Varnum partner Richard Hewlett has been recognized in Michigan Lawyers Weekly Hall of Fame Class of 2025. The award honors Michigan’s legal leaders with more than 30 years of experience and recognizes their successful careers and contributions to the community.
Hewlett is a partner on the Litigation and Trial Practice Team, head of the Construction Law Practice Team, and co-chair of the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Practice Team at Varnum. As a skilled litigator, he has delivered exceptional results for clients in construction, commercial, and business disputes. His counsel is frequently sought by Boards of Directors and C-suite executives regarding complex and sensitive issues, including internal investigations and compliance. His broad experience has given him a unique ability to navigate high-stakes matters and has earned him a reputation as a trusted adviser.
As the head of the Construction Law Practice, Hewlett has successfully represented owners, construction managers, subcontractors/suppliers, and design professionals in a wide range of matters, including claims related to delays, extra work, productivity impact, defects, liens, and bond claims. He is recognized within the industry as an expert on construction law matters and his legal ability, work ethic, and character have earned him the respect of his clients and other attorneys.
Co-chair of the NIL Practice team, Hewlett brings a rare combination of legal expertise and personal experience as a four-year letter winner on the University of Michigan football team. Following the June 2021 Supreme Court decision allowing student-athletes to monetize their NIL, Hewlett has represented collectives and brands in connection with NCAA compliance and related business counseling matters pertaining to NIL. He also has experience as a former NFLPA-certified agent who has represented athletes and coaches in contract negotiations, business ventures, and intellectual property law.
Hewlett has earned widespread recognition for his contributions to the legal field. He holds the Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent™ Peer Review Rating and has been listed in Best Lawyers in America® annually since 2014, earning multiple Lawyer of the Year titles. In 2023, he was named Go To Lawyer for Construction Law by Michigan Lawyers Weekly and has been recognized by DBusiness© as a Top Lawyer for Litigation – Construction over several years.
Outside of his practice, Hewlett and his late wife founded the Swing to Cure Diabetes Golf Outing to raise money for diabetes research. Established in 2008, the outing has raised more than $1 million, with proceeds benefiting Breakthrough T1D and its Center of Excellence at the University of Michigan.
Hewlett and other Hall of Fame honorees will be recognized at a luncheon event on April 25 and will be profiled in a special section of the late April issue of Michigan Lawyers Weekly.