Effective Advocates • Trusted Counselors

Celebrating 140 Years of Legal Service

in Grand Rapids

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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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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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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

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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Mr. Fennell counsels clients on a broad array of personal and business matters, including complex business transactions, litigation, business and corporate law, nonprofit law, employment law, real estate, and construction law. He is an experienced litigator, handling every aspect of simple and complex litigation.

Mr. Fennell’s background includes insurance defense, creditors’ work and bankruptcy litigation, commercial litigation, secured transactions, UCC and contract disputes, and real estate. He has served as counsel to a public housing authority on landlord-tenant matters and regulatory compliance, defended businesses in contractual disputes and discrimination claims, persuaded a court to set aside a divorce decree as a fraudulent transfer, and assisted grieving parents in pursuing an insurance claim.

Before becoming an attorney, Mr. Fennell taught Latin, Spanish, and logic for five years at North Hills Classical Academy. He is a member of New Community Church, has been active in the Grand Rapids chapter of the Calvin College Alumni Association, and currently serves on the boards of directors for numerous nonprofit entities.