John R. "Jack" Oostema

Matt is the current practice group chair for the environmental practice group. and his vast experience includes general environmental law, environmental compliance counseling, transactional due diligence, administrative law, civil and administrative enforcement defense, environmental insurance, Brownfield redevelopment and financing, agricultural law, and energy/alternative energy law. He routinely reviews environmental site assessments, directs remediation projects and has done extensive wor...

Brian Kersey concentrates his practice in aviation law and commercial finance matters. He brings nearly 30 years of wide-ranging experience as a lawyer and as a banker to bear in providing practical solutions and guiding his clients to successful outcomes quickly and efficiently. Mr. Kersey is Co-Chair of Bodman's Aviation Law and Finance Practice Group. His aviation law practice encompasses a wide variety of areas, including purchase and sale transactions, regulatory compliance, risk managem...

Mike has a multi-state practice focused on debt restructuring and complex commercial litigation. Mike serves many businesses, but specializes in automotive, agriculture and telecommunications. Mike also regularly represents health care research facilities, ambulance agencies, and other health care clients. Mike represents the Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids. Mike served as a law clerk to the late Honorable David E. Nims, a United States Bankruptcy Judge. In the 1980s, Mike was an FBI a...

Dustin Jackson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Dustin, who practices law in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Dustin is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Laura A. Chappelle is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Energy Law and Energy Regulatory Law. Laura A., who practices law in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has been recognized since 2017. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Laura A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Jeff chairs Varnum's employee benefits practice group. He has 25 years of experience working with employers, executives and third-party administrators on a wide range of employee benefit, executive compensation and individual retirement matters, including plan design, plan administration, benefit plan disputes and tax planning for retirement. He also helps solve complex tax issues in business and investment transactions, especially those involving pass-through entities and oil and gas activit...

Fred is a member of the Estate Planning Practice Group. He has been assisting his clients with their estate planning needs since he first began his practice, and he has during that time handled a wide variety of estate settlements and estate settlement issues. His particular focus is on counseling clients on techniques to minimize estate and gift taxes, and drafting the documents to accomplish that objective. Fred is also a trusted personal advisor to many of the families he has worked with o...

Tom's representative clients are individuals and small, closely held businesses. Tom helps these West Michigan businesses in all business matters, including but not limited to, estate and tax planning, commercial and real estate transactions, and mergers and acquisitions.

Dean F. Reisner is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law. Dean F., who practices law in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Dean F. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Michael Stroster is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Labor Law - Management. Michael, who practices law in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.