With a background in finance and accounting, and with specialized training in business valuation, Paul helps clients determine the value of privately held business interests, often in high-stakes, complex and (sometimes) contentious shareholder and family law disputes. Business valuation expertise is critical to his clients with respect to shareholder and governance issues, shareholders looking to exit companies who either have or lack liquidity rights, families in multi-generational businesses, divorce actions where an interest in the company is subject to marital division, post-acquisition disputes, and officers, directors, or shareholders in oppression litigation, dissenters’ rights actions, or actions involving breach of fiduciary duties, and trustees and beneficiaries of trusts holding privately held interests.
Paul A. McCarthy
Awarded Practice Areas
Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants Commercial Litigation Litigation - Banking and Finance
*Named the "Lawyer of the Year" in this practice area in the 2026 edition in Grand Rapids.
Awarded Practice Areas
Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants Commercial Litigation Litigation - Banking and Finance
*Named the "Lawyer of the Year" in this practice area in the 2026 edition in Grand Rapids.
Biography
Locations
Education
- Marquette University, J.D., graduated 1992
Bar Admissions
Affiliations
- Grand Rapids Bar Association - Member
- Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission - Member
- Michigan State Bar Foundation - Fellow
- State Bar of Michigan - Member
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus

Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
- Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants, Grand Rapids (2026)
- Litigation - Banking and Finance, Grand Rapids (2025)
- Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants, Grand Rapids (2022)
- Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants, Grand Rapids (2020)
- Litigation - Banking and Finance, Grand Rapids (2019)
- Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants, Grand Rapids (2015)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
- Commercial Litigation
- Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants
- Litigation - Banking and Finance
Additional Areas of Practice:
- Banking and Finance Law
- Legal Malpractice Law
Awards:
- Chambers USA, Ranked Lawyer, "Paul is singled out by sources as having 'abundant trial skills' as well as being 'levelheaded and practical'. He is noted for his expertise in acting for corporate clients on shareholder and non-compete issues."
- 2011 Michigan Lawyers Weekly Leader in Law
- Leading LawyersSM
- Michigan's Law and Politics, Super Lawyer, Business Litigation
- International Society of Barristers
- Martindale Hubbell, AV Preeminent Rating
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