Andrew J. Spica
Attorney

Andrew J. Spica, a Grand Rapids native, joined Henn Lesperance PLC in February 2019 after beginning his career in Indiana. He became a partner of the firm in 2024. He graduated with honors from the University of Notre Dame Law School, where he was also a member of the Moot Court Trial Advocacy Team, a member of the 2012 American Association of Justice Mock Trial National Championship Team, and a recipient of the Edward F. Barrett Award for Trial Advocacy. Mr. Spica is committed to providing each of our clients with superlative legal analysis, insightful counsel, and aggressive advocacy through all stages of representation. He continuously works to embody the core values upon which his education at the University of Notre Dame was built – Integrity, Ethics, Morality, and Professionalism.

While in Indiana, Mr. Spica gained substantial research, litigation, and trial experience in both criminal and civil matters. His wealth of experience includes numerous jury trials, bench trials, written motions, contested hearings, depositions, and various forms of alternative dispute resolution. Though Mr. Spica embraces contentious cases and the adversarial process, he understands that each case requires an individualized analysis and strategy. In addition to his substantial litigation experience, he has gained extensive experience in counseling clients through complex and consequential decisions. Mr. Spica enjoys the role of counselor in discussing and advising clients as to which strategies will best achieve their respective goals. Regardless of whether a client’s needs require contentious litigation, negotiation of an agreed resolution, or both, Mr. Spica’s values, education, and experience make him uniquely qualified to assess, seek, and secure favorable resolutions to meet each of our clients’ various needs.

Since joining Henn Lesperance, Mr. Spica has worked on a broad spectrum of cases and issues in governmental law, constitutional law, municipal liability, business disputes, and civil litigation defense. He has handled all phases of litigation from start to finish—he has drafted numerous pleadings, motions, and briefs, conducted depositions, represented our clients at mediations, and argued numerous contested hearings resulting in dismissal of claims brought against our firm’s clients. Outside of the courtroom, Mr. Spica has advised our clients, performed site inspections, drafted intergovernmental agreements, drafted legal opinion memoranda, and advised clients on a wide range of legal questions and issues relating to governmental law, civil litigation defense, the Open Meetings Act, county highway law, governmental immunity, constitutional law, business disputes, contract disputes, and wide range of other legal issues. Mr. Spica has a passion for litigation, and he is eager to continue and expand the outstanding services and representation he provides for our clients.

When he is not practicing law, he enjoys spending time with his wife and their four children. Mr. Spica also enjoys philosophy, theology, coaching youth sports, spending time outdoors, and music.

Phone Number: (616) 588-9409

Contact

Direct: 616.588.9409
Fax: 616.323.3658
Email: ajs@hennlesperance.com

Contact

Michigan Defense Trial Counsel – Regional Chairperson of Grand Rapids Defense Research Institute
County Road Association of Michigan

Practice Areas

Civil Litigation
Governmental Law
Municipal Liability
Constitutional Law
Insurance Litigation Defense
Appeals
Business Disputes
Labor and Employment
Professional Malpractice Defense

Education

University of Notre Dame Law School, J.D., cum laude, 2014
University of Notre Dame, B.A., 2011

Bar and Court Admissions

State Bar of Michigan (2019)
State Bar of Indiana (2014)
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana (2014)
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan (2020)
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan (2020)
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit (2022)

Recent Results

June 2025, Summary Disposition Granted and Costs Awarded: Prepared and argued a successful summary disposition motion on behalf of a county road commission against two property owners resulting in dismissal of the plaintiffs’ claims seeking an order extinguishing a local public right-of-way. Following the completion of discovery, the defense successfully argued that the road was legally established. Further, based on the defendants’ dilatory and evasive conduct during discovery, the defense successfully prepared and argued a motion for costs and attorneys’ fees.

May 2025, Summary Disposition Granted: Prepared and argued a successful summary disposition motion on behalf of a county road commission against two property owners resulting in dismissal of the plaintiffs’ claims seeking an order extinguishing a local public right-of-way. Following the completion of discovery, the defense successfully argued that the road was legally established and had never been abandoned under the doctrine of common law abandonment.

April 2025, Discovery Sanctions Granted: Prepared and argued a successful motion for sanctions against a personal injury plaintiff for failure to provide complete, accurate, and timely discovery. Sanctions were awarded and, following a successful deposition of the plaintiff, the defense favorably resolved the claim for nuisance value.

June 2024, Summary Disposition Granted: Prepared and argued a successful summary disposition motion on behalf of a county road commission against multiple parties resulting in dismissal of the plaintiffs’ claims seeking an order compelling the road commission to extend and improve an existing public right-of-way to accommodate and new private development project. Following the completion of discovery, the defense successfully argued that the court lacked authority to compel the road commission to exercise its discretionary authority in a particular manner and demonstrated that no public highway had ever been created by use in the disputed area.

April 2024, Dismissal Obtained: Successfully obtained a dismissal of all claims against a county road commission, with prejudice, by plaintiffs seeking vacation of a platted county right-of-way providing public access to an inland lake located in the northwest lower peninsula. The defense worked with the client to obtain records and persuaded the plaintiffs’ counsel that the claims against the road commission were barred as a matter of law.

March 2024, Summary Disposition Granted: Directed all discovery and prepared a summary disposition motion on behalf of a county road commission against multiple plaintiffs resulting in dismissal of plaintiffs’ claims seeking an order quieting title to a public road end providing public access to the Lake Huron shoreline. Following the completion of discovery, the defense successfully demonstrated that the public right-of-way extended to the Lake Huron shoreline and provided public access to the water’s edge, regardless of whether the portion of the right-of-way improved for vehicular travel extended to the Lake Huron Shoreline.

December 2023, Summary Disposition Granted: Conducted all depositions and prepared a summary disposition motion on behalf of a county road commission against plaintiffs resulting in dismissal of plaintiffs’ claims seeking an order quieting title to a public road end providing public access to the Lake Michigan shoreline. Following the completion of discovery, the defense successfully demonstrated that the public right-of-way extended to the Lake Michigan shoreline and provided public access to the water’s edge, regardless of whether the portion of the right-of-way improved for vehicular travel extended to the Lake Michigan Shoreline.

November 2023, Summary Disposition Granted and Fines Awarded:       Conducted all phases of litigation and prepared and argued a summary disposition motion on behalf of a county road commission against a defendant entity that constructed unlawful encroachments within a public road end right-of-way. Following the completion of discovery, the plaintiff road commission successfully showed its jurisdiction over the road end and its entitlement to statutory fines from the defendant property owner that trespassed upon and damaged the public right-of-way.

Summer 2023 – Winter 2023, Negotiated Public Infrastructure Project:    Successfully negotiated a dispute between a township, county road commission, and local business involving zoning issues, public right-of-way issues, and a large scale business renovation and public infrastructure project in the Keweenaw Peninsula including attending open meetings to comment on behalf of the county road commission, negotiating the terms of a public infrastructure project proposal, and assisting in the completing of formal abandonment proceedings.

September 2022, Summary Disposition Granted: Conducted all phases of litigation and prepared and argued a summary disposition motion on behalf of a county road commission against a plaintiff seeking monetary damages for alleged constitutional violations and torts relating to flooding events on plaintiff’s littoral property. Prior to the completion of discovery, the defense successfully argued that the plaintiff’s claims against the road commission were barred by governmental immunity and that no constitutional violations had occurred based on the allegations raised in the plaintiff’s complaint.

Summer 2022, Negotiated Numerous Debt Settlement Agreements: Negotiated numerous debt settlement agreements and secured payment of numerous overdue accounts from contractors on behalf of a corporate client in the Lansing metropolitan area.

January 2020, Summary Disposition Granted: Prepared a summary disposition motion on behalf of a county road commission against a plaintiff seeking monetary damages for injuries sustained while walking alongside a county highway. Defense counsel immediately moved for summary disposition of Plaintiff’s claims based on defective notice of the plaintiff’s claims and absence of an applicable exception to governmental immunity.

July 2019, Negotiated Large Condemnation/Public Land Acquisition Project: Completed all aspects of a multi-parcel condemnation project on behalf of a county road commission in connection with a multi-agency public infrastructure project involving the major reconstruction of a county highway and state trunkline highway in the Lansing metropolitan area. Defense counsel handled all aspects o