Kurtis T. Wilder

Former Justice Kurtis T. Wilder is a Shareholder and practices in Butzel’s Detroit Office.  He rejoined Butzel after nearly 27 years as a Trial Judge, Judge of the Michigan Court of Appeals, and Michigan Supreme Court Justice, one of only five jurists in Michigan history to have served on all three levels of Michigan’s Court System. 

Justice Wilder concentrates his practice in appeals, litigation, and mediation and facilitation. As a former trial and appellate jurist, Justice Wilder has unique perspectives on oral advocacy at the trial and appellate level, trial and appeals preparation, and alternative dispute resolution. Since returning to private practice, he has successfully argued cases in the Michigan Supreme Court, US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and the Michigan Court of Appeals, and federal and state trial courts.  He serves as a Neutral Mediator/Arbitrator with New Era ADR, a digital advanced dispute resolution platform, and as Senior Lecturing Fellow at Regent University School of Law.  He is admitted as a member of the Bar of the United States Supreme Court.

Justice Wilder has been sought after for leadership roles in many organizations.  He served as Past Chair of the Board of Directors of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, Chair of the Board of Trustees of Interlochen Center for the Arts, and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Alumni Association of the University of Michigan.  Justice Wilder also serves as an Elder and Chancel Choir member at First Presbyterian Church of Plymouth.  He has served as Chair of the Board of Directors of the State of Michigan Community Corrections Advisory Board, the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan, Nonprofit Enterprise at Work, and the Michigan Judges Association.

Justice Wilder graduated from the University of Michigan with an A.B. degree in Political Science in 1981, and from the University of Michigan Law School with a Juris Doctor degree in 1984.

All Related Practice Areas

Education

University of Michigan Law School, J.D., 1984

University of Michigan, A.B., 1981

Admissions

Memberships

• Fellows of the Michigan State Bar Foundation
• Association of Black Judges of Michigan
• Federalist Society, Board of Advisors, Lawyers Division-Michigan Chapter
• Oakland County Bar Association
• Wolverine Bar Association
• Michigan Chamber of Commerce, Chair, Board of Directors
• Interlochen Center for the Arts, Chair, Board of Trustees
• Alumni Association of the University of Michigan, Member, Board of Directors
• Detroit Regional Dollars For Scholars, Advisory Board Member
• Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Former Member, Board of Directors
• The Children’s Foundation, Former Member, Board of Directors
• State of Michigan Community Corrections Advisory Board, Former Chair
• National Kidney Foundation of Michigan, Former Board Chair
• Nonprofit Enterprise at Work, Former Board Chair
• The Sphinx Organization, Former Board Member
• Michigan Judges Association, Former Board Chair
• Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County, Former Board Member
• Rotary Club of Ann Arbor, Former Board Member
• Ann Arbor Symphony, Former Board Member
• American Red Cross, Washtenaw County Chapter, Former Board Member

Awards & Recognitions

Honorable Harold Hood Award Recipient, presented by the Association of Black Judges of Michigan

2018 Jurist of the Year, Police Officers Association

Significant Sig, Sigma Chi Fraternity International

The Best Lawyers in America®: Appellate Practice, 2021-2025; Arbitration, Commercial Litigation, Employment Law - Management, Mediation, Product Liability Litigation - Defendants, 2025

DBusiness Top Lawyers in Metro Detroit, Appellate Law, 2020-2024; Arbitration, 2020-2023