Gratiot County Lawyers

Originally from northern Michigan, graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Pre-Law from Lake Superior State University. I then attended Michigan State University College of Law, where I graduated Cum Laude. While in law school, I became an editor for the prestigious MSU Law Review. My professional memberships have included the Michigan Association for Justice, the State Bar of Michigan, as well as the Young Trial Lawyers Association. In addition to being licensed to practice in all Michigan courts, I am also licensed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan and the United...

Raymond A. Harris is a shareholder with Buhl, Little, Lynwood & Harris, PLC in East Lansing, Michigan. He practices in the areas of estate planning, elder law, probate and trust administration and litigation, guardianships and conservatorships, special needs planning, and Medicaid planning. Raymond is licensed to practice in both Michigan and Florida. He is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and serves on the board of directors for the Michigan NAELA chapter. Raymond is a frequent speaker and author on topics relating to Medicaid planning, special needs planning, elder law, probate,...

Nicholas Leydorf is a graduate of Michigan State University and The Catholic University of America: Columbus School of Law. Nicholas has extensive experience in all types of criminal defense cases, including high profile criminal cases. He enjoys spending time with his family and has previously served the East Lansing Rotary Club as a board member.

I am Michael Cronkright, the owner and founder of Cronkright Law, PLLC. I represent parents, daycare workers, foster parents and other license holders against false allegations. Because of that, I practice criminal defense, family law, CPS defense and administrative law. I hold firmly to the belief that every parent, every criminal defendant and every person accused or suspected of misconduct deserves the best possible defense. Our legal system seems to be trending toward treating the accused poorly and lowering the quality of defense. Unfortunately, many clients are represented poorly by attorneys who don’t give them the time and...

Scot focuses on business law, real estate development, employment law, estate planning, probate, and commercial litigation. He received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan and his J.D., with cum laude honors, from the Notre Dame Law School. While at Notre Dame, Scot was an editor with the Journal of Legislation and clerked for the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan in Flint, MI, and the Michigan Supreme Court in Lansing, MI. After graduating from Notre Dame Law School, Scot clerked with the Michigan Court of Appeals in Grand Rapids, MI. In January of...

Robert Gavin is the Senior Associate at Shifman & Carlson, P.C. He has been practicing law since 2008, and was named a Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2015, 2018, and 2019. He was also listed by DBusiness Magazine as a Top Lawyer in the Metro Detroit Area for Public Finance Law in both 2014, 2017, and 2018.

Rob brings a wide variety of skills and a diverse background to bear for his clients, including his experience with contract negotiation, employee issues, construction issues. Rob's undergraduate degree is in engineering, which has also been useful to clients during construction issues and in...

Joshua Blanchard is a trial lawyer who holds a BBA in Accounting from Northwood University and a Juris Doctor from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. He operated a solo law practice representing clients in criminal trial matters throughout the state of Michigan. He has tried a number of jury trials to verdict and has obtained “not guilty” verdicts for his clients in both bench and jury trials. Mr. Blanchard is admitted to practice in Michigan state courts as well as in Federal Court for the Eastern and Western districts of Michigan. Mr. Blanchard represents people in need...

Licensed in 2014, Ravi Gurumurthy has been an associate at Grabel & Associates for several years. He has experience in the aggressive defense of those charged with criminal sexual conduct, violent crimes, theft and drug charges and juvenile offenses.

Lindsay Dangl is the Managing Shareholder of Murphy & Spagnuolo, P.C. Ms. Dangl has experience in the areas of family law, workers’ compensation, insurance defense litigation, municipal law, and civil litigation. Ms. Dangl obtained an AV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest peer rating standard, and has been designated by Super Lawyers for a high-degree of professional achievement. Ms. Dangl currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Ingham County Bar Association. She also a member of the Lansing Torch Club, Women Lawyers Association of Mid-Michigan, Michigan Defense Trial Counsel, and Junior League of Lansing. Ms. Dangl is a trial...

Caitlin Gillies has been with Murphy & Spagnuolo, P.C. since October 2023. Ms. Gillies has experience with a variety of legal issues, including municipal prosecution, workers’ compensation defense, and civil litigation. Ms. Gillies graduated cum laude from Olivet College before going on to graduate with her Juris Doctor from Ohio Northern University College of Law, where she served as a legal intern for the Lima Public Defender Clinic. Ms. Gillies is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, Women Lawyer’s Association, Federal Bar Association – Western District of Michigan Chapter, and the Ingham County Bar Association. Ms. Gillies worked...

George Sinas has represented seriously injured persons throughout Michigan for over 35 years. He is a past President of the Michigan Association for Justice and a former Chairperson of the State Bar Negligence Law Section. During his career, George has obtained a number of million-dollar-plus judgments and settlements for his clients and received numerous honors for his work in the field of personal injury law. In 2018, George received the Cline Schreier Award for Excellence from the State Bar of Michigan, Negligence Law Council as well as the Thomas E. Brennan Lifetime Achievement Award from the Ingham County Bar Association. In...

When it comes to winning driver’s license restoration cases, Ms. Mast knows that attention to detail and organization is critical. Success depends, in part, on having all the paperwork correctly filled out and submitted timely. Ms. Mast communicates with her clients every step to ensure they understand what is needed and how to prepare documents for the best chance of success. She will fight tirelessly and aggressively to ensure that her clients’ driver’s license privileges are restored. Ms. Mast prides herself on her history of winning driver’s license restoration cases and satisfactory outcomes in criminal cases for her clients. Born and...

Timothy Doman joined Grabel & Associates in 2016 after leaving his position as a Pre-Hearing Attorney with the Michigan Court of Appeals to follow his passion and interest in criminal law. He believes criminal law is fascinating and was eager to join Grabel & Associates due to our exclusive focus on criminal defense and criminal appeals. Tim Doman’s vast experience working at the Michigan Court of Appeals allows him to quickly and accurately research relevant issues to a client’s criminal defense or appeal and craft well written, comprehensive legal briefs, memos and arguments. His unique background working for both the...

Julie A. Gafkay graduated from Michigan State University in 1992 with a dual major in criminal justice and political theory. She graduated from Whittier Law School in 1995 with honors. Her first position was in Flint, Michigan focusing on civil rights and employment discrimination. In 2003, Attorney Gafkay opened her own statewide practice in Frankenmuth, Michigan. The practice's attorneys provide a general practice to the local area providing legal services in Wills, Trusts, Estate Planning, Elder Law, Business Planning, contract review, landlord/tenant issues, real estate, employment issues and other general practice areas. Attorney Gafkay has...

Sara MacGregor joined Grabel & Associates in 2015 with a passion for criminal defense. She was born in Arizona but raised in Michigan's Upper Peninsula where she has lived ever since. Sara is invaluable to Grabel & Associates for her relationships and experience with the courts in the U.P. She attended Manistique High School and graduated summa cum laude from Northern Michigan University with a degree in Pre-Law and a minor in Communications and Chemistry. Sara is a graduate of Thomas M. Cooley Law School and passed the bar in 2014.

Sara MacGregor is ready to defend those charged with criminal...

Rodney Hampton is a lawyer who takes cases concerning privacy, cybersecurity and anonymity on the internet.

Robert graduated from Western Michigan's Thomas M. Cooley Law School Cum Laude in 2016. He has devoted his practice to personal bankruptcy since then. We help people get control of their financial life with free case evaluations, free consultations, and easy payment plans.

All attorneys go to trial, but there are a select few who truly live for it. William McCririe is proud to be one of those few. He thoroughly enjoys preparing for trial: reading and connecting with jurors, selecting the right experts, crafting succinct and probing witness questions and taking any necessary steps to make clients comfortable with the process. It is not unusual to find Bill McCririe meeting with clients and their families evenings and weekends before and during trial; he fights like it’s his own life on the line. Bill McCririe served as a Livingston County prosecutor for over...

Tiffany L. DeBruin is an experienced Lansing criminal defense attorney who has represented clients on charges ranging from assault and domestic violence to minor traffic infractions. Each day she helps people who have wrongfully been accused of crimes or who have made a simple mistake. Tiffany strives to fight the charges her clients face and protect their rights.

A former prosecutor, Jennifer Weise brings over a decade of trial experience to Grabel & Associates. With experience working in two prosecutor’s offices, she is a seasoned trial attorney with knowledge in all areas of criminal defense. She has also prosecuted hundreds of Criminal Sexual Conduct cases which gives her the ability to fight for her current clients while anticipating the prosecution’s next move. Former prosecutors bring the ability to “think as the other side” to their client’s defense strategy, which is why Jennifer Weise is such an asset to Grabel & Associates. She excels at client communication, enjoys trial...

Michael Wooley has 23 years of experience in employment-based immigration and his practice focuses solely on immigration. Mike specializes in working with C-level corporate officers and general counsels to formulate long-term immigration plans and short-term solutions for U.S. and international companies. Mike regularly speaks on immigration topics to various professional organizations and enjoys training clients’ HR teams. His expertise encompasses non-immigrant and immigrant business visas, including PERM filings and National Interest Waivers. Mike has exceptional success defending USDOL PERM audits and interfacing with immigration-related federal agencies. He has successfully represented clients in immigration appeals and immigration court. He also assists...

Kevin has fought for the rights of Michigan's injured since 2000. For him, every case deserves his best effort, no matter how big or small. He joined the Sinas Dramis Law Firm Michigan personal injury team in 2017. Kevin prides himself in being available to his clients, for any matter. He's the first one in the office every day, and he's not intimidated by any task. Recognizing that all cases have their differences, Kevin makes it a priority to ensure his clients understand the legal system and their rights.

My practice is focused on Immigration Law. I represent clients seeking family-based petitions, asylum, special immigrant juvenile visas, naturalization, obtaining Provisional Waivers for Unlawful Presence, preparing documents for consulate interviews, removal proceedings, and the appellate process. I have represented clients in Immigration Court, the Board of Immigration Appeals, and the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.

My practice is focused on business and estate planning. I regularly counsel business clients on operations and legal concerns, including drafting, reviewing, and advising on contractual matters, such as employment, buy-sell, and other corporate related documents. I place a strong emphasis on counseling my clients on risk management strategies ensuring their interests are met. Frequently, I speak to other professionals and professional groups, assisted living centers, hospitals, and government agencies across Michigan on various business, estate planning, and health related topics.

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.

Rebecca L. Johnson-Ellis , a partner in the firm, has been an attorney for the past 14 years and us board certified in Consumer Bankruptcy Law from the American Board of Certification. Rebecca received both her law school degree and her undergraduate degree from Michigan State University. Rebecca is admitted to practice in the courts of Michigan, the Western District of Michigan Federal Courts and the U.S. Supreme Court. Rebecca has been recognized by her peers in the Michigan Super Lawyers Magazine as a Rising Star several years in a row. Rebecca has helped thousands of individuals through the...

I founded my own firm in 2022 following admittance into the State Bar of Michigan. I graduated from Ferris State University and Western Michigan's Cooley Law School. I have always been passionate about helping others in their time of need, so I chose estate planning as my profession. I am committed to helping clients navigate planning for the future and the uncertainty it brings. Before law school, I was an elder law and estate planning paralegal for over 10 years. My passion for that area of law drove me to become an estate planner to assist clients with all their...

Melissa K. Allen has served the Greater Lansing area since 1995, offering compassionate and professional estate planning services. A University of Michigan and then Thomas M. Cooley Law School graduate, she earned multiple honors, including Cum Laude distinction and top 7% of her class. Ms. Allen has been recognized with the "People's Choice Award for Favorite Attorney" seven times and frequently speaks on estate planning. Her approachable manner and expertise simplify complex issues, such as second marriages and beneficiaries with disabilities, making the process easy and rewarding for her clients.

Eric Steinberg graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor in Business Administration in 2001. After graduating, he worked as a financial consultant in Chicago. Not satisfied with spending his days in the financial field, Eric turned to the law. He attended the Chicago-Kent College of Law and earned a law degree in 2006. While receiving his legal education, Eric worked in the employment discrimination law clinic at Chicago-Kent, helping victims of discrimination receive just compensation and peace of mind. Eric joined the Law Offices of Lee B. Steinberg, P.C. full time in 2006. As a member of the Michigan...

I graduated from the Detroit College of Law (MSU) in 1990 and was licensed by the State Bar of Michigan that same year. I graduated with honors with a concentration in taxation and was a published author in the nationally esteemed Detroit College Law Review. My practice is devoted exclusively to asset protection, consumer bankruptcy and student loan assistance. My unique approach to clients enables them to actively participate in the process so that you are completely involved in the process and understand exactly what your options are and what option is best for you and your family. ...

Originally a teacher, W. Jay Brown became a lawyer in 1998 and has been in practice in the Great Lakes Bay Region ever since. Mr. Brown graduated first in his law school class and joined Midland’s largest law firm as a litigation associate. While with the firm, Mr. Brown embarked on his litigation career and was soon promoted to member of the firm. In 2009, W. Jay Brown left the law firm to start his own practice based on his vision for the practice of law – where technology and innovation are leveraged to provide clients superior customer and...

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...

Frank Hathaway studied at the University of Detroit-Mercy graduating with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. He studied law at Michigan State University College of Law graduating with the degree of Juris Doctor, Cum Laude. Mr. Hathaway is admitted to practice in all Michigan Courts, the United States Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan, and the United States Bankruptcy Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan. He is an active member in good standing with the State Bar of Michigan, a former member of its Representative Assembly, a member of the Criminal Law...

George Zulakis has successfully represented clients in criminal and juvenile matters for over 30 years. He is a recognized leader in the field of criminal defense and has been nominated by his peers for Lead Counsel Rating in state felonies and misdemeanors and for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America (DUI subspecialty, 2009-2016). Mr. Zulakis has experience in many areas of criminal defense, including DUI/drunk driving, domestic violence, assault, breaking and entering, drug crimes, sex crimes, juvenile delinquency, embezzlement, fraud, shoplifting, MIP/minor in possession, and traffic offenses. For more details on Mr. Zulakis's extensive legal experience, honors, and...

I reside in Frankenmuth, Michigan, and practice in my Frankenmuth office. I specialize in Elder Law, Estate Planning, Probate and Estate Administration, Business Organizations, Real Estate Law, and I am VA certified. I am a frequent speaker and seminar presenter on estate planning and elder law. My practice in the field of elder law covers Medicaid qualification, estate planning, Guardianship, Conservatorships, and Veterans benefits. I am a member of the Frankenmuth Morning Rotary. I am an active member and have served on the Board of Directors for the Northeastern Michigan Estate Planning Council and the Covenant Health Care Foundation....

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.

Laura Breckenridge has been practicing bankruptcy law since 2003 and has helped hundreds of people in Michigan get financial help and freedom from overwhelming high interest and debt. She has focused her practice on solely bankruptcy law and has developed one of the top bankruptcy firms in the area. She maintains and excellent reputation in the community for her knowledge of the law and her professionalism. Breckenridge & Davis cares about their clients: "our goal is to make sure that our clients get personalized attention and have access to their attorney whenever they need it for any...