Konwinski named chair of State Bar Environmental Law Section 

Varnum litigation partner Kyle Konwinski has been named Chair of the State Bar of Michigan’s Environmental Law Section. He will lead the section’s initiatives toward advancing the state’s environmental and natural resources laws, including overseeing educational programs, publications, and events that support the fair and effective administration of environmental regulations in Michigan. Konwinski is also the Chair of the Environmental Litigation and Administrative Practice Committee for the section.

Konwinski is a commercial litigator with expertise in environmental and land-use law. He represents clients across Michigan in high-stakes disputes, including cases before the Michigan Supreme Court. He handles matters ranging from wetlands, groundwater, and contamination to zoning and municipal land-use issues. Konwinski is also a first-chair litigator who counsels clients on complex disputes, many of which have resulted in significant victories.

Prior to joining Varnum, he clerked for the Honorable Gordon J. Quist of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan.

Patrick Rawsthorne joins Butzel 

Complex commercial litigation attorney Patrick L. Rawsthorne has joined Butzel’s Grand Rapids office as a shareholder. 

Rawsthorne guides companies and individuals through all phases of litigation, from pre-suit strategy and discovery to trial and appeal. 

Prior to joining Butzel, Rawsthorne was a litigation attorney at a large Michigan-based business firm and a multinational firm specializing in corporate law and litigation. 

He also served as a law clerk to Judge David W. McKeague of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan Young Lawyers Section. 

Rawsthorne earned a J.D., cum laude, from University of Michigan Law School and a B.A. in International Relations from Michigan State University.
 

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