Joshua Ryan Van Laan

After graduating from South Christian High School in Grand Rapids in 2000, Joshua enlisted in the United States Air Force and Michigan Air National Guard, where he spent the next 10 years serving our country and fighting in the war on terrorism. While doing so, he was able to obtain his undergraduate degrees in Sociology and Public Law from both Western Michigan University and Michigan State University. Thereafter, Joshua went on to obtain his law degree from Western Michigan University's Thomas M. Cooley Law School. During that time, he won several trial, counseling, and advocacy competitions, he was a three-time national trial team member and captain, he received the top litigation award at the largest law school in the country, and he graduated with honors in the top 12% of his class.

Attorney Joshua Van Laan has the kind of well-rounded experience that makes him uniquely suited to represent his clients in nearly every type of legal matter. Before even becoming a lawyer, he was a decorated military veteran, a Deputy Sheriff for Kalamazoo County, and an Insurance Fraud Investigator for State Farm. Then, after becoming a lawyer, Joshua spent his first year in private practice representing clients in a variety of legal matters, including criminal cases, child custody battles, property disputes, landlord-tenant issues, and more. Ultimately though, Joshua left his private practice to continue serving the public as a Principal Trial Lawyer for Macomb County. Now, as a seasoned trial prosecutor with over 12 years of real courtroom experience, Joshua is armed with a wealth of knowledge and a unique skill set that make him well-suited to confidently and successfully represent his clients in almost any legal matter.

Real experience matters, especially when your freedom, your money, your family, or your business are at risk. Attorney Joshua Van Laan has prosecuted thousands of criminal matters, many of which have included "high-profile" cases and defendants, and most of which have involved charges like murder, manslaughter, criminal sexual conduct, child abuse, armed robbery, home invasion, and other violent felony offenses. As a result, Joshua has had to appear before a variety of district and circuit court judges and has conducted dozens of bench and jury trials. He has successfully handled countless motions and hearings, has questioned and cross-examined hundreds of lay and expert witnesses, and has delivered numerous opening statements and closing arguments. Joshua has also had the distinct privilege of arguing before both the Michigan Court of Appeals and the Michigan Supreme Court on several occasions, and his advocacy in those cases has an actual impact and has positively changed our judicial system.