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Best Lawyers Near You in Grand Rapids, Michigan for Labor and Employment Law - Management
Employment Law Legal Guide 2025
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Contact UsScott E. Dwyer has extensive experience in the areas of labor, employment and wrongful discharge law, business litigation, shareholder disputes, noncompete agreements and unfair competition and trade secret litigation and employee misconduct investigations, including fraud and fraud litigation. He is a member of the Grand Rapids and American Bar Associations and the State Bar of Michigan. Scott has several reported cases, including: NLRB v Beacon Light Nursing Home , 825 F2d 1076 (6th Cir 198...
Beth is a partner in the labor and employment practice group, focusing on employment issues and litigation. She has counseled business clients on a variety of matters affecting the workplace, including effective employee handbooks and policies, disciplinary and dispute resolution procedures, discrimination issues, disability accommodation, wage-hour matters, family medical leave, and harassment and litigation prevention. When litigation is unavoidable, Beth has significant experience represen...
Dave’s “client-centered” practice involves a variety of labor and employment issues. He provides practical and confidential ongoing advice and consulting on a number of sensitive and complex labor and employment matters, from problem employee situations to multi-facility collective bargaining negotiations. His representative clients include diverse industries (such as automotive, printing, transportation and hospitals) throughout the nation.
Nathan D. Plantinga has been practicing law since 1997 and is the chair of the firm's employment and labor section. He enjoys a busy counseling practice for union and nonunion clients, advising employers on the full spectrum of employment matters, including civil rights charges, difficult medical leave issues, employee discipline and discharge, wage and hour, and unemployment. Mr. Plantinga also specializes in traditional labor work involving collective bargaining, labor arbitrations, unfair ...
John H. Gretzinger graduated from Michigan State University in 1971 and served as a Naval Officer from 1972 through 1975. After completion of his military service, he attended Detroit College of Law, was Managing Editor of the Detroit College of Law Review and received the Charles H. King Award for the highest scholastic proficiency in his 1978 graduating class. John is a specialist in labor and employment law, including collective bargaining negotiations, grievance arbitrations, Act 312 inte...
Luis E. Avila is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Labor Law - Management. Luis E., 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 Luis E. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Jeffrey J. Fraser represents public and private employers across the country in employment and labor relations matters. He has extensive experience counseling employers regarding Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) [disability management] issues; anti-harassment matters; effective discipline and discharge, union avoidance, collective bargaining, employment discrimination avoidance, and administrative agency matters. Mr. Fraser has an advanced understanding o...
Michael Stroster is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Labor Law - Management. Michael, 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 Michael is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Pat White's practice concentrates on the full spectrum of civil rights issues, race and gender disability matters, free speech and electronic privacy issues in the workplace. In addition to litigation, he also does traditional labor work, including negotiation and arbitration, both for public and private sector clients. He also maintains expertise in education law, representing school districts, community colleges and colleges and universities, both with respect to employment issues as well a...
Traditional labor lawyer and employment law counselor Keith Brodie represents the interests of employers in Michigan and across the country. Personable, detail- and business-oriented when rendering critical legal advice, Keith’s willingness to listen, combined with his strategic legal thinking, allows him to serve client interests while building rapport and consensus. Keith advises on traditional labor law matters under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). His experience includes co...
Nikole L. Canute’s areas of practice include: labor and employment law, employment litigation, energy litigation, civil litigation, fraud investigation and litigation and securities litigation. She is very skilled in handling employment investigations, electronic discovery and matters involving computer forensic investigations. Nikole also specializes in energy matters, including condemnation. Her experience includes working with local municipal authorities and law enforcement during pr...
Kelley Stoppels is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Labor Law - Management. Kelley, who practices law in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kelley is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Rick is a partner in the Kalamazoo office. Since 1981, he has represented employers exclusively in solving labor and employment law problems in the workplace. He devotes most of his time to advising employers about how to avoid workplace crises, comply with state and federal labor and employment laws and regulations, and prevent litigation. He has significant experience counseling employers on how to stay union-free, and routinely works with clients in the application and enforcement of colle...
Catherine A. Tracey is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Education Law and Employment Law - Management. Catherine A., 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 Catherine A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Labor and employment law veteran, trusted adviser and proven advocate Don Lawless consistently delivers responsive, focused advice that gets his clients where they need to go under the law, while leveraging their workforce potential and business objectives. Don focuses his practice in the pharmaceutical and health, food processing, manufacturing, higher education and service industries. His traditional labor experience is extensive and includes contract negotiation, grievance arbitration and ...
William H. Fallon is a Member of the firm and has been practicing law since 1981. His practice is focused on representing employers in employment and labor matters, including employment litigation. Labor and Employment Law Experience Mr. Fallon helps employers find successful, constructive solutions to their most difficult employment problems, in and out of court. Most employers prefer to stay out of court, which is accomplished by effective early management of potential legal problems. Mr. F...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.