Historically rooted in business litigation and management-side employment law, Dirk continues to spearhead the firm’s efforts in those arenas. In 2023, Michigan Lawyers Weekly placed Dirk on its inaugural list of “Go To Lawyers” for Business Litigation. The same publication honored him as a “Leader in the Law” in 2022.

Since 2020, Dirk has helped business owners navigate the new and evolving laws and policies surrounding the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on the workforce. He works to develop and implement sound employment policies, handles terminations and reductions in force and negotiates employment packages and severance arrangements. In 2018, Dirk was asked to provide a training session on workplace harassment to the staff of the Michigan Department of Civil Rights.

Given his close working relationship with clients’ ownership and management, Dirk is regularly called upon for guidance on commercial transactions, M&A work and succession planning. In each of the last three years, Dirk worked on eight figure business sales including auto suppliers, IT companies, insurance agencies, and medical practices among others.

Dirk serves as general counsel for several national professional trade associations, including the National Association of Professional Allstate Agents (NAPAA) and the United Farmers Agents Association (UFAA). Through the latter two relationships in particular, Dirk has acquired expertise counseling insurance agents in management, corporate discipline and buying and selling agencies, handling over 400 such transactions.

"My job isn’t simply to tell clients what the law says. It’s helping them decide on the best course of action under the circumstances presented."