900 Monroe Ave NW
Grand Rapids, 49503
United States
Office Phone: 616-632-8029
Member since 2009
Membership Type: IACP
Profession(s)
Lawyer
Area(s) of Practice: Collaborative Law, Family Law, Mediation, Other, Tax Law
License(s): State Bar of Michigan, 1985;
~U.S. District Court Eastern District of Michigan, 1991;
~U.S. District Court Western District of Michigan, 1985;
~U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit, 1985;
~U.S. Tax Court, 1994;
~U.S. Supreme Court, 1995
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Professional Activities
Professional Associations and Memberships:
~Grand Rapids Bar Association, ADR Section Executive Committee and Former Chair;
~Grand Rapids Bar Association, Litigation Section member and Former Chair;
~State Bar of Michigan, Family Law Section member;
~State Bar of Michigan, ADR Section member;
~National Association of Women Lawyers member and past President, 2001-2002;
~Women Lawyers Association of Michigan member and past President, 1994-1995;
~Kent County Circuit Court ADR Oversight Committee former member;
~ICLE Family Law Advisory Board member;
~ICLE Litigation Advisory Board former member
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~Honors and Awards:
~Selected for listing in Michigan Super Lawyers Magazine;
~2009 recipient of Michael S. Barnes Award for outstanding pro bono service
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Comments
In my role as attorney in litigated divorce cases, I consistently seek to provide information to my clients so they can make decisions for themselves, seeking judicially imposed decisions only when a negotiated resolution is not reasonably possible. I beleive that use of the collaborative practice model will expand the likelihoood that the people with the most knowledge about the family are making decisions for the family, reducing teh time and expense, as well as the level of conflict and disruption, for all invovled.