Todd Neckers decided he was going to be a lawyer as soon as his dreams of playing professional baseball died – which happened to be in the 6th grade – so you could say he has prepared for a legal career since the early 1990s. And with seven lawyers in his family, including his father, he had plenty of opportunities to observe and ask questions from a very young age.

In his business and corporate practice, Todd is an outside general counsel for sole proprietorships as well as family-owned and multi-owner closely-held companies in Western Michigan, ranging from startups to non-profits to established enterprises. He advises on a full spectrum of legal, organizational, and operational issues, including formation, corporate governance, employer-employee relations, contract drafting and negotiation, acquisitions and divestitures, franchising, succession planning, and protection of trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and other intellectual property.

Along with representing clients in industries such as manufacturing, hospitality, real estate, construction, technology, retail, and professional services, Todd also helps business owners with estate planning. Through a combination of wills, trusts, charitable gifts, and other mechanisms, he assists individuals and families in reducing tax liability while also strategically protecting assets and transferring wealth to spouses, children, grandchildren, and other beneficiaries.

Clients appreciate Todd’s business savvy (he previously founded and ran his own law firm) and his thorough understanding of the intersection between important business, professional, family, and personal decisions. He is the lawyer on whom they rely throughout their businesses’ lifecycles and personal lives. While Todd enjoys addressing clients’ challenges and finding creative solutions to their problems, he is also proactive in making introductions, facilitating connections, and building relationships that help clients prosper.

A native of Grand Rapids and a Michigander through and through, Todd graduated magna cum laude from Hope College before attending the University of Michigan Law School. He and his wife Kate live on the southeast side of Grand Rapids with their three children (who may also be quietly preparing for their legal careers).