Effective Advocates • Trusted Counselors

Celebrating 140 Years of Legal Service

in Grand Rapids

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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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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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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

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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Jon Fennell

Mr. Fennell counsels clients on a broad array of personal and business matters, including complex business transactions, litigation, business and corporate law, nonprofit law, employment law, real estate, and construction law. He is an experienced litigator, handling every aspect of simple and complex litigation.

Mr. Fennell’s background includes insurance defense, creditors’ work and bankruptcy litigation, commercial litigation, secured transactions, UCC and contract disputes, and real estate. He has served as counsel to a public housing authority on landlord-tenant matters and regulatory compliance, defended businesses in contractual disputes and discrimination claims, persuaded a court to set aside a divorce decree as a fraudulent transfer, and assisted grieving parents in pursuing an insurance claim.

Before becoming an attorney, Mr. Fennell taught Latin, Spanish, and logic for five years at North Hills Classical Academy. He is a member of New Community Church, has been active in the Grand Rapids chapter of the Calvin College Alumni Association, and currently serves on the boards of directors for numerous nonprofit entities.

Attorneys General Proclamation to Wheeler Upham Honoring Our 125th Anniversary

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We, the undersigned Attorneys General of Michigan, representing the last five decades of the history of this office, join together today to recognize the law firm of Wheeler Upham, P.C. On the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the founding of this great legal institution, we are extremely grateful for the contributions of Wheeler Upham attorneys have made to our profession and are hopeful for their continued contributions in the years to come.

We are impressed by the outstanding achievements that generations of Wheeler Upham attorneys have recorded. What is even more noteworthy, we believe, are the many examples of leadership positions members of this firm have held. It is obvious that public service is a central value in the heritage of Wheeler Upham, as evidenced by the seven presidents of the Grand Rapids Bar Association the firm has been represented by over the years. Numerous judges have come from Wheeler Upham, as has a president of the State Bar of Michigan. Examples of the firm's leadership in Grand Rapids area philanthropies, local elected boards, and religious congregations are too numerous and great to chronicle in a letter.

We are among the countless Michigan attorneys that honor the legacy of the founders of Wheeler Upham's ancestor law firm, Fletcher & Wanty. Niram Fletcher and George Wanty were remarkable champions of the law and were men who dedicated their lives to justice. While the name of their law firm has changed over 125 years, the bedrock values of it have remained the same. Each day, important legal work is done by talented attorneys that carry out the firm's philosophies into the 21st Century - and the citizens of Michigan are better off because of their service.

On this day, let us join in celebrating 125 years of Wheeler Upham - an indispensible figure in Michigan's legal history. May pride in your accomplishments and renewed commitment to outstanding legal service highlight this important milestone.

About Us

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 at a reasonable cost. Whether you need a nationally recognized trial attorney, want help with estate planning, or are ready to form a limited liability company for that start-up you've been dreaming about, contact Wheeler Upham today. We'll have the solution to your legal needs.

About Wheeler Upham

The attorneys of Wheeler Upham are well known in the courtrooms and boardrooms of Michigan. Wheeler Upham is the oldest continuously operating law firm in Grand Rapids. We have spent over 139 years advising individuals, businesses, and non-profit organizations and solving their legal problems.

As a firm, we are big enough to bring together a team of lawyers with many diverse skills, yet small enough to provide you with the personalized attention your unique concerns deserve. We offer the benefits of a larger law firm at a more affordable cost. That's why our clients range from individuals to small businesses to Fortune 500 companies.

Our attorneys are expert courtroom advocates and innovative out-of-court problem solvers.

The professionals at Wheeler Upham practice in many different areas of law, but we have in common a commitment to personalized, efficient, and effective legal service.