Dickinson Wright, LLP, DetroitGeorge Butler is a member of Dickinson Wright and has been practicing law since 1983. Mr. Butler is admitted in both Michigan and Massachusetts and in all levels of the Federal courts in the First and Sixth Circuits. Mr. Butler represents both private and public entities and maintains an extensive practice in the areas of real estate law, construction law, commercial law, education law and commercial litigation. Mr. Butler is a regular author and presenter on topics in his areas of practice.

Rhoades McKee, Grand RapidsMr. Drueke is a transactional and litigation attorney who concentrates his practice in areas of real estate, construction, environmental and commercial litigation. He is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design® Accredited Professional (LEED AP). He also frequently helps entrepreneurs and small businesses with their start up needs through a variety of economic development organizations. A member of the firm’s Executive Committee, Mr. Drueke is also a member of the State Bar of Michigan’s Commercial and Real Estate Development Committee and Real Property Section, the Grand Rapids Bar Association Real Property Section, and the US Green Building Council. He serves on the Building Owners and Managers Association as the president of the Board of Directors and the Home Building Association Educational Committee.

Mr. Jezdimir focuses on construction law. He has counseled owners, developers, contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers in the drafting and negotiation of construction contracts and has counseled clients during all stages of a construction project relative to bids, adequacy of work, sufficiency of plans or specifications, extra work, delays, warranties, and other related issues. Mr. Jezdimir has also spent a great part of his practice representing construction clients in resolving disputes through litigation, arbitration, or other dispute resolution procedures. He has succeeded as lead counsel in numerous trials and arbitration hearings. Mr. Jezdimir vast litigation experience includes arguments before appellate courts as well as complex commercial litigation involving claims over theft of proprietary company information and claims for misrepresentations underlying a commercial transaction. Starting in 2018, after he was appointed to the American Arbitration Association Roster of Arbitrators for construction and commercial disputes, He expanded his practice to include service as an arbitrator in numerous disputes involving commercial and construction contracts. Mr. Jezdimir has been honored by inclusions in Michigan Super Lawyers magazine, a top construction litigator by the magazine, dbusiness, and a Fellow in the Construction Lawyers of America Society.

Barnes & Thornburg, LLP, Grand RapidsMr. Murphy is a partner in the Grand Rapids, office of Barnes& Thornburg LLP, where he serves as vice chair of the firm’sConstruction Law Practice Group. He has represented private andpublic companies, municipalities, contractors and subcontractorsin a wide range of construction disputes and risk managementcounseling. He has experience drafting construction agreementsfor a variety of applications ranging from distribution andmanufacturing centers to combined cycle power generationplants. Mr. Murphy also has deep litigation experience handlingconstruction defect claims, delay/acceleration claims, differingsite condition claims, superior knowledge claims and mechanicslien disputes. He is a member of the Construction Law Forum ofthe American Bar Association and the Association of Builders &Contractors.

Suzanne P. Sutherland is an associate at Barnes & Thornburg LLP, where she is a member of the firm’s Real Estate Department. Ms. Sutherland focuses her practice in the areas of development and construction matters and the acquisition, leasing, sale, and financing of real property. She also counsels clients on environmental compliance and enforcement (including air quality and chemical regulation); remediation, corrective action and voluntary cleanups; environmental diligence for commercial and real estate “brownfields” transactions; and wetlands permits. In addition to construction matters, she has experience counseling a range of clients on business planning, contract review, negotiation and preparation.

Foster Swift Collins & Smith, P.C., Grand Rapids Mr. Vredenburg focuses on helping small to medium-sized businesses seize opportunities and overcome challenges. A significant part of his practice involves addressing the litigation needs of his clients. Mr. Vredenburg’s skills and experience are much broader, as he handles a myriad of transactions and matters that help clients profitably run their businesses. Over the course of his career, he has routinely handled, business disputes, real estate and environmental matters, as well as construction litigation and development. Mr. Vredenburg has prepared contracts, construction liens and pursued and defended lien foreclosure actions for his many construction clients as well as assisted with business planning for contractors and developers.