Mr. Roegge Receives Highest Honor From the GR Bar Assoc.

The Grand Rapids Bar Association has presented L. Roland "Bud" Roegge of the law firm Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge with the "Donald R. Worsfold Distinguished Service Award" for his service to the Grand Rapids Bar Association, the legal profession, and his community.

"This is the most significant award the Bar can give," extolled the Honorable Paul J. Sullivan, president of the Grand Rapids Bar Association. "The community, his peers, and his profession have benefited from Bud's legal service."

Mr. Roegge's practice includes business litigation and the representation of health care providers and attorneys in professional liability matters. Among the significant accomplishments contributing to his professional prominence was his successful defense of Michigan Chemical Company in hundreds of lawsuits brought as a result of the P.B.B. disaster in the 1970s. The PBB matter confirmed him as one of the premier trial lawyers in the state and also it accounted for the considerable acceleration of Smith Haughey's growth.

"Bud has practiced law, as well as lived his life, with grace, dignity, courage, wit, and wisdom. He is a rich part of the fabric of our lives," said William W. Jack, Jr. a shareholder with Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge.

Mr. Roegge is a member and past president of the Grand Rapids Bar Association, a member of the American Bar Association, and a member of the Michigan Bar Association. He is a member of the Michigan Defense Trial Counsel and served on its Board of Directors from 1988-1994. He serves on the Character and Fitness Committee of the Michigan State Bar and on the State Bar Grievance Commission.

In 1997, Mr. Roegge received the Fifth Annual Excellence in Defense Award from Michigan Defense Trial Counsel. He has been listed for the past 10 years in the publication "Best Lawyers in America." Mr. Roegge was elected as a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers where he has served as a State Chair and on the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Committee.

"This particular award is very special to me," said Mr. Roegge. "First and foremost, I knew Don Worsfold personally. He was a good friend of mine, and it is a privilege to share an award with his name."

Mr. Roegge has served as a lecturer and instructor for several continuing education organizations, including Inns of Court. He served as President of Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge since it became a professional corporation until 2002.

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge has been helping our clients overcome challenges and take advantage of opportunities since 1941. With offices in Ann Arbor, East Lansing, Grand Rapids and Traverse City, and 90 attorneys and counselors, we offer some of the most comprehensive legal experience available in the areas of Business and Property Law, Health Law, and Litigation. For more information about the firm, call 616.774.8000 or visit www.shrr.com.
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