Mark R. High

Consulting Member

Mark R. High, a consulting member in Dickinson Wright’s Detroit office, focuses his practice on corporate law. He helps buyers and sellers with mergers and acquisitions across various industries, including tech, manufacturing, retail, and more. With deals ranging from $5 million to $150 million, Mark’s attention to detail ensures successful transactions. He also serves as general counsel to small and medium-sized companies and advises branches of foreign businesses, including those from Canada, Japan, China, and other countries. Mark received the Stephen H. Schulman Outstanding Business Lawyer Award from the State Bar of Michigan’s Business Law Section in 2022.

Education & Credentials

Education

Duke University School of Law

J.D., 1979

The College of Wooster

B.A., 1976

With Honors

University of Manchester

England, 1975

Bar Admission

Michigan1985

Acknowledgements

State Bar of Michigan, Business Law Section
- Stephen H. Schulman Outstanding Business Lawyer Award, 2022
The Legal 500 United States
- "Recommended Lawyer," 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022
Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business
- Corporate/Mergers & Acquisitions, 2024
Best Lawyers in America®
- "Lawyer of the Year," Corporate Governance Law 2019, 2021, 2024
- Corporate Governance Law and Corporate Law, 2023-2025
Michigan Super Lawyers®
- Business and Corporate Law, 2006-2014, 2016-2024
Martindale-Hubbell® AV Peer Review Rating
DBusiness Magazine
- "Top Lawyers" International Trade and Finance Law, 2013, 2020-2023

Representative Clients

A.J. Boggs & Company
AutoForm Engineering USA, Inc.
Yanfeng Global Automotive Interiors Systems Co., Ltd.
Callidus Capital Corporation
DMS Moving Systems, Inc.
Sand Products Corporation

Prominent Assignments

Counsel to buyers and sellers in mergers or acquisitions in the high tech, manufacturing, retail, food service, real estate, automotive, defense, medical device and natural resource industries in transactions valued between $5 million and $150 million.
General counsel to small and medium-sized closely-held entities.
Counsel to domestic branches of Canadian and other foreign businesses (Japanese, Chinese, English, Swiss, Brazilian, Russian, Italian, South African, Taiwanese) in automotive and other industries.
Counsel to Johnson Controls, Inc. in organizing $400 million joint venture with subordinated lenders to acquire interior business of Plastech Engineered Products from bankruptcy, and administering company through lender buy-out.
Counsel to Tier 1 supplier in dissolving 20-year joint venture relationship with Japanese partner.
Counsel to Tier 1 suppliers in stock and asset purchase and sale transactions.
Counsel to investment entity in purchase, financing, and ultimate sale of Great Lakes freighters.
Counsel to commercial bank in ongoing vessel financings.
Counsel to entrepreneurs and other closely-held entities in formation, succession planning, and business divorce situations.
Counsel to minority and majority investors in establishing minority business entities.

Professional Involvement

Canada-U.S. Business Association, President (2011-2023) and Member of Board of Directors
State Bar of Michigan, Business Law Section; Council Member, 2002-2007; Section Chair, 2006-2007
American Bar Association, Section on Business Law, Member of Model Shareholder Agreement Task Force
U.S. Law Firm Group, Former Co-Chair, Corporate and Securities Committee
Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE), Member, Former Business Law Advisory Board
Detroit Regional Chamber, Former Chair, Canadian Investment Committee

Community Involvement

Detroit Wine Organization, Chair (2008), Former Member of the Board of Directors
Gleaners Community Food Bank, Former Member of the Board of Directors
The College of Wooster, Former Member of the Alumni Board of Trustees

Publications/Presentations

Co-Author, “Are You Prepared for the Corporate Transparency Act? What to Know before December 31, 2024,” Dickinson Wright Client Alert, October 2024
Speaker, “Corporate Transparency Act / Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Reporting Webinar,” Michigan Small Business Development Center, U.S. Small Business Administration, August and October 2024
Speaker, “Corporate Transparency Act Hot Topics,” 35th Annual Business Law Institute, ICLE & Michigan State Bar Business Law Section, September 2024
Presenter, “Reporting Requirements under the Corporate Transparency Act, (CTA)” Dickinson Wright Webinar, April 2024
Author, "Court Moves Leave CTA Enforcement Up in the Air," Corporate Compliance Insights, March 2024
Author, “FinCEN Appeals Order Enjoining Corporate Transparency Act,” Dickinson Wright Client Alert, March 2024
Co-Author, “Nonprofit Organizations and the Corporate Transparency Act,” Dickinson Wright Client Alert, March 2024
Co-Author, "FinCEN Response to Order entered enjoining Corporate Transparency Act", Dickinson Wright Client Alert, March 2024
Co-Author, "Order Entered Enjoining Corporate Transparency Act", Dickinson Wright Client Alert, March 2024
Speaker, Michigan Association of CPAs, MICPA, November 2023
Co-Author, “Important Notice Impacting Millions of Business Entities (A Summary of the Corporate Transparency Act),” Dickinson Wright Client Alert, December 2023
Speaker, “Corporate Transparency Act,” 34th Annual Business Law Institute, ICLE & Michigan State Bar Business Law Section, October 2023
Author, “Corporate Transparency Act Compliance Date Is Approaching Quickly,” Dickinson Wright Client Alert, July 2023
Speaker, “The Corporate Transparency Act Mandatory Federal Reporting Requirements for ‘Mom and Pop’ Businesses,” State Bar of Michigan Business Law Section, February 2023
Moderator, 11th Annual Cross-Border Economic Forecast, Canada-United States Business Association (CUSBA), February 2023
Presenter, "Best Practices for Drafting Buy-Sell Agreements Among Shareholders or Members," Lorman Education Services, August 2022
Moderator, Canada-United States Business Association, 10th Annual Cross-Border Economic Forecast, February 2022
Moderator, “USMCA/CUSMA/T-MEC at One Year,” CUSBA & AmCham Toronto, July 2021
Guest, “COVID-19: Reopening The Canada-US Border,” Unpublished Café, June 2021
Co-Presenter, “The Corporate Transparency Act: Scope, Effect, and How to Prepare,” State Bar of Michigan International Law Section, June 2021
Moderator, “9th Annual Cross-Border Economic Forecast,” Canada-United States Business Association (CUSBA), February 2021
Guest Speaker, The US Federal Election, Unpublished Cafe Podcast, October 2020
Co-Author, "M&A Practices in a Post-COVID-19 World," Dickinson Wright Client Alert, March 2020
Presenter, “USMCA Reviewed: Terms and Prospects After the US Election,” Canada – United States Business Association, December 2018
Presenter, "Best Practices for Drafting Buy-Sell Agreements," Lorman Education Services, 2015-2016
Presenter, "Business Contracts A to Z," National Business Institute, April 2013
Co-Author, "Inside the FTC-DOJ Annual Report", Competition, M&A and Public Policy Law360, August 21, 2012
Co-Author, "Michigan Corporate Law Summary," Practical Law Company, Inc., July 2012, update 2015
Presenter, "Corporate Law and Securities Law Compliance," Ethics and Compliance Officer Association, 2012-2014
"Drafting Buy-Sell Provisions in Shareholder Agreements: Can We 'Insure' Compliance?" Volume 19, Business Law Today, American Bar Association, No. 5, May/June 2010
Co-Author, “International Sales”, Newsletter of the International Bar Association Legal Practice Division, September 2009, Number 27
“The Many Faces of Corporate Governance”, Michigan Business Law Journal, Vol 28, Issue 3, Fall 2008
“Disney Directors Survive Attack on Magic Kingdom,” Business Law Today, American Bar Association, Volume 15, No. 3, Jan./Feb. 2006
"Due Diligence Issues for Environmental Counsel: Acquisitions After Sarbanes-Oxley,” Volume 84, Michigan Bar Journal No. 11, Nov. 2005
“Looking Under the Rocks: Due Diligence After Sarbanes-Oxley,” Business Law Today, American Bar Association, Volume 15, No 1, Sept./Oct. 2005
Speaker at numerous national, ICLE, and State Bar Section seminars and webinars