LANSING – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel today announced John VanDeventer as her new chief legal counsel.

Prior to joining the Michigan Department of Attorney General, VanDeventer was employed by Jenner & Block LLP in Chicago where he served in the firm’s Restructuring and Bankruptcy Practice, focusing primarily on commercial bankruptcy. Before that he spent time working in Washington, D.C., for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which serves about 2 million members in health care, the public sector and property services. VanDeventer also worked on Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s re-election campaign and with the Michigan Corrections Organization, a local SEIU chapter that serves prison workers and others in Michigan.

“John’s experience as a litigator provides him with a unique perspective that will prove invaluable as he takes on his new role at the Department of Attorney General,” Nessel said. “I have no doubt that he has the capabilities and the legal background needed to excel in this position and I am confident he will serve his fellow Michiganders well.”

The Petoskey native is a graduate of James Madison College at Michigan State University and he earned his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School. VanDeventer joined the Department Jan. 25.

“The opportunity to come home to serve the people of Michigan is a dream come true, and really what I’ve been working toward my whole adult life,” VanDeventer said. “Attorney General Nessel has proven herself a staunch advocate for the things that make Michigan so special to me, such as keeping our environment and the Great Lakes clean and free of pollution, and being a proponent for diverse, vibrant and inclusive communities. I am excited to join her in the fight for a better Michigan.”