Stuart Law acquires Sutherland Law to grow practice

A small Grand Rapids law firm plans to expand its business and real estate legal services after acquiring a practice that focuses on landlord/tenant relations.

Stuart Law PLC, based in Grand Rapids’ Heritage Hill neighborhood, said Friday it has acquired Sutherland Law PLC, formerly located in downtown Grand Rapids.

The combined firm’s practice areas include business, landlord/tenant, real estate, mergers and acquisitions, and estate planning law. The firm also plans to add immigration and employment law services in the near future.

Terms of the deal, which closed Aug. 5, were not disclosed. The firm will operate under the name Stuart Law PLC.

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Todd Stuart, who founded Stuart Law in 2009, will serve as managing partner of the new firm. Kevin Sutherland, who founded Sutherland Law in 2017, will be a partner and head of the landlord/tenant division. 

Attorney Alberto Delgado, a U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corps veteran who joined the firm last month, is managing partner of operations. 

“Todd and Kevin have a complementary practice in landlord/tenant law. They’re both very well known and have quite a bit of volume,” Delgado said. “(The acquisition) will allow us to grow much faster in that track … but also in all the other areas.” 

Stuart Law will be temporarily based at 540 Cherry St. SE in Heritage Hill’s historic Sanford House, in a space leased from building owner and attorney Sara Lachman, of Lachman PLC. 

Stuart Law executives are looking to buy their own building to accommodate future growth.

Sutherland Law was previously located in a 217-square-foot space at 234 N. Division Ave., Suite 400, in downtown Grand Rapids. That office, which is a block east of the Kent County courthouse, is available to lease at about $66 per square foot annually.

Stuart was not immediately available for comment, but said in a statement that he is “thrilled” for this new chapter.

“Joining forces allows us to deliver even greater value to our clients and stakeholders,” he said.

Sutherland said in a statement that the deal reflects the two firms’ “shared vision and commitment to growth.”

“Together, we will unlock new opportunities and elevate our legal presence,” he said.

Stuart Law PLC serves about 250 clients that have operations in West Michigan, Lansing, the Upper Peninsula and the east side of the state.

The combined entity has 11 staff members — seven attorneys, three paralegals and a social media manager, with plans to continue hiring. 

Delgado said Stuart Law hopes to have a team of 20 people by the end of the year. He added that the firm is currently seeking to acquire an employment law firm to expand into that area of counsel.

“Our goal is to be super responsive and driven by the results that our clients want, and then continue to build on the trust that Stuart Law has,” he said.

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