Grant Lawyers

Brent Geers specializes in helping people empower those they trust and provide for those they love. Brent has been an attorney since 2012, working with individuals and families to marshal their time, talent, and treasurer for the benefit of their children, family, and community. He is a Grand Rapids Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” honoree, and currently operates his own practice, Geers Law. Brent is married to an educator, who employs his services as a chaperon for various school functions. He is also his daughter’s father – a girl who will become a president, not a princess.

Mr. Samouris has been a part of the winning criminal defense team at Grabel & Associates for over a decade. During that time he has gotten favorable results for clients in an endless list of types and degrees of criminal offenses in counties all over the state of Michigan. Mr. Samouris credits his success with his client’s criminal cases to his thorough preparation and hardworking attitude. At Grabel & Associates, we understand being prepared is half the battle when getting the best possible results for our clients. Meticulous preparation along with exceptional knowledge and application of the laws that apply...

Rebecca L. Johnson-Ellis , a partner in the firm, has been an attorney for the past 14 years and us board certified in Consumer Bankruptcy Law from the American Board of Certification. Rebecca received both her law school degree and her undergraduate degree from Michigan State University. Rebecca is admitted to practice in the courts of Michigan, the Western District of Michigan Federal Courts and the U.S. Supreme Court. Rebecca has been recognized by her peers in the Michigan Super Lawyers Magazine as a Rising Star several years in a row. Rebecca has helped thousands of individuals through the...

Robert Gavin is the Senior Associate at Shifman & Carlson, P.C. He has been practicing law since 2008, and was named a Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2015, 2018, and 2019. He was also listed by DBusiness Magazine as a Top Lawyer in the Metro Detroit Area for Public Finance Law in both 2014, 2017, and 2018.

Rob brings a wide variety of skills and a diverse background to bear for his clients, including his experience with contract negotiation, employee issues, construction issues. Rob's undergraduate degree is in engineering, which has also been useful to clients during construction issues and in...

Ryan F. Beach earned his bachelor's degree from Michigan State University and his juris doctorate from Wayne State University. Ryan Beach has extensive experience in consumer bankruptcy law and has represented hundreds of individuals in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 cases. Ryan F. Beach currently lives in Grand Rapids with his wife Sarah Sobczak Beach and their two children.

I have been practicing law since 1979 in the State and Federal Courts. My firm specializes in bankruptcy and is actively involved in the bankruptcy practice in West Michigan. I am a Board Certified Specialist in Consumer Bankruptcy Law by the American Board of Certification. I am actively involved in many local bar organizations that focus on bankruptcy practice, speak at many conferences, and I’ve helped thousands of people through the bankruptcy process.

- Act as general counsel/legal adviser to a variety of service and manufacturing businesses, including M&A, supply agreements, real estate leases and purchase agreements, employment policies/handbooks, contracts, financing documentation, terms and conditions, privacy notices, and compliance/governance documents.
- Represent businesses in complex commercial litigation, such as inter business disputes, contract disputes, shareholder/member conflicts, and employment matters.
- Aggressively assist individuals in contract disputes, real estate transactions/disputes, high conflict divorce matters and sales representative litigation.
- Very experienced in all forms of ADR, including Collaborative Divorce.
- Handle all matters with honesty, integrity and discretion.

I live in the world of ideas and strategic planning. I value intelligence, knowledge, and competence, I have high standards in these regards, which I continuously strive to fulfill. I can objectively see the reality of a situation, and I’m adaptable enough to change things which aren’t working well. I am a strategist – always scanning available ideas and concepts and weighing them against my current strategy, to plan for every credible contingency. I am ready to work for you.

Rebecca is an attorney licensed in the State of Michigan. She grew up in Grand Rapids, and attended Kalamazoo College where she majored in Spanish and Religion. Soon after graduation, she began work at Catholic Human Development Outreach in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in the Immigration Assistance Program where she was first exposed to immigration law. After three life-changing years of helping immigrants reunite with their families, she decided to attend law school, and she graduated and became an attorney in 2006. Rebecca then moved to Chicago where she studied and worked in tax for several years where she specialized in...

The Buchanan Firm team represents real people injured by vehicle accidents or medical negligence. When you contact our firm, we give you a free evaluation and answer your questions. Our clients always meet with the team that handles the claim. We never pass you down to an inexperienced attorney. And we work tirelessly on your case to win, and do so at no additional cost to you. Using cutting-edge technology and legal video documentaries, we show the wrongdoers and their insurance companies they must settle the claim or risk losing at trial. Our serious injury team of attorneys and...

Gary T. Neal specializes in the areas of workers' compensation, Social Security, and unemployment benefits. Mr. Neal received his law degree from the University of Wisconsin. He also graduated from Michigan State University with high honors, receiving a B.A. in criminal justice.

Mr. Neal is a dedicated advocate for his injured and disabled clients. He also has been a guest lecturer at many labor union and disability advocacy events, focusing on both workers' compensation and Social Security law.

He is a member of the Michigan Association for Justice and the Muskegon County Bar Association. He also coaches the North Muskegon High School...

KELLY G. LAMBERT was born in Omaha, Nebraska and graduated from Ottawa Hills High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1981. In 1985, he received his Bachelor of Arts in international relations from Michigan State University where he was a National Merit Scholar. In December 1988, he received his law degree from University of Michigan Law School, where he was the recipient of the Wolverine State Bar Association Scholarship. In 1989 he was licensed to practice law in New York. In 1990 he was admitted to practice law in Michigan. He was admitted to practice...

BUSINESS LAW. With my education (JD, MBA, CPA) and experience (Attorney and Business Executive) I bring an unusual extensive knowledge and experience in both the business legal world and the business operations world. As a result, I understand both the business and legal aspects of most situations.

ESTATE PLANNING. I have developed an unique process to help clients understand how an estate plan works in order to help them make informed decisions so they have a peace of mind knowing what how their estate plan will unfold as life progresses.

PROBATE. For those looking to keep...

Christopher J. Rabideau practices workers’ compensation, Social Security disability, and Child SSI law. A cum laude graduate of the Indiana University School of Law, Mr. Rabideau also holds a B.A. with honors from Michigan State University, and is admitted to the courts of the state of Michigan.

Besides being a well-regarded trial lawyer, Mr. Rabideau has a long history of providing legal education seminars to labor unions and other organizations.

He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, the Grand Rapids Bar Association, the Michigan Association for Justice, and the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives. He is the...

Robert O. Chessman focuses his work on automobile accidents, personal injuries, wrongful death, and medical and professional malpractice. He also works as a state-certified mediator to resolve disputes in civil cases of all types. Mr. Chessman graduated from the University of Michigan Law School and holds a cum laude degree from Harvard University.

Mr. Chessman is a past president of the Muskegon County Bar Association, and is a member of the Michigan State Bar Association and the Michigan Association for Justice.

Before joining McCroskey Law, Mr. Chessman spent three and one-half years in the Peace Corps, in Togo, West Africa. He also...

Dawn Krupp started her career at Michigan Consolidated Gas Company in 1964 where she rose to upper level management over the next 26 years. During her time at Michcon she realized that she had a desire to do something more fulfilling with her career and started attending law school. Dawn Krupp was admitted to practice law in 1991 when she joined her husband’s practice in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Her primary concentration over her years of practice has been in domestic (family law / divorce cases) and bankruptcy matters. Dawn Krupp’s experience in family law matters includes handling divorce, child custody,...

For over 25 years, my passion has been helping companies navigate the waters of patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and other forms of Intellectual Property.

The firm I founded has been honored to secure in 500+ US Patents, hundreds of US Trademarks, and IP rights in over 60 Countries, on 6 Continents, for clients that range from the individual inventor to the Fortune 50.

It is likewise an honor to have multiple clients place their trust in our work for two decades, and to continue to represent my first corporate client all these years later.

I have been fortunate to have worked...

Michelle McLean received her Bachelors of Science from Cornerstone University in 2002. She later received her Juris Doctorate Cum Laude from Michigan State University College of Law in 2007. While earning her law degree, Ms. McLean served both on the Inns of Court (Lansing) and also worked as an extern for Kent Countyâs 17th Circuit Judicial Court. Prior to practicing law, Ms. Mclean worked for a national mortgage lender and has over fifteen years experience in this capacity. She worked as an underwriter, collector, manager, and finally as an account executive. By combining her...

Matt Borgula is a seasoned trial attorney who has defended and prosecuted hundreds of criminal and civil cases. Prior to joining SBBL Law, he was one of the lead federal prosecutors for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan. As the Deputy Criminal Chief and head of the financial crimes unit and drug unit, Mr. Borgula handled every type of federal charge from investigation, to Grand Jury indictment through trial. Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, he worked in Chicago for the law firm of Jenner & Block, where he represented clients in matters relating to...

EMPLOYMENT LAW. Over 35 years of experience in the field of complex employment litigation and employment law matters, including EEOC investigations, wrongful discharge, sexual harassment and discrimination claims, wage-hour violations, FMLA, ADA, defamation, breach of contract, retaliation, whistleblower and a variety of other employment-related claims.
SEVERANCE AGREEMENTS. We have successfully negotiated numerous severance agreements on behalf of employers as well as key employees in a variety of industries throughout West Michigan.
NONCOMPETE, NONSOLICITATION AGREEMENTS. We have extensive experience in the enforcement and/or defense of noncompete, nonsolicitation and other restrictive agreements.
TRADE SECRETS, CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. We also have significant expertise with preparing...

Eric Hultman is a registered patent attorney with experience counseling corporations and individuals on a wide range of intellectual property and business matters. Mr. Hultman represents his clients on a broad spectrum of intellectual property issues, including patent, trade secret, trademark, and copyright and unfair competition matters. He has dealt with diverse patent matters including patent availability and non-infringement opinions, patent preparation, patent prosecution and litigation support. Prior to beginning his legal career, Mr. Hultman worked for eight years as a mechanical engineer, designing and testing automotive parts for Tier I automotive suppliers. Mr. Hultman is admitted to practice before the United States...

Headquartered in Holland, Michigan with a second office in Muskegon, Michigan, West Michigan Law, P.C. was founded by Adam Zuwerink to provide the highest-quality legal services on an efficient and cost-effective basis, focusing on business, real estate and estate planning legal work.

RJS Law has Successfully represented injured individuals and their families for over 30 years in automobile accident claims and claims against insurance companies. The office specializes in Wrongful Death Claims, Michigan No-Fault automobile claims and serious injury recoveries. We have provided Millions in Judgments and Settlements to our clients.
As personal injury attorneys, RJS Law's practice focuses on helping injured people. Unlike many law firms, we work exclusively for injured people, not representing corporations or insurance companies. We handle automobile, truck and motorcycle cases, as well as other serious injury claims and death. Fractures, soft tissue, amputations, and brain injuries...

Timothy Doman joined Grabel & Associates in 2016 after leaving his position as a Pre-Hearing Attorney with the Michigan Court of Appeals to follow his passion and interest in criminal law. He believes criminal law is fascinating and was eager to join Grabel & Associates due to our exclusive focus on criminal defense and criminal appeals. Tim Doman’s vast experience working at the Michigan Court of Appeals allows him to quickly and accurately research relevant issues to a client’s criminal defense or appeal and craft well written, comprehensive legal briefs, memos and arguments. His unique background working for both the...

A former prosecutor, Jennifer Weise brings over a decade of trial experience to Grabel & Associates. With experience working in two prosecutor’s offices, she is a seasoned trial attorney with knowledge in all areas of criminal defense. She has also prosecuted hundreds of Criminal Sexual Conduct cases which gives her the ability to fight for her current clients while anticipating the prosecution’s next move. Former prosecutors bring the ability to “think as the other side” to their client’s defense strategy, which is why Jennifer Weise is such an asset to Grabel & Associates. She excels at client communication, enjoys trial...

Attorney Michael Haddock earned a Master of Laws in Commercial Real Estate Law and Development and a Juris Doctor JD with an emphasis in litigation and has years of corporate insurance law and litigation experience. His clients are individuals and businesses throughout the U.S. with a large percentage from Saugatuck, Douglas, Holland, South Haven, Chicago, and Kent, Van Buren Ottawa, and Allegan Counties. He serves our expanded community in issues regarding real estate, wills and trusts and litigation defending contractors, developers, real estate holding companies, assisted living communities, condominium associations, businesses and individuals and...

Born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEY
Lawyer for West Michigan Injury Victims in Kent, Ottawa, and Muskegon County
Attorney John D. Tallman is a Grand Rapids native and has been serving personal injury clients throughout West Michigan for almost 40 years. Throughout his legal career, he has handled a wide variety of cases involving car, truck, and motorcycle crashes, construction site accidents, defective products, and more. He understands the unique challenges associated with different kinds of cases, and he has achieved results for his clients through both settlements and trials.

If you or a family member has been injured in an accident due to someone else’s...

Licensed in 2014, Ravi Gurumurthy has been an associate at Grabel & Associates for several years. He has experience in the aggressive defense of those charged with criminal sexual conduct, violent crimes, theft and drug charges and juvenile offenses.

John Bursch (www.burschlaw.com) represents Fortune 500 companies, governments, top public officials, and industry associations in high-profile cases, primarily on appeal. John has argued 12 U.S. Supreme Court cases since 2011 and 34 state supreme court cases, including 32 cases argued in the Michigan Supreme Court. John has successfully litigated hundreds of matters around the country, including six with more than $1 billion at stake. Recent matters include:

-Securing a 6th Circuit victory reinstating a multi-million-dollar commercial case on behalf of 5-hour ENERGY®
-A Michigan Court of Appeals ruling vindicating a Certificate of Need for DTE Energy's billion-dollar, natural-gas plant
-Obtaining a win...

Described as a true jack-of-all trades, Mike has a professional history within commercial real estate, construction, governmental utilities, and mechanical service industry. Mike has done everything from swinging a hammer, to owning small businesses, and helping to run multi-million dollar businesses. He’s not afraid of the hard work that needs to get done. Mike is a Grand Rapids native, Double major in business and finance from Grand Valley State University, and a Cum Laude graduate from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. He also holds a Michigan residential builders license and licensed real estate salesperson. After law school, Mike found his...

Brandon Gardner founded Brandon Gardner & Associates, PLC on the principle that every client deserves zealous, high-quality legal representation, especially those facing the most serious crimes and complex family disputes. Brandon has over twenty years' experience in multiple aspects of the court system from small claims dispute resolution to appeals to the Michigan Supreme Court and utilizes this breadth of knowledge to develop custom solutions to every case at the firm, no matter the complexity. Mr. Gardner’s practice areas include serious felonies and federal crimes, complex domestic litigation, and personal injury litigation. Additionally, he is an approved domestic relations mediator on...

Jeffrey’s experience and expertise in consumer bankruptcy – specifically chapters 7 and 13 – makes all the difference. “Our firm has shown time and time again that our dedication to the client does not end when their case does. Our job isn’t done until we have done everything possible to help clients lead a financially successful life,” he explains. “I love seeing my clients, but I know I am most successful if I never need to see them again. If my clients exit bankruptcy with a better understanding of their finances, what mistakes they made, and how they can avoid...

Paparella & Associates is a law firm specializing in intellectual Property. Namely, Patents, Trademarks, & Copyrights, and serves the business community nationwide. By structuring the law firm around, and operating the firm under sound business practices, Paparella & Associates has uniquely positioned itself to deliver the highest quality representation, while utilizing a fee structure that is more in line with the business community’s expectations. Representing clients in all intellectual property matters including, Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights, Infringement Matters, Clearance Opinions, Freedom to Operate Opinions, Trade Secrets, and Litigation.

Practicing law has been a long-term goal for me ever since participating in a mock trial exercise in middle school. With that goal in mind, I pursued a degree in political science at Grand Valley State University with the intent of going to law school immediately following my undergraduate studies. I graduated cum laude from Michigan State University College of Law and joined the team at Kraayeveld Law.

I have always had a passion for working with kids. Throughout my time in college and law school, I worked as a high school marching band instructor and as a recreational gymnastics coach....