Michigan Legal Market Overview
Michigan is home to a robust legal industry, with a notable concentration of law firms offering a wide range of services to clients. With a total of over 14,000 lawyers in the state, Michigan is recognized as having one of the largest legal markets in the country. The vast majority of these lawyers are based in Detroit, but the state’s legal industry is well represented in other cities, including Grand Rapids and Lansing. The types of legal services offered by Michigan law firms reflect the state’s diverse economy and population. Corporate law firms of all sizes, from multinational firms to smaller practices , play a key role in the state’s legal environment. Intellectual property, information technology, criminal law and employment law are also among the most requested legal services. Michigan’s economy contributes to the state’s legal landscape by creating a strong demand for legal services that are specialized in areas such as real estate, energy law, and environmental law. In addition, the state’s economic recovery has given rise to increasing demand for services in other sectors, calling attention to Michigan lawyers’ versatility in meeting clients’ needs.
Largest Michigan Law Firm: An Introduction
The name of the largest law firm in Michigan is Miller Canfield. The firm was established on October 10, 1852, when Norman Williams and Franklin G. Miller opened the doors of their law office at 187 Washington Street in Detroit, Michigan. The practice was named Miller, Williams & Hickey in 1855, and adopted its current name in 1979. With the merger with the O’Connor Cavanagh law firm in 2000, Miller Canfield became one of the first law firms in Michigan, and one of the largest law firms in America, with five offices throughout the state. From its humble beginnings as a small law office in downtown Detroit, Miller Canfield has grown to become a powerhouse in the legal industry. Today, it boasts a team of over 400 professionals, comprised of over 250 attorneys, 100 consulting professionals, and a support staff of more than 150. Miller Canfield is headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, in the One Detroit Center building in the heart of downtown. It also has offices in Ann Arbor, Bloomfield Hills, Kalamazoo, and Troy, Michigan. It has additional offices in New York City, Chicago, and Toronto, Canada.
Firm Practices & Areas of Expertise
Michigan’s largest law firm offers a wide range of practice areas and specializations, making them a one-stop-shop for individuals and businesses seeking legal guidance. Five distinct practice groups comprise their extensive list of services: Business, Litigation, Real Estate, Restructuring and Insolvency, and Family Law.
In the area of Business law, the firm is distinguished as a go-to advisor for entrepreneurs and business leaders. Their commercial and corporate services are accompanied by industry-specific knowledge, from automotive to healthcare, which add tremendous value to their client relationships. They are especially adept at providing legal strategy for startup corporations, addressing formation, venture capital, private equity, and intellectual property protection among other concerns.
Their Litigation practice group boasts a robust trial-ready team capable of handling complex commercial disputes in areas such as antitrust, intellectual property, medical malpractice, and more. The firm’s experience both in and outside the courtroom gives them an edge when it comes to resolving disputes quickly and judiciously.
The Real Estate practice group provides expertise ranging from acquisition to closing and is heavily involved in the market for sales, leasing and financing. Additionally, they handle disputes in foreclosure and title law, among others.
Restructuring and Insolvency services provided by the firm offers counsel for clients dealing with bankruptcies, insolvencies, restructurings, and creditors’ rights and remedies. Their experience representing a wide range of creditors, from bondholders to secured and unsecured lenders, sets them apart.
Finally, their Family Law practice group specializes in all matters relating to divorce and post-divorce, including financial and business valuations, real estate appraisals, and even custody evaluations and psychological follow-up.
Overall, Michigan’s largest law firm is a powerhouse of interdisciplinary experience and expertise, providing a comprehensive suite of services that few firms can claim to match.
Notable Accomplishments and Honors
The largest law firm in Michigan has a long history of success and recognition that speaks to its influence and expertise. Known for its innovative approaches and deep legal acumen, the firm has received numerous accolades over the years. In 2019, the firm was named one of the top 50 "Best Law Firms" in Michigan in a survey by a prominent local business publication. The firm’s commitment to excellence in legal representation and client service helped it achieve this ranking and solidify its status as a leader in the industry. In addition to this accolade, the firm has been involved in numerous landmark cases that have shaped Michigan law and beyond, particularly in the areas of business, commercial litigation, bankruptcy, and personal injury law. Their team of skilled litigators and advisers have been recognized for both their prowess in the courtroom and their abilities to negotiate favorable settlements for clients, making a mark on the legal landscape in the state and across the country. The firm has also been frequently recognized for its commitment to community service and pro bono work. The firm actively participates in and sponsors various charity events, legal clinics, and outreach programs, demonstrating its dedication to making a positive impact in the communities it serves. This commitment has earned the firm respect and recognition from various local organizations and nonprofits. Furthermore, the firm’s focus on diversity and inclusion in the workplace has led to recognition as one of the best law firms for diversity. The firm believes that diverse perspectives improve creativity and ultimately lead to better legal outcomes for their clients. Through its various initiatives and training programs, the firm has taken concrete steps to promote diversity and equality within its ranks and the surrounding community. As the largest law firm in Michigan, this firm continues to set the standard for excellence in the region and nationally.
Clientele & Matters
Much of the clientele of the largest law firm in Michigan is commercial and corporate-focused. Their practice areas range across many disciplines, allowing them the ability to serve a diverse clientele. They have represented automobile manufacturers, large-scale auto parts suppliers, financial institutions, insurance companies, and public sector entities. While the specifics of each client relationship are closely held, it is safe to say that their client roster includes some of the largest and most well-known enterprises in the state and the country.
The size, experience , and reputation of the largest law firm in Michigan have made them the go-to law firm for large-scale litigation and transactional matters. Their representation has included several landmark and high-profile matters. They have successfully represented major insurance carriers in class action suits, large auto suppliers in significant warranty claims, and public sector clients in complex municipal litigation. In addition to these high-profile matters, they have continued to represent national and international credit companies in more standard enforcement actions and administrative proceedings. They have also biked both state and local level governmental entities in a wide variety of issues.
Growth & Expansion
The ascendance of Michigan’s largest law firm is not a result of organic growth alone. While the firm has certainly been among the most successful firms in the state of Michigan over the last several decades, it has supplemented its internal expansion with aggressive outside growth through a series of strategic mergers and acquisitions. Early on, the firm focused its expansion within the Detroit metropolitan area. After opening a second branch office in Troy, the firm followed that success with subsequent openings in Dearborn and Southfield. It has finally moved into other cities in the Detroit area, including Grand Rapids, Pontiac, and Macomb Township. The firm also expanded into practice areas beyond its original’ focus on personal injury law. To diversify its practice, the firm concentrated on appealing to other areas of need for its existing client base. For example, it opened practice areas dedicated to criminal defense and bankruptcy law. It also added a variety of related civil actions, including real estate and business litigation. In this way, it was able to consolidate its existing client base and enhance its ability to serve them across a variety of complementary legal challenges. Notably, the law firm was an early adopter of online marketing, employing a successful website launch that took advantage of the advent of SEO services in the mid-2000s. The effective website marketing enabled the firm to dominate search engine rankings for the "Largest Law Firm in Michigan" and related queries. The firm followed that with content marketing strategies and an engaged publishing strategy targeting others’ target keywords. This double-edged approach ensured that the firm would achieve the top spot in search engine results for Michigan law firms while also gaining substantial search engine ranking authority for other personal injury law keywords.
Company Culture & Employee Perspectives
The corporate culture at Michigan’s largest law firm fosters a collegial atmosphere, where employee satisfaction is high, recent surveys show. Comprehensive diversity and inclusion efforts have also solidified the firm’s commitment to creating a workplace that feels welcoming to staff from all backgrounds.
Firmwide and practice groups go to great lengths to foster development and mentorship opportunities for employees at all levels. For associates, the firm offers a robust training program including both internal and external CLE opportunities, as well as a structured mentoring program in which every first-year associate is assigned a partner mentor and a peer mentor, along with monthly feedback meetings. Extensive parties and social events also help contribute to a strong associative bond.
Community Engagement & Pro Bono
Maintaining a strong commitment to public service, the largest law firm in Michigan actively engages in a variety of community initiatives and pro bono work. Their focus extends to areas such as access to justice, social and economic equality, and the empowerment of marginalized communities.
A core objective of the firm is to enhance access to justice for those who cannot afford legal representation. To this end, they provide pro bono legal services to various organizations and individuals in need within their local communities. This could involve legal aid for low-income families, advocacy for marginalized ethnic communities, or resolving complex issues that require specialized legal expertise.
Moreover , their lawyers participate in legal clinics designed to assist veterans, the homeless, and victims of domestic violence—groups that are often neglected in legal parlance. These attorneys frequently collaborate with legal service organizations, non-profit groups, and community centers to deliver these much-needed services. Their efforts not only benefit the individuals involved but contribute to the overall development and stability of the communities they serve.
These contributions have garnered recognition and respect across the region and among legal circles, further consolidating the law firm’s status as a critical advocate for positive social change.