KALAMAZOO / LANSING, MICHIGAN — Lighthouse Litigation PLLC is proud to announce that its founder, Joshua S. Goodrich, J.D., LL.M., has been named to the 2026 Michigan Rising Stars list by Super Lawyers for his work in Consumer Law — marking his second consecutive year receiving the honor.
The Super Lawyers Rising Stars list recognizes attorneys who are either under 40 or in their first ten years of practice, and selection follows a rigorous process of peer nomination, independent research, and evaluation. No more than 2.5% of attorneys in Michigan are named to the list each year, and being selected in back-to-back years reflects sustained recognition from the Michigan bar.
Mr. Goodrich’s practice centers on holding illegal telemarketers, robocall operations, and deceptive businesses accountable under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), the Michigan Consumer Protection Act (MCPA), and related state and federal consumer statutes. His work regularly involves autodialers, prerecorded messages, spoofed caller IDs, and unsolicited marketing texts — and the discovery and litigation tools needed to trace those practices back to the companies profiting from them.
This year’s recognition arrives at a pivotal moment for consumer protection in Michigan.
On July 31, 2026, the Michigan Supreme Court issued a 4–3 decision overturning its long-standing rulings in Smith v. Globe Life Insurance Co. and Liss v. Lewiston-Richards, Inc. For decades, those two decisions had been read to exempt broad categories of licensed businesses from the Michigan Consumer Protection Act — effectively insulating deceptive conduct and price gouging from MCPA liability whenever the business held a license or similar authorization from a state or federal agency, even where that agency had no practical tools to protect consumers.
Announcing the decision, Attorney General Dana Nessel said the MCPA had once been the envy of consumer protection efforts nationally, and that with those decisions off the books the State can claim that mantle again — noting that her Consumer Protection Team can now pursue matters it previously had to turn away, from price-gouged grocery staples to deceptive used car contracts to pharmaceutical pricing.
The practical effect is significant: claims that Michigan courts dismissed for the better part of thirty years are viable again, and Michigan consumers once more have access to some of the strongest consumer protection remedies in the country.
“Being named a Rising Star two years running is an honor, but the recognition that actually matters is the one that comes from a client who finally got answers after months of being ignored. Protecting Michigan consumers has always been the whole point of this practice — people should not have to accept being lied to, harassed, or overcharged simply because the company on the other end is bigger and better funded.
“What makes this year different is that the law finally caught up. For decades, Smith and Liss let businesses hide behind a license and treat the Michigan Consumer Protection Act as if it did not apply to them. The Supreme Court’s July 31 ruling closed that door. Michigan consumers once again have some of the strongest protections in the nation, and we intend to use them. I have never been more excited about the work ahead.”
— Joshua S. Goodrich, J.D., LL.M., Founder, Lighthouse Litigation PLLC
If you were misled, overcharged, or subjected to unfair practices by a licensed business in Michigan, a claim that would have been dismissed under the old rule may now be actionable. Consumers should:
Under the TCPA, consumers may be entitled to $500 to $4,250 per violation for unlawful robocalls and spam texts.
Headquartered in Kalamazoo and Lansing, Lighthouse Litigation PLLC provides strategic and aggressive representation in consumer protection, civil rights, privacy law, and complex litigation. The firm helps clients navigate complex legal systems with clarity, precision, and purpose.
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