Butzel Elects New Shareholders
DETROIT, Mich. – Three Butzel attorneys were recently elected shareholders. They include: Derek G. McBride, Patrick L. Rawsthorne and Barrett R. H. Young.
Derek G. McBride
Based in Butzel’s Detroit office, Derek McBride has more than two decades of experience as a transactional attorney. He is a well-rounded business lawyer who primarily focuses his practice on Real Estate Law, Commercial Transactions, and Commercial Lending. He counsels and represents clients in a variety of industries on virtually all aspects involved in real estate and business transactions. McBride is recognized for providing practical solutions to clients while always maintaining a focus on their business objectives.
McBride’s vast experience encompasses positions as in-house counsel for a US-based steel manufacturing entity and a multi-national banking and financial services corporation. He has assisted clients in the origination of complex commercial loans, such as construction and asset-based loans and real estate financing. McBride has significant experience drafting and negotiating complex commercial agreements that range from software licensing agreements to raw material supply agreements and other intricate commercial contracts, including international shipping agreements.
He also has a keen interest in the entertainment industry and has advised independent film companies regarding legal issues in connection with the production of feature films and distribution agreements. McBride also has represented clients in trademark and copyright matters, as well as celebrity endorsement deals.
McBride was named to DBusiness - Top Lawyers - Real Estate Law, 2024. He earned a J.D. from the Detroit College of Law and a B.A. from Albion College.
Patrick L. Rawsthorne
Patrick Rawsthorne, based in Butzel’s Grand Rapids office, has proven experience navigating high-stakes, complex commercial litigation matters across diverse industries.
Rawsthorne guides companies and individuals through all phases of litigation, from pre-suit strategy and discovery to trial and appeal. His approach combines careful analysis, strategic thinking, and a deep understanding of business operations to achieve efficient, result-oriented outcomes for clients involved in high-stakes commercial disputes.
Prior to joining Butzel, Rawsthorne was a litigation attorney at a large Michigan-based business firm and a multinational firm specializing in corporate law and litigation. He also served as a law clerk to Judge David W. McKeague of the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan Young Lawyers Section.
Rawsthorne earned a J.D., cum laude, from University of Michigan Law School and a B.A. in International Relations from Michigan State University.
Barrett R. H. Young
Based in Butzel’s Detroit office, Barrett Young’s practice includes appeals, commercial litigation, the First Amendment, defamation, privacy, intellectual property, the Freedom of Information Act, the Open Meetings Act, counseling media organizations, and advising schools on student disciplinary issues. He works with clients at every stage of a matter—from a demand letter to a court of last resort.
After he earned his undergraduate degree from Harvard University, Young worked in the Faculty Division of the Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies in Washington, DC. He then went on to earn his law degree from The University of Chicago.
Following law school, Young was an associate at an Am Law 100 firm located in Washington, DC. He also served as the Senior Counselor to Deputy Secretary of Labor Patrick Pizzella. Before joining Butzel, he clerked for Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Richard Allen Griffin.
Young has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® – Ones to Watch in America – Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, 2023, 2025–2026.
