60 Miller Johnson Lawyers Recognized as Best Lawyers® Award Recipients

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – August 20, 2026 – Miller Johnson is pleased to announce that sixty of the firm’s lawyers have been included in the 2027 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence.

Miller Johnson would like to congratulate the following lawyers named 2027 The Best Lawyers in America:

• Maxwell N. Barnes – Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Venture Capital Law
• Frank E. Berrodin – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• Matthew Bishop – Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Corporate Law
• Robyn M. Bowland – Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent
• Justin M. Bratt – Commercial Litigation
• Robert D. Brower – Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
• David M. Buday – Employment Law – Management, Health Care Law, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Erik R. Daly – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law
• Dustin J. Daniels – Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Jeffrey D. DenBraber – Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance
• Ryan P. Duffy – Aviation Law, Litigation – Health Care
• Keith E. Eastland – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management
• Jeffrey J. Fraser – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• David J. Gass – Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, First Amendment Law, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Joseph J. Gavin – Litigation – Insurance
• Jeffrey T. Gray – Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Corporate Law, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• Fadwa Hammoud – Commercial Litigation
• Jennifer M. Hetu – Trademark Law
• Richard E. Hillary II – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Health Care
• Bobbi S. Hines – Elder Law, Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Trusts and Estates
• Todd A. Holleman – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Securities
• Barry F. Irwin – Copyright Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Patent Law, Trademark Law
• Dustin Jackson – Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Jason J. Keener – Litigation – Intellectual Property
• Craig H. Lubben – Commercial Litigation, Ethics and Professional Responsibility Law, Litigation – Antitrust, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Litigation – Mergers and Acquisitions, Litigation – Real Estate, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Raj A. Malviya – Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
• Neil Marchand – Litigation – Trusts and Estates
• John T. McFarland – Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Nonprofit / Charities Law, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
• Jennifer McManus – Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
• Ryan McNally – Corporate Law, Real Estate Law
• Lauretta K. Murphy – Elder Law, Trusts and Estates
• Jeffrey G. Muth – Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Insurance, Litigation – Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy), Litigation – Securities, Privacy and Data Security Law
• Melissa Neckers – Family Law Arbitration
• Michael R. Nye – Patent Law
• Robert W. O’Brien – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Real Estate, Real Estate Law
• Andrew Oostema – Commercial Litigation, Health Care Law, Litigation – Health Care
• Emily Palacios – Land Use and Zoning Law, Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Real Estate
• James R. Peterson – Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants, Litigation – Environmental, Litigation – Real Estate, Trade Secrets Law
• Nathan D. Plantinga – Employment Law – Management, Health Care Law, Labor Law – Management
• Andrew Portinga – Appellate Practice, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Litigation – ERISA, Litigation – Insurance
• Mark E. Rizik – Banking and Finance Law, Health Care Law, Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Tax Law
• Christopher J. Schneider – Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation
• Leigh M. Schultz – Litigation – Labor and Employment,
• Eric R. Starck – Real Estate Law
• Kelley Stoppels – Labor Law – Management
• Michael Stroster – Labor Law – Management
• Julie A. Sullivan – Family Law, Family Law Mediation
• Kevin T. Sutton – Employment Law – Management
• Mary L. Tabin – Employment Law – Individuals, Labor Law – Management
• Catherine A. Tracey – Education Law, Employment Law – Management
• Matthew B. Van Dyk – Project Finance Law, Real Estate Law
• Stephen J. van Stempvoort – Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Tripp VanderWal – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• Matthew L. Vicari – Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Sarah K. Willey – Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Neil D. Williams – Corporate Law
• Robert D. Wolford – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Corporate Law

The Best Lawyers in America list are divided by geographic region and practice areas. They are reviewed by their peers based on professional expertise and undergo an authentication process to make sure they are in current practice and in good standing.

About Best Lawyers

Best Lawyers is the oldest and most respected lawyer ranking service in the world. For 40 years, Best Lawyers has assisted those in need of legal services to identify the lawyers best qualified to represent them in distant jurisdictions or unfamiliar specialties. Best Lawyers awards are published in leading local, regional and national publications across the globe.

Miller Johnson

Miller Johnson is a full-service law firm delivering strategic legal counsel to businesses and individuals through corporate law, employment and labor, litigation, mergers & acquisitions, education law, and private client services. The firm’s 170+ attorneys serve clients across regional, national, and global markets from offices in Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Kalamazoo. For more than six decades, Miller Johnson has helped clients navigate complex legal matters through a collaborative, practical, and results-driven approach. The firm is recognized in Chambers USA; Best Lawyers; Best Law Firms; Legal 500; and additional leading rankings and recognition publications reflecting its commitment to excellence and client service.

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