About Us | Dickinson Wright

At Dickinson Wright, we define success by our clients’ metrics. Across our 40 practice areas, our team of over 475 lawyers has an unwavering focus on providing unmatched client service and the highest quality legal advice. We are proactive and accessible, providing practical solutions and actionable advice. We are always mindful that we must earn our reputation each and every day by delivering results that speak for themselves.

As a growing, full-service law firm of diverse and dedicated legal professionals, our lawyers are respected by their peers, honored by industry endorsements, and recognized through significant appointments to bar associations and the judiciary system. But, the most important thing to us is the respect we’ve earned from our clients. For more than 140 years, we’ve put our clients first. From Fortune 500 companies to small and emerging businesses to governmental entities, nonprofits and individuals, every client is important to us.

Our unwavering focus on client satisfaction and service has defined our purpose and propelled our growth. We develop strong relationships built on a deep understanding of each client’s needs, quick responsiveness, and sound advice.

We promise the following:

• A Long-Term Partnership: We make it our business to know your business and, especially, your way of doing business. We build relationships that last centuries by investing in each client's success and partnering with you to achieve your business goals.

• Personalized Support: We treat each client as if they were our only client, proactively sharing our business and legal acumen to solve your toughest and most complex legal issues. We are committed to providing you with excellent client service through both responsiveness and turnaround time.

• Seamless Representation: We assemble the best teams across multiple markets to deliver personalized legal solutions for our clients, wherever their businesses take them. Our attorneys leverage advanced technology and communication strategies throughout the firm to ensure that you stay informed and involved.

• Forward-Thinking Leaders: We strive to continuously evolve as a firm, implementing innovative and thoughtful best-practices while ensuring our founding values guide how we engage with others and who we select to join our firm.

• Cost-Effective Services: We work closely with you to provide quality legal counsel at a reasonable cost, in the most efficient manner possible. Our firm encourages alternative fee arrangements and risk-reward solutions to ensure financial predictability and accountability.

We look forward to exceeding your expectations every day.

Firm Leadership

	Michael C. Hammer CEO 734.623.1696 mhammer@dickinsonwright.com
	William T. Burgess Chairman 313.223.3634 wburgess@dickinsonwright.com
	Cynthia L. Alexander Deputy CEO – Practice Management and HR 702.550.4422 calexander@dickinsonwright.com
	K. Lance Anderson Deputy CEO – Marketing and IT 512.770.4207 klanderson@dickinsonwright.com
	J. Benjamin Dolan Deputy CEO – Member Allocations and Advancement 248.433.7535 bdolan@dickinsonwright.com
	Steven G. Howell Executive Director of Community and Client Relations 313.223.3033 showell@dickinsonwright.com
	James A. Plemmons Deputy CEO – Lateral Partner Recruitment 313.223.3106 jplemmons@dickinsonwright.com
	William P. Shield Deputy CEO - Finance 313-223-3602 wshield@dickinsonwright.com
	Mark S. Shapiro Managing Partner and Practice Department Chair – Canada 416.646.4603 mshapiro@dickinsonwright.com

Affiliations

Dickinson Wright is dedicated to providing our clients with the highest quality legal services no matter the jurisdiction. We are proud to be affiliated with these legal networks in an effort to provide you with the best service, both on a national and international scale:

Lawyers Associated Worldwide (LAW): LAW is a global association of more than 95 independent law firms located in more than 50 countries. With access to more than 4,000 lawyers worldwide, LAW allows members to service the international legal needs of clients that are expanding their operations and relationships into new domestic and foreign markets. Dickinson Wright is the member firm for Toronto, Canada. To learn more, please visit www.lawyersworldwide.com.

United States Law Firm Group (USLFG): USLFG is a national network of 18 established U.S. law firms with complementary geographies and practices. USLFG meets frequently to exchange ideas and experiences regarding current and legal practice developments in virtually every area of local, regional, national, and international law.

International Bar Association (IBA): IBA – the global voice of the legal profession – is the foremost organization for international legal practitioners, law firms, bar associations and law societies. Established in 1947, the present membership is comprised of more than 80,000 individual international lawyers from most of the world’s leading law firms, and some 190 bar associations and law societies spanning more than 170 countries. Dickinson Wright is one of only 200 prominent international law firms with full firm membership in the IBA. To learn more, please visit www.ibanet.org.

State Law Resources, Inc. (SLR): SLR is an international network of independent law firms. Their network helps businesses, trade associations and public policy coalitions navigate the complex and time-consuming process of managing both legal issues and state government relations. In the United States, SLR is limited to one firm from each state and the District of Columbia. To learn more, please visit www.statelaw.org.

Our History

From our start as a two-person firm serving the banking and railroad industries in the late 1800s, Dickinson Wright has evolved into a leading global law firm, serving clients across North America and around the world. With more than 475 lawyers across 40 practice areas, Dickinson Wright has the honor of representing leading industrial, financial, insurance, emerging technology, and service enterprises. Dickinson Wright has worked with clients on six continents, and our global presence continues to expand as we seek opportunities to serve our clients wherever their businesses take them.

Early Beginnings

Founded in Detroit in 1878 by two young lawyers, Henry Monroe Campbell and Henry Russel, Dickinson Wright has continued to flourish by focusing on meeting the needs of each individual client while implementing innovative and thoughtful best practices and ensuring our founding values guide our everyday decisions. The firm’s name evolved several times throughout our history to reflect changes in leadership. Finally, in 1998, the firm officially became Dickinson Wright PLLC.

Over the Years

Dickinson Wright began expanding outside of Michigan in 1978 with the opening of the Washington, D.C. office. Since then, the firm has added additional offices across the United States. In 2011, the firm’s Ontario affiliate, Dickinson Wright LLP, grew through a combination with a Toronto-based firm, Aylesworth LLP, that had served clients with distinction since 1861. Then in 2013, our Phoenix office combined with Phoenix-based Mariscal, Weeks, McIntyre & Friedlander, P.A., a firm of over 60 attorneys, to become the firm’s largest office outside the Detroit area. Today, the firm serves clients worldwide through affiliations with local firms in China, Japan, South Korea, India, Europe, and beyond.

Office Opening Timeline

• 1970 – Lansing (MI)
• 1978 – Washington D.C.
• 1989 – Grand Rapids (MI)
• 2000 – Ann Arbor (MI)
• 2009 – Nashville (TN)
• 2011 – Toronto, (Ontario) and Troy (MI)
• 2012 – Columbus (OH) and Saginaw (MI)
• 2013 – Phoenix (AZ)
• 2015 – Lexington (KY), Las Vegas (NV), and Reno (NV)
• 2016 – Ft. Lauderdale (FL) and Austin (TX)
• 2017 – El Paso (TX)
• 2018 – Silicon Valley (CA)
• 2021 – Chicago (IL)

Long-Term Partnerships

At Dickinson Wright, we value our relationships with our clients and business partners, investing in each client’s success. Our commitment to excellence and client satisfaction is evidenced by our long-term client relationships – we have served many of our clients for decades, and some of them for centuries! We have worked with the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company since the late 1800s and with Chrysler Corporation since it was organized in the 1920s. Our association with both Ford Motor Company and the National Bank of Detroit (now JPMorgan Chase Bank) spans over eight decades.

Thought-Leaders and Policy Shapers

Throughout the years, Dickinson Wright has assisted in a number of historically significant events. Members of the firm helped draft the state of Michigan’s two constitutions in 1908 and 1963. And, in 1933, after President Franklin Delano Roosevelt closed banks nationwide, our firm was instrumental in helping to organize a new national bank in Detroit.

We are equally active in writing and revising legislation for our clients’ benefit. Firm members drafted several significant statutes, including the Michigan Financial Institutions Act of 1937, the Intangibles Tax Act, the Industrial Facilities Tax Act of 1974, and the Community Property Tax Act of 1948. Additionally, numerous firm members have been appointed or elected to the judiciary, and several former firm members who began their legal careers at Dickinson Wright have served, or are currently serving, on the Michigan Supreme Court.

Additionally, Dickinson Wright was one of the first law firms in the world to receive the ISO/IEC 27001:2019 Privacy Management Certification for its information security management system.

Pro Bono

“Lawyers have a license to practice law, a monopoly on certain services. But for that privilege and status, lawyers have an obligation to provide legal services to those without the wherewithal to pay, to respond to needs outside themselves, to help repair tears in their communities.” – U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

At Dickinson Wright, we understand and appreciate the unfortunate fact that not all people and organizations can afford legal representation. We also recognize the importance, and our professional responsibility, to give back to the community by making pro bono legal services accessible to those in need. That is why Dickinson Wright attorneys are encouraged to engage in pro bono causes they are passionate about and will impact the local communities in which they live and work.

Dickinson Wright’s Pro Bono Committee oversees the firm’s partnerships with local and national organizations throughout the U.S. and in Canada. Our committee provides pro bono opportunities for our lawyers to gain practical experience and grow as legal professionals.

Our commitment to pro bono work is not limited to a particular cause or type of organization. Below is a snapshot of just a few ways our lawyers are giving back to their communities:

Assisting survivors of domestic violence: Our lawyers assist low-income domestic violence survivors in preparing the affidavits that accompany their requests for Personal Protection Orders (“PPOs”). The affidavits explain how the individual’s circumstances satisfy statutory requirements for obtaining a PPO. Our lawyers also represent domestic violence survivors in Show Cause hearings to ensure that the PPOs remain in effect.
Assisting the homeless/low-income: Through our work with various legal aid clinics throughout the country, our lawyers consult with the homeless and/or low-income population about their legal issues, including helping them resolve issues involving outstanding tickets, child support, employment matters, obtaining birth certificates and IDs, and landlord-tenant issues.
Veteran’s Rights: As a firm, we understand the importance of showing our veterans that we appreciate their service and sacrifice by providing pro bono legal services. We work with various organizations to provide low-income veterans with legal advice and representation to resolve issues involving benefits, housing, and employment matters. Our lawyers also serve as mentors in an alternative treatment and rehabilitation program to assist veterans in getting clean and back on their feet.
Refugee Assistance: Through work with agencies such as the Syrian American Rescue Network, Kentucky Refugee Ministries and the Florence Immigrant Refugee Rights Projects, our lawyers assist low-income refugees with their legal needs, including helping many newly arrived refugee minors find legal guardians so that they can obtain medical treatment and enroll in school.
Transgender Name Change Project: Through a partnership with the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund and State Bar Associations, our lawyers provide free legal name change services to low-income transgender people.

Recognitions

Dickinson Wright lawyers are esteemed by their clients and peers for their knowledge and experience through significant appointments to bar associations and the judiciary. We are also proud of the recognition that both the firm and our lawyers receive from leading industry publications, including:

US News & World Report/Best Law Firms: In the annual edition of US News & World Report/Best Law Firms survey, Dickinson Wright garnered 118 first-tier rankings.

Chambers USA: Dickinson Wright is consistently recognized for its practices in Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, and Texas. 43 of our lawyers were individually recognized for their practices.

Chambers Canada: Two of the firm's lawyers are recognized in Chambers Canada Guide.

Chambers Global: Two of our lawyers are recognized individually for their practices according to Chambers Global Guide.

Chambers High Net Worth Guide: Dickinson Wright’s Arizona and Kentucky Private Wealth practices are ranked in Chambers High Net Worth Guide. Four of the firm’s lawyers are ranked individually.

Best Lawyers: Our lawyers are listed in Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers in Canada. 24 of our lawyers have been named “Lawyer of the Year” for 2022.

Midwest Real Estate News “Best of the Best”: Dickinson Wright’s Real Estate practice is ranked the #2 law firm in Midwest Real Estate News “Best of the Best” guide.

Managing Intellectual Property “IP Stars”: Dickinson Wright’s Michigan and Nevada Intellectual Property practices are ranked among the best in state. Ten of the firm’s lawyers are individually ranked as “IP Stars”.

Super Lawyers: Over 150 Dickinson Wright attorneys are listed in Super Lawyers, including: Florida Super Lawyers, Illinois Super Lawyers, Kentucky Super Lawyers, Michigan Super Lawyers, Mid-South Super Lawyers, Mountain State Super Lawyers, Northern California Super Lawyers, Ohio Super Lawyers, Southwest Super Lawyers, Texas Super Lawyers, and Washington DC Super Lawyers.

Benchmark Litigation: Dickinson Wright’s Litigation practices in Michigan and Arizona are consistently ranked in Benchmark Litigation’s annual guide. Nine of the firm’s lawyers are individually ranked.

Legal 500: Dickinson Wright’s Cannabis, Construction, Corporate/M&A, Dispute Resolution, Labor & Employment, and Real Estate practices are ranked in Legal 500 USA. 28 attorneys are listed as Recommended Lawyers.

BTI Power Rankings: Dickinson Wright’s Insurance practice was listed in BTI Power Rankings “Honor Roll of Core Firms in Insurance”.

Careers

At Dickinson Wright “collegiality” is not just talk. It’s our way of life. And we didn’t just make that concept up yesterday. Our lawyers thrive not only in their professional endeavors with their colleagues, but also in their personal relationships with each other.

A quick review of our roster reveals lawyers from every walk of life, from all different socio-economic, geographic, and ethnic backgrounds. Our culture reflects the fact that we look for individuals who have the skills and the drive to make their communities, and in turn, the world, a better place to live and work. We're justifiably proud of the wide range of people who have chosen to establish their legal careers and build their practices at Dickinson Wright.

As a potential team member, we value your academic achievements and credentials, yes, but we’re also interested in you as an individual. We are committed to your success, so we ensure that you have the tools you need to excel in your personal and professional life. Our training program coupled with our mentoring program is like no other, giving you access to top lawyers in diverse areas, prominent judges, and outside professionals. Building on the strong academic and intellectual foundation gained from law school, we provide training on the key skills that clients require of the best lawyers in America. We teach advanced legal strategy and tactics that give our lawyers and our clients the advantage in the boardroom and in the courtroom.

In addition to being trusted advisors to their clients and leaders in the field of law, our lawyers are leaders in the communities where they live and work. In any economic climate, Dickinson Wright will continue its commitment to pro bono legal services because we believe that service to our communities is always good business. At Dickinson Wright, you'll be expected to do your share. But as you work, you'll find both senior partners and young associates working along with you. We work hard, and we do so as a team.

To learn more about becoming part of Dickinson Wright’s team, please see below:

• U.S. Law Students
• Canadian Law Students
• Judicial Clerks
• Lateral Attorneys
• Professional Staff

Offices

Non-Legal Management

	Michael P. Kolb Chief Operating Officer 313.223.3608 mkolb@dickinsonwright.com
	Lance S. Brownsworth Vice President of Finance 248.433.7219 lbrownsworth@dickinsonwright.com
	Brandon E. Lulis Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer 313.223.3035 blulis@dickinsonwright.com
	Linda M. Reyna Senior Director of Human Resources 313.223.3580 lreyna@dickinsonwright.com
	Jill S. Ingber Director of Recruitment and Associate Development 313.223.3150 jingber@dickinsonwright.com
	Jake R. McMillian Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 312.377.7764 jmcmillian@dickinsonwright.com