Best Lawyers Near You in Detroit, Michigan
When you search for Detroit lawyers or lawyers in Detroit, Michigan, you want more than just names on a list. You want trusted professionals who have earned the respect of their peers.
Best Lawyers is the only directory built entirely on peer review, ensuring that the attorneys featured are recognized by fellow lawyers for their skill, professionalism and integrity. That credibility matters when you are making decisions that can affect your future, your family, or your business.
Why Hiring a Local, Peer-Reviewed Detroit Lawyer Matters
Choosing a lawyer is not just about credentials on paper. A Detroit attorney brings insight into the city’s courts, judges and legal culture an outsider cannot replicate. Detroit law firms understand how local regulations interact with Michigan’s broader statutes and that knowledge can make a critical difference in outcomes.
Peer-reviewed recognition adds the thickest layer of confidence. Attorneys listed in Best Lawyers are not included through advertising or pay-to-play arrangements. They are nominated and voted in by other lawyers, which means the recognition represents genuine respect within the legal community. For clients, this is an assurance that your lawyer has already been vetted by those who know the profession best.
Common Practice Areas People Seek in Detroit
Legal needs in Detroit are as diverse as the city itself. Best Lawyers organizes its directory so you can find counsel in the areas that matter most:
- Business and Corporate Law: Detroit’s automotive heritage and growing startup scene create demand for lawyers who handle contracts, mergers, compliance and intellectual property. A Detroit business lawyer can guide entrepreneurs, manufacturers and investors through both day-to-day operations and high-stakes transaction.
- Family Law: Divorce, child custody and adoption cases require attorneys who combine legal knowledge with sensitivity to personal stakes. Family law attorneys in Detroit are familiar with Wayne County family courts and can help families navigate transitions while protecting their rights.
- Estate Planning and Trusts: From drafting wills to creating trusts, estate lawyers help Detroit families protect assets and plan for the future. With Michigan’s probate rules and tax implications, local insight ensures your documents stand up to legal scrutiny.
- Commercial Litigation: Business disputes can disrupt operations and threaten reputations. Detroit commercial litigators manage everything from contract enforcement to shareholder conflicts, drawing on courtroom experience that can determine whether cases are resolved quickly or dragged out.
- Real Estate and Land Use: Detroit’s revitalization brings complex property issues, from zoning and development projects to disputes over ownership. Real estate lawyers provide guidance that aligns with city policies and Michigan property law.
- Employment Law and Labor Disputes: With Detroit’s deep ties to manufacturing and unionized workforces, employment law is central. Attorneys handle wage disputes, discrimination claims, collective bargaining issues and compliance for both workers and employers.
- Criminal Defense and Personal Injury: Whether facing charges or recovering from an accident, Detroit residents turn to lawyers who can advocate in high-stakes, emotionally charged cases. Criminal defense lawyers know the local prosecutors and courts, while injury lawyers fight for fair compensation under Michigan’s no-fault insurance laws.
By breaking down these categories, Best Lawyers makes it easier to connect with the right legal help, no matter your legal issue.
How to Use This Page to Find the Right Lawyer
Finding the right lawyer in Detroit does not need to feel overwhelming. The Best Lawyers directory is designed to guide you step by step:
- Start by scrolling or filtering by practice area. Whether you need a Detroit divorce attorney or a Detroit business lawyer, you can narrow the field quickly.
- Review peer-review status and professional biographies. Each listing includes details on an attorney’s background, areas of focus and recognition.
- Consider firm size, years of practice, or experience in specific Detroit courts. Some clients may prefer large Detroit law firms with extensive resources, while others may value the personal attention of a smaller practice.
- Once you identify promising attorneys, reach out directly to schedule a consultation. This initial conversation is your opportunity to see how a lawyer communicates and whether their approach aligns with your goals.
The directory offers transparency, helping you make decisions with clarity and confidence.
Tips on Choosing a Detroit Lawyer
Legal decisions carry lasting consequences. To make the right choice when hiring a lawyer in Detroit, consider these factors:
- Specialty and Experience: Match the attorney’s focus to your needs. A top Detroit attorney in business law may not be the best fit for a custody case and vice versa.
- Local Knowledge: Familiarity with Detroit and Michigan legal systems can streamline your case and anticipate potential hurdles.
- Peer Reputation: Best Lawyers listings are built on peer review, which is one of the most reliable measures of professional credibility.
- Accessibility and Communication: A lawyer’s style matters. Ask about consultation policies, response times and preferred communication methods so you know what to expect.
Thinking through these considerations ensures you select someone who is not only highly qualified but also a good fit for your situation.
Why Best Lawyers Is Your Detroit Legal Directory
Best Lawyers is more than a list—it is a trusted guide for people searching lawyers near you in Detroit. With decades of experience refining the peer-review process, the directory brings together attorneys recognized for excellence in their practice areas.
For Detroit residents and businesses, this means quick access to credible counsel without the guesswork. Whether you are looking for the best lawyers in Detroit for estate planning, the top Detroit attorneys for litigation, or simply reliable Detroit legal help, you will find names backed by the respect of the legal community.
Browse the directory below to find your trusted attorney today. With peer-reviewed recognition and local insight, Best Lawyers makes it simple to take the next step toward resolving your legal matter with confidence.
Select a practice area from the list below to find the best legal talent for your needs.
Practice Areas
Jessica Davis represents regional and national lenders in commercial loan originations, including single-lender, agented, and syndicated loans, as well as debt offerings and private placements. She also represents banks and equipment finance companies on equipment loan and lease originations, leveraged leases and lease acquisitions. Her commercial lending practice encompasses a wide variety of transactions, including multibank/ multi-borrower loans, senior and mezzanine financings, secured an...
Named one of the Best Lawyers in America® 2012-present for his work in antitrust law and litigation and a Michigan Super Lawyer® for Business Litigation, Mr. Zinn is a Member in Dickinson Wright’s Litigation Department. His extensive counseling and litigation experience includes successfully representing clients in complex commercial litigation, antitrust/trade regulation lawsuits, corporate compliance and internal investigations, dealer/distributor termination, e-discovery, int...
Brian R. Trumbauer focuses his practice in the area of debtor-creditor rights and bankruptcy, with a particular emphasis on representing banks and other financial institutions in loan workouts, commercial bankruptcy cases and troubled credit situations. He has represented secured and unsecured creditors, debtors, trustees, creditors’ committees and other interested parties in bankruptcy cases and debtor-creditor disputes. Mr. Trumbauer has served as a member of a standing Advisory Commi...
Mr. Dillon concentrates his practice in mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, investment and finance, tax and business structuring, commercial transactions and related tax issues. He represents public and private companies, emerging businesses, and investors. Mr. Dillon’s work customarily involves conducting legal due diligence, structuring transactions, and preparing and negotiating definitive agreements. Mr. Dillon is a certified public accountant and advises clients on the financia...
Ms. Lentz concentrates her practice in representing high net worth individuals in estate planning, probate, and trusts. She regularly advises nonprofit and tax exempt organizations regarding obtaining and maintaining exempt status, corporate governance, and general operational issues. Ms. Lentz has been named 2016 "Lawyer of the Year" for Trusts and Estates by The Best Lawyers in America. She is listed in The Best Lawyers in America 2008-2017 under Trusts and Estates and in Michigan Super Law...
James Plemmons provides counsel to secured lenders, unsecured lenders, bankruptcy trustees, debtors, shareholders, and investor groups in all nature of bankruptcy, restructuring, and workout proceedings, including corporate and individual reorganization and liquidation proceedings. He has represented insurance companies such as Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, Travelers Insurance Company and Nationwide Insurance Company with regard to workout, foreclosure and bankruptcy matters. I...
Michael Chichester is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management. Michael, who practices law in Detroit, Michigan, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Steve Howell has been practicing for over 40 years as a bankruptcy and insolvency lawyer providing a broad range of services in the distressed business context. A significant part of Steve’s practice is spent counseling lenders in troubled loan matters throughout the workout process, including exit strategies, refinancings, restructures, sales, out-of-court and court proceedings, bankruptcy and liquidation. Steve has also represented borrowers, creditors’ committees, creditors and...
Ms. Brouwer practices exclusively in labor and employment law, with particular experience in the defense of lawsuits against employers, including claims of race, age, religion, national origin, gender and disability discrimination, harassment and retaliation, as well as FLSA, FMLA and non-competition suits. She also provides harassment training and conducts discrimination and harassment investigations for employers. She has extensive experience in appearing before administrative agencies, inc...