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Madelaine C.
Lane

  • Partner

There are few places I feel as comfortable, natural and as capable as I do in a courtroom – delivering a persuasive argument or cross-examination and proving my client’s case in front of a judge or jury. I am rational, fair and always willing to settle, if that’s the best strategic move. But because I never forget how much is often at stake – including livelihoods and reputations – I won’t back down from a fight if fighting makes the most sense for my clients. Both they and my opposing counsel understand this.


Attorney Reel: The Real Madelaine Lane


An accomplished white collar criminal defense attorney, Madelaine Lane assists clients with the right guidance just when they need it – from complex civil investigations involving high-volume documents and high-risk publicity, to responding to discovery requests and conducting internal investigations, to creating convincing litigation strategies and leading a persuasive criminal defense at trial. She has extensive experience working in several sectors, including higher education, automotive, health care, finance and agriculture, among others.

Sexual Abuse Prevention and Response

Madelaine has represented multiple corporate clients, including several religious institutions, on the issues of sexual abuse prevention and response plans. She assists clients in creating and maintaining training programs aimed at preventing and detecting potential sexual abuse. If abuse is reported, Madelaine directs the response to such reports, including notifying law enforcement and conducting internal investigations to help determine the validity of allegations. Madelaine represents corporate clients facing investigations of historic sexual abuse allegations and, where necessary, assisted in responding to search warrants and subpoenas. Madelaine also represents clients in both criminal and civil litigation arisin

Sexual Abuse Prevention and Response

Madelaine has represented multiple corporate clients, including several religious institutions, on the issues of sexual abuse prevention and response plans. She assists clients in creating and maintaining training programs aimed at preventing and detecting potential sexual abuse. If abuse is reported, Madelaine directs the response to such reports, including notifying law enforcement and conducting internal investigations to help determine the validity of allegations. Madelaine represents corporate clients facing investigations of historic sexual abuse allegations and, where necessary, assisted in responding to search warrants and subpoenas. Madelaine also represents clients in both criminal and civil litigation arising out of allegations of historic or present-day sexual abuse claims.

Internal Investigations

Madelaine has conducted numerous internal investigations on a topics ranging from embezzlement to allegations of fraud to harassment and sexual misconduct, working successfully in dozens of industries. When clients receive allegations of wrong-doing, Madelaine and her team will review documents and interview witnesses to get the facts needed to verify or refute the allegations. Madelaine also assists clients in regulatory and compliance issues arising from potential wrongdoing, counseling on when and how to report findings properly to law enforcement.

Criminal Discovery

Over the years, Madelaine has led many of Michigan’s largest criminal discovery cases. She works with her clients to leverage technology to effectively and efficiently respond to subpoenas. She also assists clients to create search warrant and subpoena response policies, training employees on best practices before the need arises so their reactions do not jeopardize their organizations.

When clients are called into the Grand Jury or trial as witnesses, Madelaine relies on her vast trial experience to prepare them. She’s able to help witnesses feel as comfortable as possible when the time comes to testify so they can accurately and convincingly share their stories.

General Criminal Defense

Madelaine regularly represents criminal defendants in federal court on a variety of charges, including Medicare fraud, immigration, firearms and narcotics. In this role, Madelaine handles pre-trial negotiations, discovery, trial and, if necessary, appeal.

She also regularly prepares witnesses, including victims, for testimony at preliminary examinations, grand jury and trial.

Trial Counsel

Criminal

Madelaine has represented federal criminal defendants as lead counsel or co-lead counsel at trial on a wide range of charges, including conspiracy to distribute narcotics, felon in possession of a firearm, illegal re-entry, identify theft conspiracy and others. She combines her knowledge of the law and oral advocacy skills to vigorously represent her clients.

In state court, Madelaine has represented clients in trial on various assault charges. Most recently, co-chaired a felony jury trial in Berrien County Circuit Court where the defendant was charged with various sexual assault offenses. The jury acquitted the defendant of the most serious charge.

Civil

In an action arising out of the Dominion v. Lindell, et al. litigation, Madelaine served as lead counsel for Kent County, Michigan as it defended itself against an over-reaching subpoena by MyPillow founder Mike Lindell, who was seeking to defend himself in a $1.3 billion defamation suit stemming from the 2020 presidential election. Not only did the judge quash the subpoena, calling it an expensive “fishing expedition,” he awarded financial sanctions to Kent County.

Ryan Racing, LLC v. Paul Gentilozzi, et al., U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan. Madelaine served as trial counsel for Ryan Hunter-Reay, a professional race car driver for Andretti Autosport and the 2014 Indianapolis 500 champion.

In 2005, when Mr. Hunter-Reay was an up-and-coming driver, he raced for a Michigan-based team, Rocketsports Racing, which is owned by Paul Gentilozzi. Mr. Gentilozzi terminated Mr. Hunter-Reay in violation of his contract and then set out to ruin Mr. Hunter-Reay’s reputation in the industry.

Mr. Hunter-Reay arbitrated the wrongful termination with Mr. Gentilozzi and was awarded $2.7 million. After converting the award into a judgment, Mr. Hunter-Reay sought to collect, but Mr. Gentilozzi stymied his efforts by creating a sham company. Mr. Gentilozzi named the new company “RSR” and shifted assets to RSR, but claimed the $2.7 million owed to Mr. Hunter-Reay was a debt of the old company. Mr. Gentilozzi had run Rocketsports Racing over the years without regard to corporate formalities, benefiting himself and others at the expense of the company’s creditors. Mr. Hunter-Reay filed suit in federal court in Michigan to collect his $2.7 million judgment under theories of successor liability, fraudulent transfer and piercing the corporate veil.

After a five-day bench trial, Judge Robert Holmes Bell ruled in favor of Mr. Hunter-Reay. In particular, Judge Bell pierced the corporate veil and held that Rocketsports was a mere instrumentality of Mr. Gentilozzi. Additionally, the Court ruled RSR was a successor of Rocketsports and, therefore, liable for payment of the arbitration award.

Judge Bell entered the entire $2.7 million judgment against RSR and Mr. Gentilozzi personally. Click here for the full text of Judge Bell’s Opinion and here for the article “Why an Indy 500 winner sued Lansing real estate tycoon Paul Gentilozzi.”

Co-chaired a three-day jury trial regarding defense of personal injury action. The jury returned a verdict in favor of Madelaine’s client.

In addition to the above, Madelaine has conducted multiple state court bench trials and federal court evidentiary hearings regarding both criminal and civil matters.

  • “Ethics Update for Health Care Lawyers”, 29th Annual Health Law Institute, March 14, 2024
  • “Criminal Investigations, Litigation and Enforcement,” Environmental Compliance: Regulation, Investigation, Enforcement and Litigation Annual Conference, November 2, 2023, Lansing, Michigan
  • “To hold or not to hold, that is the question,” ARMA INFOCON 2023: Information in Motion, October 11, 2023
  • “Law Shanty On the Road,” Warner 2023 HR Seminar, May 16, 2023, Grand Rapids, Michigan
  • “Human Trafficking in West Michigan: A Survivor’s Story and how you can help,” Corewell Health: Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine 2023 Symposium, April 26, 2023
  • “Expungement + Clemency”, Upper Peninsula Human Trafficking Task Force Quarterly Meeting, March 17, 2023
  • “Grand Rapids Bar Association Michigan Indigent Defense Counsel Training: Cross-Examination, Impeachment, and Voir Dire,” February 3, 2023
  • Webinar — Wire Transfer Fraud: Preventing and Mitigating this Rising Threat, December 6, 2022
  • Webinar ─ Internal Investigations: Best Practices and Strategies to Protect Your Business, August 16, 2022
  • “Managing eDiscovery in Bankruptcy Cases,” 34th Annual Bankruptcy Section Seminar, Federal Bar Association – Western District of Michigan, Mackinac Island, Michigan, July 31, 2022
  • “AG Clergy Investigations,” 16th Annual Child and Youth Protection Catholic Leadership Conference, June 8, 2022, Grand Rapids, Michigan
  • “Crimes and Misdemeanors,” ICLE Family Law Institute, November 18, 2021, Novi, Michigan
  • “Grand Rapids Bar Association Basic Skills Two: Legal Considerations for you Communication,” October 15, 2021, Grand Rapids, Michigan
  • “Grand Rapids Bar Association Basic Skills Two: Direct and Cross Examination Tips,” October 15, 2021, Grand Rapids, Michigan
  • “Employment Law and eDiscovery in the Age of COVID,” U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan Bench Bar Conference, October 1, 2021, Mackinac Island, Michigan
  • Criminal Law Considerations: Cannabis Isn’t Completely Legal,” Cannabis Law Seminar – Industry Insights and Trends From the Legal Perspective, September 30, 2021, Lansing, Michigan
  • Data Solutions Planning for 2021,” Warner Webinar, December 1, 2020
  • Strategies for Reducing Litigation Spend During COVID-19,” Warner Webinar, May 7, 2020
  • “How to Conduct an Internal Investigation and New Trends in Criminal Enforcement,” OESA 2020 Automotive Suppliers Legal Hot Topics, Troy, Michigan, February 12, 2020
  • “Is Marihuana Legal?,” Medical Marihuana– Legal Answers to Your Tough Questions webinar, December 4, 2017
  • “Collecting and Preserving Data from Mobile Devices,” Data Solutions Spring Symposium, Grand Rapids, Michigan, March 14, 2017
  • “Internal Investigations,” GRBA Paralegal Section, October 11, 2016
  • “Planning for Security Breaches,” Data Solutions Fall Symposium, Grand Rapids, Michigan, October 23, 2015
  • “Racial Discrimination by University Police and Security Officers,” National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA) March conference, New Orleans, LA, March 11-13, 2015

Testimonials

“As counsel for the Diocese of Grand Rapids, Madelaine Lane has provided us outstanding service with her keen legal acumen and forthright guidance. Her professional character, excellent communication skills, and community engagement clearly merit her for consideration as a most notable attorney in West Michigan.” – Monsignor William H. Duncan, Vicar General, Diocese of Grand Rapids

***

“As a juror in your recent federal criminal trial, I wanted to express that I very much enjoyed listening and watching your examination of the witnesses. At one point I wanted to cheer for you as you concluded! I thought all the attorneys were great ─ but I just truly enjoyed your work. You are an inspiring trial attorney and a female role model!!” – Juror from a federal criminal trial

***

“As a survivor of human trafficking, I had charges on my record that could not be expunged due to the severity of the crimes. The crimes were committed while I was under a pimp’s control, which meant that whatever I was told to do I did, or else got beaten. Once I was out of that life and free, I founded the very first survivor-led peer mentorship program in the state of Michigan assisting victims of trafficking in reclaiming their lives and working to become productive members of society.

I went to college to become a social worker but was told that I could not get licensed due to my criminal background. I felt devastated and defeated. My criminal record still haunted me at every turn. And, twenty years later, I tried to get an expungement and was denied over and over again. I was then introduced to an attorney by the name of Madelaine Lane who works for Warner Norcross + Judd. Upon speaking with Madelaine concerning my past I was a little embarrassed and untrusting of others. Right away Madelaine put me at ease which allowed me to speak with her about my life and experience being trafficked.

Madelaine did the paperwork to get my record expunged and sent it to the necessary entity. Several weeks later I received a call from Madelaine stating that it was rejected but before I could speak, she said “Let’s go for a pardon.” I said okay, but was not enthused because of all the prior rejections.

Several days before Christmas of 2022, I received a call from the governor’s office stating that the governor had granted me a pardon! All I could do was scream while tears of joy ran down my face!

Without the excellent work of Madelaine Lane, none of this could have been possible. Madelaine I would like to thank you once again for all your hard work and perseverance concerning my case. I can finally say that I am FREE.” – Leslie King

***

When law enforcement comes knocking at your door, your first call should be to Madelaine Lane. Madelaine is always my go-to attorney when a client is faced with a subpoena, search warrant or criminal charges. We have partnered for more than a decade on high-profile matters where the court of law intersects with the court of public opinion. Madelaine is knowledgeable and decisive, yet empathetic and understanding. Her broad experience with white collar crime and criminal law enables her to help clients navigate thorny and often emotional issues. Madelaine is practical and pragmatic, enabling clients to understand advantages and risks related to a particular course of action. She works to keep clients out of the courtroom yet is a fierce advocate when a trial is inevitable. Hyper-responsive to emails and texts, Madelaine is the best attorney to have in your corner when the outcome matters. – Mary Ann Sabo, President, Sabo PR LLC

***

“Madelaine Lane is an excellent attorney who fights to achieve the very best results for her clients.  She is bright and detail oriented and is respected by her peers.  Along with the other attorneys from my agency, I have worked with Madelaine on numerous cases and admire her persistence.  She is very easy to work with but also understands when to stand her ground with opposing counsel or the court.” – West Michigan Criminal Defense Attorney

***

“Madelaine is a passionate advocate for our organization and staff, which is rare because we haven’t always had positive experiences retaining legal representation. We greatly value her responsiveness and legal guidance, and she has a knack for breaking down civil procedure legalese in a way we can easily comprehend. Her professionalism in court mitigates any anxiety I feel entering the courtroom because she speaks and handles herself with dignity and poise. It is evident that she respects others and is also well respected – even when opposing counsel vehemently disagrees with her position. Not only does she possess expertise in the law, she is a strategist through and through. Madelaine helps us quash subpoenas, drafts motions, and prepares us for depositions and courtroom testimony. Although I expect these services from her counsel, what is unexpected and delightful is the emotional support Madelaine provides to us. She empathizes and understands the anxiety caused by hearings and trials, and takes extra time and care to address the disruption and apprehension we feel when dealing with these matters.” – Litigation Client

Image for Madelaine C. Lane

Madelaine C.
Lane

  • Partner
Grand Rapids

My admin

There are few places I feel as comfortable, natural and as capable as I do in a courtroom – delivering a persuasive argument or cross-examination and proving my client’s case in front of a judge or jury. I am rational, fair and always willing to settle, if that’s the best strategic move. But because I never forget how much is often at stake – including livelihoods and reputations – I won’t back down from a fight if fighting makes the most sense for my clients. Both they and my opposing counsel understand this.


Attorney Reel: The Real Madelaine Lane


An accomplished white collar criminal defense attorney, Madelaine Lane assists clients with the right guidance just when they need it – from complex civil investigations involving high-volume documents and high-risk publicity, to responding to discovery requests and conducting internal investigations, to creating convincing litigation strategies and leading a persuasive criminal defense at trial. She has extensive experience working in several sectors, including higher education, automotive, health care, finance and agriculture, among others.

  • “Ethics Update for Health Care Lawyers”, 29th Annual Health Law Institute, March 14, 2024
  • “Criminal Investigations, Litigation and Enforcement,” Environmental Compliance: Regulation, Investigation, Enforcement and Litigation Annual Conference, November 2, 2023, Lansing, Michigan
  • “To hold or not to hold, that is the question,” ARMA INFOCON 2023: Information in Motion, October 11, 2023
  • “Law Shanty On the Road,” Warner 2023 HR Seminar, May 16, 2023, Grand Rapids, Michigan
  • “Human Trafficking in West Michigan: A Survivor’s Story and how you can help,” Corewell Health: Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine 2023 Symposium, April 26, 2023
  • “Expungement + Clemency”, Upper Peninsula Human Trafficking Task Force Quarterly Meeting, March 17, 2023
  • “Grand Rapids Bar Association Michigan Indigent Defense Counsel Training: Cross-Examination, Impeachment, and Voir Dire,” February 3, 2023
  • Webinar — Wire Transfer Fraud: Preventing and Mitigating this Rising Threat, December 6, 2022
  • Webinar ─ Internal Investigations: Best Practices and Strategies to Protect Your Business, August 16, 2022
  • “Managing eDiscovery in Bankruptcy Cases,” 34th Annual Bankruptcy Section Seminar, Federal Bar Association – Western District of Michigan, Mackinac Island, Michigan, July 31, 2022
  • “AG Clergy Investigations,” 16th Annual Child and Youth Protection Catholic Leadership Conference, June 8, 2022, Grand Rapids, Michigan
  • “Crimes and Misdemeanors,” ICLE Family Law Institute, November 18, 2021, Novi, Michigan
  • “Grand Rapids Bar Association Basic Skills Two: Legal Considerations for you Communication,” October 15, 2021, Grand Rapids, Michigan
  • “Grand Rapids Bar Association Basic Skills Two: Direct and Cross Examination Tips,” October 15, 2021, Grand Rapids, Michigan
  • “Employment Law and eDiscovery in the Age of COVID,” U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan Bench Bar Conference, October 1, 2021, Mackinac Island, Michigan
  • Criminal Law Considerations: Cannabis Isn’t Completely Legal,” Cannabis Law Seminar – Industry Insights and Trends From the Legal Perspective, September 30, 2021, Lansing, Michigan
  • Data Solutions Planning for 2021,” Warner Webinar, December 1, 2020
  • Strategies for Reducing Litigation Spend During COVID-19,” Warner Webinar, May 7, 2020
  • “How to Conduct an Internal Investigation and New Trends in Criminal Enforcement,” OESA 2020 Automotive Suppliers Legal Hot Topics, Troy, Michigan, February 12, 2020
  • “Is Marihuana Legal?,” Medical Marihuana– Legal Answers to Your Tough Questions webinar, December 4, 2017
  • “Collecting and Preserving Data from Mobile Devices,” Data Solutions Spring Symposium, Grand Rapids, Michigan, March 14, 2017
  • “Internal Investigations,” GRBA Paralegal Section, October 11, 2016
  • “Planning for Security Breaches,” Data Solutions Fall Symposium, Grand Rapids, Michigan, October 23, 2015
  • “Racial Discrimination by University Police and Security Officers,” National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA) March conference, New Orleans, LA, March 11-13, 2015

Testimonials

“As counsel for the Diocese of Grand Rapids, Madelaine Lane has provided us outstanding service with her keen legal acumen and forthright guidance. Her professional character, excellent communication skills, and community engagement clearly merit her for consideration as a most notable attorney in West Michigan.” – Monsignor William H. Duncan, Vicar General, Diocese of Grand Rapids

***

“As a juror in your recent federal criminal trial, I wanted to express that I very much enjoyed listening and watching your examination of the witnesses. At one point I wanted to cheer for you as you concluded! I thought all the attorneys were great ─ but I just truly enjoyed your work. You are an inspiring trial attorney and a female role model!!” – Juror from a federal criminal trial

***

“As a survivor of human trafficking, I had charges on my record that could not be expunged due to the severity of the crimes. The crimes were committed while I was under a pimp’s control, which meant that whatever I was told to do I did, or else got beaten. Once I was out of that life and free, I founded the very first survivor-led peer mentorship program in the state of Michigan assisting victims of trafficking in reclaiming their lives and working to become productive members of society.

I went to college to become a social worker but was told that I could not get licensed due to my criminal background. I felt devastated and defeated. My criminal record still haunted me at every turn. And, twenty years later, I tried to get an expungement and was denied over and over again. I was then introduced to an attorney by the name of Madelaine Lane who works for Warner Norcross + Judd. Upon speaking with Madelaine concerning my past I was a little embarrassed and untrusting of others. Right away Madelaine put me at ease which allowed me to speak with her about my life and experience being trafficked.

Madelaine did the paperwork to get my record expunged and sent it to the necessary entity. Several weeks later I received a call from Madelaine stating that it was rejected but before I could speak, she said “Let’s go for a pardon.” I said okay, but was not enthused because of all the prior rejections.

Several days before Christmas of 2022, I received a call from the governor’s office stating that the governor had granted me a pardon! All I could do was scream while tears of joy ran down my face!

Without the excellent work of Madelaine Lane, none of this could have been possible. Madelaine I would like to thank you once again for all your hard work and perseverance concerning my case. I can finally say that I am FREE.” – Leslie King

***

When law enforcement comes knocking at your door, your first call should be to Madelaine Lane. Madelaine is always my go-to attorney when a client is faced with a subpoena, search warrant or criminal charges. We have partnered for more than a decade on high-profile matters where the court of law intersects with the court of public opinion. Madelaine is knowledgeable and decisive, yet empathetic and understanding. Her broad experience with white collar crime and criminal law enables her to help clients navigate thorny and often emotional issues. Madelaine is practical and pragmatic, enabling clients to understand advantages and risks related to a particular course of action. She works to keep clients out of the courtroom yet is a fierce advocate when a trial is inevitable. Hyper-responsive to emails and texts, Madelaine is the best attorney to have in your corner when the outcome matters. – Mary Ann Sabo, President, Sabo PR LLC

***

“Madelaine Lane is an excellent attorney who fights to achieve the very best results for her clients.  She is bright and detail oriented and is respected by her peers.  Along with the other attorneys from my agency, I have worked with Madelaine on numerous cases and admire her persistence.  She is very easy to work with but also understands when to stand her ground with opposing counsel or the court.” – West Michigan Criminal Defense Attorney

***

“Madelaine is a passionate advocate for our organization and staff, which is rare because we haven’t always had positive experiences retaining legal representation. We greatly value her responsiveness and legal guidance, and she has a knack for breaking down civil procedure legalese in a way we can easily comprehend. Her professionalism in court mitigates any anxiety I feel entering the courtroom because she speaks and handles herself with dignity and poise. It is evident that she respects others and is also well respected – even when opposing counsel vehemently disagrees with her position. Not only does she possess expertise in the law, she is a strategist through and through. Madelaine helps us quash subpoenas, drafts motions, and prepares us for depositions and courtroom testimony. Although I expect these services from her counsel, what is unexpected and delightful is the emotional support Madelaine provides to us. She empathizes and understands the anxiety caused by hearings and trials, and takes extra time and care to address the disruption and apprehension we feel when dealing with these matters.” – Litigation Client