Karl W. Butterer litigates on behalf of clients in a wide variety of settings, including personal injury litigation and commercial litigation. He represents an array of clients, including individuals, small businesses, professionals, hospitals, and large corporations. Much of Karl’s civil practice focuses upon the representation of governmental agencies and their employees. He has successfully represented municipalities, townships, sheriff's departments, county road commissions, police officers, mayors, sheriffs, prosecuting attorneys, and housing commissions. He has successfully defended clients in cases involving 42 U.S.C. Section 1983, state tort claims, Title VII, the Whistle Blower Protection Act, the Elliott Larsen Civil Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. Section 1985, and the Michigan Constitution.
In addition, Karl chairs Smith Haughey's Entertainment Industry Group. He has been active in the arts and entertainment community since 1993 when he founded the Law Ethics and the Arts Society at the Indiana University School of Law. That organization, dedicated to examining the intersection of law and art, has presented workshops on copyright law for visual artists, the repatriation of national treasures, and topical First Amendment controversies, among others. Karl has written about the visual arts for Grand Rapids Cosmopolitan Home, and recently has written an analysis of Michigan's new film incentive package. He is a member of the Arts, Communications, Entertainment & Sports section of the State Bar, as well as a member of the West Michigan Film and Video Alliance and The Michigan Production Alliance.
