Paul Bratt Email & Phone Number

Wyoming, Michigan, United States

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Paul Bratt focuses his practice on commercial litigation and environmental law, including class actions and appeals in the state and federal appellate courts. On the litigation side, he represents clients in complex commercial and environmental disputes, ranging from statewide class actions, to commercial contract disputes, to defending permits issued under the Clean Air Act. He has successfully represented clients on appeals in both state and federal courts, including a recent decision overturning a jury verdict.On the environmental side, he provides due diligence reviews and helps clients comply with permitting requirements under the various parts of the Michigan Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act and its Federal counterparts, including the Endangered Species Act and the Clean Water Act. He also provides research and environmental site assessment support and assists with CERCLA and RCRA compliance. Paul’s efforts have been instrumental in large projects such as the Gordie Howe Bridge project, an infrastructure and public-private partnership (P3) project across Canada and the U.S., and for the Restore the Rapids project in Grand Rapids. Adept at finding information to support answers for difficult-to-answer and novel questions, Paul also does so as efficiently as possible. His implementation of nontraditional research methods has proven to be a valuable skill in both environmental law and litigation –two areas in which laws and regulations are constantly in flux.

Taught BUS 201, Legal Environment for Business

Term Clerk for the Honorable Gordon J. Quist.

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Chicago, Il

Ann Arbor, Mi

• Represented non-profit clients in the Detroit area for their transactional matters.• Amended non-profit's articles of incorporation.• Applied for tax-exempt status for non-profit client.• Researched novel area of municipal law.• Drafted real estate agreement.

Grand Rapids, Mi

• Researched and drafted interoffice memos analyzing a variety of legal topics, including insurance, ethics, environmental, and employment law.• Researched and drafted multiple memos for a major pro bono environmental project. Topics included the state and federal regulatory process, permit recommendations, state and federal agency consultation obligations, and the applicability of the Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act.• Wrote summaries of the most recent Michigan Supreme Court and Michigan Court of Appeals decisions for the firm’s appellate blog, as well as two articles with firm partners.• Observed practice group meetings.

Ann Arbor

• Communicated with clients to advise them regarding their unemployment insurance claims, in turn developing a trusting relationship with them.• Prepared questions, closing arguments, and clients for administrative hearings.• Communicated with unemployment agency and administrative law judges’ offices.• Participated in administrative hearings in examinations and closings.• For-credit clinic through Michigan Law.

Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan Area

Grand Rapids, Mi

• Analyzed and organized event surveys.• Drafted essays for Institute’s newsletter.• Regularly attended community and leadership meetings.

Allendale, Michigan

• Managed the University’s public service arbitration website: www.gvsu.edu/arbitrations. • Redacted arbitration decisions to make them available to the public by removing names of companies and individuals to make them anonymous.

Doctor Of Law (Jd)

• "Summer starter" • Michigan Unemployment Insurance 1L Clinic - Fall 2014 • Community and Economic Development Clinic - Fall 2015 •.

Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.), International Relations & Religious Studies

• GPA: 3.958. • Magna Cum Laude. • International Relations Outstanding Graduate of the Year. • Religious Studies Outstanding Graduate.

Education record

• American University in Rome, Italy. • Recipient of Secchia Scholar award. • Winter semester, 2012. • Courses: The Bible and the Qur'an.

Education record