By Julie Freer
Legal News
During her second year at Michigan State University College of Law, Grand Rapids native Tricia Schwallier Collins decided to work in Chicago for the summer to gain broader legal market exposure.
“I ended up falling in love with the city,” said Collins.
In 2015, after law school graduation, she took the plunge and moved to Chicago full-time, networking non-stop until she landed a position as an associate attorney with a mid-size firm. Soon after, Collins joined Kirkland & Ellis, where she’s worked as a corporate attorney for the past eight years, making partner in 2022.
Ten years later, Collins now is returning to her Grand Rapids roots, joining Honigman as a partner in the Grand Rapids office.
“Tricia will bring valuable experience to Honigman that will serve as a strong complement to our commercial transactions practice,” said Kimberly A. Dudek, chair of Honigman’s Corporate Department and member of the firm’s Executive Committee. “We look forward to welcoming her to our Commercial Transactions group and adding her skillset to our growing team.”
Collins grew up on an apple farm in Coopersville, Mich., about 20 minutes west of Grand Rapids, with hardworking parents and older siblings. She originally dreamed of being an actress or news anchor and was highly involved in local theater and broadcasting in the Grand Rapids area.
It wasn’t until her senior year at Grand Valley State University that she began thinking about a career in the legal field.
“My first exposure to the practice of law was a Business Law class with Professor Catherine Jones-Rikkers,” said Collins. “She and Professor Maria Landon were fantastic mentors at GVSU and played major roles influencing me to apply to law school. After undergrad, I worked at the Red Cross for a year and was also inspired by attorneys working tirelessly to reconnect international family members that were separated due to conflict, violence, and immigration. I learned the breadth of impact that attorneys can have and that reaffirmed my decision to pursue a legal education.”
Collins started law school at MSU in 2012.
“I had no clue what area of law I ultimately wanted to focus on at first and interned at many different places in an effort to get practical experience and narrow it down. I also joined the Trial Practice Institute (TPI) at MSU, assuming my theater background would lend itself well to litigation,” said Collins. “The TPI professor was also an Assistant Attorney General and asked me to intern on the Detroit bankruptcy case. I liked the logic and practicality of the Bankruptcy Code and my corporate restructuring experience snowballed from there.”
Collins has experience advising clients on a wide spectrum of legal issues, including asset management, commercial agreements, contractual disputes, corporate governance, fiduciary duties, organizational restructuring, and regulatory compliance.
While in the restructuring group at Kirkland, Collins represented a variety of large-scale companies in complex cross-border business reorganizations, debt restructurings, and financing matters in and outside of Chapter 11 reorganization bankruptcy. One of her favorite Kirkland experiences was moving to Athens, Greece for a month to advise an international client on site.
“Kirkland provided an invaluable experience with fast-paced training and world-class colleagues,” said Collins.
As Collins and her husband Kurt have grown their family – they have two young daughters, Quinn and Cameron – the pull to move closer to extended family became stronger.
“As a Michigan native, I’m acutely aware of Honigman’s prestigious reputation in the legal community and esteemed attorney talent within the firm,” said Collins.
“When we decided to move back and raise our children closer to family in the Grand Rapids area, I knew Honigman would be at the top of my list of firms to explore and am thrilled to join their rapidly-growing roster of distinguished colleagues.”
Collins and her family will be relocating to Grand Rapids early in 2026, and love to travel, explore new restaurants and concert venues, and enjoy everything football season has to offer.
“I look forward to coming home, joining the Grand Rapids legal community and getting involved in local outreach and events,” said Collins.
Legal News
During her second year at Michigan State University College of Law, Grand Rapids native Tricia Schwallier Collins decided to work in Chicago for the summer to gain broader legal market exposure.
“I ended up falling in love with the city,” said Collins.
In 2015, after law school graduation, she took the plunge and moved to Chicago full-time, networking non-stop until she landed a position as an associate attorney with a mid-size firm. Soon after, Collins joined Kirkland & Ellis, where she’s worked as a corporate attorney for the past eight years, making partner in 2022.
Ten years later, Collins now is returning to her Grand Rapids roots, joining Honigman as a partner in the Grand Rapids office.
“Tricia will bring valuable experience to Honigman that will serve as a strong complement to our commercial transactions practice,” said Kimberly A. Dudek, chair of Honigman’s Corporate Department and member of the firm’s Executive Committee. “We look forward to welcoming her to our Commercial Transactions group and adding her skillset to our growing team.”
Collins grew up on an apple farm in Coopersville, Mich., about 20 minutes west of Grand Rapids, with hardworking parents and older siblings. She originally dreamed of being an actress or news anchor and was highly involved in local theater and broadcasting in the Grand Rapids area.
It wasn’t until her senior year at Grand Valley State University that she began thinking about a career in the legal field.
“My first exposure to the practice of law was a Business Law class with Professor Catherine Jones-Rikkers,” said Collins. “She and Professor Maria Landon were fantastic mentors at GVSU and played major roles influencing me to apply to law school. After undergrad, I worked at the Red Cross for a year and was also inspired by attorneys working tirelessly to reconnect international family members that were separated due to conflict, violence, and immigration. I learned the breadth of impact that attorneys can have and that reaffirmed my decision to pursue a legal education.”
Collins started law school at MSU in 2012.
“I had no clue what area of law I ultimately wanted to focus on at first and interned at many different places in an effort to get practical experience and narrow it down. I also joined the Trial Practice Institute (TPI) at MSU, assuming my theater background would lend itself well to litigation,” said Collins. “The TPI professor was also an Assistant Attorney General and asked me to intern on the Detroit bankruptcy case. I liked the logic and practicality of the Bankruptcy Code and my corporate restructuring experience snowballed from there.”
Collins has experience advising clients on a wide spectrum of legal issues, including asset management, commercial agreements, contractual disputes, corporate governance, fiduciary duties, organizational restructuring, and regulatory compliance.
While in the restructuring group at Kirkland, Collins represented a variety of large-scale companies in complex cross-border business reorganizations, debt restructurings, and financing matters in and outside of Chapter 11 reorganization bankruptcy. One of her favorite Kirkland experiences was moving to Athens, Greece for a month to advise an international client on site.
“Kirkland provided an invaluable experience with fast-paced training and world-class colleagues,” said Collins.
As Collins and her husband Kurt have grown their family – they have two young daughters, Quinn and Cameron – the pull to move closer to extended family became stronger.
“As a Michigan native, I’m acutely aware of Honigman’s prestigious reputation in the legal community and esteemed attorney talent within the firm,” said Collins.
“When we decided to move back and raise our children closer to family in the Grand Rapids area, I knew Honigman would be at the top of my list of firms to explore and am thrilled to join their rapidly-growing roster of distinguished colleagues.”
Collins and her family will be relocating to Grand Rapids early in 2026, and love to travel, explore new restaurants and concert venues, and enjoy everything football season has to offer.
“I look forward to coming home, joining the Grand Rapids legal community and getting involved in local outreach and events,” said Collins.
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