Education

  • University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, J.D.
  • University of Michigan, B.A.

Admitted

Michigan

T 517.377.0712
F 517.364.9512
Lansing
222 N. Washington Square
Suite 400
Lansing, Michigan 48933

John D. Pirich

Appellate Advocacy Practice Group Co-Chair
Partner

  • Represents clients in insurance negotiations and coverage disputes, environmental permitting, compliance and administrative requirements and in commercial litigation.
  • Was an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Michigan for three years. After leaving the Attorney General's office, established private practice partnership in Lansing, where practiced for several years before joining the Lansing office of a large regional law firm in 1980.
  • Extremely experienced litigator, regularly arguing cases in state and federal courts, at both the trial and appellate level.
  • Clients include individuals and major publicly traded corporations and everything in between.
  • Regularly handles administrative matters, specializing in gaming, liquor, election and insurance issues before the various state regulatory boards and, as necessary, in court.
  • Represents manufacturers, trade associations, wholesalers and retailers in the alcoholic beverage industry in a myriad of regulatory, enforcement and litigation proceedings.
  • Regularly appears before the liquor control commission and gaming control board with respect to all regulatory and legal issues associated with such activities.

Professional Involvement

  • Ingham County Bar Association
  • State Bar of Michigan 
  • American Judicature Society
  • State of Michigan
    • Board of Ethics, Member, 2000-Present
    • Michigan Civil Service Commission, Former Member, 1992

Community Involvement

  • Wharton Center for Performing Arts at Michigan State University
    • Board Member
    • Past President
  • Sparrow Hospital Foundation
    • Vice Chair, 2010-Present
    • Member, 1999-2009
  • Michigan State United Way, Board Member
  • Michigan Chamber of Commerce
    • Past President, 2001-2007
  • St. Thomas Aquinas/St. John Student Parish, Parish Council Member

Honors

  • The Best Lawyers in America, 1995-2012
  • The Best Lawyers’ 2012 Lansing Government Relations Lawyer of the Year
  • Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated  
  • Michigan Super Lawyers, 2007-2011
  • Benchmark Litigation, recognized as a Local Litigation Star, 2010

Prior Employment Experience

  • Department of Attorney General, State of Michigan, Assistant Attorney General, 1973-1976

Teaching Experience

  • Michigan State University School of Law, Faculty
    • Trial Advocacy Institute, Director, 2000-Present