Byron Patton

Eric is a seasoned business and corporate attorney who provides comprehensive legal counsel to startups, private and family-owned businesses, and multinational corporations across diverse industries, including automotive, manufacturing, technology, food and agriculture, venture capital and professional services. He supports clients throughout the entire lifecycle of their business, from the formation or acquisition stage through the ultimate sale or other exit – and all the legal issues...

Bob is committed to making a difference for those he serves. Applying his deep tax background and education, Bob represents buyers and sellers in merger, acquisition and disposition transactions, and provides comprehensive counsel pertaining to business and partnership tax matters. He also advises start-up companies and established businesses alike interested in pursuing capital sources from the private equity market to raise capital for a number of diverse enterprises. Bob’s industry e...

Floyd Gates heads Bodman’s Grand Rapids office. He is an experienced litigation, banking and corporate attorney. He has represented financial institutions throughout the country in connection with workout and related litigation along with the investigation of complex fraud schemes involving hundreds of millions of dollars in claims. Floyd has also handled significant real estate related litigation including representing numerous owners, contractors and suppliers in connection with multi...

Jeffrey A. Michael is a partner in the firm's Grand Rapids, Michigan, office, and a member of the Intellectual Property and Technology Departments, as well as the Nanotechnology Practice Group. Jeffrey serves corporate and individual clients by obtaining intellectual property protection in the United States and foreign countries and concentrates this portion of his practice primarily in the areas of electrical, electro-mechanical, mechanical, and computer-related inventions. He also counsels ...

Stephanie R. Setterington is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Stephanie R., who practices law in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Stephanie R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Raj A. Malviya has been practicing law since 2005. His practice is focused on estate and tax planning and asset protection for individuals and organizations, planning and tax compliance for individuals and families with foreign ties, and all aspects of estate and trust administration. Estate and Wealth Transfer Planning Mr. Malviya works with private clients such as business owners and licensed professionals in high risk professions including physicians, dentists, chiropractors, architects, a...

Eric R. Starck is a Member of the Firm and has been practicing law since 2001. His corporate practice focuses on commercial real estate, land use, zoning and environmental law.Mr. Starck advises clients in all areas of real estate law, including the acquisition, construction, financing, leasing and disposition of real property. He also advises clients on zoning, land use, environmental compliance and environmental due diligence issues. Mr. Starck is a member of the State Bar of Michigan and s...

Fredric N. Goldberg practices in the area of corporate and business law, with an emphasis in transactional practice, and in the area of college and university law. In addition, he has developed substantive expertise in the field of water law and the law of natural resources generally. He was recently recognized in the 2010 Best Lawyers publication for his water law expertise. Fred is a member of the Grand Rapids Bar Association and the State Bar of Michigan. He received his bachelor's degree ...

John has extensive experience in corporate, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, and real estate matters. His clients trust him to provide practical advice with respect to their complex legal needs and legal planning matters, and he serves as outside general counsel to companies across a wide spectrum of industries. John has served as lead counsel in numerous mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, financing transactions, real estate acquisition and dispositions, busi...

John M. DeVries, a native of Grand Rapids, practices in the areas of litigation in federal and state courts, oil, gas and water law, eminent domain and zoning law. John received his bachelor's degree from Calvin College and his law degree from the University of Michigan, magna cum laude, Order of the Coif. He is a member of the Grand Rapids and Federal Bar Associations, the State Bar of Michigan, and is a life member of the Sixth Circuit Judicial Conference.