Serving Michigan Since 1979

[email protected]
Education

J.D.: Western Michigan University; Thomas M. Cooley Law School

Undergraduate: Central Michigan University

Professional Status

Admitted: All state and federal Courts in Michigan and the District of Columbia

Member of the State Bar of Michigan and District of Columbia Bar; Business Law, International Law, and Arts, Communications, Entertainment & Sports Law Sections; Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity, and; American Council on Québec Studies;

Arbitrator for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

Founding member and board of director of the East Lansing Film Festival, Inc., a Michigan non-profit corporation.

Positions Held

Corporation Counsel for a multi-state service corporation

Research Attorney, 30th Judicial Circuit Court and State of Michigan Court of Claims

Adjunct Professor of Law, Thomas M. Cooley Law School

Published and Lectured on Topics in the areas of Business Law, Arts, Entertainment, Sports Law and Technology

Personal

Born in Lansing, MI

Gary L. Bender

Mr. Bender retired from Murphy Spagnuolo in 2025 after a long and accomplished legal career focused on business law, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, securities, intellectual property, and complex commercial litigation. He won several multi-million dollar verdicts and judgments in business litigation cases and participated in a landmark institutional abuse settlement. He also served as a FINRA arbitrator and was involved in commercial real estate. Mr. Bender holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell and was named one of America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators in 2020.

Practice Areas

Badges