David J. DeVine

David J. DeVine is a Shareholder based in Butzel's Troy office. He practices in the areas of business litigation and bankruptcy and serves businesses in a wide array of industries, including automotive, construction, banking, health care, and real estate.

Mr. DeVine handles cases before both federal and state courts, as well as arbitration tribunals, and he has been recognized repeatedly in such publications as Michigan Super Lawyers, dBusiness Magazine, and The Best Lawyers in America. He also received Corporate LiveWire’s 2014 “Lawyer of the Year” recognition for Bankruptcy & Restructuring for the Detroit market.

As a member of Butzel’s Automotive Industry Team, Mr. DeVine devotes a substantial part of his practice to high-stakes, multi-million-dollar contract disputes and supply-chain cases, particularly as to pricing, warranty, and tooling issues. He likewise advises suppliers of all tiers and sizes on contract terms and conditions issues, as well as litigation avoidance and dispute resolution strategies.

Mr. DeVine also is a member of Butzel’s Construction Industry Team and performs litigation and advisory work for various types of clients, including general contractors, subcontractors and owners.

Mr. DeVine likewise has extensive experience serving clients across numerous industries in high-stakes trade secret and non-compete matters, shareholder disputes, as well as multi-million-dollar insurance coverage disputes.

Education

Mr. DeVine is a graduate of Emory University School of Law (J.D., with honors, 2006), where he was a Managing Editor of the Emory Law Journal and a member of the Mock Trial Team. He also received the William H. Agnor Merit-Based Scholarship (honoring academic achievement and commitment to leadership and service within the profession); Order of Advocates Award (honoring outstanding achievement in oral advocacy); and the Dean's Award for Outstanding Achievement in Products Liability.

He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan (B.A., with Distinction, 2003).

In addition to his law firm experience, Mr. DeVine interned for The Honorable John Feikens, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, and, in Washington, D.C., for both The American Bar Association's Section of Individual Rights and Responsibilities and Senator Carl Levin (D-MI).

Recognitions

• Emory University School of Law, Law School, 2006, J.D. (With Honors)
• University of Michigan, Undergraduate, 2003, B.A. (With Distinction)
• Michigan Super Lawyers, Rising Star, 2010-2016
• Michigan Super Lawyers, 2017-2021
• dBusiness Magazine, Top Lawyers, 2018, 2021, 2022
• The Best Lawyers in America (Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law), 2020-2023
• Corporate LiveWire, Lawyer of the Year 2014, Bankruptcy & Restructuring, Detroit, Michigan, USA
• Corporate LiveWire, Global Awards 2015, Bankruptcy & Restructuring, Detroit, Michigan, USA

All Related Practice Areas

Education

Emory University School of Law 2006, J.D.

University of Michigan Undergraduate 2003, B.A.

Admissions

Memberships

• State Bar of Michigan
• United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
• United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan
• American Bar Association
• Oakland County Bar Association
• Oakland County Bar Association, American Inns of Court
• Original Equipment Suppliers Association (OESA) Young Leadership Council, 2013-2015 (Member)
• Original Equipment Suppliers Association (OESA) Young Leadership Council, 2016-2018 (Counsel)
• Original Equipment Suppliers Association (OESA) Young Leadership Council Alumni Steering Group (2020-Present) (Member)
• Automotive Supplier Leadership Academy (ASLA), Huntsville, Alabama, 2016 (Faculty Member)
• French American Chamber of Commerce, 2016-Present
• Gesher (f/k/a JVS), Board of Trustees, 2015-Present
• Gesher (f/k/a JVS), Strictly Business Fundraiser Planning Committee, 2015-Present (Co-Chair 2018-2022)

Awards & Recognitions

Michigan Super Lawyers, Rising Star (Business Litigation), 2010-16

Michigan Super Lawyers, Business Litigation, 2017-2021, 2024

Corporate LiveWire, Lawyer of the Year 2014, Bankruptcy & Restructuring, Detroit, Michigan, USA

Corporate LiveWire, Global Awards 2015, Bankruptcy & Restructuring, Detroit, Michigan, USA

DBusiness Top Lawyers in Metro Detroit, Commercial & Construction Litigation, 2018; Insurance Law, 2021; Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights Law, 2021; Construction Law, 2022-2023

The Best Lawyers in America®: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, 2020-2024; Commercial Litigation, 2024, 2025

• 2010-2011 Original Equipment Suppliers Association (OESA) “North American OEM Production P.O. Terms and Conditions Comparative Analysis” (Contributor, Co-Editor)
• “Contract Law and the Changing Business Needs of the Automotive Supply Chain: The Problem of Dual-Source Requirements Contracts,” Michigan Business Law Journal (Fall 2012) (Co-Author).
• Recent Case Law Overview, OESA Terms and Conditions and Legal Issues Update Conference, 2014 (Presenter)
• “Michigan Landlord-Tenant Law,” Oakland County Bar Association, American Inns of Court, 2015 (Co-Presenter)
• “Dealing With Volume Fluctuations: A Contractual Perspective,” OESA Terms and Conditions and Legal Issues Update Conference 2015 (Presenter)
• “Acceptance, Rejection, Revocation and Their Consequences,” OESA Terms and Conditions and Legal Update Conference, 2016 (Presenter)
• “Elevating Your Legal IQ,” Automotive Supplier Leadership Academy (ASLA), 2016 (Presenter)
• “Communication Skills: Oral Advocacy,” Oakland County Bar Association, American Inns of Court, 2016 (Co-Presenter)
• “The Ins and Outs of Dealing with Mobile Devices in Litigation,” Oakland County Bar Association, American Inns of Court, 2016 (Co-Presenter)
• Antitrust Overview for Council Members, OESA Young Leadership Council, 2017 (Presenter)
• “Pre-Suit Investigations,” Oakland County Bar Association, American Inns of Court, 2018 (Co-Presenter)
• 2018-2019 OESA “North American OEM Production P.O. Terms and Conditions Comparative Analysis” (Contributor, Co-Editor)
• OEM Terms and Conditions and Legal Issues Update Conference, OESA, 2018 (Co-Presenter)
• “Who’s Responsible? A Panel Discussion on Liability and the Autonomous Vehicle,” Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Symposium, Butzel Long, 2018 (Moderator)
• Antitrust Refresher, OESA, Young Leadership Council, 2018 (Presenter)
• “When Contracts Go Bad,” Butzel Long Supplier Academy, 2019 (Co-Presenter)
• Establishing ‘Legitimate Business Interests’ When Enforcing Non-Competes: A Cautionary Tale,” Butzel Long Client Alert 2020 (Co-Author)
• “COVID-19 Phase 2 and Force Majeure and Impracticability Implications for Manufacturers,” Butzel Long Client Alert, 2020 (Co-Author)
• “Adequate Assurance Letters in Times of Supply Chain Instability: The Importance of Clarity and Consistency,” Butzel Long Client Alert, 2020 (Co-Author)
• “The Rise of Joint Development Agreements: Protectively Planning for Success,” OEM Terms and Conditions and Legal Issues Update Conference, OESA, 2020 (Presenter)
• “Beyond Industry-Wide Disruption: Some Aspirational Strategies for a More Fault-Tolerant Automotive Supply Chain,” Butzel Long Client Alert, 2021 (Co-Author)
• “The New Ford Terms: Analysis of Key Changes,” OEM Terms and Conditions and Legal Issues Update Conference, OESA, 2021 (Co-Presenter)
• The New FCA Stellantis 2022 Terms and Conditions, Question and Answer Sesssion, OESA Webinar, 2022 (Co-Presenter)
• “Stellantis Changes Course, Rescinds 2022 North American Terms,” Butzel Long Client Alert, 2022 (Co-Author)
• OEM Terms and Conditions Update, with Focus on Stellantis and Lucid, and Case Law and Legal Update, OESA Terms and Conditions and Legal Issues Update Conference, 2022 (Presenter)