Effective Advocates • Trusted Counselors

Celebrating 140 Years of Legal Service

in Grand Rapids

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Wheeler Upham Lobby and Front Desk

Personalized Service

Wheeler Upham has been providing effective, efficient legal counsel for over 139 years. Our attorneys have backgrounds and expertise in virtually every area of the law, enabling us to continue a strong tradition of providing our clients the advantages of a full-service law firm.
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Offices

Our attorneys are leaders in the courtroom, boardroom, classroom, community and profession. Two of our founding attorneys served as federal judges, and several others have held seats on the local bench. Seven Wheeler Upham attorneys have served as President of the Grand Rapids Bar Association. One of our colleagues was elected President of the State Bar of Michigan.
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Locally based in West Michigan

Based in downtown Grand Rapids, our offices are adjacent to the Kent County and City Hall buildings. We are conveniently located just steps from the county, state and federal courthouses.Read More

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Wheeler Upham is a full service law firm

Our lawyers have expertise ranging from business and corporate law to estate planning and administration, from employment law to product liability defense, from personal injury to creditor’s rights. We have experts in the Postal Service, real estate law, insurance law, alternative dispute resolution and mediation, tax exempt and non-profit organizations, ecclesiastical law, litigation, and family law, and we can provide local counsel for out-of-town attorneys.
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James M. Shade

Mr. Shade specializes in the formation and maintenance of small business entities (corporations and limited liability companies); sales and purchases of businesses; business succession planning; employee benefits, including pension and profit sharing plans, 401(k) plans, cafeteria plans, and health, life, and disability insurance plans; estate planning, including preparation of wills, trusts, durable powers of attorney, and patient advocate designations; probate of decedents’ estates and administration of decedents’ trusts; and real estate transactions, including sales and purchases of property and commercial leasing.

Outside of the office, Mr. Shade enjoys attending concerts and playing the guitar with his wife, Marsha.

John M. Roels

Mr. Roels maintains a general civil practice that includes litigation and resolution of personal injury, product liability, property, construction, foreclosure, and employment issues. He is a certified mediator who mediates disputes for state and federal courts and for private parties. He is recognized locally and nationally as a Best Lawyer.

Mr. Roels lectures locally on law-related subjects, serves on church and nonprofit boards, and remains an avid baseball fan.

Nicholas S. Ayoub

Mr. Ayoub primarily engages in general civil litigation and appellate practice as well as business and corporate law.  Following law school, Mr. Ayoub served as a research attorney for the Michigan Court of Appeals. He has also worked for the Michigan legislature, during which service he contributed to A Practical Guide for Landlords and Tenants and worked on legislative recommendations and reports for the Michigan Law Revision Commission.

Mr. Ayoub is a member of the Federalist Society. He attends St.  Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church, where he serves as a chanter.  He is also an avid musician.

Kenneth E. Tiews, PH.D. In Memoriam

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Kenneth E. Tiews, who died unexpectedly at his home in Grand Rapids on August 8, 2022. He practiced at Wheeler Upham for 45 years. Dr. Tiews began his legal career with the firm in 1977 and was still enjoying a full-time practice here at the time of his passing.

Dr. Tiews specialized in the law of trusts, estate planning, estate and gift taxation, probate proceedings, will and trust contests, guardianships, adoptions, ecclesiastical law, the formation of foundations and nonprofit organizations, Medicaid and elder law counselling, and noncommercial real estate transactions. He was an excellent attorney, a consummate gentleman, a sparkling conversationalist, and a dear and wonderful friend.

Born in 1948, Ken obtained four degrees from the University of Michigan: a BA in 1970, a JD in 1973, and an MA and a PhD, both in philosophy, in 1975 and 1977, respectively. In addition to becoming one of Michigan’s preeminent probate and estate planning attorneys, he also served his community as a board member for a number of non-profit organizations.

Ken had a lifelong thirst for learning, expressed through numerous personal and professional study groups in addition to his extensive reading. As recently as 2021 he was recognized by Best Lawyers with an award for Litigation - Trusts and Estates. Periodically he found time to pass on his love of learning by teaching at Aquinas College and Calvin University. While Ken excelled professionally, he mostly excelled at being a human being. He was a great family member and friend. His wit, humor, conversational skills, and multiple interests made him a joy to all those who knew him. He was a lively and entertaining conversationalist, balancing engaging wit with active and attentive listening. Ken lived with a unique style that brought graciousness to relationships and environments. He was a brilliant cartoonist and illustrator. Although published in several books, he mainly used his skills to delight his family and friends.
Ken is greatly missed.