Areas of Practice
Commercial Litigation
Labor & Employment Law
Kathleen L. Bruinsma
Member
| Email: | klb@msblaw.com |
| Phone: | 616-732-5000 |
| Fax: | 616-732-5099 |
Kathleen Bruinsma represents business and nonprofit entities in matters of employment, land use, and domestic and international trademark.
Prior to joining McShane & Bowie, Kathleen practiced in the Chicago office of a London law firm, where, in addition to commercial and class action defense work, she handled contract and treaty matters for French-speaking clients. Before earning her law degree at the University of Notre Dame Law School, Kathleen served as a legislative director for the Boston Mayor’s Commission on Elder Affairs.
Bar Admission:
- Michigan
- Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
Honnors & Awards:
- Floyd B. Skinner Social Justice Award, 2019
Education:
- University of Notre Dame Law School, Juris Doctor, 1997
- National Moot Court Team
- A. Harold Weber Moot Court Award
- Providence College, Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, cum laude, 1992
- Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honor Society
Professional Associations and Membership:
- State Bar of Michigan
- State Bar of Illinois
- Grand Rapids Bar Association
- Chicago Bar Association
Language:
- French
Community Involvement:
- Trustee, Grand Rapids Community College
- Mentor, Grand Valley State University Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies Peter C. Cook Leadership Academy
- Community Liaison, Aquinas College Jane Hibbard Idema Women’s Studies Center
- Member, Alliance Francaise de Grand Rapids
Presentations
- “One Person, One Vote: Achieving and Protecting Fair and Representative Elections,” June 2018, League of Women Voters Holland Area Chapter
- “Class Action Trends under the Fair Credit Reporting Act,” April 2000, Conference on Consumer Finance Law, Dallas, Texas
- “The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act – Applicability to Creditors and Other Non-Third Party Collectors,” October 1999 Conference on Consumer Finance Law, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- “Class Action Lawsuits – A New Wave of Litigation Against Insurers,” October 1998, Shand Morahan & Co., Evanston, Illinois
Publications
- “How the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act Can Apply to Creditors and Other Non-Third Party Collectors,” 54 Consumer Fin. L. Q. Rep. 211 (2000)