David VanderHaagen

Attorney Emeritus*

Since joining the firm in 1973, David VanderHaagen has amassed an array of honors and accomplishments that speak to his distinguished legal career as well as his outstanding community service.  His practice focuses extensively on agricultural cooperatives where he provides counsel on organization, mergers and acquisitions, marketing agreement and agencies, anti-trust issues, Michigan and federal tax matters, commercial transactions and member relations. David represents organizations that farmers own. Since 1996, David has served as Secretary and General Counsel to the Michigan Farm Bureau Family of Companies and he represents many other farmer owned cooperatives in Michigan as well.

Admitted to the Michigan Bar, David is a member of the American Bar Association and the State Bar of Michigan, as well as a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and Life Fellow of the Michigan State Bar Foundation. He has been involved with the Ingham County Bar Association and served on its Judicial/ Attorney Relations Committee. His other memberships include the American Agricultural Law Association, the National Society of Accountants for Cooperatives and the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, where he serves on the Legal, Tax and Accounting Committee.

Born in Detroit, Michigan, David is a graduate of Calvin College and received his juris doctorate from the University of Michigan in 1973. As a law student, he was active in the Phi Alpha Delta Fraternity, during which time he spent a year as Campbell Chapter Justice. Since graduating, David was elected to the Calvin College Alumni Association Board of Directors, ultimately serving as its President, and was the Mid-Michigan Regional Chair for the college’s first capital campaign.

Representative Matters

• Assisted dairy producer cooperative in consolidating state milk manufacturing capacity and with long term contracts with customers.
• Assisted in the transition of the sugar beet industry in Michigan from foreign ownership to farmer ownership.
• Assisted in the formation of a national marketing agency in common for the tart cherry industry.

Publications

• A Primer on Superpools and State Milk Marketing Orders, The Cooperative Accountant, 1999

Memberships & Affiliations

Legal Affiliations:

• State Bar of Michigan
• Ingham County Bar Association
• Michigan State Bar Foundation, Fellow
• American Bar Foundation, Fellow
• American Agricultural Law Association

Professional Associations:

• National Society of Accountants for Cooperatives
• National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
  • Legal, Tax and Accounting Committee

Community Involvement:

• WKAR TV Corporate Development Council, 1988-1994, Chairman 1991-1994
• Calvin College Alumni Association Board, 1985-1988, Chairman 1986-1987
• Lansing Christian School Board, 1977-80;1985-1988, President 1986-1988
• River Terrace Christian Reformed Church; Elder 1979-1982, 1989-2002, 2004-2007

* Attorney Emeritus status identifies individuals who enjoyed distinguished legal careers at Foster Swift Collins & Smith, PC and have retired from the practice of law.