James J. Vlasic concentrates his practice in the areas of business planning and organization, and business and trust litigation. James acts as a manager of Villco Management, LLC, a manager of diversified investment companies. He also serves as a director of Vlasic Development, LLC, a real estate development company with offices in southeast Michigan and Colorado.
Over the past 41 years, James has handled legal cases involving construction, secured transactions, commercial mortgage foreclosures, business fraud, mergers, corporate and partnership disputes, buying and selling of aircraft, transportation equipment, and insurance.
James is a former member of the Board of Directors at Thomas M. Cooley Law School and former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Cranbrook Educational Community.
Before joining Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler, PLC, he was a Member of Bodman, PLC, and prior to that, a shareholder at Sommers Schwartz, P.C., where he served on the Board of Directors and on its executive committee for eight years.
James J. Vlasic
Of Counsel
Education
- University of Michigan, Dearborn, M.B.A
- Wayne State University Law School, Detroit, Taxation, LL.M.
- Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, Lansing, J.D. Honors: Cum Laude
- Yale University, New Haven, Conn., B.A.
Publications
- Common-Law Arbitration in Michigan Since “Wold,” Michigan Lawyers Weekly October 24, 2011
- Limitations on Transfer of Limited Liability Company Membership Interests, The Michigan Business Law Journal Spring 2011
- Debate Rages: Draft Arbitration Awards or Not?, Michigan Lawyers Weekly February 8, 2010
- Med-Arb – Can you Afford the Risk?, The ADR Newsletter January 2008
- Towards a Litigator’s Philosophy of ADR, The ADR Newsletter March 2006
Bar Admissions
- Florida
- Michigan
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan
- U.S. Tax Court
Honors and Awards
- AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated – LexisNexis/Martindale-Hubbell® for Highest Level of Professional Excellence; Endorsed for High Ethical Standing
- Recognized by The Best Lawyers in America©, Corporate Law: 2023-2025, Commercial Litigation: 2025
- Top Lawyer: Business Law, Business Litigation – DBusiness, 2010
Speaking Engagements
- Webcast, Best Practices for Mediation Summaries, 2015 Panel
- What Other ADR Tools are in the Litigator’s Toolbox?, Advanced Negotiation and Dispute Resolution Institute – 2014
- Panel, Promoting Early Facilitation and Mediation: A Panel Discussion, Advanced Negotiation and Dispute Resolution Institute – 2013
- Lecture, Med-Arb – A Cautionary Tale: It Ain’t as Easy (Or as Ethical) as it Looks!, Advanced Negotiation and Dispute Resolution Institute – 2008
- Lecture, How Litigators Maximize the Benefit of ADR, Optimizing Process Choices and Timing Advanced Negotiation and Dispute Resolution Institute – 2006
Associations
- Cooley Law School Adjunct Professor of Business Planning
- American Bar Association
- State Bar of Florida
- State Bar of Michigan
