Karen L. Kayes

Tom’s practice includes design and implementation of sophisticated estate plans, active administration of trust accounts, settlement of decedent’s estates, estate taxation, and charitable gift planning. He advises many of Varnum's family business owners and is a member of our Family Business Team. Tom currently serves as the Firm's Executive Partner, one of our two Managing Partners. Previously, he served five years as the chair of the Firm's Estate Planning, Tax, and Employee Ben...

Scott Dienes is a real estate, municipal and finance attorney assisting clients with complex projects that define and shape communities. With a strong municipal and real estate background, along with tax-exempt bond and public finance experience, Scott keeps projects on track and on budget. Scott has served as general counsel to municipal clients his entire career. He acts on behalf of local governments, development authorities, school districts, water and sewer authorities, district librarie...

Mike is a partner in the corporate practice group and served as the former Chair of the firm’s Policy Committee. His practice focuses on corporate governance, securities, and mergers and acquisitions. He represents several of the firm’s clients whose securities are traded publicly in corporate governance, securities law compliance and mergers and acquisitions. He has managed and led a variety of public equity and debt offerings for financial services and manufacturing companies. M...

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...

Scott E. Dwyer has extensive experience in the areas of labor, employment and wrongful discharge law, business litigation, shareholder disputes, noncompete agreements and unfair competition and trade secret litigation and employee misconduct investigations, including fraud and fraud litigation. He is a member of the Grand Rapids and American Bar Associations and the State Bar of Michigan. Scott has several reported cases, including: NLRB v Beacon Light Nursing Home , 825 F2d 1076 (6th Cir 198...

Brian Fleetham specializes in health care law and general business and corporate law. He is a member of Dickinson Wright. He has extensive experience representing physicians and other health care providers on business transactions, contracts, corporate governance, arrangements with hospital and other facilities, and regulatory matters such as Stark, HIPAA, fraud and abuse, and compliance matters. Brian received his Bachelor of Arts degree, summa cum laude, from Hillsdale College where he was ...

Christy McDonald is an employment lawyer and litigator. She is passionate about working with employers on their legal challenges and opportunities. She provides daily counseling for employers on all aspects of employment law and provides proactive advice on litigation avoidance and risk management. As a seasoned trial advocate, Christy has significant experience achieving favorable results for clients in employment and commercial cases.

Michael D. Almassian is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Michael D., who practices law in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Harvey Koning is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group and is active in the firm’s Financial Institutions Industry group. He works with a wide variety of businesses, from start-ups to public companies. He represents companies involved in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and also initial and secondary public offerings. Harvey’s corporate practice also includes private equity, venture capital, securities regulation and executive compensation. He works extensively with a numbe...

Chris works intimately with clients and their advisors to create estate plans that enable families to plan for today as well as for future generations. Chris regularly prepares sophisticated estate plans, emphasizing probate avoidance, estate tax planning, and business succession planning. In addition, Chris has an emphasis on helping families with cottage succession planning. Chris's practice also includes a significant focus on post-death planning and estate and trust administration. Chris ...