Bodman PLC is a business law firm headquartered in Ford Field, located in downtown Detroit, Michigan. Founded in 1929 by two former Ford Motor Company lawyers, Wallace R. Middleton and Clifford B. Longley, the firm is one of the state’s largest, with more than 140 lawyers in five offices: Ann Arbor, Cheboygan, Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Troy. Bodman has long been known for its close associations with the automotive and financial services industries and for its long-term relationships with significant clients. For example, the firm has maintained a continuous client relationship with members of the Ford family since 1929 and with Comerica Incorporated since it assisted in the formation of Manufacturer's National Bank, which later merged with Comerica, in 1933. The firm represents more than 80 financial institutions in Michigan and across the U.S. as well as Tier-1, -2 and -3 automotive suppliers and OEMs on a national and international basis.
Honors
ranks Bodman as one of Michigan's leading law firms in five of the six practice areas it ranks in Michigan, including ranking as the state’s top firm for Banking & Finance. Other Bodman practice areas ranked in Chambers USA are Corporate/M&A, Commercial Litigation, Real Estate and Labor & Employment. Benchmark: Litigation ranks Bodman as “highly recommended” for commercial litigation, which is that publication’s highest ranking. Benchmark: Litigation has also named Bodman its 2018 Michigan Litigation Law Firm of the Year. Bodman has an extensive pro bono program and has received “Law Firm of the Year” honors from Legal Aid and Defender Association and from Community Legal Resources for its commitment in this area. In 2010, LAD announced that Bodman had been named its law firm of the year for the second time. The State Bar of Michigan has enrolled Bodman in its “Pro Bono Circle of Excellence.” The firm was named to the Pro Bono Circle of Excellence again in 2011 and 2015-2018. The Detroit Free Press recognized Bodman as one of the "top workplaces" of southeast Michigan for 2016. The firm was honored in 2010, 2015, and again in 2017 as a "Diversity Focused Company" for inclusiveness and promoting community service, in addition to receiving the "Going Green Award from Corp! Magazine for its sustainable business practices.
