James J. Vlasic concentrates his practice in the areas of business planning and organization, and business and trust litigation. Mr. Vlasic 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 forty-one years, Mr. Vlasic 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.
Mr. Vlasic 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, 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, Taxation, LL.M.
Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, J.D. Honors: Cum Laude
Yale University, 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
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 Corporate Governance & Finance and Business Planning
American Bar Association
Litigation Counsel of America
State Bar of Florida
State Bar of Michigan
