Saint Joseph County Lawyers

Patrick Derkacz grew up in Warren, Michigan where he attended public school. He graduated from Warren Mott High school in 1984 where he played football. He then went to Eastern Michigan University where he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry in 1988. After graduation he worked as an analytical chemist for the Parke-Davis Pharmaceutical Research Division in Ann Arbor, Michigan for several years.

Mr. Derkacz went back to law school at the Detroit College of Law (now Michigan State University Law School) in 1990. He graduated from DCL with Honors in 1993. While in Law School he participated in the...

Phil was admitted to practice law in 1991 and he is now in his 28th year as an attorney. Phil is one of the founding partners of Serafini, Michalowski, Derkacz and Associates, P.C. and he focuses his practice in the areas of personal injury, automobile accident claims, no-fault claims also known as personal injury protection benefits, third party automobile negligence claims, slip and fall injuries, motorcycle injuries, trucking accidents and general civil litigation. Phil grew up in St. Clair Shores and Royal Oak and he has been fortunate to return to Macomb County to practice law.

From 1995 to present, Phil...

I have a small practice centered on clients who know the value of individual service and competent legal counsel. I avoid the hype of mass marketing and focus my time and energy on clients looking for honest advice and assistance with their legal problems. The phone consultation is free because I want to make sure I am the right lawyer for your problem and want you to feel the same way.

My firm represents people accused of crimes, traffic offenses, felonies, misdemeanors, assaultive crimes, drug crimes and financial charges (embezzlement, theft, larceny, conversion, etc.). I have tried many...

Mr. Serra concentrates his practice on tirelessly representing the needs of Michigan businesses and business owners. Reese Serra has counseled businesses ranging from a wide variety of industries with an expertise in representing technology clients of all sizes.
As a civil litigator, Mr. Serra has procured victories for his clients at all levels of State and Federal courts, including numerous successful appeals.

Mr. Serra focuses his practice in the areas of real estate matters, business and financial transactions, including: mergers, acquisitions and reorganizations of business entities; complex commercial and real estate lending and restructuring transactions; international business transactions; real estate sale...

Attorney John Little is an accomplished attorney and the founder of Little & Boylan PLLC. He practices in a variety of areas including criminal defense, business law, and real estate law. Mr. Little is a member of the American Bar Association, the Oakland County Bar Association, and the Incorporated Society of Irish American Lawyers. He earned his J.D. from Wayne State University in 2001 and is admitted to practice in Michigan and the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan. When representing clients, Mr. Little is dedicated to developing winning strategies and achieving positive results.

Thomas Hensel founded Hensel Law Office, PLLC, because he wanted to bring a different approach to the typically impersonal process of bankruptcy counsel in Michigan. He chose to work as a solo practitioner, directly handling every stage of his clients' cases instead of passing them off to other associate attorneys, paralegals, or secretaries. Today, Attorney Hensel serves debtors throughout Michigan, including Sterling Heights, Warren and surrounding areas.

Attorney Erika A. Riggs graduated from Wayne State University where she earned her bachelor’s and law degree. During law school, Erika devoted her free time to public service, education and mentorship. She co-founded a non-profit, The 313 Project, providing scholarships for at-risk youth, pro-bono legal advice as well as volunteer work in Detroit. She also served as a senior note and comment editor of the Wayne Law Review, property law teaching assistant, and small claims court mediator.

Since receiving her law degree, Mrs. Riggs has strictly specialized in assisting the disabled before the Social Security Administration and the VA. Erika can...

Many individuals hesitate to create an estate plan, as they believe it isn’t necessary until they grow older. This, however, isn’t true; anyone over 18 should have an estate plan in place, just in case something happens to them. Conversations around estate planning can be emotionally difficult, but are no less necessary. That’s why I’ve committed myself to help families and individuals create solid estate plans that will help preserve their assets and protect those they love. My goal is to provide you with a comprehensive, affordable estate planning service that’s presented in an easy-to-understand fashion. I am a compassionate...

John Fernandez is a lawyer with a difference, having over 28 years of practice as a member of the Michigan/Great Lakes Regional bar and invaluable experience as a litigator for people with disabilities, including Social Security Title II and Title XVI claims, Workers Compensation Claims, and Special Education/School Law Claims under IDEA. winning over 1000+ cases at federal and state hearings. Mr. Fernandez advocates legal equality as fundamental to the principle of the law. Mr. Fernandez received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and his law degree from Suffolk University Law School in Boston. Upon returning to...

Adrienne Brown graduated from Cleveland State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. While there she was actively involved in community outreach by volunteering throughout the city of Cleveland. She then earned her Juris Doctor from Western Michigan University-Thomas M. Cooley Law School, where she oftentimes was recognized on the Dean’s List. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering, reading, shopping, event planning and traveling to new places. She is also a die-hard basketball fan.

Over three decades ago, Douglas E. Fierberg expanded his commercial trial practice in Washington D.C. to establish the only national legal practice focused on representing school violence victims and survivors nationwide. The work began on behalf of a high school student who survived brutal sexual assaults in Washington, D.C. by two assailants, and a college student hospitalized after being hazed at Omega Psi Phi Fraternity at the University of Maryland. From there, the practice went to Texas on behalf of 4 college students killed outside a fraternity house whose chapter president ignored a direct warning from the police the night...

Attorney at The Mike Morse Law Firm.

Education: 1974 graduate of Bloomfield Hills Andover, the University of Michigan, B.A. 1979, and the Detroit College of Law, J.D, 1986. Experience: Prior to beginning my practice I was an intern to the late former Congressmen James G. O’Hara and James J. Blanchard, who later became governor. I was also a judicial clerk to the late Hon. Richard D. Kuhn, Oakland County Circuit Court Judge and Research Intern for the Hon. Gene Schnelz, Oakland County Circuit Court Judge, retired. I was a hearing panelist chairman for the Attorney Discipline Board, a former Special Assistant Attorney General, and I have taught business law at...

Louis C. Szura practices in the area of health care law and business litigation. Mr. Szura focuses on advising and representing health care providers from all areas on the formation and operations of their businesses and in various types of litigation. He has experience with practice formation; contract negotiations; employment disputes; management contracts; noncompete agreements; insurance and network provider disputes; HIPAA; Stark; AKS; and other compliance and license issues. Mr. Szura has also represented numerous whistleblowers under the federal False Claims Act, Michigan Medicaid Act, and other similar statutes. He is an active council member of the State Bar of...

Peter is Great Lakes Law Firm, PLLC's managing member. He graduated, magna cum laude and in the top of his class, from W.M.U. Cooley Law School with a J.D. in Transactional Law. He also received the Distinguished Student Award in the term he graduated. And he completed a LL.M. (Masters of Law) in Tax Law there too. Previously, Peter received a M.B.A. in Business Management from Eastern Michigan University, and he received a Graduate Degree in Banking from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. And, following in a family tradition, he also graduated from the University...

Mohamad graduated from The Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School. He also has a bachelor's degree in biology. His practice areas include Personal Injury, Auto Accidents, Dog Bites, and Slip and Falls. Mohamad makes it his priority to create an optimal attorney-client relationship to ensure the best results for his clients. Mohamad is the attorney for you if you are looking for an attorney who will aggressively fight for your rights and listen to your needs.

Brett is a Certified Elder Law Attorney and has been helping his clients for over 20 years. He is the owner of The Elder and Estate Planning Law Firm, P.L.L.C. located at 8285 S. Saginaw Street in Grand Blanc. As the firm name suggests, his practice is dedicated exclusively to assisting clients with their estate planning and elder law needs, such as Medicaid planning, trusts, wills, Veterans Benefits planning, guardianship, conservatorships and probate estate or trust administration.

Devin is a partner at Paesano Akkashian, PC. He has successfully litigated complex business and securities matters in state and federal courts across Michigan and the United States. Devin’s securities practice spans both litigation and transactional work. On the litigation side, he represents investors and corporations in shareholder disputes and regulatory investigations conducted by the SEC and state securities agencies. His experience also includes handling FINRA arbitration cases, where he represents customers and brokers in investment disputes, employment claims, and other industry matters. On the transactional side, Devin advises companies on compliance with the Securities Act of 1933 and the...

You have questions- I have answers. Call now for a free consultation. (810) 516-5116. Many law firms say that they offer personalized service, but their actions don't always reflect that when it comes to dealing with their clients. I'm David McCleary, and at my law firm, McCleary & Associates, P.C., I take those words to heart. I want to be your family's trusted adviser for all your estate planning needs. I meet with all my clients myself, one-on-one. This means I can offer a true individualized service to the people in the Grand Blanc and...

Welcome to the Law Firm of Thav, Ryke and Assoc. We are Michigan Probate, Estate Planning, Wills and Trusts, Probate and Trust Administration Attorneys located conveniently in Southfield, Michigan and Grand Rapids, Michigan. We have achieved a reputation for solving complex probate matters and as a result, practice and have clients throughout the great state of Michigan. Further, we represent many out-of-state clients who have had family members who pass away in the State of Michigan.

We are here to assist you in all areas of wills and trusts, estate planning, and probate law in the State of Michigan. Our...

Brittany Thompson is an accomplished attorney dedicated to assisting clients with a multitude of legal issues. Her experience as an accountant help provide logical and easy to understand solutions for her business clients. Brittany graduated from law school Magna Cum Laude with special awards in Contracts, Property, and Civil Procedure. Brittany was Contracts I & II Teaching Assistant, an Associate Editor for the UDM Law Review, and a graduating member of the Justice Frank Murphy Honor Society. She is licensed to practice in both Michigan State and Federal Courts. With a B.S. in Accountancy from Ferris State University, Brittany started...

Since establishing his own practice, Mr. Patrick has personally counseled hundreds of individuals in legal matters and has educated thousands throughout Michigan as a speaker and author.

Franci Silver graduated from Oakland University, with a degree in Political Science. After graduating Oakland University, she attended the Detroit College of Law, receiving her Juris Doctorate in 1988. She immediately went to work for a personal injury law firm before coming to work for the Law Offices of Lee B. Steinberg in 1991. During her law practice, she has obtained several jury verdicts and awards against numerous defendants. Ms. Silver specializes in social security disability (SSD) appeals, helping numerous clients obtain SSD awards after initially being denied by the Social Security Administration. She also specializes in premises liability law and...

Car accidents are extremely serious and can occur with little to no warning. If you are dealing with damages or injuries from a car accident, you may be wondering where you can even begin to turn to find the help and representation your case requires. You can breathe more easily now, because you have come to the right place! At Abrahams Law firm, you can receive the help you need from Attorney Abrahams. He is a car accident attorney in Detroit who has dealt with all kinds of car accidents and car accident injuries and is well equipped to take...

Michael Jaafar is an accomplished and highly sought-after attorney who has made a name for himself as a tenacious litigator and skilled advocate. With an unwavering commitment to excellence and an unrelenting drive to win, Michael has earned a reputation as one of the most formidable attorneys in the field. Michael's impressive track record of success includes settling a personal injury case for $2 million when the initial offer was only $25,000, as well as securing one of the largest class action settlements in history against McDonald's Corporation. He has also been recognized for his outstanding legal skills and accomplishments, having...

Robert Gavin is the Managing Partner of 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...

I always knew that I wanted to use my law degree to help people in need. After moving from Toronto to Detroit, at the peak of the recession, I saw that the community of Detroit was in a real need. Hard-working people were now losing jobs and living off of credit cards just to get by. People in Detroit who could not afford medical insurance had medical bills that were piling up. These people just needed a break, a second chance, to get their life together again and start fresh. I knew then, that I wanted to commit my life...

Sean P. Murphy is an Attorney and Member of Head Murphy Law. Sean was voted the 2023 Best Lawyer in Metro Detroit in the Community Choice Awards presented by the Detroit Free Press. Sean has also been selected as a Super Lawyers' Rising Star since 2019, and he has also been selected as a DBusiness top lawyer on multiple occasions. Sean is a lifelong resident of the Metro Detroit area. After graduating first in his class and summa cum laude from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, Sean worked as a Judicial Law Clerk for Justice Stephen J. Markman...

Shawn is the owner of The Head Law Firm, PLC. He is licensed to practice law in the State of Michigan, and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. He represents individual and business clients throughout the Detroit Metro Area, including Livonia, Westland, Plymouth, Canton, Northville, Farmington Hills, West Bloomfield, Novi, Troy, and other surrounding areas.

Shawn has been repeatedly recognized as one of Metro Detroit’s Top Lawyers in the areas of criminal defense and commercial litigation by DBusiness Magazine. He has also been selected as a Rising Star by Michigan Super Lawyers every year since 2015.

Shawn graduated...

Shon Cook possesses a deep-seated passion for the legal field, dedicating nearly three decades to advocating for individuals across a diverse spectrum of legal matters. Her extensive experience spans various areas of law, and she has honed her focus on addressing family law issues, such as divorce, custody, parenting time, child support, spousal support, guardianships, adoption, pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements, and mediations. With a straightforward philosophy, Shon leverages the power of the law to achieve positive outcomes for her clients. Her expertise and commitment have not only made her a sought-after advocate among clients but have also established her as a...

Attorney Katherine R. Sikorski graduated from Michigan State University with a bachelors degree in political science. After graduating, she attended Wayne State University Law School where she received her Juris Doctor. She also earned an LLM degree in taxation. She is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, the Eastern District of Michigan, and the Northern District of Illinois. Additionally, she is a state certified small claims mediator.

Katherine spent two years working for an esteemed firm in downtown Detroit which focuses pimarily on medical malpractice defense. Since founding The Sikorski Law Firm, Katherine has focused primarily on family law....

Attorney Lukas M. Sikorski graduated from the University of Michigan - Dearborn with a bachelors degree in anthropology and a minor in psychology in 2007. Lukas also attended the Warsaw School of Economics (Szkola Glowna Handlowa) in Warsaw, Poland. After graduating, he attended Wayne State University Law School where he received his Juris Doctor. He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan and the Eastern District of Michigan. He is also a state certified small claims mediator.

Before joining The Sikorski Law Firm, Lukas spent two years working for a solo practitioner in Wayne, Michigan. He also worked a...

A staunch champion of injury victims throughout her career, Kira Damusis has a wealth of pre-litigation and litigation experience which she gained working as an attorney at a number of Detroit area law firms before joining The Smith Law Offices, where she has brought her expertise in handling automobile accidents, premises liability, dog bites, and has further expanded into family law, bankruptcy, debt negotiation and collections.

Kira first entered the world of personal injury practice before becoming licensed to practice working as a law clerk while she studied for the Michigan State Bar Exam. With both personal and professional experience of...

Rich is a Founding Member of Foley, Baron, Metzger, & Juip PLLC. He has a national civil litigation practice with special emphasis on environmental litigation, products liability and chemical exposure matters. He has considerable experience in spill response and forensic analysis at historical sites of contamination. His experience also includes property transactions including environmental due diligence, hazardous waste, CERCLA and RCRA issues, and Michigan’s Natural Resources Environmental Protection Act (NREPA). Rich’s extensive practice also includes business issues and commercial litigation, construction law, mass torts, product liability, aviation law and due diligence and regulatory work on cannabis licensing

After practicing law...

Nick's practice focuses on environmental, toxic tort, mass tort and products liability litigation, permitting and compliance with environmental regulations, and defending against alleged violations of environmental regulations. He also has experience in Real Property litigation, injury law and Default Servicing litigation.

Nick began his career with a commercial litigation and insurance defense firm in Chicago, Illinois, where he managed a national corporate compliance and insurance defense team responsible for defending claims on behalf of large industrial clients in several states across the country. His experience there included the defense of workers’ compensation matters, litigating and trying cases involving industrial accidents...

Stacey Brancheau established the Brancheau Law Firm to pursue her passion for helping individuals and their families navigate the often overwhelming process of wealth planning. In addition to her experience as an attorney, Stacey holds her Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) and Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA) designations. With 20 years of experience in the wealth planning industry, serving as an attorney, financial planner, fiduciary advisor and senior trust officer for a regional bank, she is uniquely qualified to assist her clients in developing a comprehensive plan to ensure that their loved ones have the information, guidance and...

Spencer is an experienced and aggressive criminal defense attorney. He has a passion for identifying, developing, and creating innovative solutions in order to ensure the best possible result for each and every client. Most of all, Spencer is an effective communicator with prosecutors, opposing counsel, and judges. He takes great pride in developing a rapport with all members of the criminal justice system and legal community. When facing serious legal issues, it is vital that your attorney is available to address your concerns and, is not only willing to, but also ensures that you are educated on...

Born in the small town of Hart, Anna is a lifelong Michigan resident. She moved to Muskegon to practice law, joining Parmenter Law in 1997—fulfilling her goal of staying close to Lake Michigan. Anna enjoys helping people which is reflected in her legal practice that focuses on elder law, estate planning and trust and estate administration.

In helping clients and their families, Anna takes a solution-oriented approach that goes far beyond addressing the immediate problem. Her comprehensive, integrated strategy includes a full evaluation of the client's and family's needs and goals, both short-term and long-term. In addition to providing the right...

Melanie graduated from the Detroit College of Law Cum Laude in 1986. She received her BS in Business Management from Detroit College of Business Magna Cum Laude in 1982. She then practiced at corporate law firms and insurance defense law firms for the next 35 years. Over that time, she managed an insurance defense law firm for one large insurance company. She has also tried more than 100 lawsuits to a jury verdict. She was one of the prominent trial attorneys for a large national insurance company. Melanie is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, an invitation...

Licenses & Certifications: State Bar of Michigan U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan U.S. Court of Appeals, 6th Circuit Certified Brain Injury Specialist Education: - J.D., Juris Doctor, 1978 - Detroit College of Law (now Michigan State University College of Law) - B.A., 1972 - Stanford University, Dual Major in Psychology and Journalism Additional expertise obtained from: - American Association for Justice - American Trial Lawyers Association - Brain Injury Association of Michigan - Cleary University - Eastern Michigan University - Michigan Association for Justice - Michigan Head Injury Alliance - Michigan Trial Lawyers Association - Real Estate One Academy - The Institute for Continuing Legal Education - Wayne State University School of Law Honors & Awards: - Law Review...