Dickinson Wright attorney to receive State Bar award

James Fisher Courtesy Dickinson Wright

Dickinson Wright PLLC attorney and retired judge James Fisher will be honored with the 2020 State Bar Champion of Justice Award at the Inauguration & Awards Luncheon on Sept. 17 in Grand Rapids.

Fisher won the award because of his “efforts to improve indigent defense systems throughout the state of Michigan.” He is a member and the first chair of the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission.

The commission is mandated to adopt minimum standards for indigent defense systems throughout the state, recommend best practices to local courts and fund grants to improve services throughout the state.

The Michigan Indigent Defense Commission is responsible for oversight of grants in excess of $100 million each year for improvement of legal services to indigent defendants, and as a result, Michigan is now considered a national leader in this area.

Fisher is both a civil and domestic mediator. He specializes in cases involving divorce, valuation of closely held businesses, medical and legal malpractice, personal injury and wrongful death, construction and real estate claims, and estate disputes at the firm’s Grand Rapids office.

Prior to joining Dickinson Wright, Fisher was an attorney at Law Weathers, and before that, he served as chief judge for the Barry County Trial Court.

He is on Highpoint Community Bank’s board of directors and a member of the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals.

Fisher received his Juris Doctor from Wayne State University School of Law and his Bachelor of Science from Kettering University.