PROMINENT ASSIGNMENTS
Corporate counsel work for publicly traded companies ranging in size from $500 million to $2.0 billion in sales. Work managed for publicly traded companies includes development of pricing policies, antitrust compliance, dealer and distribution network issues, corporate real estate projects and developments, corporate finance, patent and trademark work, labor and employment and employee benefits.
Corporate counsel work for privately owned companies including start-up companies to companies with sales in excess of $250 million. Work managed for privately owned companies includes corporate planning, real estate work, financing of projects and acquisitions, patent and trademark work, labor and employment and employee benefits.
Acquisitions, sales, mergers, and related business planning for publicly traded and privately owned companies. Planning work in these practice areas includes projects in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin and other areas of the country on a select basis.
Litigation management for corporate clients, including commercial disputes, antitrust claims and dealer claims. Litigation projects managed include projects not only in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio, but also on a nation wide basis for select clients.
Succession planning and estate planning for owners of privately owned companies and high net worth clients. Projects include: development of succession plans to transition ownership of businesses on a variety of bases, including sales, gifts and combinations of sales and gifts; development of complex estate plans for high net worth clients; and integration of complex estate plans with business succession plans for clients who are owners of privately owned companies.
Representation of physicians and medical practices as corporate counsel and in numerous other matters including negotiations with hospitals, formation of practice entities, admission of new physician partners, retirement of physician partners, real estate matters, and purchases/sales of physician practices and related real estate.
REPRESENTATIVE CLIENTS
Coachmen RV
Five Star Sheets, LLC
Gulfstream RV
Great American Publishing, Inc.
HME, Inc.
Keystone RV
Metal Components, LLC
Monaco Coach Corporation
Shapiro Bag Company, Inc.
Thor Industries, Inc.
Trademark Die & Engineering, Inc.
Van Wyk Risk & Financial Management
Physicians & Medical Practices located throughout Michigan
High Net Worth Estate Planning and Succession Planning Clients throughout Michigan
AREAS OF PRACTICE EMPHASIS
Antitrust & Trade Regulation
Corporate
Estate Planning & Administration
Mergers & Acquisitions
Real Estate
PROFESSIONAL INVOLVEMENT
State Bar of Michigan ( Corporate, Trusts & Estates, Taxation and Health Care Sections)
Grand Rapids Bar Association
Association for Corporate Growth
Western Michigan Estate Planning Council
Dickinson Wright's Economic Reform Advisory Team
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Grand Rapids Catholic Secondary Schools, Legal Advisor
Grand Rapids Catholic Central High School, Legal Advisor
Kent County Literacy Council, Former Member, Board of Directors
The Grand Rapids Center for Independent Living, Former Counsel
PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS
Employment Law in Michigan: An Employer's Guide (ICLE), "Family & Medical Leave Act", Chapter 4
Lecturer on estate planning, planned gifts, and business succession planning
Lecturer on business structure formation and business planning
Guest Speaker for Western Michigan University on Corporate and Business Planning for the MBA program
"Succession Planning for Closely Held Businesses," Printed with permission in numerous publications throughout Michigan and in Dickinson Wright Publications
EDUCATION
Indiana University, B.A. 1983
Valparaiso University School of Law, 1983-1984
Thomas M. Cooley Law School, J.D. 1986 (with honors)
Law Review, Thomas M. Cooley Law School, 1985-1986 |