We care about Southwest Michigan. It’s where we live and work.
Making our communities safer, healthier and happier places is important to everyone in our firm. This is our home, too. We volunteer professionally and personally to support the many good things taking place in our area. In this section, we will keep you updated on our staff, new practice areas and services, our community involvements and the issues that impact your safety and health. Please check here for the latest news.
Winner of Our $500 Bear Photo Giveaway Announced
We're happy to announce that Amanda Stevens won our $500 Bear Photo Giveaway! Her photo was of her son Caleb growing over the years with the bear at South Bend Chocolate Café in St. Joseph during their annual visit downtown to see Santa. You can see now he's even taller than our bear here at...
Attorney Bob Schlacks Joins Our St. Joseph Office
Conybeare Law Office is happy to announce that Attorney Bob Schlacks has joined the firm in its St. Joseph Office effective October 1, 2022. Bob began his practice in Illinois focusing on personal injury law, but in February 2019 he returned home to Michigan, continuing his courtroom advocacy, but pivoting to criminal defense at the...
$500 Bear Photo Giveaway
Enter to win $500 from Conybeare Law by submitting a photo of you and a bear! It could be any kind of bear, a teddy bear, a photoshopped bear, or a Chicago Bear! Be creative! The contest runs until January 2, 2023, at midnight. Use the form below to enter our contest. View the Giveaway...
Conybeare Law Office, P.C. recognized by U.S. News – Best Lawyers ® “Best Law Firms” 2023
Conybeare Law Office, P.C. has been named a Tier 1 firm in Kalamazoo (Southwest Michigan) for Plaintiffs Personal Injury Litigation by U.S. News – Best Lawyers ® in 2023. The firm was eligible for the award after Barry Conybeare was recognized in The Best Lawyers in America (2023 Edition) for Plaintiffs Personal Injury Litigation and...
Barry Conybeare and Matt Conklin named to Best Lawyers of America 2023®
Best Lawyers® has named Barry Conybeare and Matt Conklin to the 2023 Edition of Best Lawyers of America®. Owner Barry Conybeare was recognized for his work in Plaintiffs Personal Injury Litigation and Matt Conklin for his work in Claimants Workers’ Compensation Law. This is Matt’s first year selected to the list, and Barry’s 15th. Barry...
Michigan Super Lawyers Recognizes Conybeare Law Office Attorneys Barry Conybeare, Anne Buckleitner, Nate Harrington, and Sasha Boersma
Conybeare Law Office is honored to announce that several of our attorneys were recognized by Michigan Super Lawyers 2022. Barry Conybeare, Anne Buckleitner, and Nate Harrington have been selected for the 2022 Michigan Super Lawyers list. This is Anne and Nate’s first year being named to Super Lawyers, and Barry’s 13th year. Sasha Boersma has...
Berrien County Board of Commissioners Requests Changes to Michigan’s Auto Insurance Law to Protect Catastrophically Injured Crash Victims and Their Medical Providers
The Berrien County Board of Commissioners recently passed a resolution urging the Michigan legislature to correct a problem with the state’s auto insurance law. The story begins a few years ago. For years, there was a debate over Michigan’s auto insurance law. Opponents said it provided more insurance coverage than was necessary and was too...
Conybeare Law Office, P.C., funds training to support Berrien County residents facing the worst moments in their lives
When there is a deadly car accident, a tragic suicide or the devastating homicide of a family member in Berrien County, sheriff deputies are often the first on the scene. “These are the worst moments in peoples’ lives,” said Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey. “They need comfort and compassion. We are fortunate to have volunteer...
Sasha Boersma named 2020-2021 Volunteer of the Year by the Michigan Center for Civic Education High School Mock Trial Program
Conybeare Law Office Attorney Sasha Boersma’s dedication to the Michigan Center for Civic Education’s High School Mock Trial Program was recognized at a recent banquet for the program where she was honored to receive the 2020-2021 Volunteer of the Year award. Sasha has been volunteering as a judge for this program since 2018. During the...
Conybeare Law Office Receives Another Tier 1 Ranking From U.S. News – Best Lawyers 2022 “Best Law Firms”
Conybeare Law Office has been named a Tier 1 law firm in the Kalamazoo (Southwest Michigan) Region for Plaintiffs Personal Injury Litigation by U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms 2022 Edition. This follows the selection of owner Barry Conybeare as Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year 2021 for Plaintiffs Personal Injury Litigation in the Kalamazoo (Southwest Michigan)...
Late student’s $36K wheelchair, bound for scrap heap, rescued and donated to help others
Article from mlive.com Five years after Kolten Fullenkamp’s death, his wheelchair is helping other students.
Attorney Sasha Boersma Joins Disability Network Southwest Michigan Board of Directors
Conybeare Law Office attorney Sasha Boersma recently joined the Disability Network Southwest Michigan Board of Directors. Disability Network educates and connects people with disabilities to resources while advocating for social change. It serves Barry, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, and Van Buren Counties. Before joining the board, Sasha worked closely with the non-profit...
Conybeare Law Office Helps Create Legacy For Victim Of Tragedy
Article from MoodyOnTheMarket.com It’s the job of personal injury law firms to represent the interests of injured persons, often going up against large insurance companies who represent big corporations. Usually the story ends with a cash settlement or occasionally with a a long, sometimes dramatic Court trial. One of the leading personal injury lawyers in...
Southwest Michigan’s Conybeare Law Office And Its Attorneys Garner Regional Awards
ST. JOSEPH, Mich. (Aug. 24, 2020) The attorneys at Conybeare Law Office in Southwest Michigan have stacked up the awards this summer. BEST LAWYERS named Barry Conybeare, owner of the St. Joseph, Mich.-based firm, the 2021 Lawyer of the Year, Plaintiffs Personal Injury Litigation – Kalamazoo Region (Southwest Michigan). Conybeare practices all aspects of personal...
Conybeare Law Office Receives Tier 1 Ranking From U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” In 2020
ST. JOSEPH, Mich. (Nov. 12, 2019) — Conybeare Law Office has been named a Tier 1 firm in Kalamazoo (Southwest Michigan Region) for Plaintiffs Personal Injury Litigation by U.S. News–Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” in 2020. In addition to the firm’s recognition, Best Lawyers selected owner Barry Conybeare for inclusion in The Best Lawyers of America for 2020 for Plaintiffs...
Conybeare Law Office Receives 2021 Metropolitan Tier 1 Ranking From U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms.”
ST. JOSEPH, Mich. (Nov. 9, 2020) — Conybeare Law Office, headquartered in St. Joseph, Mich., is listed in the 2021 U.S. News–Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” publication as a Metropolitan Tier 1, Kalamazoo, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs law firm. In his announcement of the designation, the firm’s owner Barry Conybeare explained that the metropolitan Kalamazoo...
Cass County Jury Awards $1.9 Million to Family of Motor Vehicle Accident Victim
Conybeare law offices recently won a record-breaking case in a wrongful death suit in Cass County. Following a 3 ½ day trial, Barry Conybeare, with the help of Nate Harrington and Matt Conklin, successfully earned a $1.9 million verdict for the family of a pickup driver, 46, who was struck and killed 4 years ago...
Conybeare Law Office Selected for 2019 “Best Law Firms” List
St. Joseph & Kalamazoo, Michigan - The U.S. News Media Group and Best Lawyers has named Conybeare Law Office, P.C. located in St. Joseph and Kalamazoo, Michigan, a Tier 1 Law Firm for 2019. In addition to the firm's recognition, the group named attorneys Barry Conybeare and Michael Marrs as Best Lawyers. The U.S. News ratings and...
Everything you need to know about changes to the no-fault auto insurance law in Michigan.
Conybeare Law Office Attorney Bob Ehrenberg sits down with Attorney Elizabeth McCree on the Legal Hour, 105.3 WBBH, to discuss recent changes to Michigan's no-fault auto insurance law. His clear, detailed summary explains your new coverage options plus tips on what you should or should not do at the scene of a car accident.
Sasha Boersma Busy on the Mock Trial Bench
Conybeare Law Office Attorney Sasha Boersma has been busy volunteering as a judge at various mock trial competitions throughout the state. Last fall she judged law students at the National Trial Advocacy Competition co-sponsored by the Michigan and American Bar Associations’ Young Lawyer’s Division in Pontiac, Michigan. On St. Patrick’s Day, Sasha judged the Kent...
The National Trial Lawyers Announces Nathaniel E. Harrington as One of Its Top 40 Under 40 Civil Plaintiff Trial Lawyers in Michigan
The National Trial Lawyers is pleased to announce that Nathaniel E. Harrington of the Conybeare Law Office, PC in Saint Joseph has been selected for inclusion into its Top 40 Under 40 Civil Plaintiff Trial Lawyers in Michigan, an honor given to only a select group of lawyers for their superior skills and qualifications in the field. Membership in...
Kalamazoo Office Gives Back to Community
The Kalamazoo office has been busy connecting with our new community this spring. Legal Assistant Kaz Ruhland is a Portage Park Board Member, and she has helped us identify opportunities to give back. We recently adopted Harbors West Park, which came with the responsibility of a spring clean-up. While this is a beautifully maintained park,...
Attorneys Organize and Win at Golf Outing
As the cold weather sets back in, we’re looking back to warmer days – specifically September 15, 2017, and the Berrien County Bar Association Annual Charity Golf Outing. Barry Conybeare serves on the BCBA executive board as past president, and the event was organized by Associate Attorney Sasha Boersma. Over 40 golfers made the rounds...
Legal Assistant Kazmira Ruhland Added To Kalamazoo Office
Conybeare Law Office is proud to announce the addition of Legal Assistant Kazmira “Kaz” Ruhland to our staff. Kaz is a 2016 graduate of Western Michigan University’s Haworth College of Business where she majored in Business Administration and Management. She will be assigned to our Personal Injury Department and working at our new Kalamazoo office...
Receptionist Peggy Radom Wins “Deck Your Desk” Contest
Conybeare Law Office staff came together to nominate receptionist Peggy Radom for the Deck Your Desk contest hosted by 98.3 The Coast and sponsored by Bread+Bar and Bit of Swiss. We know how much she LOVES Christmas decorations, and we are very grateful for all she does to make our clients feel welcomed. Morning show host Johnny...
Sasha Boersma Returns to Mock Trial Competitions as Volunteer Judge
Conybeare Law Office Attorney Sasha Boersma has returned to what she refers to as “mock trial land,” but this time as a volunteer judge. Anticipating a career as a litigation attorney, she competed on Western Michigan University’s Mock Trial Team and Valparaiso University School of Law’s Trial Advocacy Team while attending school. The experience was...
Understanding Michigan Graduated Driver’s Licenses
In the past, we have posted information about teen driving safety, and more recently about teens and winter driving. Teaching teens safe driving practices is important. The Michigan Graduated Driver Licensing program for new drivers is an essential part of preparing teens for the road. The program works best when parents and teens are aware of,...
Conybeare Law Office Selected for 2017 “Best Law Firms” List
The U.S. News & World Report’s Best Lawyers 2017 “Best Law Firms” list has been released, and St. Joseph’s Conybeare Law Office is again a Best Law Firm - Metropolitan Tier 1 - Plaintiffs Personal Injury Litigation for the Kalamazoo Region (Southwest Michigan Region). Conybeare Law Office was initially eligible for selection based on the...
Teens & Winter Driving
The holidays are over, but winter weather is not. Above freezing daytime temperatures with rain can be deceiving, especially for inexperienced teen drivers. As the temperature drops at night, wet roads turn into icy roads and can also lead to black ice in the morning while teen drivers are making their way to school. Black...
Bob Ehrenberg Chairs Distinguished Alumni Award Committee – Calls for 2017 Nominations
Attorney Bob Ehrenberg is now the Chairman of the St. Joseph Public Schools Foundation Distinguished Alumni Award Committee. Founded in 2012, the award honors exemplary St. Joseph High School Alumni who have excelled in their professions locally, nationally, and internationally, and have made significant contributions to their communities. Past honorees include Richard Dyer, William Gillespie,...
Conybeare Law Office Co-Sponsors WIRX Inaugural Bike Bash
Conybeare Law Office was proud to co-sponsor WIRX’s first Bike Bash on September 24, 2016, at the Mendel Center. We were in awe of all of the beautiful motorcycles entered in the show, and we met a lot of great people at our booth full of safety tips for riders. WIRX raised money for the...
Conybeare Law Office Staff Changes
Conybeare Law Office is proud to announce it has recently hired attorney Sasha Boersma. She will be working in our Social Security and Worker’s Compensation department. Sasha was born and raised in southern Berrien County, graduating from River Valley High School. She attended Western Michigan University and the Valparaiso University School of Law where she...
Founder Bruce Conybeare Giving Back in Retirement
Bruce Conybeare is Of Counsel/Retired at the firm he founded in 1984, but he hasn’t stopped giving back to the community. Bruce currently serves as the Vice President of the newly formed Benton Harbor Football Boosters. Bruce graduated from Benton Harbor High School, and in the fall of 1955 he was the varsity quarterback, safety,...
Teen Driving Safety
The start of school this week means more teen drivers are on the roads. The attorneys at Conybeare Law Office are far too familiar with car accidents involving teen drivers. We would like to offer insight into where teen drivers go wrong and how parents can educate their teens to be safe drivers. We also...
Medical Errors Are No. 3 Cause Of U.S Deaths, Researchers Say
A study by researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine says medical errors should rank as the third leading cause of death in the United States — and highlights how shortcomings in tracking vital statistics may hinder research and keep the problem out of the public eye. The authors, led by Johns Hopkins surgeon Dr. Martin Makary,...
Bob Ehrenberg to Host ENCORE 2016
ENCORE 2016 is a collaboration between the St. Joseph Public Schools Foundation and 165 St. Joseph alumni who participated in the longest running annual high school variety show in Michigan, dating back to 1951. Its goal is to raise $100,000 to support academic programming of the St. Joseph Public Schools, and it will feature past variety show acts and...
Berrien County Jury Awards $16 Million to Motor Vehicle Accident Victim
ST. JOSEPH, Mich. — A Berrien County Trial Court jury awarded a $16 million settlement on Oct. 15, 2015, to Harishkumar Patel who was permanently paralyzed in a vehicle accident on I-94 in Berrien County. Conybeare Law Office of St. Joseph, Mich., was co-counsel for Patel’s lawsuit against Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. Patel, 58,...
Southwest Michigan Car Accident Lawyer at Conybeare Law Office Says CDC Drowsy Driving Study Demonstrates Threat of Fatigued Driving
Barry Conybeare, a personal injury attorney in St. Joseph, Mich., calls for a more serious approach to drowsy driving in law enforcement, legislation and education, and says his law firm will press the issue on behalf of accident victims. ST. JOSEPH, MICH. —Southwest Michigan car accident lawyer Barry Conybeare said today that a new Centers for...
Southwest Michigan Car Accident Lawyer At Conybeare Law Office Endorses Highway Safety Efforts During Distracted Driving Awareness Month
Barry Conybeare, a personal injury attorney located in St. Joseph, Mich., urges motorists to sign the National Safety Council’s pledge to drive cell-free and inform others about the dangers of driving while distracted. Driving while distracted is a growing problem, according to Southwest Michigan car accident lawyer Barry Conybeare, who today voiced his support for...
Conybeare Law Office Links Its Safety Program with Public Service
By SCOTT AIKEN, Herald-Palladium BENTON HARBOR, MICH.. – All summer Estella Davis has had only a small fan to circulate the air in her house on Lake Avenue. Unable to afford air conditioning, Davis and her sister, Mattie Beachar, were at the mercy of the blistering heat. When the indoor temperature became unbearable, sitting on the...