A Grand Rapids attorney has been tapped to lead the local chapter of the Federal Bar Association.

Varnum trial attorney Bryan Walters was elected president of the Western District of Michigan Chapter of the Federal Bar Association last month.

The chapter is a professional organization for private and government lawyers who practice in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan.

Walters

Varnum said last week Walters has been involved in the chapter for many years and active at the executive committee level for the past five years, serving as secretary, VP of operations and president-elect.

In his legal practice, Walters helps companies resolve business disputes, representing clients in a wide range of industries.

He is particularly experienced in federal court litigation, both in West Michigan and across the country.

In 2012, Walters co-founded Varnum's Western Michigan Federal Courts blog and continues to provide updates and commentary on matters before the federal courts.

The chapter

The Western District of Michigan Chapter of the Federal Bar Association has more than 300 active members.

The chapter's goals are to” improve the practice of law” in federal courts and “foster a positive and collegial relationship” among the attorneys and judges who practice law and dispense justice in the district.

A signature event of the chapter is the Hillman Advocacy Clinic, a three-day seminar that gives lawyers an opportunity to develop courtroom skills under the guidance of some of West Michigan's top trial lawyers, federal judges and magistrate judges.

The chapter also fosters professional networking among its members, by hosting receptions for newly appointed and retiring judges and organizing a bench-and-bar off-site retreat every three years.