Lee T. Silver

Lee’s practices focus on commercial litigation and “bet-the-company” litigation. He has successfully handled complex commercial disputes of virtually every type over the past 40 years in state and federal courts throughout Michigan and across the United States. His representative clients range from Fortune 500 companies, financial institutions, manufacturers, and closely held companies of all sizes to individual business owners, shareholders, executives, professionals, and others. Lee has been asked to represent other attorneys and law firms on numerous occasions in a wide variety of commercial or business disputes (as opposed to legal malpractice cases), including cases involving partnership disputes, breach of contract, fraud, defamation, employment disputes, lender liability, commercial lease disputes, and other issues.

In addition to his litigation practice, Lee also has a very busy mediation and arbitration practice as he serves as a mediator and arbitrator throughout Michigan and nationally. He is one of only three mediators in Michigan to be selected as a Fellow of the American College of Civil Trial Mediators and has also been selected as a member of the American Arbitration Association’s (AAA) prestigious Master Mediator Panel, which is comprised of AAA’s top mediators as rated by attorneys that handle large complex disputes. He has also received the Distinguished Mediator Award from the State of Bar of Michigan Negligence Section, has been selected as a member of the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals, has been on the approved list of mediators for the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan since 2003, and regularly serves as an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association and in many private arbitrations. Lee has mediated and/or arbitrated cases for virtually every law firm in Michigan with an active litigation practice, a majority of the Am Law 100 firms, and some of the top specialized litigation boutique firms in the country.

Lee has successfully mediated over 2,000 cases and takes great pride in the fact that an extremely high percentage of the cases he mediates settle as a result of the mediation. As a mediator, Lee approaches every matter extremely well prepared, and he is known for his tenacity and his ability to settle the most difficult cases by never giving up and believing that every case can be settled. As a trial lawyer with over 40 years of experience who has litigated well over 1,000 cases, mediated over 2,000 disputes, served as an arbitrator in over 150 matters, and has earned the highest rankings from his peers for his legal ability, Lee is uniquely qualified to analyze a case and help the parties reach a settlement.  

Lee has substantial experience in the following types of cases:

• Contract disputes
• Shareholder and partnership disputes, including claims of minority shareholder oppression and breach of fiduciary duty
• Employment disputes
• Covenants not to compete, trade secrets, and unfair competition
• Supply chain disputes in the auto industry and other industries
• Construction disputes
• Real estate disputes
• Professional malpractice involving attorneys, accountants, insurance agents, and design professionals
• Class actions
• Mass torts and personal injury cases
• Probate litigation, including disputes relating to breach of trust agreements, trustee misconduct, interpretation of estate planning documents, contests over the validity and enforceability of wills, trusts, and amendments to wills and trusts
• Insurance coverage disputes
• Defamation and business disparagement
• Commission disputes, including procuring cause claims
• Claims against municipalities
• Civil rights and constitutional violations
• Corporate governance and liability of corporate officers and directors
• Environmental Litigation

All Related Practice Areas

Education

Indiana University School of Law, J.D.

University of Redlands, B.A., with honors

Admissions

Memberships

• State Bar of Michigan – Alternative Dispute Resolution, Litigation Sections
• American Bar Association - Litigation, Business Law, ADR Sections
• Federal Bar Association for the Western District of Michigan
• American Association for Justice
• Michigan Association for Justice
• Grand Rapids Bar Association - Bench/Bar Committee, past Chairman; Judicial Evaluation, Finance, and Court Liaison Committees, past Member

Awards & Recognitions

Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, Litigation: Mediators, 2026 

Michigan Super Lawyers - Top 10 Attorneys in Michigan, 2024 and 2025

Michigan Super Lawyers - Top 100 Attorneys in Michigan, 2021-2025

Michigan Super Lawyers – Business Litigation, 2007-2025

State Bar of Michigan, Negligence Law Section – Distinguished Mediator Award

The Best Lawyers in America® - Commercial Litigation, 2012-2026; Bet-the-Company Litigation, 2023-2026; Mediation, 2012-2026; Arbitration, 2024-2026; Litigation - Construction, 2025-2026; Litigation - Labor and Employment, 2025-2026; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants, 2025-2026; Construction Law, 2025-2026; Real Estate Law, 2026

The Best Lawyers in America® - Lawyer of the Year - Grand Rapids, Bet-the-Company Litigation, 2023; Lawyer of the Year - Grand Rapids, Mediation, 2021, 2024, 2026

Michigan Lawyers Weekly – Hall of Fame Inductee, 2026

Martindale-Hubbell® – AV Preeminent® rating

Litigation Counsel of America – Senior Fellow; Trial Law Institute, Diversity Law Institute, Barrister-Order of Juris

Crain’s Grand Rapids Business Journal - Crain’s Notable West Michigan Lawyers

Grand Rapids Magazine - Top Lawyers, Arbitration, 2022; Litigation – Real Estate, 2022; Litigation – Commercial, 2023; Mediation, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025

Leading Lawyers - Commercial Litigation, ADR Law

America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators

Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Member

American College of Civil Trial Mediators, Fellow

National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals, Member

American Arbitration Association – Arbitrator and Master Mediator Panels

Indiana University School of Law – first place, Moot Court Competition; Member, National Moot Court Team; Teaching Assistant in Appellate Advocacy

Community & Professional

United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, Chair, VFM/ADR Advisory Committee (2024–2026)

American Bar Foundation, Fellow

International Society of Primerus Law Firms, Board of Directors, Former Member

Hillman Advocacy Program, Faculty Member