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Dickinson Wright

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Dickinson Wright
HeadquartersDetroit, Michigan
No. of offices23
No. of attorneysover 500
Major practice areasCorporate, Intellectual Property, Finance, Immigration
Key peopleMichael C. Hammer, CEO; William T. Burgess, Chairman
Date founded1878
FounderHenry Munroe Campbell and Henry Russel
Company typeProfessional Limited Liability Company
Websitewww.dickinsonwright.com

Dickinson Wright PLLC is a law firm based in Detroit, Michigan. With over 500 lawyers across more than 40 practices and industries, Dickinson Wright serves clients from 23 offices, six of which are in Michigan.[1] According to the National Law Journal's 2024 NLJ 500 ranking of firms based on size, Dickinson Wright is ranked 102 in the United States.[2]

History

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Dickinson Wright was founded in 1878 by two young lawyers, Henry Munroe Campbell and Henry Russel.[3]

The firm quickly became an influential force in Michigan’s legal and political development. Its members played key roles in drafting the state’s constitutions in both 1908 and 1963. During the national banking crisis of 1933, following President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s closure of banks, the firm helped organize the federally funded National Bank of Detroit (now JPMorgan Chase & Co.), which was instrumental in stabilizing Michigan’s banking system and ending a 36-day bank holiday.[4]

The firm began expanding outside of Michigan in 1978 with the opening of its Washington, D.C. Over the years, it has continued to grow strategically, adding five additional offices in Michigan (Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Saginaw, and Troy). In the late 2000s, the firm entered new markets with offices in Toronto, Phoenix, and Nashville. That expansion continued with the opening of Columbus, OH in 2012 followed by new offices in Las Vegas, NV and Lexington, Kentucky in 2015.[4] Fort Lauderdale, FL and Austin, TX were added in 2016. The firm then opened in El Paso, Texas in 2017 and Silicon Valley in 2018. On January 1, 2021, the firm further expanded by opening a Chicago office through the acquisition of Stahl Cowen Crowley Addis LLC.[5] Growth continued in 2023 with the launch of the Denver[6] office, and in 2024 with new locations in San Diego[7] and Windsor.[8] Most recently, in 2025, the firm expanded to the Pacific Northwest with the opening of its Seattle office—marking Dickinson Wright’s continued commitment to serving clients nationwide.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, as Japanese companies expanded into Metro Detroit, the firm (then Dickinson, Wright, Moon, Van Dusen & Freeman) hired a Japanese paralegal and two Japanese attorneys. It also launched a Japanese-language newsletter and held seminars to better serve its Japanese clients—an early example of the firm adapting to meet the needs of an international client base.[9]

The firm adopted its current name, Dickinson Wright PLLC, in January 1998, when it became a professional limited liability company.

Around the late 1980s and early 1990s, because of the increase in Japanese companies in Metro Detroit, Dickinson Wright (then Dickinson, Wright, Moon, Van Dusen & Freeman) hired a Japanese paralegal and two Japanese lawyers. With its new employees it began publishing a Japanese-language newsletter for Japanese clients and began conducting Japanese-language seminars

Practice areas

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Dickinson Wright offers legal services across a wide range of practice areas to support clients in both transactional and litigation matters. Our teams work across industries and jurisdictions to help navigate complex legal and business challenges.

Administrative, Regulatory & Government Relations, Antitrust & Trade Regulation, Appellate, Automotive & Automotive Litigation, Banking & Financial Services, Bankruptcy & Restructuring, Business Technology, Cybersecurity & Data Privacy, Cross-Border (U.S.-Canada) Litigation, Construction, Corporate & Corporate Finance, Emerging Businesses, Employee Benefits, Labor & Employment, Energy, Sustainability & Environmental, Estate Planning & Administration, Family Law, Gaming, Healthcare, Hospitality, Immigration, Native American Law, Insurance, Intellectual Property, Media, Sports & Entertainment, Mergers & Acquisitions, Public Law & Finance, Patent Litigation, Private Equity, Products Liability, Real Estate, Schools & Education, Securities, and Taxation.

Our lawyers collaborate across offices and disciplines to provide clear, practical guidance tailored to each client’s needs.[10]

Offices

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One Detroit Center, the location of Dickinson Wright's headquarters.

Current

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Notable lawyers and alumni

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Accolades

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  • Chambers: Dickinson Wright is consistently recognized for its practices in Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, and Texas. 51 of our lawyers were individually recognized for their practices.[17]
  • Best Lawyers – Best Law Firms®: The firm received 24 national rankings and 181 state/metropolitan rankings in the 2025 “Best Law Firms” report by Best Lawyers. The firm received 109 First Tier rankings.[18]
  • Best Lawyers: 183 of our lawyers were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America or The Best Lawyers in Canada 2025 and 45 of our lawyers are listed in The Best Lawyers in America “Ones to Watch”. Fourteen of our lawyers were named Best Lawyers® 2025 “Lawyers of the Year” in their respective practices and metropolitan areas.
  • Corporate Equality Index (CEI) – For the seventh consecutive year, Dickinson Wright has earned a perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index.[19]

References

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  • Ingrassia, Paul and Joseph B. White. Comeback: The Fall & Rise of the American Automobile Industry. Simon & Schuster, May 14, 2013. ISBN 1476737479, 9781476737478.

Notes

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  1. ^ "Organizational Profile of Dickinson Wright". The National Law Review. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
  2. ^ "Dickinson Wright". Law.com. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
  3. ^ Firm history
  4. ^ a b "Our History". Dickinson Wright. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  5. ^ a b "Dickinson Wright to Open Chicago Office | Insights | Dickinson Wright". www.dickinson-wright.com. Retrieved 2020-12-28.
  6. ^ "Denver Lawyers | Dickinson Wright". www.dickinson-wright.com. Retrieved 2024-02-12.
  7. ^ "Dickinson Wright Opens San Diego Office | Insights | Dickinson Wright". www.dickinson-wright.com. Retrieved 2024-11-14.
  8. ^ "Windsor Lawyers | Dickinson Wright Law Firm & Attorneys". www.dickinson-wright.com. Retrieved 2024-11-14.
  9. ^ Ingrassia and White, p. 336.
  10. ^ Full list of practice areas
  11. ^ "Home." () Dickson Wright. March 4, 2000. Retrieved on November 23, 2013. "Dickinson Wright PLLC Counsellors at Law 500 Woodward Avenue, Suite 4000 Detroit, Michigan 48226-3425"
  12. ^ "Dickinson Wright gaming practice enters Europe with law firm agreement in Bulgaria." Crain's Detroit Business. November 12, 2013. Modified November 13, 2013. Retrieved on November 23, 2013. "Detroit-based law firm Dickinson Wright PLLC announced Tuesday a cooperation agreement with Velchev & Co., a law firm based in Sofia, Bulgaria."
  13. ^ a b "Dickinson Wright renews One Detroit Center lease." Crain's Detroit Business. December 3, 2007. Retrieved on November 23, 2013.
  14. ^ "Tenant Testimonials." (Archive) One Detroit Center. Retrieved on November 23, 2013.
  15. ^ "DICKINSON WRIGHT OPENS ANN ARBOR OFFICE." () Dickinson Wright. February 7, 2000. Retrieved on November 23, 2013.
  16. ^ "Governor of Michigan > Home". www.michigan.gov/whitmer/. Retrieved 2019-02-02.
  17. ^ "Dickinson Wright Receives Top Rankings in 2024 Chambers USA Guide; 51 Attorneys Recognized as Leaders in their Fields".
  18. ^ "Dickinson Wright Receives 205 Rankings in Best Lawyers 2025 Best Law Firms® Survey".
  19. ^ "Dickinson Wright Earns Seventh Consecutive 100 Score in Human Rights Campaign Foundation's 2025 Corporate Equality Index". Retrieved 2025-05-07.
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