DeBruin Law, PLLC

06/03/2026

Education. Business. Government. Aviation students who are absolutely going places. 🛫 All in one room this morning at Capital Region International Airport for the Lansing Regional Chamber Delta Township-Eaton County Business Roundtable. This is what community looks like.

05/20/2026

Three months post-surgery. A spring of “I’ll get back to it soon.” A text last night asking if I could sub for a soccer game.

I said yes, and I remembered something I keep forgetting: taking care of yourself isn’t separate from doing good work — it’s how you keep doing good work.

The files will still be there tomorrow. Go play. ⚽️

05/08/2026

Spent Wednesday at the 26th Annual Michigan Association of Treatment Court Professionals Conference at the Lansing Center, and I’ll say what I always say: treatment courts work. They save lives, restore families, and give people a real shot at the future they almost lost.

As a defense attorney, I get a front-row seat to what addiction and mental health crises do to my clients — and to what’s possible when the system meets them with structure, accountability, and grace instead of just punishment. That’s not soft. That’s smart. And it changes lives.

Grateful to spend the day with the judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, coordinators, peer recovery coaches, and treatment professionals who make this work happen across Michigan. The room was full. That tells you everything.

05/06/2026

I love the fact that “going to a bar on a Tuesday” counts as work when you’re a Chamber member. 🍷 Last night’s Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce event at One North Restaurant was the good kind of Cinco de Mayo chaos — tons of TVs, someone walking around handing out tacos, and so many people in mid-Michigan I’ve been meaning to call. If I hugged you, made you laugh, or promised to email you something: I meant it. (The email part is aspirational 🙄)

04/24/2026

Join me and the State Bar of Michigan Law Section at TopGolf Auburn Hills on Saturday, May 16 from 2–5 PM. $25 gets you three hours of game play, food, and beverages.

Register: https://tinyurl.com/2026topgolf

04/24/2026

Tri-County Bench Bar Family Law meeting at Jimmy’s Pub last night.

Thank you Judge Cunningham for the ex parte flow chart and new SCAO forms for reference. These folks make this practice area better for the families we serve. These are the rooms that sharpen us.

04/23/2026

Welcome to East Lansing, Dean Mazzoni — the new President & CEO of McLaren Greater Lansing. Lansing showed up for its own, and that is just another reason to love this community.

04/22/2026

Spent last night with the State Bar of Michigan Criminal Law Section Council doing what we do best: talking section business, eating good food, and learning something that actually matters.

Huge thank you to Dr. Alyse Ley for walking us through the Prevent 2 Protect initiative — a partnership between Michigan State University and the Michigan Department of Education focused on adolescent targeted violence prevention. It’s the kind of upstream work that reminds you why wraparound support for kids matters long before anyone ends up in a courtroom.

Grateful for this council and the people who show up for it.

04/21/2026

ATTENTION CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEYS
You already know the law.
But are you maximizing how you present it?
📅 May 15–16, 2026
📍 Grand Rapids, MI
This is a hands-on trial skills experience where you will practice:
✔️ Connecting with juries
✔️ Building persuasive narratives
✔️ Strengthening courtroom delivery
✔️ Up to 16 MIDC CLE credits
✔️ Interactive, not lecture-based
Spots are limited.
👉 Register now and sharpen your edge before your next case
https://michiganassocofowiattorneys.wildapricot.org/events

MI Association of OWI Attorneys - BREAK OUT OF THE ORDINARY: A HANDS-ON TRIAL SKILLS EXPERIENCE WITH PATRICK BARONE
MICHIGANASSOCOFOWIATTORNEYS.WILDAPRICOT.ORG
MI Association of OWI Attorneys - BREAK OUT OF THE ORDINARY: A HANDS-ON TRIAL SKILLS EXPERIENCE WITH PATRICK BARONE
Join us for a dynamic, on-your-feet seminar designed to transform how you connect with clients, tell stories, and advocate in the courtroom.
MI Association of OWI Attorneys - Events
MICHIGANASSOCOFOWIATTORNEYS.WILDAPRICOT.ORG
MI Association of OWI Attorneys - Events
Join us for a dynamic, on-your-feet seminar designed to transform how you connect with clients, tell stories, and advocate in the courtroom.

Join us for a dynamic, on-your-feet seminar designed to transform how you connect with clients, tell stories, and advocate in the courtroom.