Bodman PLC is pleased to announce that nine of its attorneys have been named “Lawyers of the Year” for 2025 by the publisher of The Best Lawyers in America.

Only a single lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan area is honored as the Lawyer of the Year, making the accolade highly significant. Lawyers of the Year are selected based on particularly impressive voting results received during annual peer review assessments.

The Lawyer of the Year designation reflects the unusually high level of respect a lawyer has earned among other leading lawyers in the same communities and same practice areas for their abilities, professionalism, and integrity.

Bodman attorneys included as 2025 Lawyers of the Year are:

John C. Cashen has been named the 2025 Troy Lawyer of the Year for Employment Law – Management. Cashen represents employers in all aspects of employment law and related litigation. He served as chairperson of Bodman’s Workplace Law Practice Group for ten years. Cashen also received the “Lawyer of the Year” award in 2021 under Labor-Law Management. He has also been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America since 2005.

Michelle Thurber Czapski has been named the Troy 2025 Lawyer of the Year for Litigation – Insurance. Czapski serves as co-chair of the Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution Practice Group and chair of the Insurance Practice Group. She has over three decades of experience representing major corporate clients in litigation and alternative dispute resolution proceedings and counseling clients on business disputes, claims, decisions, and risk management issues. She has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America since 2021.

Robert J. Diehl, Jr. has been named the 2025 Detroit Lawyer of the Year for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law. Diehl is the chair of the Bankruptcy and Debtor-Creditor Rights Practice Group. He represents lenders in out-of-court workouts and in bankruptcy proceedings involving all types of businesses and collateral, especially automotive-related businesses and real estate and construction businesses. He has previously received the Lawyer of the Year award in 2018 and 2010 under Banking and Finance Law and in 2012 under Litigation – Banking and Finance. He has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America since 1995.

Susan M. Kornfield has been named the Ann Arbor 2025 Lawyer of the Year for Trademark Law. Kornfield is the co-chair of the Intellectual Property Practice Group and focuses her practice on high-profile, sophisticated transactions and litigation in the patent, trademark, copyright, industrial design rights, trade secret, unfair competition, and technology-related spheres. Kornfield has a long track record of recognition in The Best Lawyers in America with receiving the Lawyer of the Year award in 2013, 2016, and 2018 under Copyright Law, in 2014 and 2021 under Litigation – Intellectual Property, in 2015 under Litigation – Patent, and in 2017 and 2019 under Trademark Law. She has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America since 2008.

David P. Larsen has been named the 2025 Detroit Lawyer of the Year for Trust and Estates. Larsen is the senior member of the firm’s High Net Worth Practice Group and provides highly individualized and comprehensive legal advice to many high net worth families, their family offices, and their closely-held businesses. He has been a consistent recipient of Lawyer of the Year award with recognitions in 2024, 2022, 2020, 2018, and 2016 under Litigation-Trust and Estates. He has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America since 2003.

Michael B. Lewiston has been named the Troy 2025 Lawyer of the Year for Litigation – Trusts and Estates. Lewiston specializes in a wide range of business litigation, formation, and negotiation. He has represented major sports franchises, business executives and their companies, law firms, and real estate developers. Lewiston has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America since 2005.

Ralph E. McDowell has been named the 2025 Detroit Lawyer of the Year for Litigation – Bankruptcy. McDowell is a former chair of Bodman’s Executive Committee. He assists clients primarily in the areas of commercial bankruptcy, debtors’ and creditors’ rights, workouts, and commercial lending. McDowell also received the Lawyer of the Year award in 2017 and 2020 under Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, in 2019 under Bet-the-Company Litigation, and in 2015 and 2021 under Litigation – Bankruptcy. He has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America since 2003.

Wayne D. Roberts has been named the Grand Rapids 2025 Lawyer of the Year for Litigation and Controversy – Tax. Roberts is the co-chair of Bodman’s Business Tax Group. His practice is focused on corporate, business, and individual tax planning and federal, state, and local tax controversies. Roberts has been a recipient of the Lawyer of the Year award in 2014, 2017, 2021, and 2023 under Tax Law, and in 2017 and 2023 under Litigation and Controversy – Tax. He has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America since 2013.

Larry R. Shulman has been named the 2025 Detroit Lawyer of the Year for Banking and Finance Law. Shulman is the former chair of Bodman’s Executive Committee. He represents lenders in commercial loan originations. His practice also encompasses loan workouts, contracts, and other general business matters, as well as counseling lenders on lender liability issues. Shulman has been a recipient of the Lawyer of the Year award in 2009, 2016, and 2020 under Banking and Finance and has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America since 2003.

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