Doug Wagner

Adjunct Professor
Law College Building
648 N. Shaw Lane Rm 368
East Lansing, MI 48824-1300
dwagner@wnj.com

  • Biography

    Doug Wagner is a partner at Warner Norcross & Judd LLP with expertise in product liability, consumer product regulation, commercial contracts and insurance coverage disputes. Mr. Wagner served as the Managing Partner and CEO of Warner Norcross & Judd from 2006 through 2015. He has extensive experience as a trial attorney and is listed in the Best Lawyers in America in both Bet-the-Company and Commercial Litigation. He was elected as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers in 2005 and the Litigation Counsel of America in 2009. Benchmark Litigation named him one of the top litigators in Michigan in 2009, a year in which he was also selected as one of the Top 100 Super Lawyers in Michigan. In 2011 Michigan Lawyers Weekly selected him as one of its “Leaders in the Law”. He served as President of the Federal Bar Association for the Western District of Michigan in 1995-1996 and was Chairperson of the Hillman Advocacy Trial Skills Program in 1993 and 1994. He has also been a teacher of trial advocacy skills for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy and as visiting law faculty at the Emory University School of Law in 1996.

    Mr. Wagner received his A.B. degree in Economics and Business Administration from Albion College in 1974 and graduated magna cum laude from Wayne State University Law School in 1976.

  • Courses

    Law Practice Management
    This course focuses on the business fundamentals needed to build a strong law practice of sustaining value, regardless of firm size. It introduces students to the common forms of private practice (partnership, professional corporations and sole practitioners), governance, economic considerations, compensation systems, personnel management, necessary capital investment, systems development and compliance issues. It also examines individual practice management challenges, such as personal marketing, client management, pricing and project management, personal business planning and managing professional relationships.