The recently-released edition of The Best Lawyers in America® includes 83 Varnum attorneys in 44 practice areas, with eight additional attorneys named in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch and ten named “Lawyer of the Year” in their respective practice areas.
Best Lawyers® is one of the most respected peer-review publications in the legal profession. A listing in Best Lawyers® is widely regarded by both clients and legal professionals as a significant honor, conferred on a lawyer by his or her peers.
Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch is a recognition of attorneys who are earlier in their careers, in acknowledgment of their outstanding professional excellence in private practice. Recipients typically have been in practice for 5-9 years. Varnum attorneys who have earned this distinction are:
- Paul Albarran: Commercial Litigation, Communications Law
- Jacob A. Droppers: Corporate Law
- Janelle G. Haggadone: Trusts and Estates
- Herman D. Hofman: Commercial Litigation
- Robert M. Huff: Trusts and Estates
- Lauren E. Potocsky: Construction Law, Real Estate Law
- Sarah L. Wixson: Construction Law, Health Care Law, Real Estate Law
- Rebecca Wrock: Nonprofit/Charities Law, Trusts and Estates
“Lawyer of the Year” is a recognition awarded to individual lawyers with the highest overall peer feedback for a specific practice area and geographic region. Only one lawyer is recognized as the “Lawyer of the Year” for each specialty and location. Varnum attorneys who received this additional recognition in the 2022 Best Lawyers guide are:
- Jeffrey A. DeVree, Grand Rapids: Tax Law
- Timothy E. Eagle, Grand Rapids: Trademark Law
- Richard T. Hewlett, Novi: Litigation – Construction
- Richard A. Hooker, Detroit: Labor Law – Management
- Harvey Koning, Grand Rapids: Banking and Finance Law
- Paul L.B. McKenney, Novi: Tax Law
- Eric M. Nemeth, Detroit: Litigation and Controversy – Tax
- William E. Rohn, Grand Rapids: Litigation – Construction
- Peter A. Smit, Grand Rapids: Litigation – Intellectual Property
- Matthew D. Zimmerman, Grand Rapids: Land Use and Zoning Law
Varnum attorneys included in The Best Lawyers in America® 2022 edition are:
Ann Arbor
Christopher A. Ballard
- Non-Profit/Charities Law
- Trusts and Estates
Thomas W. Forster II
- Real Estate Law
Birmingham
Thomas H. Bergh
- Litigation – Trusts and Estates
- Trusts and Estates
Casey Koppelman
- Real Estate Law
Stephen Rohr
- Trusts and Estates
Michael Romaya
- Banking and Finance Law
Detroit
Brendan G. Best
- Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Eric M. Nemeth
- Litigation and Controversy – Tax
Maureen Rouse-Ayoub
- Litigation – Labor and Employment
Grand Haven
Jeffrey Beswick
- Closely-Held Companies and Family Business Law
- Corporate Law
- Trusts & Estates
Mark Hills
- Commercial Litigation
Grand Rapids
Stephen P. Afendoulis
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation – Real Estate
Scott Alfree
- Corporate Law
- Health Care Law
Mark S. Allard
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation – ERISA
Jonathan W. Anderson
- Real Estate Law
Luis E. Avila
- Employment Law – Management
- Labor Law – Management
Kimberly Baber
- Banking and Finance Law
- Corporate Law
Robert A. Buchanan
- Municipal Law
Lawrence P. Burns
- Health Care Law
Jon M. Bylsma
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation – Banking & Finance
- Litigation – Mergers & Acquisitions
David T. Caldon
- Real Estate Law
Christopher J. Caldwell
- Trusts & Estates
Kimberly Clarke
- Immigration Law
Timothy J. Curtin
- Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Nyal D. Deems
- Real Estate Law
Jeffrey A. DeVree
- Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
- Litigation & Controversy – Tax
- Tax Law
Ronald G. DeWaard
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation – Banking & Finance
Timothy E. Eagle
- Trademark Law
Matthew B. Eugster
- Environmental Law
Richard D. Fries
- Employment Law – Management
Anthony P. Gauthier
- Family Law
Linsey Gleason
- Trusts & Estates
Bruce Goodman
- Environmental Law
Charyn K. Hain
- Commercial Litigation
William R. Hineline
- Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Dirk C. Hoffius
- Trusts & Estates
John M. Huff
- Trusts & Estates
Scott A. Huizenga
- Corporate Law
Kaplin S. Jones
- Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
- Tax Law
David E. Khorey
- Employment Law – Management
- Labor Law – Management
Harvey Koning
- Banking & Finance Law
- Financial Services Regulation Law
Randall W. Kraker
- Land Use & Zoning Law
- Litigation – Land Use & Zoning
- Litigation – Municipal
- Litigation – Real Estate
- Municipal Law
- Real Estate Law
Thomas G. Kyros
- Trusts & Estates
- Litigation – Trusts & Estates
Marilyn A. Lankfer
- Trusts & Estates
Joseph B. Levan
- Corporate Law
Michael S. McElwee
- Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Litigation – Bankruptcy
Nicholas B. Missad
- Family Law
- Family Law Mediation
Daniel C. Molhoek
- Corporate Law
- International Trade and Finance Law
Robert D. Mollhagen
- Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Steven J. Morren
- Real Estate Law
Lawrence J. Murphy
- Employment Law – Management
- Labor Law – Management
- Litigation – Labor & Employment
- Commercial Litigation
Melissa Papke
- Real Estate Law
- Commercial Finance Law
Laura E. Radle
- Trusts & Estates
- Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
William E. Rohn
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation – Construction
- Litigation – Labor & Employment
Michael J. Roth
- Commercial Litigation
Peter G. Roth
- Corporate Law
- Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Perrin Rynders
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation – Labor & Employment
Jeff Schad
- Banking and Finance Law
Joan Schleef
- Banking and Finance Law
Stephanie Setterington
- Litigation – Labor & Employment
Mary Kay Shaver
- Banking and Finance Law
Elizabeth Wells Skaggs
- Employment Law – Management
- Litigation – Labor & Employment
Peter A. Smit
- Litigation – Banking & Finance
- Litigation – Intellectual Property
- Litigation – Labor & Employment
Richard R. Symons
- Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers
Fredric A. Sytsma
- Trusts & Estates
John N. Titley
- Corporate Law
Joseph J. Vogan
- Employment Law – Management
- Labor Law – Management
Bryan R. Walters
- Commercial Litigation
John Patrick White
- Employment Law – Management
- Labor Law – Management
Michael G. Wooldridge
- Corporate Law
Susan M. Wyngaarden
- Banking and Finance Law
- Public Finance Law
Kurt G. Yost
- Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
- Corporate Law
- Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Matthew D. Zimmerman
- Administrative/Regulatory Law
- Energy Law
- Environmental Law
- Land Use & Zoning Law;
- Municipal Law
Kalamazoo
John W. Allen
- Family Law
- Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants
- Litigation – Antitrust
- Litigation – Banking & Finance
- Litigation – Trusts & Estates
William A. Dornbos
- Banking and Finance Law
- Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Native American Law
- Real Estate Law
Erika Salerno Shadowens
- Family Law
Bonnie Y. Sawusch
- Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Fred L. Schubkegel
- Corporate Law
David M. Thoms
- Litigation – Trusts and Estates
- Nonprofit/Charities Law
- Tax Law
- Trusts and Estates
Novi
Richard T. Hewlett
- Commercial Litigation
- Construction Law
- Litigation – Construction
Richard A. Hooker
- Employment Law – Management
- Labor Law – Management
- Litigation – Labor and Employment
Paul L.B. McKenney
- Litigation & Controversy – Tax
- Tax Law
Julia A. Perkins
- Family Law
Since its inception in 1983, Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Because Best Lawyers® is based on a peer-review survey in which leading lawyers cast votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their practice areas, and because lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed, inclusion in Best Lawyers® is considered a singular honor.