Steven J. Tjapkes

Richard K. Grover, Jr. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants. Richard K., who practices law in Grandville, Michigan, has been recognized since 2007. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Richard K. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Ryan P. Duffy is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Health Care. Ryan P., 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 Ryan P. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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...

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 ...

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...

Michael J. Roth is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Michael J., who practices law in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Nicholas B. Missad is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law and Family Law Mediation. Nicholas B., who practices law in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Nicholas B. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Mark represents physicians in professional liability actions, including those engaged in emergency medicine, family practice, general surgery, cardiothoracic surgery, internal medicine, neurology, anesthesiology, nephrology, obstetrics/gynecology, orthopedics, pathology, urology, neurosurgery, otolaryngology, ophthalmology, radiology and other specialties. In addition to representing the medical practitioner, I have also served a number of hospital entities and defended claims made against ho...

Neil P. Jansen received his bachelor's degrees in Political Science and International Studies from Michigan State University in 1984 and his law degree from Wayne State University in 1988, where he was a member of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court team and Chancellor of the Moot Court Program. Neil practices in the areas of civil and real estate litigation, probate litigation, estate planning and eminent domain. He is a member of the Grand Rapids and American Bar Associations,...

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...