Bruce D. Birgbauer

Experience

Over the years of his distinguished legal career, Bruce has established a reputation as a “go-to” attorney who knows how to help his clients speedily accomplish their goals, often achieving what seemed almost impossible. For example, a client had been trying to set up a meeting with the mayor of a major city for six months. Frustrated, the client sought Bruce’s help.  It was a wise move: Bruce was able to schedule a meeting within one week.

Examples of outstanding above-and-beyond-the-call-of-duty service to clients are legion in Bruce’s client files.  An international client asked for Bruce’s help on a very short notice in setting up acquisition subsidiaries in the United States in connection with a global acquisition involving more than $1,000,000,000 of sales and thousands of new employees.  Bruce and his acquisition team ended up handling a variety of legal issues in the United States, Canada, Mexico and China to meet a very demanding closing deadline.  In another case, Bruce represented a client that was entangled in the split-up of a joint venture with claims totaling several millions of dollars at stake.

“We settled this potentially ruinous dispute without litigation during a three-month period of intense negotiation at a greatly reduced cost to our client.”

Professional Activities

• American Bar Association
• State Bar of Michigan, Former Chair, International Law Section; Former Chair, Business Law Section
• Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association
• Association for Corporate Growth

Honors + Awards

• Williams College (Phi Beta Kappa and highest honors in Political Science)
• Harvard Law School, J.D. (cum laude)
• Best Lawyers in America, Corporate Law, International Trade/Finance Law 1983-present
• DBusiness Magazine, Top Lawyers, Corporate and International Trade and Finance 2011

Civic, Cultural + Social Activities

• Detroit Regional Chamber, Member, Advisory Board of Detroit Regional Economic Partnership; Former Chair and present member of European Committee and North American Committee; Former Chair, Germany Committee; Former Chair, Canada Committee
• Christ Church, Grosse Pointe, Former Senior Warden and Chancellor
• St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Senior Warden
• Country Club of Detroit
• Detroit Athletic Club
• Gasparilla Inn and Club

Publications

Creation of a U.S. Presence by Joint Venture, Merger or Acquisition, Cambridge Institute Seminar, updated 2007

Summary of Important Legal Issues in Mergers and Acquisitions, ACG, 2000

Various articles on "Joint Ventures"

Legal Considerations for Conducting Business in the United States, Michigan Department of Commerce, 1996

Comparison of Michigan and Delaware Incorporation for Subsidiaries of Foreign Corporations, 1993

Authored materials on "Buying and Selling a Privately Held Business" for the Business Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan, May 1991

Authored materials on "Considerations in Buying or Selling a Business under the 1986 Tax Reform Act," 1986

"Recent Developments in Corporate, Finance, and Business Law," for 50th Anniversary of the State Bar of Michigan, 1985

Speeches

"Selling Your Business for the Most Profit--Legal Considerations," Eli Broad School of Management, Michigan State University, 2000-2002

"Creation of a U.S. Presence by Joint Venture, Merger or Acquisition," Cambridge Institute Seminar, 1999

"Doing Business in the United States," 1999

"What Sellers of a Private Company Are Looking for in Selling to a Public Company," at Auto Industry Supplier Mergers & Acquisitions Forum, 1997

Program cochair, Cambridge Institute Seminars on Mergers, Acquisitions, and Joint Ventures (Domestic and International), 1994-99

Author and lecturer on mergers and acquisitions, family and closely held businesses, joint ventures, business planning, Michigan Business Corporation Act, and nonprofit corporations

Articles

• Automotive Guide