Miller Johnson Elects Brett Swearingen to Member
Grand Rapids, MI – March 3, 2026 –Miller Johnson is pleased to announce the election of Brett Swearingen to the firm Membership. He has been practicing employment and labor law at Miller Johnson, where he was previously senior counsel.
“We are proud to welcome Brett Swearingen to the membership of Miller Johnson. Brett’s commitment to excellence, his strategic approach to solving complex legal challenges, and the deep trust he builds with clients make him an outstanding addition to our membership,” said Jeff Muth, Managing Member of Miller Johnson. “His contributions have strengthened our firm and elevated the service we provide. We look forward to his continued leadership and the impact he will undoubtedly make in the years ahead.”
Brett is a Member in Miller Johnson’s Employment and Labor section where he litigates and advises clients in complex matters of employment and ERISA law. In addition, Brett has a significant election law practice, including recently helping with ballot petition litigation that allowed Niles Township voters to keep dispensaries out of their community, and regularly counsels religious non-profits on matters regarding employment law and religious liberty. Finally, Brett is also experienced in the statistical analysis of employment decisions, such as performing disparate impact analyses to help employers test for (and root out) potential discriminatory effects of workplace policies and practices.
Brett previously served as Counselor to the Deputy Secretary at the United States Department of Labor. At the DOL, he counseled the Deputy Secretary and Secretary on employee benefits and civil rights matters and was a key advisor on several important rulemakings within the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), including regulations concerning ESG investing, proxy voting, and fiduciary investment advice, and reforms to OFCCP’s enforcement procedures and religious exemption.
Brett has been recognized as a Best Lawyers in America®: Ones to Watch in Government Relations Practice and Labor and Employment Law – Management 2023-2026. He is also a member of the Michigan Civil Rights Advisory Committee, which advises the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, as well as a Board member of Catholic Charities West Michigan.
Brett was awarded his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School in 2014 and a B.A. in Political Science from Wheaton College (IL) in 2003. Prior to law school, he also spent a year studying at St. John’s Seminary in Boston.
Miller Johnson is a full-service firm providing legal counsel to businesses and individuals in corporate matters, employment and labor law, litigation, employee benefits, and private client representation including estate planning and family law. Since 1959, Miller Johnson has been Michigan-based and has served clients worldwide.
###