Matthew Rose

Melissa leads the Real Estate Practice Team, and focuses her practice on corporate and real estate matters, with an emphasis on commercial sales, acquisitions, leasing, redevelopment, and construction law. She has extensive experience in structuring primary and replacement real estate financing with banks, private investors, and joint ventures, including mezzanine and other uniquely structured secured loan facilities. Melissa offers her clients significant experience in negotiating commercial...

Dan is a highly experienced attorney working primarily in the bankruptcy, workout, restructuring and finance-related world, where for more than 36 years he has represented lenders, borrowers, companies, and individuals in almost every kind of debtor-creditor related matter they might encounter. Along the way he’s handled all manner of bankruptcy cases, documented and restructured loans and other transactions, helped clients buy and sell companies, litigated insolvency related matters, a...

David has served as counsel in hundreds of real estate, lending and workout transactions and matters, and is particularly experienced in the negotiation and closing of sale and lease transactions for office, retail, multifamily and health care clients. Dedicated to providing practical legal advice in a responsive way when it comes to negotiating and closing even the most complex and challenging real estate transactions, David is committed to providing a high degree of attention to detail with...

Marilyn is a partner in the Estate Planning Practice Group. Her practice includes estate planning, estate and trust administration, estate taxation and charitable giving. She was elected by her peers to be a Fellow in the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. Marilyn was recently honored by Michigan Lawyers Weekly as one of the 2012 Women in the Law.

Alex Zucco is an estate planning attorney focused on advising clients on the design of customized estate plans. From unmarried individuals to married couples, young professionals to retirees, Alex has a passion for counseling clients on achieving their estate planning goals, including: Avoiding probate Planning with regard to complex personal and family issues, such as second marriages, blended families, unique health issues, and special needs planning Providing for multi-generational wealth ...

Lindsay M. Cummings is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law and Trusts and Estates. Lindsay M., 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 Lindsay M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Jeffrey T. Gray is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Corporate Law and Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law. Jeffrey T., 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 Jeffrey T. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Mary Jane represents clients in all types of real estate transactions and has a specialty practice in environmental law. Her environmental expertise includes counseling clients regarding environmental liabilities and negotiating environmental risks in the context of development projects, sales, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory compliance, remediations , disputes, and permitting, and accessing brownfield and other financial incentives. She serves a diverse client base, ranging from publicl...

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...

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.