Miller Johnson Welcomes Two New Associates
GRAND RAPIDS – September 18, 2026 – Miller Johnson is pleased to welcome Nicholas Langenberg and Jake Putala to the firm as Associates in the Litigation practice group.
“We are thrilled to welcome Nicholas and Jake to Miller Johnson,” said Neil Marchand, Chair of the Litigation practice. “Their passion and proficiency in litigation will significantly bolster our team’s strengths. We are confident that Nicholas and Jake will continue our tradition of providing exceptional service to our clients.”
Nicholas Langenberg is an Associate in the firm’s Litigation Practice Group. He advises and represents clients in commercial matters in state and federal courts across Michigan. His practice focuses on contract disputes, insolvency and bankruptcy-related proceedings, and complex business litigation. Before entering private practice, Langenberg served as a law clerk to the Honorable Robert J. Jonker of the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan.
Langenberg was awarded his J.D., summa cum laude, from Michigan State University College of Law. He earned a Master of Arts in English Literature, summa cum laude, from Grand Valley State University and a Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude, from Northeastern Illinois University.
Jake Putala is an Associate in the firm’s Litigation practice group. He focuses his practice on civil and appellate litigation, leveraging his judicial clerkship experience to effectively advocate for firm clients. Putala maintains a broad litigation and legal research practice. As a former judicial law clerk to two chief justices of the Michigan Supreme Court, he has applied state and federal law across a variety of matters, including contract claims, civil-procedure disputes, and criminal cases. Putala has also evaluated applications for leave to appeal and drafted detailed memoranda and opinions on a wide range of Michigan law.
Putala earned his J.D. summa cum laude from Michigan State University College of Law and his B.S. in Political Science, summa cum laude, with a Minor in Criminal Justice from Northern Michigan University.
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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