Five new partners have joined Taft Detroit law office. They are Gus Andreasen, Joe DeVito, Ian Larkin, Tom Walters, and Evonne Xu. All are joining from the Troy law firm Dinsmore & Shohl.
With these new partners, Taft Detroit now has 132 attorneys.
“Taft is in the talent business,” says Robert J. Hicks, chairman and managing partner of Taft. “We pride ourselves in not having any office that serves as a ‘headquarters’ because in order to obtain the best results in each market, we need to empower local leadership. This group of Detroit lateral partners is an example of this philosophy.”
Each market is its own market headquarters — as an integral part of a cohesive, firmwide “One Taft” model — to deliver client service, recruit strong talent, and drive growth in that market.
Ranked in the Am Law 100 as the 82nd largest firm in the U.S. in 2023 by revenue, Taft has approximately 875 attorneys spread across nine major markets — eight in the Midwest (Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Detroit, Indianapolis, and Minneapolis) as well as Washington, DC.
“These talented attorneys are highly regarded as leaders in their field and carry an impressive track record of success that aligns with the Taft approach to client service and bolsters our deep bench of business and litigation expertise,” says Mark Cooper, partner-in-charge of the Taft Detroit office. “The addition of this outstanding group of professionals underscores Taft’s strong position as a leader in the Detroit legal market.”

Andreasen is focused on private equity and corporate transactions, restructuring and distressed transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and private securities offerings. He regularly represents companies in global acquisitions and dispositions, as well as those in connection with distressed assets. Additionally, he often serves as general counsel for board and senior management, providing advice and assistance for general corporate matters and corporate governance.

DeVito is a corporate attorney, focusing on mergers and acquisitions, commercial real estate lending and restructuring transactions, real estate sales and leasing, international business transactions, and securities. He represents clients across several industries, including automotive, industrial, health care, fintech, service, and technology in all aspects of their objectives.

Larkin is a transactional attorney, focusing on mergers and acquisitions, entity reorganizations, commercial lending, real estate, and a variety of general business matters for public companies, closely held businesses, and large private entities. He counsels commercial clients on matters such as contracts, distribution agreements, and supply agreements, and advises them on leveraging transactions to achieve their goals. In addition, he serves as the outside general counsel for numerous businesses assisting them with day-to-day issues.

Walters is a trial attorney and business adviser, focusing on complex commercial litigation. Throughout his career, he has prosecuted and defended business litigation cases, including automotive supply chain controversies, manufacturing disputes, real estate development and leasing, construction-related conflicts, sales representative commission claims, business stakeholder separations, and intellectual property matters. In addition, he has first-chair jury trial and arbitration experience.

Xu advises clients across the world on corporate matters of all sizes, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and alliances, finance, and stock acquisitions, and sales. She also counsels commercial clients on issues vital to their business, such as contracts, real estate transactions, distribution agreements, licensing agreements, and supply agreements.
Fluent in English and Chinese, she assists Chinese companies operating throughout the United States, as well as U.S. companies conducting business throughout China.