All 3 of Bodman's SE MI offices have grown 10% in last year

The law offices of Bodman LLP were first founded in Detroit in 1927, believe it or not, as a Ford Motor Company spin-off.

Since then the firm's successes allowed it to expanded into Troy more than 40 years ago, and then into Ann Arbor in 1990.

All three offices expanded their legal staff last year, and principal Larry Shulman anticipates growth to continue at that pace for the next three to five years.

The Detroit office, which relocated to Ford Field last year, is the company headquarters, which boasts 74 attorneys and 100 support staff --which includes finance, human resources and IT. It's an impresive outfit made all the more impressive when you realize Bodman's Troy office has 35 attorneys and another 30 support staff and Ann Arbor employs 18 attorneys and 12 additional staff members.

Shulman attributes the growth to a combination of factors, including increasing demands from existing clients as well as new customers, many of whom came along with new hires.

The firm is a general corporate practice with a focus on financial, automotive and other manufacturing, high tech, real estate and high net worth individuals.

Although this is a fairly diverse list, Shulman is quick to point out that the focus of the firm today is much the same as it was when the founded. "Anyone who is based in Southeast Michigan and is providing legal services, there will be an emphasis on automotive and auto supplier," he says. "We do seek opportunities outside of it, but the automotive world remains a very important component of our legal work."

Bodman's recent move to Ford Field was a substantial expansion, from 47,000 to 67,000 square feet. "It's a very unusual office in design," says Shulman. "We get a wonderful reaction from clients and visitors." He says that when considering where to move, the firm felt strongly about staying in Detroit. "We want to continue to show a strong commitment to the city."

Source: Larry Shulman, Bodman
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh