James A. "Jim" Fajen

Mark Heusel is an experienced commercial business attorney and serves as the Chair of the Firm’s China/ASEAN Region Practice Group. He has more than 25 years of experience in representing multi-national companies in the manufacturing, retail and automotive industries. Mr. Heusel’s experience includes advising foreign companies in the areas of foreign direct investment in the United States, business formation, Greenfield investment, international trade, commercial transactional mat...

Timothy R. Damschroder is the co-chair of the Business Practice Group. He specializes in middle market M&A transactions (typically ranging from $30 million to $1 billion) and corporate finance. He has substantial experience serving as outside general counsel to automotive, industrial and technology companies. He manages many major client accounts with responsibility for quality control, staffing, workflow, and overall client satisfaction. His middle market activities involve companies in ...

John S. Artz, a partner with Dickinson Wright PLLC has more than twenty-five years of experience and practices in all areas of intellectual property litigation. He also has extensive experience with the acquisition, management, and prosecution of patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret assets. He serves and has served as lead counsel for many companies in federal courts across the country, including the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals. John also has served as lead counsel in 25+ IPRs ...

Mr. Walsh is the Chair of Bodman's Appellate Law Practice Group and has broad litigation experience at both the trial and appellate levels. Representing both plaintiffs and defendants, Mr. Walsh has obtained successful jury verdicts in numerous cases. He has argued more than 100 appeals in both state and federal appellate courts. Among the appeals Mr. Walsh has argued successfully are Shepherd Montessori Center Milan v. Ann Arbor Charter Twp ., 486 Mich. 311 (2010), McCart v. J. Walter Thomps...

Sandra L. Jasinski is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Sandra, who practices law in Ann Arbor, Michigan, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Sandra is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area. Sandra represents clients principally in commercial litigation and appellate work and in alternative dispute resolutio...

William Thacker’s practice concentrates on traditional labor matters, employment litigation and day-to-day counseling of clients on the various employee and labor relations issues that arise within their organizations. He advises clients during union representation campaigns and elections as well as non-Board recognition processes, including the negotiation and administration of card-check recognition agreements. Mr. Thacker negotiates collective bargaining agreements; advises clients r...

Shawn Strand is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Shawn, who practices law in Ann Arbor, Michigan, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Shawn is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Thomas J. Vitale is a litigator and business lawyer whose practice centers on the construction, manufacturing, and real estate industries. He represents clients in both state and federal courts in a wide range of commercial disputes and also serves as outside counsel to businesses across Michigan. Tom regularly works with national and local construction companies on litigation and contract matters. His experience includes handling lien and bond notices/filings, negotiating construction agreem...

Joanne advises clients on a wide range of state and local tax matters, with a focus on tax controversy, litigation, and planning. She represents businesses of all sizes—from closely held companies to Fortune 500 corporations—in disputes involving Michigan’s corporate income tax, sales and use tax, withholding, and individual income tax. Her practice also includes handling multistate tax issues and helping clients understand and respond to audits, assessments, and refund clai...

Ms. Leahy concentrates her practice in corporate and business law. She counsels both established and emerging businesses on general corporate transactions, mergers and acquisitions, compliance with securities regulations, and issues involving venture capital funding. Ms. Leahy is chair of Bodman’s executive management committee. Ms. Leahy has drafted and negotiated transactional documents for both publicly and privately held entities involved in mergers and acquisitions ranging in size ...