Sears Family Lawyers

- Act as general counsel/legal adviser to a variety of service and manufacturing businesses, including M&A, supply agreements, real estate leases and purchase agreements, employment policies/handbooks, contracts, financing documentation, terms and conditions, privacy notices, and compliance/governance documents.
- Represent businesses in complex commercial litigation, such as inter business disputes, contract disputes, shareholder/member conflicts, and employment matters.
- Aggressively assist individuals in contract disputes, real estate transactions/disputes, high conflict divorce matters and sales representative litigation.
- Very experienced in all forms of ADR, including Collaborative Divorce.
- Handle all matters with honesty, integrity and discretion.

I pride myself in communicating well with clients and always keeping their familes' best interests in mind.

Lea Ann Sterling has been a member of the Michigan Bar since 1998. Admitted to the bar in Ohio in 1981, Mrs. Sterling practiced law in Columbus. In 1997, she began a sabbatical to write, travel, and relocate from Ohio to Michigan. Her first book, Historic Homes of Olde Towne, was released in 1999 and won the Ohio Historical Society’s Public Education and Awareness Award. Historic Cottages of Mackinac Island, released in 2001, was listed on the Michigan Governor’s List of Best Books of 2001. In March 1999, Mrs. Sterling was appointed Village of Empire Zoning Administrator where she was...

The Kregelka Law Firm, PLLC in East Lansing, is a general-practice law firm focusing on criminal defense, police civil liability, family law, estate planning, personal injury, and helping victims of stalking. The owner and managing member, Garry Kregelka, is a former Michigan State Police trooper, undercover officer, detective sergeant, and post commander at Gladstone and Ypsilanti. He also served as chief of police in Beloit, WI and as the Meridian Township (Michigan) Prosecutor. He is currently a licensed private detective and an adjunct professor at Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Garry received his J.D. from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in...

My practice is focused on family law and estate planning. I assist clients with various matters such as divorce, child custody, child support, paternity, prenuptial agreements, civil litigation, preparing trusts, and wills. I have worked on hundreds of family law cases with excellent results for my clients.

I live in the world of ideas and strategic planning. I value intelligence, knowledge, and competence, I have high standards in these regards, which I continuously strive to fulfill. I can objectively see the reality of a situation, and I’m adaptable enough to change things which aren’t working well. I am a strategist – always scanning available ideas and concepts and weighing them against my current strategy, to plan for every credible contingency. I am ready to work for you.

Jacob A. Perrone has represented hundreds of clients throughout the State of Michigan. He has represented clients in cases including, but not limited to: class action litigation, high profile criminal trials, complex civil litigation, international business transactions, and contentious divorce and child custody proceedings. His reputation for being an aggressive attorney is supported by the results he has achieved for his clients. He was an associate of the Ambrose Law Group in the Detroit area before forming Perrone Law, P.C. in December 2009. Ambrose focused on Criminal Defense, Bankruptcy, Civil Litigation, and Family Law. He uses the principles of psychodrama...

Renee founded WN Law in 2011 in order to provide individuals with quality, affordable legal representation. Renee focuses her practice on both criminal law and family law. In her years of practice, Renee has gained extensive knowledge on how to most effectively represent her clients in order to provide the best possible outcome.

Renee has successfully represented individuals all over the State of Michigan. In her criminal practice, Renee has represented defendants facing everything from a civil infraction to a felony charge. Renee's experience includes crimes in the arena of drug crimes, theft and property crimes, juvenile crimes, violent crimes, sex...

Matthew Benedict is a Traverse City native. He worked for nine years with his father, Hon. Richard L. Benedict, serving clients from all of northern Michigan. Matthew Benedict is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Thomas Cooley Law School.

We opened our office in Manistee, Michigan in 1995 and have been providing excellent, affordable legal services ever since. We have experienced a variety of challenges that have assisted us in developing a law practice that is particularly suited for the needs and desires of Manistee residents and visitors. We offer free initial consultations for criminal matters and personal injury cases, we only charge $100 for initial consultations for all other matters. Admitted to Practice in the State of Michigan in 1995 and Little River Band of Ottawa Indians Tribal Court in 2004. If you...

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.

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.

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...

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.

Upon Graduation from Law School in 1997, Attorney Chefalo worked in Lansing Michigan for the 30 th Judicial Circuit Court as a law clerk for the Honorable Thomas L. Brown. While there, he researched complicated legal issues and drafted proposed opinions on all civil and criminal matter that came before the court. In 1999, Attorney Chefalo moved to Traverse City Michigan to work in private practice. When asked why he picked Traverse City, Attorney Chefalo stated: “if you are going to start a law office from scratch, you might as well do it in a beautiful place.” His goal...

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...

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...

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....

Ivan is a dedicated Divorce and Family Law attorney that works diligently to fight for fairness for Men and Fathers. He is proud of his affiliation with the American Divorce Association for Men (ADAM).

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.

Jon Tomaso has years of experience as an attorney, practicing in the areas of family law and criminal law. Along with his associates at Sterling Law and ADAM (American Divorce Association for Men), the attorneys seek for their clients dignity and fairness and for all they seek social justice in a biased system. Sterling Law attorneys care for their clients by totally dedicating themselves to their cases, by giving guidance and answering questions in a timely effective way, and by being well-prepared in court. They take their clients' cases to heart and pursue their goals with the talent and...

Jennifer Zeleznik is a devoted advocate, empathetic counselor, and experienced family law attorney who is passionate about guiding her clients through challenging transitions. A natural advocate with a strong desire to help others, Jennifer takes pride in helping people navigate the legal system and supporting them as they embark on new chapters in their lives. Originally from Burr Ridge, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, Jennifer always knew she wanted to become a lawyer, a dream she pursued with unwavering dedication. She moved to Michigan to attend law school and has made it her home ever since. Jennifer earned her Bachelor’s degree from...

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...

I have been practicing law for 25 years. My practice focuses on family law including divorce, custody, parenting time, asset division and support.

I am passionate about helping people with their family law problems. I help my clients with issues of divorce, child custody, parenting time, child support, and family abuse protection orders. As a parent myself, I understand how important these issues are to my clients. I view my job as a compassionate guide through a complex legal system that can be difficult for non-lawyers to navigate on their own. I try to resolve these issues as amicably as possible, although I have taken many cases to trial when it is necessary and appropriate to do so. I...

I am Erika S. Shadowens, a family law attorney with a strong reputation for my tenacious advocacy and strategic approach to litigation. As a partner at Varnum LLP, I have dedicated over 28 years to representing clients in complex divorce, child custody, and high-asset family law cases. Known for my unwavering dedication, I am a formidable presence in the courtroom, where I advocate relentlessly to protect my clients' rights and interests. My litigation experience covers all levels of the legal system, including the Michigan Supreme Court, where I have successfully argued challenging cases. Whether it's high-conflict custody disputes or intricate financial...

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...

Beth A. Striegle grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan. After graduating from West Catholic High School, she attended Ferris State University where she obtained an Associate’s Degree in Commercial Art. Prior to attending law school, she obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Calvin College where she graduated with honors. While attending Thomas Cooley Law School she raised two young boys. Beth completed her law school internship at the Sixty-Plus Elder Law Clinic. She considers the experience she gained while working for the clinic to be very valuable because it gave her a better understanding of the various issues...