Mark S. Pendery

Robert D. Wolford is a member of the Firm’s Management Committee and has been practicing law since 2001. He is a corporate lawyer who represents automotive suppliers and other manufacturers ranging from publicly traded to closely held as well as nonprofit. He has significant experience in mergers and acquisitions as well as workouts and bankruptcy. Mr. Wolford serves as the Legal Counsel to several groups including the Economic Club of Grand Rapids. He is one of the founders of the West...

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...

Conor is a skilled litigator who draws on his years of experience with the Department of Justice and in private practice to help navigate clients from a lawsuit’s inception through its successful completion. Conor expertly tries cases, frames the issues in the trial court for potential appeal, and develops a successful appellate strategy. Conor has a varied litigation practice. He has tried multiple federal cases and handled significant pre-trial discovery and motions practice. In one f...

Jeffrey G. Muth has been practicing law since 2000 and is chair of the firm's Privacy and Data Security practice. His practice involves complex commercial litigation and corporate counseling with a niche in insurance coverage. In addition, he is experienced in alternate dispute resolution including arbitration and mediation. Mr. Muth attended and completed the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School “Mediating Disputes.” He is also an approved mediator for the United States D...

James R. Brown concentrates his law practice in municipal law and real property law. He represents many townships, villages, cities and other municipal bodies throughout West Michigan and elsewhere in the state. His law practice has a particular emphasis in the representation of townships, and he serves as general counsel for a large number of townships in Kent County and in surrounding counties. Jim is also an experienced township official, having served for 25 years as chairperson of the Gr...

Melissa Neckers is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Family Law Arbitration. Melissa practices law in Grand Rapids, Michigan Best Lawyers has recognized Melissa Neckers since 2024. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Melissa Neckers is held by other lawyers.

Nathaniel R. Wolf practices in the areas of securities arbitration, commercial litigation, employment law and immigration. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the American Association of Immigration Attorneys, the State Bar of Michigan and the Grand Rapids Bar Association. Nate received his Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration/Pre-Law from Michigan State University in 1994. He received his law degree from Wayne State University Law School, cum laude in 1997, where he was el...

An accomplished legal counselor with years of experience advising on the complex issues employers face daily, Jenny serves as a skilled problem-solver and defender of employers across the country. Through negotiation, mediation, court dismissals and representation before juries, Jenny brings to bear a pragmatic approach to risk management. Jenny’s labor and employment practice is national in scope, and Fortune 500 multinational clients and other public and private companies seek her rep...

Emily specializes in real estate and environmental law. Her real estate practice focuses on buying, selling, and leasing commercial real estate, although she also helps businesses, individuals and financial institutions with a variety of other real estate matters. She routinely advises clients regarding environmental compliance and regulatory issues relating to underground storage tanks, waste management, permitting, environmental enforcement, and the investigation, cleanup and regulatory clo...

Suanne's clients are West Michigan families that are looking to navigate separation, divorce, and co-parenting. She represents and mediates all matters relating to divorce including custody, complex business assets, support, parenting time, adoption, guardianship, paternity, and prenuptial agreements.