Willis Law
Willis Law is a privately-held, full-service law firm headquartered in Kalamazoo, Michigan, with offices in Grand Rapids, Paw Paw, and Chicago. It serves individuals, families, and small-to-mid-size businesses across 15+ practice areas including estate planning, business law, litigation, real estate, and criminal defense.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersKalamazoo, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Willis Law does
Willis Law is a privately-held, full-service law firm headquartered in Kalamazoo, Michigan, with additional offices in Grand Rapids, Paw Paw, and Chicago. Founded in 2002 (with the firm's web presence dating to at least 2007), it serves individuals, families, small-to-mid-size businesses, and larger corporations across West Michigan and the broader Midwest. The firm is co-founded and directed by Michael J. Willis (JD/CPA) and Shaun P. Willis (JD), with Samuel R. Gilbertson serving as Managing Partner, Frank D. Willis as Chief Senior Counsel (a former 38.5-year Chief Judge of Van Buren County Probate Court), and Robert Wilson as CFO.
The firm operates across 15+ practice areas organized into core service lines including Business Law (formation, M&A, labor and employment, IP, manufacturing), Estate Planning/Elder Law/Medicaid and Probate/Estate & Trust Administration, General Litigation, Real Estate and Construction Law, Criminal Defense (including military criminal defense), Personal Injury, Guardianships and Conservatorships, Adoption, and Sports Agent Law (via the separate Willis Sports sub-brand). Distribution is direct through four physical offices, a toll-free intake line, and online contact channels, supported by long-running content marketing (a blog active since 2007) and local SEO. Customer acquisition relies on free initial consultations, attorney referral partnerships, and a horizontal segmentation spanning individuals, SMBs, and high net-worth clients.
The business model is traditional professional services fee-for-service revenue, augmented by transparent fixed-price packages for estate planning and special discounted rates for students, seniors, and military members. The firm has no disclosed funding, no PE/VC ownership, and no proprietary technology platform; competitive positioning rests on talent credentials (former probate judge, JD/CPA founder, multiple peer-recognized attorneys), peer awards (AV Preeminent, Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers in America, National Trial Lawyers Top 100), and a multi-office regional footprint. International referral capability is provided through an IR Global partnership.
Willis Law firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Willis Law
- Legal name
- Willis Law
- Website
- https://willis.law
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Willis Law is a privately-held, full-service law firm headquartered in Kalamazoo, Michigan, with offices in Grand Rapids, Paw Paw, and Chicago. It serves individuals, families, and small-to-mid-size businesses across 15+ practice areas including estate planning, business law, litigation, real estate, and criminal defense.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Willis Law industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Legal Services
- NAICS
- Offices of Lawyers (54111), Legal Services (5411)
- SIC
- Services-Legal Services (8111)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Family & Private Client (Trusts & Estates) Law (BPAHAAAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Criminal Defense (BPAHAAAN), Personal Injury & Insurance Defense (BPAHAAAM)
Keywords
Where Willis Law is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kalamazoo
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Willis Law business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Legal Services - Professional Fees: Traditional legal service fees for individuals and businesses requiring legal representation in areas including business law, estate planning, litigation, real estate, criminal defense, and other practice areas. The firm offers fixed-price services for certain matters and special rates for students, seniors, and military members.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Free Initial Consultation |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Fixed Price Legal Services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Willis Law product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Willis Law is a full-service law firm providing legal representation and counsel across 15+ practice areas for both individuals and businesses. Services span business law, estate planning and elder law, litigation, probate and trust administration, real estate and construction, criminal defense, personal injury, guardianships, adoption, manufacturing law, labor and employment, sports agent law, and military criminal defense. Services are delivered through direct attorney engagement across four office locations (Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, Paw Paw, Chicago) with free initial consultations and select fixed-price offerings.
Product overview
Willis Law is a full-service law firm serving West Michigan with offices in Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, Paw Paw, and Chicago. The firm offers a comprehensive portfolio of legal services organized across core practice areas including Business Law, Estate Planning/Elder Law/Medicaid, General Litigation, Probate/Estate & Trust Administration, Real Estate & Construction Law, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, Guardianships & Conservatorships, Adoption, Manufacturing Law, and Sports Agent Law. These practice areas are supported by firm-wide features including fixed-price legal services with special rates for students, seniors, and military; digital assets estate planning under Michigan's RUFADAA; attorney referral partnerships; and COVID-19 business guidance. The firm also maintains a separate brand for sports agent services at willissports.com.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Willis Sports: Sports agent legal services
Products and services
- Business Law Legal services covering business formation, corporate transactions, labor and employment law, intellectual property, mergers and acquisitions, international law, and manufacturing law for both U.S. and international companies.
- Estate Planning, Elder Law & Medicaid Comprehensive estate planning including wills, revocable living trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, elder law, and Medicaid planning for long-term care for individuals and families.
- General Litigation Full-service litigation representation including business disputes, civil asset forfeiture defense, lottery disputes, and other complex litigation matters for individuals and businesses.
- Probate, Estate & Trust Administration Legal assistance with estate administration, trust administration, formal and informal probate, small estate proceedings, and fiduciary duties for executors, trustees, and beneficiaries.
- Real Estate & Construction Law Representation in real estate transactions, construction projects, commercial property matters, and construction disputes for property owners, developers, and contractors.
- Criminal Defense Defense representation for criminal charges including DUI, drug crimes, violent crimes, white collar crimes, and gun crimes for individuals facing criminal prosecution.
- Guardianships & Conservatorships Legal guidance for establishing guardianships and conservatorships, including protections for wards and management of protected individuals' estates for families and caregivers.
- Personal Injury Legal representation for individuals injured in accidents seeking compensation for damages from negligent parties.
- Sports Agent Law Specialized legal services for sports agents and athletes, available through the separate willissports.com domain, covering agent representation and athlete legal matters.
- Adoption Legal services guiding families through the adoption process from initial application through finalization.
- Manufacturing Law Specialized legal services for manufacturing companies, including domestic and international manufacturing operations and supply chain matters, with dedicated practice tracks for U.S. companies and international companies.
- Labor & Employment Law Legal counsel for employers and employees on labor and employment matters including compliance, disputes, and policy development.
- Military Criminal Defense Specialized criminal defense representation for service members facing military criminal charges and court-martial proceedings.
- Lottery Disputes Legal representation in lottery dispute matters as a specialized subset of general litigation practice.
- Construction Law Dedicated legal services for construction projects and construction-related disputes as part of the firm's real estate and construction practice.
Companies that use Willis Law
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Willis Law technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Willis Law partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- IR GlobalminorIR Global partnership providing international referral network for cross-border legal matters and client referrals across the global legal community.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Willis Law competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Warner Norcross + Judd LLP: Full-service West Michigan law firm with offices in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and other Michigan cities. Most directly comparable peer — same regional footprint, similar multi-office full-service model, overlapping practice areas in business law, real estate, litigation, and estate planning.
- Miller Johnson: West Michigan-based full-service law firm with offices in Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. Comparable to Willis Law in serving West Michigan businesses and individuals across employment, business, real estate, and litigation practices.
- Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge: Grand Rapids-based full-service law firm with comparable practice breadth including business, litigation, real estate, and estate planning serving West Michigan clients.
- Foster Swift Collins & Smith PC: Michigan-based full-service law firm with multiple offices across the state. Comparable practice mix including business, real estate, estate planning, and litigation serving Michigan businesses and individuals.
- Varnum LLP: Michigan-based full-service law firm with strong Grand Rapids presence. Overlaps with Willis Law across business, real estate, estate planning, and litigation practices serving Michigan-based companies and families.
- Rhoades McKee: Grand Rapids-based law firm offering services across business, real estate, family law, estate planning, and litigation — directly comparable to Willis Law's full-service positioning in West Michigan.
Broad incumbents
- Honigman LLP: Major Michigan-based full-service law firm with Detroit headquarters and broader Midwest presence. Comparable practice areas (business, real estate, litigation) but significantly larger scale and broader geographic footprint than Willis Law.
- Bodman PLC: Detroit-based Michigan law firm with full-service business, real estate, and litigation practices. Overlaps Willis Law's commercial practice areas but serves a primarily Detroit/southeast Michigan client base with larger corporate matters.
- Dickinson Wright PLLC: Large, established Michigan-founded law firm with national and Canadian reach. Overlaps Willis Law in business, real estate, and litigation but serves a much broader geographic and client base, making it a larger incumbent rather than a direct competitor.
- Plunkett Cooney: Michigan-based full-service law firm with strong litigation, real estate, and business practices. Comparable to Willis Law in core service offerings but operates at larger scale across more offices.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Willis Law social profiles
Digital presenceWillis Law financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Willis Law leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Willis Law subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Willis Law funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Willis Law M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Willis Law
What does Willis Law do?
Willis Law is a full-service law firm providing legal representation and counsel across 15+ practice areas for both individuals and businesses. Services span business law, estate planning and elder law, litigation, probate and trust administration, real estate and construction, criminal defense, personal injury, guardianships, adoption, manufacturing law, labor and employment, sports agent law, and military criminal defense. Services are delivered through direct attorney engagement across four office locations (Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, Paw Paw, Chicago) with free initial consultations and select fixed-price offerings.
Is Willis Law a public or private company?
Willis Law is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Willis Law founded?
Willis Law was founded in 2002. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Willis Law based?
Willis Law is headquartered in Kalamazoo, United States, in the North America region.
How does Willis Law make money?
One revenue line is on record: legal Services - Professional Fees.
Who are Willis Law's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Warner Norcross + Judd LLP, Miller Johnson, Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge, Foster Swift Collins & Smith PC, Varnum LLP and Rhoades McKee. Broad incumbents are Honigman LLP, Bodman PLC, Dickinson Wright PLLC and Plunkett Cooney.
Does Willis Law have an API?
No public API is recorded for Willis Law.
What industry is Willis Law in?
Willis Law's product category is Legal Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAAAK, Family & Private Client (Trusts & Estates) Law, with a secondary code of BPAHAAAN, Criminal Defense. Its NAICS code is 54111 and its SIC code is 8111.