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Family Law Advisory Board

Matthew Jacob Bailey

Varnum LLP, Grand Rapids

Matthew Jacob Bailey's practice focuses primarily on family law, especially all matters pertaining to divorce, including custody, visitation, property settlement, and alimony. Mr. Bailey also practices in the Michigan Court of Appeals. He is a member of the Ingham County Bar Association and the Young Lawyers Society....

Ruth Goldner

Goldner Deeg PLLC, Royal Oak

Ruth Goldner is the managing partner of the firm and focuses her practice on family law, including divorce, child custody and parenting time, and child support. She provides representation in both collaborative law cases and traditional family law litigation and also works as a neutral family law mediator. Ms. Goldner actively participates in a number of legal and professional organizations,...

Christopher J. Harrington

Oakland County Friend of the Court, Pontiac

Christopher J. Harrington began working as a family division referee for the court in June 2017. He previously worked in private practice for 11 years at Harrington Law PLC in Novi. As a private practitioner, Mr. Harrington dedicated his practice to a full range of family law matters, including divorce, custody, adoption, paternity, support, and separate maintenance cases. He also...

Veronica R. Leonard

Veronica R. Leonard PLLC, Southfield

Veronica R. Leonard began her private practice in 2004, handling issues in all areas of family law, including divorce, child support, custody, postjudgment modifications, and enforcement proceedings. She began her legal career as a law clerk for the Oakland County Friend of the Court. While attending Wayne State University Law School, Ms. Leonard was a judicial law clerk for...

Eric Lore

Alane Family Law PLC, Lansing

Eric Lore joined the firm in January 2017. His practice is dedicated exclusively to all areas of family law, advocating for clients in divorce, custody, parenting time, and support matters throughout the state. Mr. Lore is a trained mediator and member of the State Bar of Michigan Family Law Section and Ingham County Bar Association. He is a graduate...

Keri Middleditch

Middleditch Law Firm PLLC, Birmingham

Keri Middleditch has more than 10 years of experience handling issues of divorce, custody, parenting time, paternity, child support, property settlement, juvenile guardianships, adoptions, termination of parental rights, same-sex parenting time agreements, personal protection orders, and grandparents' rights. She also serves as a Guardian ad Litem to minor children, often in the middle of their parents' custody battle. Prior to...

Amber D. Peters

Butzel Long PC, Detroit

Amber D. Peters is a shareholder practicing in the firm’s Southwest Michigan office. Ms. Peters focuses her practice in the areas of probate, estate planning, domestic relations, and civil litigation. Primarily focusing her practice in general litigation, Ms. Peters counsels and represents clients in Family Law and Family Office matters, including family estate planning. She is experienced in working with...

Lisa J. Schmidt

Speaker Law Firm, Lansing

Lisa J. Schmidt is a family law and appeals attorney. She is a senior associate attorney at the firm and also maintains her own firm, Your Law Geek, where she provides legal research, writing, and blogging support for other Michigan law firms. Ms. Schmidt is a member of the Family Law, LGBTQA, and Solo & Small Firm Sections of...

Todd S. Selin

Lansing

Todd S. Selin, a partner with the firm, has focused his practice on domestic relations law for the past 20 years. He was an elected member of the State Bar of Michigan Family Law Council from 2000 to 2009, and served as chair of the Ingham County Bar Association Family Law Section from 2006 to 2012. Mr. Selin has lectured...

Katherine M. Sharkey

Kitchen Sharkey PLLC, Ann Arbor

Katherine M. Sharkey practiced law in Chicago from 2006-2010 at Cabrini Green Legal Aid as a family law staff attorney, where she represented hundreds of low-income clients in divorce, child custody, guardianship, and parenting time cases. She moved back to her home state of Michigan and worked at Legal Services of South Central Michigan-Family Law Project from 2011-2013, representing survivors...

Courtney Marie Sierra

KO Family Law, Grand Rapids

Courtney Sierra is the senior associate at the firm. She dedicates her practice to family law matters, focusing on complex divorce, custody, parenting time, and support cases. Ms. Sierra’s experience as a former psychiatric rehabilitative therapist provides a unique skill set well-suited for high-conflict cases. She has been recognized as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers in 2021, 2022, and...

Lisa F. Geherin

ICLE Advisory Board Liaison

As education director, Lisa F. Geherin directs the development and implementation of ICLE's education services, including programs and events, hands-on training, webcasts, contract services, and online initiatives. Before that, Ms. Geherin managed the sales department, overseeing business development efforts related to the ICLE Partnership, live events, and publications. Before joining ICLE in 2010, she was the business development counsel for...

News From ICLE

New Executive Director
Jeffrey E. Kirkey has been named executive director of ICLE, effective June 4, 2026. Jeff brings nearly three decades of experience with ICLE, most recently as the Institute's chief learning officer. As head of ICLE, he will oversee day-to-day operations and help implement strategic objectives in our mission to support Michigan lawyers. Read the full announcement: https://info.icle.org/jeff-kirkey-named-icle-executive-director

Meet Our Contributors

Gary W. Francis

General Dynamics Land Systems

Sterling Heights

Gary W. Francis is associate general counsel for employment and labor law. He provides counsel to the corporation on all employee relations matters to ensure compliance with all employment and labor laws, including Title VII,...

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