Eben Junction Family Lawyers

Zach Backlund works in our Gaylord, Michigan branch office and has handled numerous family law, estate plan, and real estate cases over the past several years in many counties in northern Michigan. He previously practiced law in the Traverse City, Michigan area, working on a variety of cases involving both transactional and litigated matters. Before becoming an attorney, Zach Backlund worked as a landman (2014-2016), taught English as a second language (2006), and also served as an AmeriCorps Corps Member (2005-2007).

Sterling Law practices in the areas of Family Law, Immigration, Estate Planning, Probate, Civil Litigation, Real Estate, and Business...

Courtney grew up in Mid-Michigan and earned a bachelor’s degree in Sociology with a concentration in Criminal Justice from Central Michigan University, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude. She then attended Michigan State University College of Law, earning her Juris Doctor, graduating Magna Cum Laude. Following her education, Courtney was admitted to the State Bar of Michigan in October 2007 and began her legal career as a judicial law clerk for the Midland County Circuit Court. There, she assisted the judiciary by researching issues in many different areas of the law. After passing the Florida Bar Exam,...

Joe has been practicing law for over 20 years. He serves the greater Grand Rapids area and has worked with the majority of the courts in Kent and the surrounding counties. He is well known to other attorneys in the area and has a positive working relationship with court officers and law enforcement agencies.

Gail Towne has worked almost exclusively in the area of family law for over thirteen years throughout the state of Michigan. She is now a partner with the Kalamazoo law firm of Lennon, Miller, O'Connor & Bartosiewicz, PLC where she commits her practice to helping individuals and families traverse through the family courts or facilitate private settlements related to family law issues. Specifically, Gail's practice focuses on domestic relations law including divorce, paternity, child custody, child support, and other family law matters. She is an experienced litigator, but also committed to alternative dispute resolution, particularly collaborative law,...

Shawn Coppins is an aggressive litigation attorney and is one of the firm’s founding partners. Mr. Coppins was born and raised in the Metro-Detroit area. Prior to establishing Coppins Law Group, he was a litigation attorney at one of Michigan‘s largest law firms. Mr. Coppins also worked as a litigation attorney with one of Michigan's most well renowned Civil Rights Firms. Since his admission to the State Bar of Michigan, Shawn Coppins has represented clients in both State and Federal Court. Although many seem quick to criticize trial attorneys, their criticism ends when they find themselves...

Ashley graduated from Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 2019, and went on to pass the bar as a first-time test taker. Ashley has a strong passion for Family and Criminal law and began her legal career as an intern at the Genesee County Courthouse in the Criminal/Civil Division, before moving on to become a Judicial Law Clerk for the Family Division – after which she entered practice and went on to establish Birka Law PLLC.

Practicing law has been a long-term goal for me ever since participating in a mock trial exercise in middle school. With that goal in mind, I pursued a degree in political science at Grand Valley State University with the intent of going to law school immediately following my undergraduate studies. I graduated cum laude from Michigan State University College of Law and joined the team at Kraayeveld Law.

I have always had a passion for working with kids. Throughout my time in college and law school, I worked as a high school marching band instructor and as a recreational gymnastics coach....

Ms. Breen specializes in family law which includes divorce, child custody disputes, child support, spousal support, and prenuptial agreements. She also prepares estate plans which includes the preparation of trusts, wills, powers of attorneys for finance and medical care, and setting up guardianships/conservatorships. Ms. Breen has litigated hundreds of cases and has the experience to represent her clients in court.

Ray's practice is mainly involved with divorce, custody, alimony and collections. Raymond Pater was born in the Netherlands and is one of eight children. After his family immigrated to the United States, and although of modest means, six of his siblings attended college and two went on to obtain PhDs, later becoming college professors. An older sister never attended high school, but was admitted to college because of a nearly illegible transcript and ironically went on to become a high school teacher. While attending grade school and high school, Ray worked in the family business selling eggs and chickens...

Christopher has lived in Grand Rapids since 1st grade, He graduated from City High School, and then moved on to Grand Valley State University, where he met his wife, Devon. After receiving his Bachelor's in English and Political Science, Christopher moved on to complete his legal education at Thomas M. cooley Law School, and was admitted to the bar in 2011. His practice at The Grand Rapids Law Group handles criminal defense, divorce & child custody, business law, drunk driving defense, social security & disability, and other legal matters.

My practice focuses on criminal defense including misdemeanors and felonies in both the trial and appellant courts. He has a strong interest in complex constitutional law issues and their applicability in the criminal justice system. I am an active member of the Michigan Appellate Assigned Counsel System commonly known as the MAACS; an organization responsibly for nearly 84% of all assigned criminal appeals cases in Michigan. My practice also includes a strong emphasis in family and estate law including: parent’s rights, divorce litigation, custody, parenting time, child support, guardianships, estate planning, probate litigation and juvenile matters. I...

As a former prosecutor of twelve years, I know all there is to know about how to defend a case and win! I have litigated thousands of cases and I know what it takes for successful representation.

Blake Lipman has been a practicing attorney in Michigan since 1995. He worked as a real estate lawyer for a number of title companies for approximately 5 years. He is a graduate of Wayne State University Business School and Wayne State University Law School. Mr. Lipman practices in the greater tri-county area, which includes Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Livingston, Washtenaw, and Monroe counties. Mr. Lipman has a reputation as a tough, fair, and experienced litigator.

Eden J. Allyn is an ardent advocate for her clients. Practicing since 1996, Ms. Allyn has dedicated herself to helping her clients by staying abreast of the latest issues and developments in the law. She has furthered her education in the family law arena by earning a Certificate of Completion of the Family Law Certificate program through the Michigan Institute of Continuing Legal Education, by obtaining a collaborative law certificate and by training and working as a domestic family law mediator and attorney. Ms. Allyn has zealously represented clients in all levels of courts in Michigan, including appellate actions at...

Matt Vititoe has been practicing law in Monroe County and Southeastern Michigan since 2008. Matt graduated from Airport High School in 1990. He completed his undergraduate degree at the Eastern Michigan University in 2000. He graduated from Wayne State University Law School in 2005. Matt is a veteran, who served in the U.S. Navy during the first Persian Gulf War.

Matt Vititoe serves as the Chair of the Monroe County Democratic Party in Monroe, Michigan. He is the president of the Civil Service Commission for the City of Monroe. He is a member of the Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan, National...

Rebecca Fadel King practices exclusively in the area of family law, including divorce, custody, parenting time, child support, spousal support, and change of domicile. Her practice is centered in Oakland and Wayne Counties, but she represents clients throughout Southeastern Michigan. Rebecca prides herself on offering a full complement of divorce options to her client. Many clients seeking divorce know only of the option of litigating a case through the courts. Rebecca is trained in collaborative divorce and domestic relations mediation. She believes in helping clients to choose the divorce option that is best for them and their families, and in...

Attorney licensed to practice law in Michigan (1987), Ohio (1988), Illinois (1988) and District of Columbia (1989). Legal experience includes litigation and transactions in business, real estate, collections, personal injury, insurance, probate, family and criminal law. Former adjunct professor taught graduate and undergraduate level courses in business management and ethics at Wayne State University located in Detroit, Michigan.

Michigan Licensed Attorney since 1990. Michigan Licensed in Real Estate since 1992, Licensed Broker since 2002. Member State Bar of Michigan, Washtenaw County Bar Association. Real Estate Law Section Co-Chair, WCBA, 2011-2012. Member National Association of Realtors, Michigan Association of Realtors, Ann Arbor Area Board of Realtors, Realtor.com. Member, Real Estate, Probate and Estate Planning, and Family Practice sections of the Washtenaw County Bar Association. Member Women Lawyers of Michigan. Member Washtenaw Estate Planning Council. Member Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti Area Chamber of Commerce.

I am proud to represent clients in whatever family law issue they may be facing, whether it be a divorce, a paternity case, a custody or parenting time dispute, a child or spousal support issue, or enforcement or modification of a previous court order. I limit my practice exclusively to family law because family law cases are important to the people involved in a way that no other kind of cases are. It is very rewarding to represent clients who are dealing with issues that really matter - not just to them, but to those who depend on...

Sabrina Cronin is the Founder and President of The Cronin Law Firm. Following Sabrina’s lead, the breadth and depth of knowledge at The Cronin Law Firm is quite expansive. She and her team handle family law, business law, criminal defense, estate planning, entertainment law, personal injury, real estate, bankruptcy, civil litigation, employment law and immigration. In more than two decades as an attorney, Sabrina has fed her curiosity and challenged herself to become intimately involved in multiple areas of the law. Her professional experience is distinctive and varied. She began as an associate attorney for Sullivan, Ward, Bone, Tyler,...

Practicing since 1976 serving businesses, professionals and individuals in all aspects of the law. Decades of experience in all aspects of the law and life generally with the philosophy that the goal is swift and economical dispute resolution, by an agreement if possible and through litigation if necessary.

I do not view my career choice as a job… I view it as my calling. I started my legal career late in life which afforded me the added benefit of age and experience. I began practicing law as a Domestic Violence Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in Wayne County, Michigan. There I was responsible for preparing and prosecuting all of the Domestic Violence crimes committed in Detroit, Michigan. I personally handled more than 500 files of Domestic Assaults each month. The cases predictably arose out of domestic disagreements between spouses, single co-parents and domestic partners. From my exposure to hundreds...

In order to best serve my clients, my standard is to work diligently in order to help individuals whom find themselves in difficult situations. Many individuals find themselves scared and uncertain of what to expect. As such, I stive to put myself in that client's shoes. I realize that the type of law I practice can be difficult, but it is important to provide my clients with nothing short of the best results. I take my job very seriously and am prideful in being honest and hard working.

Metro Detroit Divorce Attorney Simone R. Sprague grew up in Macomb County, Michigan, where she lived with her parents, grandfather, and three younger siblings. Growing up in her grandfather’s home gave Simone a true appreciation of what it means to be “family,” as she was often surrounded by Aunties, Uncles, and multitudes of cousins (think My Big Fat Greek Wedding). She credits her passion for helping people to these experiences, and to her mother who never turns down a person in need. Simone received her Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the Lee Honors College at Western Michigan University, where she played...

I know that each family dynamic is unique, so I work side-by- side with clients to navigate challenging family law matters or the confusion of probate or trust settlement following the death of a loved one. As for my qualifications, I have a Bachelor of Arts degree from Western Michigan University where I double majored in both Public Law and Journalism. I went on to get a law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School where I was a Dean's List student with an academic scholarship award, a member of the school's Access to Justice Clinic, and a founding board member...

I am a graduate of the Michigan Law School, JD '83 and the U of M business school, BBA '80. Best thing I got in Ann Arbor was my bride Rachel. We married in '84 and have raised 4 now adult children together. My father was a lawyer and we moved to Boyne City in 1961 from Detroit. I am a member of the Walloon Lake Community Church and have served there as board chairman since 1998. I coached baseball, softball and basketball for many years mostly so I could hang...

Shelley Kester is an award-winning attorney, a community leader, a dynamic communicator and a caring individual. She is Chair of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan. Her practice includes nearly all aspects of family law, including divorce law and child custody. She was among the first in Northern Michigan to complete the Family Law Certificate Program through the Institute of Continuing Education and the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan. She is President of wilson Kester, the Empowered Divorce Source. A frequent contributor to the Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Ms. Kester is...

T.J. was born and raised in Central Michigan, where he lives with his wife and three children. He is a proud Michigander, who was raised in a blue collar family and taught from the beginning the importance of hard work and giving back to the community. T.J. is a life member of the VFW, Military Order of Purple Heart and sits on the board of directors of a local non-profit organization. Shortly after graduating high school, T.J. enlisted in the Army where he would serve for nearly 11 years, retiring as a Staff Sergeant. Some of the more notable highlights...

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