Mr. Bender earned his undergraduate degree from Central Michigan University and his Juris Doctor Degree from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 1980. He was research attorney for the Ingham Circuit Court and State Court of Claims for three years; and served as corporation counsel, board secretary and vice president of a multi-state service corporation for seven years with annual sales exceeding $42 million.

Mr. Bender practices in the areas of business organizations, transactions, commercial real estate, trademark and copyright, securities law, labor-management relations, municipal law and commercial litigation.  He has obtained multi-million dollar settlements, verdicts and judgments in business litigation cases.  He is also an arbitrator for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (formerly NASD). 

In addition to his corporate and commercial work, Mr. Bender has experience in the entertainment industry representing motion picture and theatrical talent including film producers and above-the-line talent, television and recording artists, and writers. He has served as production counsel on several made for television productions and independent feature films.

Mr. Bender is "AV" rated by Martindale-Hubbell, a nationally recognized peer review and rating service of all attorneys in the United States. AV is "Very High to Preeminent" in his legal ability and is the highest level of professional excellence.

Mr. Bender is also published on a wide range of topics including “Art Market and Insurance Coverage”, “The New Net Profit Challenge—The End to an Era of Cheating the Talent”, and “The Recording Industry Association of America”; and has lectured for the Arts, Communications, Entertainment, and Sports Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan and at various law school symposiums and seminars. He is also an adjunct professor of law at the Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Mr. Bender is admitted to practice before all state and federal courts in Michigan and the District of Columbia. He is a member of the Business Law Section, International Law Section, and Arts, Communications, Entertainment & Sports Law Section of the Michigan Bar Association and D.C. Bar Association.

To contact Mr. Bender by e-mail, click here: gbender@mbspclaw.com