Michael D. Wade

Chosen as one of the “Best Lawyers in America”   2008 – 2012

Shareholder

Grand Rapids Office
(616) 742-5500
mwade@garanlucow.com

Martindale-Hubbell AV-Rated

“Super Lawyer” 2006

Education:

  • B.A., Kalamazoo College, 1965
  • M.B.A., Western Michigan University, 1972
  • J.D., University of Toledo Law School, Valedictorian, 1974
      Member, Phi Kappa Phi
      Editor, University of Toledo Law Review, 1973-1974

Bar Admissions:

  • Michigan, 1975
  • Western District of Michigan, 1987
  • Sixth Circuit of Appeals, 1991
  • United State Claims Court

Practice:

  • Complex litigation
  • Commercial litigation
  • Class actions
  • TILA
  • FDCPA
  • Employment litigation
  • Personal injury litigation
  • Products liability
  • Premises liability
  • Insurance coverage litigation

Experience:

  • Adjunct Professor, Davenport Business College, 1980-1981
  • Adjunct Professor, Thomas M. Cooley Law School, 1986-1990

Professional Memberships:

  • Grand Rapids Bar Association.
  • Federal and American Bar Associations.
  • State Bar of Michigan
  • Defense Research Institute

Publications:

Mr. Wade has authored several legal books including:

  • Michigan Courtroom Evidence, Michigan ICLE, 2004; Wade (ed)
  • Civil Procedure During Trial (ICLE 1981); Wade,
  • The Michigan Rules of Evidence: A Practice Manual (ICLE 1978)
    (with Douglas Hillman and Richard Baxter; Wade (ed)
  • The Michigan Law of Damages (ICLE 1978).

Mr. Wade authored numerous legal articles including:

  • Note, Standing Under the Williams Act, 5 U. Tol. L. Rev. (1974)
  • Bibliography, Mental Health Law, 6 U. Tol. R. Rev. 314(1974); Wade
  • The Widow Remarries-Who Should Know? 10 Inter. Soc’y of Barr. Q 346 (1975); Wade
  • Nontaxability of Jury Verdicts: Should the Jury Be Told? 11 Inter. Soc’y of Barr. Q 221 (No. 3, 1976); Wade
  • The Right To Refuse Treatment: Mental Patients and the Law, 1976, Detroit College of Law Review 53; Wade
  • Standard of Care for Physicians: The Michigan Statute, 57 Mich. Bar J 923 (Nov. 1978); Wade
  • Comparative Negligence-Some Unanswered Questions, 58 Mich Bar J 923 (Nov. 1978); Wade
  • The Michigan Law of Punitive Damages, in the Best of ICLE (ICLE 1980); Wade
  • Basic Michigan Evidence, in Michigan Basic Practice Handbook (ICLE 1981-95); Wade
  • The Law of Medical Practice in Michigan: A Review, 61 Mich Bar J. 452 (June, 1982); Wade
  • Some Thoughts on Comparative Negligence, 2 Western Mich. Chapter-FBA newsletter 6 (No. 3, Nov. 1983); Wade
  • An Ethical Obligation to Be Courteous? 11 Newsletter of the Grand Rapids Bar Association 3 (#1, Jan 1988); Wade
  • Exemplary Damages, in Stockmeyer, Michigan Law of Damages (2d ed. 1989); Wade
  • Note-Taking by Jurors, 32 For The Defense 12 (July 1990); Wade
  • Jury Instructions in the Jury Room? 33 For The Defense 28 (April, 1991); Wade
  • Should Michigan Rule of Evidence 703 Be Revised? 70 Mich. Bar J. 572 (June 1991); Wade
  • An Ethical Obligation to be Courteous? 18 Newsletter of the Grand Rapids Bar Association 3 (#3, March 1995) (reprint); Wade
  • An Update on Courtesy, 18 Newsletter of the Grand Rapids Bar Association 8 (#5, May 1995); Wade
  • The Judge As A Witness, 74 Mich B.J. 906 (Sept. 1995); Wade
  • Note-Taking By Jurors, reprinted in Defense Practice Notebook (DRI 1996); Wade
  • Sources of Civility, 14 Michigan Defense Quarterly 5 (#3, summer 1997).

Seminars and Workshops:

Mr. Wade has taught numerous courses, workshops, seminars and lectured at various meetings throughout his career. He has prepared course materials and outlines for numerous ICLE courses including:

  • 1978 – The Michigan Rules of Evidence
  • 1979 – Proving Pain and Suffering
  • 1980 – Effective Use of Real and Demonstrative Evidence to Prove Damages
  • 1980 – Proving Damages in Special Cases
  • 1981 – Use of Experts to Prove Damages
  • 1981 – Suing the Government

Mr. Wade has lectured at various topics for numerous organizations throughout the State of Michigan:

  • 1982 – Upper Peninsula Bar Meetings, Defending Medical Malpractice Cases
  • 1983 – video-tape of ICLE course, Evidence
  • 1983 – Grand Rapids Adjuster’s Association, Recent Developments in the Law
  • 1984 – ICLE course, The Michigan Rules of Evidence
  • 1984 – ICLE course, What Damages Can I Recover?
  • 1985 – Kalamazoo Adjustor’s Association, Recent Developments in Comparative Negligence
  • 1986 – Instructor, Cooley Law School, Trial Techniques
  • 1987 – Grand Rapids Adjustor’s Association, Negotiation Techniques
  • 1987 – Instructor, Cooley Law School, Advanced Trial Techniques
  • 1987 – Post Trial Practice for Seminars, Inc.
  • 1989 – Michigan Academy of Family Practitioners, a speaker
  • 1990 – Instructor, Cooley Law School, Advanced Trial Techniques
  • 1992 – Grand Rapids Adjustors Association, Mediation

Significant Cases:

Significant cases in the Michigan Supreme Court in which Mr. Wade has participated as counsel include:

  • Kerksta v Department of State Highways, 398 Mich 103 (1976)
  • Mathis v Interstate Motor Freight System, 408 Mich 164 (1980)
  • O’Brien v Hazelet & Erdal, 410 Mich (1980)
  • Vaselenak v Smith, 414 Mich 567 (1982)
  • Gibson v Bronson Methodist Hospital, 445 Mich 331(1994)
  • Daoud v DeLeau, 455 Mich 181 (1997)

Significant Court of Appeals Cases which Mr. Wade has Briefed and/or argued include:

  • Kerkstra v State Highway Department, 60 Mich App 761 (1975)
  • Kass v H.B. Shane & Co., Inc., 71 Mich App 101 (1976)
  • Hastings Mutual v Crayden Homes Corp., 73 Mich App 699 (1977)
  • Johnson v Chrysler Corp., 74 Mich App 532 (1977)
  • Holbrook v Koehring Co., 75 Mich App 592 (1977)
  • Cryderman v Soo Line Railroad Co., 78 Mich App 465 (1977)
  • Oole v Oosting, 82 Mich App 291 (1978)
  • Watson v Aquinas College, 83 Mich App 192 (1978)
  • Blanchard v Monical Machinery Co., 84 Mich App 279 (1978)
  • Ottenwess v Hawkeye Security Ins. Co., 84 Mich App 292 (1978)
  • Bartrand v Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad Co., 87 Mich App 466 (1978)
  • Shinabarger v Citizens Mutual Ins. Co., 90 Mich App 307 (1979)
  • Koopman v Logan, 93 Mich App 252 (1979)
  • Bitiminous Fire & Marine Ins. Co. v Royal Exchange, Ct. App. #44039, 6/19/80
  • Ketten v Clark Equipment Co., Ct. App. #78-5140, 7/3/80
  • Berwald v Kasal, 102 Mich App 269 (1980)
  • Hawkeye-Security Ins. Co. v Harneschfeger Corp., 102 Mich App 190 (1980)
  • Evans v Frank, Ct. App. #45825, 12/18/80
  • Liberty Mutual Ins. Co. v Allied Truck Equipment Co., 103 Mich App. 33 (1981)
  • Trine v Foam Craft, Inc., Ct. App. #46056, 3/12/81
  • Coates v Michigan Mutual Ins. Co., Ct. App. #52780, 4/9/81
  • Spayde v Advanced Foam Systems, Inc., 124 Mich App 454 (1981)
  • VanDyke v DAIIE, Ct. App. #53872, 6/24/81
  • Austhof v General Aluminum Products Co., Ct. App. #48317, 4/26/82
  • Mulvihill v American Annuity Life Ins. Co., 121 Mich App 192 (1982)
  • Walker v Pool, Ct. App. #59184, 12/14/82
  • Galbreath Mortgage Co. v Key Heights-Lowell Inc., Ct. App. #63925, 10/3/83
  • DAIIE v Parmelee, 135 Mich 567 (1984)
  • Schnepp v Branch, Ct. App. #73231, 8/16/84
  • Beaver v Aetna Life Ins. Co., Ct. App. #77766, 5/28/85
  • Hinkelman v Kalamazoo College; Ct. App. #81284, 1/21/87
  • Garzelloni v Victor, Ct. App. #89104, 12/7/88
  • Rinard v Biczak, Ct. App. #101702, 6/5/89
  • Barnes v Maternowski, Ct. App. #100909, 6/29/89
  • Heshelman v Lombardi, 183 Mich App 72 (1990)
  • Spencer v Butler, Ct. App. #121618, 5/22/91
  • Jones v Michiana Walk-In Clinic, Ct. App. #119440, 8/12/91
  • Faultersack v Uddoh, Ct. App. #130540, 1/23/92
  • Gibson v Bronson Methodist Hospital, 197 Mich App 67 (1992)
  • Marcelletti v Bathani, 198 Mich App 655 (1993)
  • Petty v The Upjohn Co., Ct. App. #159867, 1/19/95
  • Daoud v Deleau, Ct. App. #171562, 5/19/95
  • Daniels v Racette, Ct. App. #192790, 5/13/97.