East Jordan Lawyers

Michael Horowitz is a trial and appellate lawyer in Northern Michigan. He is licensed in Michigan, Alaska, and New York. He primarily practices criminal defense.

Matthew Sakkas graduated from Clark University (magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa) in 1988. While an undergraduate he completed a General Course of Study at the London School of Economics from 1986 to 1987. He graduated from Vanderbilt University Law School in 1991 and passed the New York State Bar exam the same year. He was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1992. He is also admitted to practice law in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, the Eastern District of New York and the Second Circuit of Court Appeals.

Mr. Sakkas began...

Jonathon N. Fazzola represents clients in catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases across the country. Mr. Fazzola has extensive experience representing victims of fraternity hazing, school shootings, sexual assault, and other violent crimes. In March 2023, Mr. Fazzola, serving as lead counsel in the wrongful death lawsuit for Stephen and Rae Ann Gruver, was able to secure a $6.1 million verdict, which is one of the largest ever recorded in Louisiana for the wrongful death of a child. This lawsuit was filed on behalf of Max Gruver, who died in 2017 after being subjected to hazing by members of the Phi...

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...

Active in the practice of Admiralty and Maritime Law throughout the Great Lakes and Great Rivers Region of the United States, including marine related criminal offenses. Representing marine insurance interests, recreational boaters, ferry operators, marine surveyors, salvors, marine construction, charter boat operators, ferry operations, and marinas. Affiliated with: GREAT LAKES DISPUTE RESOLUTION, LLC www.GLDR.us , a mediation and arbitration service dedicated to marine and maritime interests.

I specifically practice in the fields of criminal law, property law, civil litigation, personal injury, collections and construction law, including construction liens and foreclosures. In my practice I believe that an attorney has to be overly prepared and be ready to go to trial in order to adequately represent their clients. This includes extensive legal research and investigation into all legal theories and defenses. In addition to being admitted to practice law in Michigan, I am also admitted to practice law in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and the US District Court for the Western...

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...

LAUREN K. PFEIL graduated with a Bachelors of Arts with highest honors from The University of Texas at Austin and received her law degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law, where she specialized in family law. While in law school, Lauren received family and child law fellowships from both Loyola University Chicago School of Law and The University of Michigan School of Law. Her article “Recognizing Race as a Reality, Not a Barrier: The Problems within Colorblind Adoption Policy within a Race Conscious America” was published in the spring edition of The Children’s Legal Rights Journal. Upon graduation from...

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...

Dane Carey primarily represents businesses and individuals in litigation and legal disputes. Dane’s practice focuses on general civil litigation, commercial litigation, property litigation, shareholder and employment disputes, and real estate and water (riparian) law. He has significant experience in matters involving businesses, property, civil rights claims, and other complex civil matters. He represents clients throughout Michigan and in state and federal courts, as well as in the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and U.S. Supreme Court.

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...

Elizabeth graduated from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2020. While there, she was an Executive Article Editor for the Chicago-Kent Journal of Intellectual Property, interned in the legal departments of a national trade organization and Illinois’ top children’s hospital, and worked at law firms that focused on civil litigation and transportation law. Prior to law school Elizabeth earned degrees in Biochemistry and Biology from Ferris State University, where she participated in the biochemistry research lab and was president of the school’s chapter of the American Chemical Society. After graduating, Elizabeth relocated to Traverse City and began her career as judicial assistant...

Wm Paul Slough resides in Gaylord with his wife, son, and two daughters. Paul grew up on a fourth generation dairy farm in Ellsworth, Michigan and graduated from East Jordan High School. He attended North Central Michigan College in Petoskey before graduating from Michigan State University. Paul received his bachelors of science in Mathematics from the Lyman Briggs School of Science, and later his law degree at Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Paul has worked as a law clerk for the 46th Circuit Trial Court in Gaylord. He has been has been in private practice since the...

Practice Areas: Immigration Law, Social Security Disability, Family Law, Estate Planning Admissions: Michigan, 2004 U.S. District Court, Eastern District, 2005 U.S. District Court, Western District, 2005 Law School: Wayne State University, J.D., 2004 Utrecht University, The Netherlands, exchange student, 2003 College: Eastern Michigan University, B.A., cum laude, 1998 La Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, México, exchange student, 1998

Mr. Geht is an attorney with extensive public and private sector experience. After clerking for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, Mr. Geht joined a top law firm in Washington, D.C., where his practice included accountant malpractice litigation, environmental litigation, and labor and employment law. Until he moved to Traverse City in October of 2012, Mr. Geht served for five years as a Trial Attorney with the Tax Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. He received several awards from the Department of Justice and from the Internal Revenue Service for his...

Kevin Hirzel is the Managing Member of Hirzel Law, PLC. Hirzel Law has offices in Farmington and Traverse City and services clients throughout the State of Michigan. Mr. Hirzel focuses his practice on condominium law, homeowners association law, litigation and real estate law. He has received numerous recognitions on a local and national level for the high level of representation that he provides to clients. Mr. Hirzel is a fellow in the College of Community Association Lawyers, a prestigious designation given to less than 175 attorneys in the country. He was named a Leading Lawyer in Michigan in 2018,...

Paul Jarboe is an experienced and dedicated trial attorney with over 30 years of legal experience. Mr. Jarboe graduated from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 1982. Mr. Jarboe is a former prosecuting attorney, and has an extensive background in the areas of divorce, child custody, criminal defense and civil litigation, which includes State and Federal Criminal cases. Mr. Jarboe’s practice includes: Criminal Defense, Family Law, Personal Injury & Estate Planning.

As a partner at the firm Miller Embury, PLLC, Traverse City attorney Ryann S. Embury represents injury victims, businesses and those with assorted civil legal issues. Prior to the founding of his current practice, Attorney Embury served as a prosecutor and attorney at the firm of Jones, Skelton, & Hochuli in Phoenix. He is a graduate of the University of Calgary and the Michigan State University College of Law. For your consultation, please contact his firm today.

Janet M. Mistele, J.D. is a member of the State Bar of Michigan (1989), the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan (1991), and the North Carolina State Bar (2003). Ms. Mistele earned her Juris Doctor degree, Magna Cum Laude, from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School, where she was a member of the National Trial Team, and earned American Jurisprudence Awards for top honors in seven of her law school courses. Upon graduation from law school in 1989, Ms. Mistele accepted a position with the Michigan Court of Appeals in Lansing, Michigan as a Prehearing Attorney,...

Matt S. Motley practices all aspects of family law, advocating for the best possible outcome for clients. Matt is a proud Michigan native, Spartan, family man, and family law attorney. Matt is a distinguished Senior Attorney, whose unwavering dedication has secured successful outcomes for hundreds of family law clients. Matt holds a B.A. in Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy from Michigan State University’s James Madison College, with a Minor in Spanish and Business. He further solidified his legal acumen, graduating Cum Laude with a Juris Doctor from Michigan State University College of Law, and holds a Certificate in Domestic Relations Mediation. Before...

Learn more about Anna by visiting her firm's website: https://fiorventolaw.wordpress.com/about/

James A. Christopherson, Esq. is an arbitrator, mediator and practicing attorney. He has over 28 years of experience as an attorney, arbitrator and mediator in complex construction, real estate, healthcare, commercial, contractual, financial and environmental disputes. He is available to provide legal assistance in commercial, healthcare, real estate, construction and environmental disputes throughout the State of Michigan. He is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. Mr. Christopherson is on the National Roster of Neutral Arbitrators for both Commercial Arbitration and Construction Arbitration for the American Arbitration Association. He is an Arbitrator for the...

Over the past 29 years, Ray Gregory has represented thousands of clients in family, employment, business, contract, criminal, and probate litigation in state and federal courts.

Todd Bailey is a general practitioner who represents individuals and businesses with their legal needs. While Todd is physically located in Traverse City, he has clients in other areas of Northern Michigan, the State of Michigan, and other states in the country who have legal needs in Michigan. In addition, Todd's practice in Maritime law may also involve his involvement in federal courts throughout the country. Todd is able to represent clients who are located outside the Traverse City area due to his availability by telephone, fax, mail, and email.

Jennifer Duitsman Coy graduated from Iowa State University with a bachelor’s degree in political science, and received her law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. She has been practicing law since early 2011. Her practice areas include estate planning, probate, real estate, and family law. Jennifer is also a trained mediator and volunteers with the 46th Circuit’s Legal Aid Divorce Clinic.

Elena A. Lentz is a proud Michigan native, a fierce advocate for her clients, and dedicated family law attorney. Elena is the oldest of five siblings, which gives her a unique perspective on family law issues. She graduated from Michigan State University in 2017, where she participated in the Honors College, Political Science Scholars, and Political Science Advisory Committee. During her tenure at MSU, she completed internships at the Senate Majority Policy Office, Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, and the 6th District Congressional Office. Elena went on to attend Indiana University Maurer School of Law in Bloomington, where...