Gordon Kangas litigates complex commercial matters in state and federal courts, from pre-trial through appeals.
Mr. Kangas represents diverse clients, ranging from major insurance companies, to retailers, to religious entities. In all cases, he provides clients with invaluable insights about the strength of their claims and their best paths forward.
His acumen in judicial decision-making and procedural rules stems from his time working with state and federal judges. He completed two federal clerkships, with Hon. Ralph B. Guy, Jr. of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and with Hon. Stephen J. Murphy, III of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. He previously served as a judicial intern for Chief Justice Robert P. Young of the Michigan Supreme Court and with Hon. Robert H. Cleland of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
He is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and the U.S. Court of International Trade. He regularly litigates in trial courts throughout the state, as well as the Michigan Court of Appeals and the Michigan Supreme Court.
While in law school, Mr. Kangas served as Editor of the Michigan Journal of Gender and Law, as President of the Catholic Law Students Association, and as a board member of the Federalist Society. He regularly competed in moot court competitions and volunteered his time to represent low-income persons through the school’s Unemployment Insurance Project. Following law school, he was accepted into the Georgetown Center for the Constitution’s prestigious seminar on Originalism.
Prior to practicing law, Mr. Kangas served as an independent consultant to professionals on persuasive and impactful presentation skills.
Professional Affiliations
- State Bar of Michigan
- Young Lawyers, Religious Liberty Law, Appellate Practice, and Litigation sections
- Federal Bar Association
- Washtenaw County Bar Association
- Ypsilanti Bar Association
Publications
- Co-Author (with Thomas J. Rheaume, Jr.), “State Court Docket Watch: Council of Organizations and Others for Education About Parochiaid v. State of Michigan,” Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies, March 10, 2021
- Co-Author (with Thomas J. Rheaume, Jr.), State Court Docket Watch: Midwest Institute of Health, PLLC v. Governor of Michigan,” Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies, November 16, 2020
- Co-Author (with Thomas J. Rheaume, Jr.), “State Court Docket Watch: Rafaeli, LLC v. Oakland County,” Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies, September 11. 2020
Academic Appointments
- Eastern Michigan University, Lecturer, taught graduate-level course Law, Public Policy and the Arts (2015)
Representative Matters
Representative Matters
- Successfully represented the Michigan Association of Nonpublic Schools in a lawsuit seeking to enjoin state action that prevented religious schools from conducting in-person learning.
- Obtained summary disposition in favor of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America in a years-long property dispute with a parish.
- Represented an engineering consultancy firm in administrative proceedings against the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration, resulting in a favorable settlement.
- Represented a global, Tier-1 automotive supplier in a time-sensitive supplier dispute, resulting in a favorable settlement.
- Obtained relief from judgment for a national jewelry retailer in a multi-state leasing dispute.
- Negotiated a favorable settlement for a large home building company faced with a breach of contract claim.
- Regularly defends major insurance companies in federal court in disputes over life and disability benefits.
Pro Bono Matters
- Secured the dismissal of a lawsuit brought by a marihuana dispensary against a Detroit neighborhood organization arising from the group’s decision not to support the dispensary’s request for a zoning variance.
Related News
- 10/12/2022Bodman PLC and 25 Firm Attorneys Honored by State Bar of Michigan for Pro Bono Service
- 07/21/2020Attorney Gordon J. Kangas Joins Bodman PLC
- University of Michigan Law School, J.D.
- Eastern Michigan University, B.S., magna cum laude
- Michigan