About Us

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During his 30 years as a trial attorney at  Vandeveer Garzia, Dan specialized in personal injury, employment, and commercial litigation.  He served as lead trial counsel on cases in the following areas: 

Motor Vehicle Accidents

Construction Accidents

Employment Discrimination

Air Carrier Liability

Premises  Liability

Wrongful Termination

Product Liability

Dan graduated from Michigan State University and  received his law degree from Wayne State University. He started working at Vandeveer Garzia as a law clerk in 1981, and in 1995, Dan became the youngest member ever to serve on the firm’s management committee.  He  served on the firm’s Board of Directors from 1994 to 2014. 

As a chapter author and past lecturer  for the Michigan Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Dan's knowledge and experience make him a go-to resource for other attorneys with practice questions. Dan is  a mediator for the Wayne County Mediation Tribunal Association, and also serves as a private arbitrator and facilitator. 

Dan has  served on the Board of Directors of the Insurance and Indemnity Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan and is currently on the Board of Directors of the Litigation Section of the State Bar of Michigan. 

He was selected as a Michigan Super Lawyer from 2007 through 2014.  Since 1999 he has held the highest rating recognized by Martindale-Hubbell.  He was listed in  DBusinness magazines inaugural list of "Top Lawyers in Michigan".  

Today, Dan also focuses his practice on assisting individuals and families with their estate planning and probate needs.  Dan's expertise in this area allows him to create a unique estate plan that will allow each client to meet his or her estate planning goals.

Dan had an early start to his legal career, working as a filing clerk in high school and while earning his undergraduate degree in Marketing at Michigan State University. He then pursued his law degree at Thomas M. Cooley School of Law, receiving several academic honors before graduating magna cum laude. 

Dan has represented individuals and companies in all aspects of civil litigation.  This includes matters involving medical malpractice, insurance coverage disputes, automobile negligence, and first- and third-party claims. His written advocacy capabilities, honed during his years as an appellate attorney, have resulted in several successful summary disposition rulings and favorable opinions from the Michigan Court of Appeals.

In addition to litigation, Dan assists clients with all of their estate planning and probate needs. Dan prides himself on creating an individualized estate plan for each client based upon his or her unique circumstances. Whether you have an existing estate plan or are creating one for the first time, Dan can walk you through the process to ensure that all your planning goals are met. In the event that probate cannot be avoided, Dan’s courtroom experience allows him to effectively advocate for and protect his clients’ interests.