Your Attorney.
Not a Case Number.
Local Counsel. Insider Advantage.
Real estate. Estate planning. Business law. Insurance litigation. Handled personally by an attorney who lives here, knows these courts, and spent 20 years inside the insurance industry before ever defending a client against one.
Select the area that best fits your situation.
Takes less than 60 seconds. We’ll respond within one business day.
Your information is kept strictly confidential.
Message Received
Thank you. Attorney Haddock will respond personally within one business day. You can also reach him directly at (616) 801-5111.
Local Counsel. Full-Spectrum Service.
Four core practice areas. One attorney who handles them all. Personally, in these courts, for clients across West Michigan and beyond.
Real Estate Law
Michael holds a Master of Laws in Real Estate from the University of Illinois at Chicago — a credential no other attorney in the Saugatuck or Allegan County area can claim. From vacation property closings for Chicago buyers to developer entitlements for local projects.
- Residential and commercial purchases and sales
- Out-of-state buyer representation. Illinois and Chicago area.
- Vacation and investment property transactions
- Land use, zoning, and development entitlements
- Condominium association law
- Michigan LLC formation to hold real property
Estate Planning
Protecting Lakeshore families for over 25 years. Wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and estate plan updates for Chicago-area clients who are purchasing Michigan property or making the move permanent.
- Wills and pour-over wills
- Revocable and irrevocable trusts
- Healthcare and financial powers of attorney
- Estate plan updates for relocating clients
- Probate administration
- Michigan LLC or trust to hold real estate
Business Law & Contracts
Before practicing law, Michael worked inside DaimlerChrysler, the University of Michigan, Winterthur Swiss, and a KKR-owned national insurer. Real corporate experience behind every contract, LLC formation, and commercial dispute.
- Business formation — LLC, corporation, partnership
- Commercial contracts and lease review
- Entitlements for breweries, restaurants, and developers
- Business purchase and sale agreements
- Insurance coverage disputes for business owners
- Commercial litigation and dispute resolution
Injury & Insurance Litigation
Michael spent 20 years inside major insurance companies before practicing law. He knows exactly how adjusters evaluate claims and what it takes to make them pay fairly. Auto accidents, premises liability, coverage disputes. Handled here, in these courts, by this attorney.
- Auto accidents and no-fault claims
- Premises liability and slip and fall
- Insurance coverage disputes
- Dog bite injuries
- Construction defect litigation
- Federal civil litigation
In these courts.
Results are anonymized. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
Your Case Handled Here.
Not Farmed Out.
Large out-of-state firms and statewide billboard operations advertise heavily across West Michigan. They spend millions on brand recognition — then distribute your case to an attorney you’ve never met, managing a file they learned about ten minutes ago, from an office in Orlando, Detroit, or Grand Rapids.
Michael has appeared in Allegan, Ottawa, Kent, and Van Buren County courtrooms for over 25 years. He knows the judges, the local procedures, and the community context that outside firms simply cannot replicate. And in insurance litigation, he has something no billboard firm can claim: 20 years of experience on the other side of the table.
Meet Attorney Haddock →
Practice
The Only Lakeshore Attorney with a Master of Laws in Real Estate
Most attorneys in West Michigan hold a Juris Doctor. Michael Haddock holds a Juris Doctor with a litigation emphasis and a Master of Laws in Real Estate and Construction Development from the University of Illinois at Chicago. No other attorney in Allegan or Ottawa County carries that combination.
Before practicing law, Michael spent over 20 years working inside major insurance and corporate institutions — DaimlerChrysler, the University of Michigan, Winterthur Swiss, and a KKR-owned national insurer. He understands how insurance companies evaluate claims, how large organizations make decisions, and what it takes to move them. That experience doesn’t come from a textbook.
- 26 years in practice. Licensed Michigan State and Federal Courts.
- Saugatuck–Douglas resident for 22 years. Married, four children raised in West Michigan.
- Western Michigan University and Ferris State alumnus — genuinely from here.
- State Bar of Michigan — Ethics Committee and Client Protection Fund.
- Supporter of Holland Community Health Center.
Buying on the
Michigan Lakeshore?
We Know This Market.
Sheridan Haddock PLLC has represented Chicago-area buyers purchasing Saugatuck and West Michigan Lakeshore property for over 25 years. Michael understands both what brings Illinois clients here and what the Michigan legal process looks like once they arrive.
Whether you’re closing on a vacation cottage, forming a Michigan LLC to hold the property, updating your estate plan to reflect the purchase, or navigating a DUI on your way home from the lake — this is one attorney who can handle it all.
- Real estate closings — vacation property and investment purchases
- Michigan LLC formation to hold and protect your property
- Estate plan updates for Chicago residents with Michigan assets
- DUI and traffic matters for out-of-state visitors
- Permanent relocation — full legal transition to Michigan
Chicago-Area Client?
Tell us what you need. Michael will respond personally — no case manager, no call center.
Confidential. Does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Serving West Michigan’s Lakeshore Communities
Allegan, Ottawa, Van Buren, and Kent Counties — from the shoreline communities of Saugatuck and Douglas to Holland, South Haven, and Grand Rapids.
One Attorney.
One Relationship.
25 Years.
Michael Haddock has represented Saugatuck families, local business owners, and Chicago buyers for over two and a half decades. He is the only attorney in this market with a Master of Laws in Real Estate, 20 years of insurance industry insider experience, and genuine Lakeshore roots.
He has served on the State Bar of Michigan Ethics Committee, the Allegan County United Way Board, and the Douglas Downtown Development Authority. He coaches, runs, and raises his children here. His clients aren’t cases — they’re neighbors.
Get in Touch →
Credentials No One Else Has
LLM in Real Estate from the University of Illinois at Chicago. No other attorney in Allegan or Ottawa County holds this degree alongside a Juris Doctor with litigation emphasis.
Insurance Litigation Insider
20 years inside DaimlerChrysler, Winterthur Swiss, and KKR-owned Reliance Insurance. He knows how adjusters evaluate claims — auto, premises, coverage — and what forces a fair settlement.
Deep Court Relationships
Circuit Court Case Evaluator in Allegan, Ottawa, and Kent Counties. Licensed in State and Federal Courts. 25+ years in these specific courtrooms.
Real Corporate Background
Before law school, Michael worked at DaimlerChrysler, the University of Michigan, and a KKR-owned national insurer. That experience shapes every business contract and LLC he handles.
Trusted by the Lakeshore Community
25 years of results. In these counties. For these clients.
“Michael handled our Saugatuck vacation property closing and was exceptional from start to finish. As Chicago buyers, we needed someone who knew Michigan law inside and out — and he absolutely did. We’ve since used him for our Michigan LLC and estate plan update.”
“After my accident, the insurance company’s offer felt low but I didn’t know what to do. Michael knew exactly how they arrived at that number and why it was wrong. His background working inside the insurance industry made the difference. We settled for significantly more.”
“I’ve worked with Michael for years on our restaurant’s legal needs — from our initial LLC formation to contract disputes. He knows the Saugatuck business community, he knows the local government, and he actually picks up the phone. You can’t put a price on that.”
From the Desk of Attorney Haddock
Practical legal insight for West Michigan residents, property owners, and business owners.
Out-of-state buyers face a different set of legal requirements than Michigan residents. Here’s what to expect before, during, and after your Lakeshore closing.
Read More →After 20 years inside major insurance carriers, I know exactly how adjusters score claims. Here’s what drives their initial offer — and how to push back.
Read More →Many Lakeshore property owners hold their vacation home in their personal name. Here’s why a Michigan LLC might protect you better — and how simple the setup is.
Read More →Ready to Talk to a Local Attorney?
No call center. No case managers. You speak directly with Attorney Michael Haddock — the same attorney who will handle your matter from the first call to the final resolution.
