Our team
Our Attorneys
( Dedicated advocates )
Experienced legal counsel serving Bay City since 1945
Attorneys in the Firm are all members of the State Bar of Michigan and Bay County Bar Association. Memberships are also maintained in the Northeastern Michigan Estate Planning Council, and a number of specialty sections and committees consistent with areas of concentration. Each member of the Firm attends several continuing legal education seminars annually and keeps abreast of changes in law and procedure through daily review of professional periodicals, current judicial decisions and new legislation.
( Partners )
Our Partners
Mark J. Brissette
A native of Bay City, Mr. Brissette graduated from the University of Michigan and the University of Detroit School of Law. From 1976 to 2014, he practiced at Seward, Tally & Piggott, P.C. He has served on the State Bar Representative Assembly, the Bay County Bar Association Board, and as Bay County Bar Association President. He is ICLE certified in Estate Planning, with primary practice areas including Real Estate, Estate Planning, Probate, Business, Litigation, and Personal Injury.
View full profile
J. Joseph Purtell
Mr. Purtell graduated (magna cum laude) from Michigan State University with a B.A. in Economics and from the University of Michigan Law School. He works in the areas of bankruptcy, real estate, landlord/tenant, creditor/debtor rights, foreclosures, lien law and wills and trusts. He served as an Adjunct Professor at Delta College from 1993-2004 and was a U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee Panel member from 1983-85.
View full profile( Of Counsel )
Of Counsel
D. Keith Birchler
Mr. Birchler received his undergraduate degree (with distinction) from the University of Michigan in 1975 and graduated from the University of Michigan Law School, joining the Firm in 1978. His practice areas include creditors' rights, bankruptcy and litigation, commercial law, business formation, landlord representation, estate planning, probate, and real estate. He serves on the Boards of the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce and the Bay Arts Council.
View full profile
Walter P. Fitzhugh
A native of Bay City, Mr. Fitzhugh graduated from the University of Michigan and the Detroit College of Law. Admitted to the bar in 1973, he joined the Firm in 1983. His practice emphasizes business organization, operation and taxation, individual tax and estate planning, wills, trusts, powers of attorney, probate and trust administration, and real estate law. He has served as past President of the Bay Area Community Foundation and Bay County Historical Society.
View full profile( Our story )
Firm History
The Firm evolved from an association of Lloyd W. Bartlett and Robert H. Johnson in the practice of law in 1945 with offices in Bay City's Phoenix Building. In 1946, they were joined by David L. King. The three continued their association under the firm name Bartlett, Johnson & King until the untimely death of Mr. Johnson in 1951.
Richard C. Learman joined Messrs. Bartlett and King in 1954 and the three practiced under the name Bartlett, King & Learman. In 1956, the Firm moved its offices to the former Mutual Savings Building at Washington Avenue and Sixth Street in downtown Bay City. The ensuing 15 years saw the addition of William E. Peters and Robert D. Sarow as partners in the Firm.
In 1977 the Firm designed and built its current office building at 900 Center Avenue at Van Buren Street in Bay City. Over the years, the Firm grew with the association of D. Keith Birchler (1978), Walter P. Fitzhugh (1983), J. Joseph Purtell (1990), Aaron J. Madziar (2007), Mark J. Brissette (2015) and Martha P. Fitzhugh (2015). As of July 1, 2015, the Firm became Birchler, Fitzhugh, Purtell & Brissette, PLC.