Key Service Areas
- Environmental and Natural Resources Law
- Real Estate Law
legal assistant - Emma Poteracke
Grand Rapids Location
55 Campau Avenue NW, Suite 300
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503
Hastings Location
607 N. Broadway, Suite A
Hastings, MI 49058
Holland Location
11377 James Street
Holland, Michigan 49422
About Mary Jane
What types of legal issues do you help individuals and businesses resolve?
I represent clients in all types of real estate transactions and have a specialty practice in environmental law. My environmental expertise includes counseling clients regarding environmental liabilities and negotiating environmental risks in the context of development projects, sales, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory compliance, remediations, disputes, and permitting, and accessing brownfield and other financial incentives.
I serve a diverse client base, ranging from publicly-traded companies to sole proprietors and every size in between. I help developers, lenders, manufacturers, retailers, municipalities, sellers, purchasers, and tenants navigate the maze of environmental laws and regulations that affect their business matters. I also negotiate, document and close real estate transactions involving industrial, commercial and residential properties.
What skills help you advise the client and achieve the best results or outcomes?
I have two particular skills that support optimal results. One is communication. Many aspects of environmental law are based on technical concepts and built on real estate law or other legal principles. I communicate these concepts to my clients in an understandable manner. The second skill I cultivate is listening to and understanding my clients’ perspectives, including goals and objectives, concerns, and sometimes frustrations. I listen carefully and view matters from their vantage points, which allows me to develop sustainable legal solutions that align with their objectives and risk tolerances. I focus on the practical, recognizing the need to minimize costs.
Education
Valparaiso University School of Law, J.D., Honors, 1988
Hope College, magna cum laude, 1985
