Photo of Laura C. Baucus

Laura Baucus is a results-oriented litigator and business attorney with experience delivering consistent results to clients in the automotive, aerospace, manufacturing and financial services industries. Ms. Baucus has worked both as outside counsel and as seconded in-house counsel. She is the Director of Dykema’s 140+ attorney Automotive Industry Group, the immediate past Leader of the firm’s Financial Services Litigation Practice, a Leader in Dykema’s COVID-19 Task-Force, the originator of the firm’s Supply Chain Group, the Manager of a firm OEM client-service team, and the immediate past Manager of the firm’s largest Michigan office.

Ms. Baucus regularly counsels clients on force majeure and related contract performance options. Her litigation practice focuses on procurement and supply chain, recalls, warranty and cost recovery, contract termination, tooling recovery, Uniform Commercial Code issues, and financial services.  Her contract practice includes negotiating and drafting supply contracts and other commercial agreements for automotive and other manufacturing companies, including terms and conditions. Ms. Baucus also manages national portfolios of lawsuits for some of the nation’s largest residential mortgage servicers.

Legal departments today are navigating an increasingly varied set of challenges, often at the intersection of law, technology, business, and risk. This year’s Summit will take on four timely areas: crisis management, connected vehicles, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, and high-exposure litigation.

Serious Insight. Genuine Fun. Each has long been part of what defines the Summit.

Sustained growth often comes from making the right acquisition at the right time.

Our latest Mergers & Acquisitions Outlook Survey found that 62% of respondents expect M&A activity across the automotive, transportation and mobility sectors to increase over the next year. While economic uncertainty continues to influence dealmaking, companies remain focused on acquisitions that expand

Cybersecurity and data privacy continue to rank among the most significant challenges facing the automotive industry in 2026 and will be among the topics explored at the Dykema Drives: Automotive Legal Summit on August 20. Drawing on insights from Dykema’s 2026 Automotive Trends Report, the Summit will examine the evolving legal, regulatory, and operational risks shaping today’s automotive landscape. Register now.

Continue Reading 2026 Automotive Trends Report: Cybersecurity and Data Privacy

Dykema’s 4th Annual Automotive Legal Summit is moving to Thursday, August 20, 2026, at M1 Concourse.

This year’s Summit brings together in-house legal counsel and corporate professionals across the automotive, transportation, and mobility industries for a program centered on crisis management, AV regulation, supply chain disruption, high-exposure litigation risks, and more.  

What Attendees Can Expect

Continue Reading New Date. Same Momentum. Dykema’s Automotive Legal Summit Moves to August 20

Geopolitical tensions emerged as one of the fastest-growing supply-chain concerns in this year’s report, jumping 23 percentage points from last year to 52% among respondents. Combined with ongoing concerns surrounding semiconductor and critical mineral availability (30%), the findings reflect how trade policy, resource access, and supply continuity have become increasingly interconnected across the automotive industry.

Continue Reading 2026 Automotive Trends Report: Supply Chain

Spring brings renewed momentum for the automotive industry as companies respond to shifting market conditions, regulatory changes, and continued innovation. In this Spring Edition of At the Wheel: An Automotive Roundup, Dykema’s Automotive, Mobility & Transportation (AMT) Group highlights recent thought leadership and looks ahead to upcoming events, including our signature Automotive Summit in August.

Continue Reading At the Wheel: Spring Edition

Dykema’s automotive work began with repossessing cars. Today, we’re helping clients navigate the legal challenges of vehicles that can drive themselves. Over the past 100 years, our work has evolved alongside the industry, from regulatory shifts and product liability to the rise of connected and autonomous technology. As the industry changed, we changed with it.

A new year brings fresh questions and new considerations for the automotive industry. It also marks a milestone for Dykema, as we celebrate our centennial this year. As we look toward the future, this Winter Edition of At the Wheel: An Automotive Roundup offers a sneak peek at our Automotive Legal Trends Survey with results evolving as the survey closes later this month and a preview of what’s ahead.

Continue Reading At the Wheel: Winter Edition