediator.

I have conducted bench and jury trials to conclusion in many courts throughout the State of Michigan. I am very active in mediation and arbitration practice. I hold an AV Preeminent rating by Martindale-Hubbell.

I have been with my wife for over 30 years.  We have 3 daughters.  2 are in graduate school and one in high school.    I come from a family of lawyers and currently have 2 brothers who are also attorneys, one in New York and one in Detroit.. I love practicing law and even after more than 25 years, I have no desire to do anything else.   Being able to practice on the Lakeshore in West Michigan is just an added bonus.   What a great place to live and work.   The people, landscape and way of life just makes every day a gift.. I attended Central Michigan University, transferring to Wayne State University and graduating with a degree in Public Administration.   I went to law school at Cooley Law School in Lansing when it was relatively new and the classes small.   I still keep in touch with a number of my law school classmates, some of whom are right here in West Michigan.. I have extensive experience in civil litigation, ranging from dog bites, car accident and slip and fall cases to medical and legal malpractice and business litigation.   I have represented both Plaintiffs and Defendants and inividuals as well as large companies.  I represent Defendants and insurance carriers in litigation.  When someone hires me, they are going to get that huge array of experience that I have to offer.

I care fiercely about my clients.  I have seen what insurance companies and businesses do to those that have been injured at the hands of negligent, careless, and irresponsible individuals and companies.  I will fight to the end for you to obtain the best result possible for your case.

I am an experienced commercial litigator and construction lawyer, representing clients large and small in courts throughout Michigan.. My litigation experience includes handling everything from routine collection cases through representing the plaintiff in a shareholder oppression/fraud case that resulted in the largest jury verdict in the history of Kent County, Michigan (roughly $7.9 million) in November 2010.. My construction practice involves all aspects of construction projects, as I have represented owners, architects, general contractors, construction managers, subcontractors and suppliers and sureties on projects throughout Michigan. I offer full services concerning construction projects, from drafting and reviewing contracts through enforcing those agreements and (if necessary) litigating issues relating to liability for damages suffered or contract balances owed by the various parties.. I have also served as a court-appointed arbitrator, and have served as a "neutral" case evaluator in the Kent County Circuit Court for more than a decade, recognizing the fact that my background in handling plaintiffs' and defense work positions me well to evaluate cases without bias or slant toward either side in a lawsuit.

During the first decade of practice I represented doctors and hospitals.  I now use that experience to help real people hurt by preventable, inexcusable medical errors.  A medical doctor and registered nurse assist my law partner, Rob Buchanan, and I field about 1,200 inquiries per year and select the 6-10 most meritorious claims.  Please call us if you have any questions about your (or a loved one’s) medical care.

Aileen practices in the areas of commercial and real estate litigation and construction law. She has represented a variety of clients in these areas, including developers, design professionals, contractors, subcontractors, owners, sureties, manufacturers, governmental agencies, insurers, and suppliers. For the past 20 years, she has been a lecturer and author on many topics involving contract and construction law including Alternative Dispute Resolution, Bidding on Public Works, Public Works Act, MIOSHA Compliance, the Michigan Construction Lien Act, and the Builders Trust Fund Act. Aileen assists clients with transactional and litigation needs, including contract review, preparation, and negotiation, and pre-suit claims evaluation and facilitation.

After law school, my wife and I returned to Grand Rapids, where I have practiced law for over 33 years.  As a founding member of Gruel Mills in 1985, my practice has focused on complex litigation, where I have been privileged to help hundreds, if not thousands, of individuals and families, who have experienced personal tragedy and loss.  I am a devoted husband and father of three and a proud new grandfather.

Experienced Civil attorney serving clients in Grand Rapids and surrounding areas.

Experienced Civil attorney serving clients in Grand Rapids and surrounding areas.

Experienced Civil attorney serving clients in Grand Rapids and surrounding areas.

Experienced Civil attorney serving clients in Grand Rapids and surrounding areas.

Experienced Civil attorney serving clients in Grand Rapids and surrounding areas.

Experienced Civil attorney serving clients in Grand Rapids and surrounding areas.

Experienced Civil attorney serving clients in Grand Rapids and surrounding areas.