About Robert
Robert Rutgers built a steady legal career that spans three decades and several roles inside Michigan law firms. He left college with an economics degree and returned a few years later to earn a law degree. The pattern shows a practitioner who has moved between private practice and firm leadership while staying rooted in the Grand Rapids legal community.
He earned a B.A. in Economics from Hope College in 1985. He then attended Marquette University Law School and received his J.D. in 1989. Those years set the groundwork for a practice grounded in both business and legal training.
Rutgers began his professional legal career in firm settings. Records show he joined Varnum Riddering Schmidt & Howlett as an associate in 1992. A few years later he established his own practice, operating as the Law Office of Robert Rutgers beginning in 1995. He became part of Rutgers & Mackraz PLC in 1998. In 2007 he took on a shareholder role at Rhoades McKee and in 2014 returned to Varnum as a partner. The movement between roles reflects steady growth in responsibility and an ability to take on both individual and firm-level obligations.
Outside of private practice, Rutgers has maintained a presence in bar and philanthropic organizations. He has been a member of the State Bar of Michigan and the Grand Rapids Bar Association since 1992. He was named a life fellow of the Justice Foundation of West Michigan in 2005 and became a fellow of the Michigan State Bar Foundation in 2008. Since 2011 he has participated in the Pro-bono Program of Western Michigan, contributing volunteer time to that community resource.
Colleagues describe a lawyer who has threaded firm leadership roles with ongoing service in professional circles. His career path includes running a solo office, serving as a shareholder at a mid-size firm and taking partnership responsibilities at a larger regional firm. That variety has given him experience in case management, client advising and firm administration.
He maintains an office in Grand Rapids and continues to practice law in Michigan. He currently practices at Varnum in Michigan, where his work addresses litigation and client advisory matters handled by the firm.
