Effective Advocates • Trusted Counselors

Celebrating 140 Years of Legal Service

in Grand Rapids

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Wheeler Upham Lobby and Front Desk

Personalized Service

Wheeler Upham has been providing effective, efficient legal counsel for over 139 years. Our attorneys have backgrounds and expertise in virtually every area of the law, enabling us to continue a strong tradition of providing our clients the advantages of a full-service law firm.
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Offices

Our attorneys are leaders in the courtroom, boardroom, classroom, community and profession. Two of our founding attorneys served as federal judges, and several others have held seats on the local bench. Seven Wheeler Upham attorneys have served as President of the Grand Rapids Bar Association. One of our colleagues was elected President of the State Bar of Michigan.
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Locally based in West Michigan

Based in downtown Grand Rapids, our offices are adjacent to the Kent County and City Hall buildings. We are conveniently located just steps from the county, state and federal courthouses.Read More

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Wheeler Upham is a full service law firm

Our lawyers have expertise ranging from business and corporate law to estate planning and administration, from employment law to product liability defense, from personal injury to creditor’s rights. We have experts in the Postal Service, real estate law, insurance law, alternative dispute resolution and mediation, tax exempt and non-profit organizations, ecclesiastical law, litigation, and family law, and we can provide local counsel for out-of-town attorneys.
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Nicholas S. Ayoub

Mr. Ayoub primarily engages in general civil litigation and appellate practice as well as business and corporate law.  Following law school, Mr. Ayoub served as a research attorney for the Michigan Court of Appeals. He has also worked for the Michigan legislature, during which service he contributed to A Practical Guide for Landlords and Tenants and worked on legislative recommendations and reports for the Michigan Law Revision Commission.

Mr. Ayoub is a member of the Federalist Society. He attends St.  Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church, where he serves as a chanter.  He is also an avid musician.

Michael J. TerBeek

Mr. TerBeek is a shareholder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Wheeler Upham, P.C. He handles business law, both as a counselor and advisor to businesses and through the handling of commercial and business litigation. In addition, Mr. TerBeek devotes a substantial portion of his practice to estate planning, helping individuals, couples, and families to create comprehensive estate plans, providing effective and efficient solutions for simple or complex situations. He is also a shareholder and a member of the board of directors of Wheeler Upham, P.C.

As a business attorney, Mr. TerBeek serves as a general business counselor to local, regional, and national companies. He routinely assists clients with all aspects of business start-ups, from the formation of an LLC or corporation, initial investment and financing, and drafting of a lease or real estate purchase agreement to the creation of standard terms and conditions for construction contracts, the negotiation of supplier contracts, and employment contracts. Mr. TerBeek also advises non-profit organizations, including guiding them through the application process for recognition by the IRS as public charities to obtain non-profit status. In addition, he represents the interests of his clients before municipal bodies such as taxing authorities, planning commissions, zoning boards, and other local agencies.

In the courtroom, Mr. TerBeek works closely with clients to identify their unique goals in litigation, recognizing or crafting optimal strategies and creative solutions for each dispute. He handles issues related to corporate governance, breach of contract, collections, easements and land rights, and transactional disputes. He has tried both jury and bench trials in Michigan district courts and circuit courts and has argued before the Michigan Court of Appeals.

Mr. TerBeek works to make the estate planning process manageable and understandable for every client. He is committed to providing clients with comprehensive and affordable estate planning, including the preparation of wills, the creation of trusts, powers of attorney, medical powers of attorney, special needs trusts, and other documents.
Prior to entering the practice of law, Mr. TerBeek was a high school teacher. He is active in his church and has served in various capacities for his alma mater, Calvin University.

Daniel J. James

Mr. James is a shareholder and treasurer of Wheeler Upham, P.C. He practices primarily in the area of insurance coverage defense litigation and personal injury defense litigation. He represents clients in insurance coverage disputes, both property and liability, arising under a wide variety of policies, including CGL, auto, homeowner, renter, landlord, and professional liability. He has significant experience with claims arising under the Michigan auto no-fault statute. Mr. James has represented both plaintiffs and defendants and is well equipped to analyze issues objectively while preparing a thorough case for his clients.

Mr. James’s general civil practice also includes business, commercial, construction, employment, insurance, personal injury, probate, and real estate litigation.

Mr. James has co-authored a featured article in The Journal of Insurance & Indemnity Law (a publication of the Michigan Bar Association) titled “Underinsured Motor Vehicles and Setoffs for Tortfeasor Coverage” (page 11, Volume 11, No. 2, April 2018.). Mr. James also wrote “The Basics of Stacking” that was published in the same journal (page 8, Volume 11, No. 4, October 2018).