Bloom Sluggett attorney Mike Watza and his daughters met the late boxing great Muhammed Ali in the late 1990s.
By Sheila Pursglove
Legal News
Attorney Mike Watza and his daughters once met boxing great Muhammed Ali—and it was a meeting of two champions, since Watza is a winner in complex litigation, legislative strategy, and regulatory solutions for public and private sector clients in Michigan and beyond.
Watza, who has spent most of his 40 years of practice with a large Detroit-based firm before joining Bloom Sluggett last June, is an alumnus of Michigan State University, and the former Detroit College of Law, now MSU Law—and was inspired to study law by attorney Richard Kitch and then MSU Law Professor Zolton Ferency.
Watza was drawn to a specialty of public sector/municipal law.
“Litigation demand was heavy in the public sector and it complimented my public policy work,” Watza says.
He started in litigation in state and federal courts, concerning negligence, professional liability, product liability and more, before morphing into regulatory work at the request of municipal and healthcare clients embroiled with both electric and telecom/cable/video industries.
He notes some important electric issues include rate affordability, hardening the transmission and distribution lines in light of enhanced weather issues, transmission siting conflicts with local communities and neighborhoods and whether to underground some or all lines.
Telecommunications issues include rate and service regulation, ubiquitous high speed, and dependable and affordable service.
Recognized as a Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent attorney, a Super Lawyer since 2007, and a Detroit Business Top Lawyer in Energy, Government, and Product Liability, Watza says his career has converged at the intersection of law,
government, technology, and infrastructure, and he has had many high-profile cases.
“The current Consumers Energy sale of 12 dams across Michigan raises multiple issues including preserving backwaters lived on or used recreationally by tens of thousands of Michigan residents,” he says. “Another issue is cell tower siting and the recent announcement by the head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to look into related radiation. This signals the start of a long overdue and significant fight in earnest, that has been brewing for more than a decade as between the health care community and the wireless telecommunications industry.
“Streaming versus traditional cable is causing an uneven playing field between the two with respect to equal sharing of related costs,” he adds. “And electric transmission line expansion has profound impacts on communities and neighborhoods.”
Watza is enjoying his new role at Bloom Sluggett, a firm that for the 11th consecutive year was recognized by Best Lawyers as a Best Law Firm in the field of Municipal Law for the Grand Rapids metropolitan area. The firm also had a series of individual recognitions, including Jeff Sluggett’s selection as Lawyer of the Year and several attorneys named among The Best Lawyers in America and Ones to Watch in America for 2026
Watza pays tribute to his Bloom Sluggett colleagues.
“They are brilliant lawyers—four with prior Michigan State Supreme Court clerking experience—and good family focused people,” he says. “I also appreciate the access to a broad and deep pool of knowledge about local government law and policy, and the resulting benefits to our clients as a firm that exclusively serves local government and communities.”
Watza established and heads the firm’s hybrid office at the Renaissance Center in the heart of Detroit, and connects daily with the Grand Rapids Office.
“When I visit Grand Rapids, the people are friendly and, it’s very cool with a lot of interesting places to see and go and, it’s a very attractive downtown environment,” he says.
He notes his memberships in the State Bar of Michigan and Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys provide opportunities to learn and share ideas and developments.
“As well as develop cordial relationships with the other lawyers which can inure to the benefit of all our clients by smoothing potential areas of professional disagreement through personal relationships,” he says.
He currently serves as Counsel to PROTEC, a consortium representing more than 100 Michigan municipalities; and to Merit Network, a nonprofit governed by Michigan’s public universities that has helped shape the nation’s digital infrastructure since 1966.
Watza has served on several boards and commissions, including chairing the International Municipal Lawyers Association’s Telecommunications Committee, the Novi Economic Development Corporation, and Panel 9 of the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission. He also serves on the Michigan State Bar Government Law Section Council; and was appointed twice to the Michigan Gaming Control Board, serving for eight years under former Governors Jennifer Granholm and Rick Snyder.
He has generously shared his knowledge and experience with others, and has taught as adjunct faculty at MSU Law and the MSU Institute for Public Utilities.
Originally from Lathrup Village in Oakland County, Watza now makes his home in the
Northville/Novi area. His family includes his spouse of 45 years, four children—three of whom added three more children by marriages—and three grandchildren in Michigan and two in Arizona.
And how does Watza spend his downtime?
“Thinking about ways to improve my client’s circumstances, walking my kid’s dogs, cleaning out my inbox, watching new and old movies, and spending time with family,” he says. “And as a former soccer coach, I enjoy watching MSU and high school soccer games, and Spartan football, basketball, soccer and hockey games.”
Legal News
Attorney Mike Watza and his daughters once met boxing great Muhammed Ali—and it was a meeting of two champions, since Watza is a winner in complex litigation, legislative strategy, and regulatory solutions for public and private sector clients in Michigan and beyond.
Watza, who has spent most of his 40 years of practice with a large Detroit-based firm before joining Bloom Sluggett last June, is an alumnus of Michigan State University, and the former Detroit College of Law, now MSU Law—and was inspired to study law by attorney Richard Kitch and then MSU Law Professor Zolton Ferency.
Watza was drawn to a specialty of public sector/municipal law.
“Litigation demand was heavy in the public sector and it complimented my public policy work,” Watza says.
He started in litigation in state and federal courts, concerning negligence, professional liability, product liability and more, before morphing into regulatory work at the request of municipal and healthcare clients embroiled with both electric and telecom/cable/video industries.
He notes some important electric issues include rate affordability, hardening the transmission and distribution lines in light of enhanced weather issues, transmission siting conflicts with local communities and neighborhoods and whether to underground some or all lines.
Telecommunications issues include rate and service regulation, ubiquitous high speed, and dependable and affordable service.
Recognized as a Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent attorney, a Super Lawyer since 2007, and a Detroit Business Top Lawyer in Energy, Government, and Product Liability, Watza says his career has converged at the intersection of law,
government, technology, and infrastructure, and he has had many high-profile cases.
“The current Consumers Energy sale of 12 dams across Michigan raises multiple issues including preserving backwaters lived on or used recreationally by tens of thousands of Michigan residents,” he says. “Another issue is cell tower siting and the recent announcement by the head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to look into related radiation. This signals the start of a long overdue and significant fight in earnest, that has been brewing for more than a decade as between the health care community and the wireless telecommunications industry.
“Streaming versus traditional cable is causing an uneven playing field between the two with respect to equal sharing of related costs,” he adds. “And electric transmission line expansion has profound impacts on communities and neighborhoods.”
Watza is enjoying his new role at Bloom Sluggett, a firm that for the 11th consecutive year was recognized by Best Lawyers as a Best Law Firm in the field of Municipal Law for the Grand Rapids metropolitan area. The firm also had a series of individual recognitions, including Jeff Sluggett’s selection as Lawyer of the Year and several attorneys named among The Best Lawyers in America and Ones to Watch in America for 2026
Watza pays tribute to his Bloom Sluggett colleagues.
“They are brilliant lawyers—four with prior Michigan State Supreme Court clerking experience—and good family focused people,” he says. “I also appreciate the access to a broad and deep pool of knowledge about local government law and policy, and the resulting benefits to our clients as a firm that exclusively serves local government and communities.”
Watza established and heads the firm’s hybrid office at the Renaissance Center in the heart of Detroit, and connects daily with the Grand Rapids Office.
“When I visit Grand Rapids, the people are friendly and, it’s very cool with a lot of interesting places to see and go and, it’s a very attractive downtown environment,” he says.
He notes his memberships in the State Bar of Michigan and Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys provide opportunities to learn and share ideas and developments.
“As well as develop cordial relationships with the other lawyers which can inure to the benefit of all our clients by smoothing potential areas of professional disagreement through personal relationships,” he says.
He currently serves as Counsel to PROTEC, a consortium representing more than 100 Michigan municipalities; and to Merit Network, a nonprofit governed by Michigan’s public universities that has helped shape the nation’s digital infrastructure since 1966.
Watza has served on several boards and commissions, including chairing the International Municipal Lawyers Association’s Telecommunications Committee, the Novi Economic Development Corporation, and Panel 9 of the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission. He also serves on the Michigan State Bar Government Law Section Council; and was appointed twice to the Michigan Gaming Control Board, serving for eight years under former Governors Jennifer Granholm and Rick Snyder.
He has generously shared his knowledge and experience with others, and has taught as adjunct faculty at MSU Law and the MSU Institute for Public Utilities.
Originally from Lathrup Village in Oakland County, Watza now makes his home in the
Northville/Novi area. His family includes his spouse of 45 years, four children—three of whom added three more children by marriages—and three grandchildren in Michigan and two in Arizona.
And how does Watza spend his downtime?
“Thinking about ways to improve my client’s circumstances, walking my kid’s dogs, cleaning out my inbox, watching new and old movies, and spending time with family,” he says. “And as a former soccer coach, I enjoy watching MSU and high school soccer games, and Spartan football, basketball, soccer and hockey games.”
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