Current Employment Position(s)

Partner

Lawyer Overview

With the exception of my first year following law school, which I spent as law clerk to the Honorable Clifford O'Sullivan, Senior Judge for the United States District Court, Sixth Circuit, my legal career has been with the Saginaw law firm of Smith, Bovill. When I joined the firm, the then senior partner, Albert A. Smith, maintained an active trial practice in civil litigation, and during the first five years with the firm, I spent considerable time working with Mr. Smith.

The other partner in the firm, William S. Bovill, maintained an active municipal law practice and was civil counsel for Saginaw County, together with numerous Saginaw area municipalities.

During my first ten years of practice, I was able to litigate a variety of cases, including: employment relations; civil rights; zoning and land use; construction litigation; personal injury; and commercial litigation. Because of the firm's small size, I did not specialize in any particular area of the law.

As the Smith Bovill firm continued to expand, I began focusing my practice in the area of municipal law, real estate, commercial law and construction litigation. I also developed a corporate and business law practice, together with a general practice in our Frankenmuth satellite office.

Beginning in 1988, I began to develop an environmental law practice, which has continued as one of my main practice areas to date. I have represented clients in Superfund and other cost recovery litigation, and I regularly counsel clients in various areas of environmental law and regulation.

As part of my general law practice, I have assisted numerous families in estate planning and elder care. Through this practice, I have also represented clients on claims involving unsuitable investments.

I am currently a member of the National Panel of Neutrals of the American Arbitration Association. I have served as Arbitrator on a variety of cases in the commercial, construction and environmental areas. I have also served as mediator in the Saginaw County Circuit Court and have been selected as Special Mediator for environmental and toxic tort claims.

I have been active in various nonprofit and civic organizations, I have served on the Covenant Medical Center Board of Directors since its inception in 1997.

I have served on various committees of the Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce, and have been active in the Saginaw County Bar Association, where I served as President in 1992-1993. I currently serve on the board of directors of the Saginaw YMCA, and I have served as Council President of the Navy League of the United States, Tri-Cities Council. I am also a member (President, 2004 - 2005) of the Torch Club International.

I am a member of Peace Lutheran Church, where I served as congregation chairman in 1984.

I have been married to my wife, Julie since 1973, and we have two children.

Areas of Practice

• Environmental Law
• Real Estate Law
• Municipal Corporations
• Land Use & Zoning
• Probate & Estate Administration
• Trusts
• Investment Law

Representative Cases

• Tebo v. Havlik, 418 Mich 350 (Michigan Supreme Court 1984)
• Model Laundries v. Amoco Corporation, 216 Mich App 1 (Michigan Court of Appeals 1996)
• Marathon Flint Oil Co. v. American States Ins. Co., 810 F. Supp. 850 (E.D. Mich 1992)

West Practice Categories

Environmental Law, Trusts, Probate & Estate Administration, Land Use & Zoning, Real Estate Law, Securities Law, Municipal Corporations

Bar Admissions

• Michigan, 1973
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Michigan, 1974
• U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit, 1980
• U.S. Supreme Court, 1978

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Saginaw County Bar Association, 1974 - Present (President)
• American Bar Association, 1974 - Present (Member)
• American Arbitration Association, 1996 - Present (Member)
• Torch Club International, 2004 - 2005 (President)
• Saginaw YMCA, 1981 - Present (Member, Board of Directors)
• Navy League of the United States, 1990 - Present (President)
• Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce, 1980 - Present (Member)

Classes and Seminars

• Environmental Law Update, Michigan Association of CPA's, 1992
• Environmental Law Update, Michigan Bankers Association, 1991
• Pollution Liability Insurance Coverage, Northeastern Michigan Chapter, CPCU, 1998

Past Employment Positions

• Hon. Clifford O'Sullivan, United States Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, Law Clerk, 1973 - 1974

Education

• Wayne State University Law School, Detroit, Michigan, 1973
  J.D.
  Honors: cum laude
  
  Law Review: Survey Editor, 1972-73, Wayne Law Review, 1971 - 1973
• Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan, 1970
  B.S. in Ed.
  Major: English

References

• J. Brian Hancock, MD, Timberline Emergency Physicians, PC
• Gerald Francis, Saginaw Township Public Works, Director

Published Works

• Labor Law - Unfair Labor Practice Jurisdiction & Arbitration, 18 Wayne L Rev 1191, 1972

Address

200 Saint Andrews Road
Saginaw, MI 48603-5938

Phones

(989) 792-9641

Faxes

(989) 792-1116

Emails

Contact Us

Websites

http://www.smithbovill.com