Do not use this law office. Ed Literski arbitrated my divorce and it cost me most the time with my…read moreson. Run from these people.

Highly Recommended for their Professionalism, Responsiveness and Preparation for Litigation.read more

Today was a decent day in divorce court. Imagine that. I was satisfied with the outcome, especially…read moreafter 5 months of ups & downs dealing with the opposing party. Hiring Ms. Starla Zehr was a wise investment. IN SHORT: From our first consult in the spring at her conveniently located office in Waterford, Michigan, Starla took her time with me, asked many relevant questions and recorded lots of details on my situation. She explained my best and worst case scenario options and potential related expenses. During the final settlement conference, she threw down hard when warranted and both parties ended up agreeing well enough. Divorce ain't perfect, but it can be reasonable in the end with the right level heads to direct you. IN LONG: When I was ready to roll and file, Starla continued with the same approach and ultimately left me to make informed decisions. Not knowing what to expect with the divorce process (being fortunate enough to have my first husband die), Starla & her office manager/paralegal, Polly, made it an easier experience to understand and go through overall. They also actively worked directly with the opposing attorney and their office personnel to keep the negotiation process on track. Starla also knew when to put me in check and take a breath when things 'got real' and the Bronx girl came out in me here and there. Ultimately, I was so glad to be hands off and let them do the legal dirty work. On a personal note, I found Starla to be very kind and understanding to my particular situation with 2 small children and being in all kinds of transition. She provided much insight to what-if's and what-will's down the road in addition to very helpful practical advice for the future. After the court proceedings were over today she gave me an unexpected hug and we had a really nice chat on the loose ends. On a general, random Oakland County MI Court side note, the assigned judge overseeing my divorce (Matis) was a really happy guy despite bringing down the final ax on love gone bad x100. Like, genuinely, internally, smiling-ly throughout happy. I half-expected to be invited back for coffee and donuts and mingle amongst all the new divorcees after it was over. Weird, but pleasant considering the collective situation of everyone in the room. Anyway, SOME BEGINNER BEST DIVORCE LAWYER TIPS FOR YOU: Okay, so I was not the most ideal financial position to hire an attorney, but I managed to come up with some cash for the retainer. Let me tell you, if you are in the same position and are set to divorce, it is WELL WORTH IT to hire someone to represent your best interests and cut through the crap...your ex's and Michigan law, in general. My ex said I had absolutely no need for an attorney *insert hearty laugh here*. Seriously, get a second job and hustle in the short term if you have to and make ongoing payments. I tried to do so even while the retainer was till in effect. That tidy bundle is not going to last forever if things go sideways. You will typically get a statement every month itemizing how your retainer has been used and, and once used up, what you owe to date. Make sure to not get overly involved in emotional exchanges with the soon-to-be-ex as best as possible to keep progress alive & always try to stick to the facts at hand (it will save you on attorney fees). I tried to keep verbal exchanges to a minimum and got as much in writing as possible (email/text). I used to be a medical biller and the mantra in my department was: "If you don't get it in writing, it didn't happen". Lastly, just because you may not be getting constant updates, it doesn't mean things aren't in the works in the background. Starla & Polly were really good about replying back in a timely manner to update / FYI emails I would send. Be concise with your emails. Respond quickly when needed. Get all your paperwork, photos, copies, supporting documentation together. Sign up for Google Voice. It saves texts in perpetuity and transcribes voicemail messages that may be necessary to your case. Keep copies of everything for yourself. Sometimes some clarification and re-clarification has to take place, but that is a good thing so that everyone is on the same page in the end. Obviously, you should do your research and see a few attorneys to explore their opinions on your particular situation (lots of assets/no assets/kids/no kids/craziness/no craziness). You should feel comfortable in the bones with who you pick. Credit goes to the ex's 1st wife for the Starla "referral". When Starla's name drew a little snarl periodically throughout the relationship, I knew I had put her on my short list of attorney consultations & book an appointment. Plus, I thought it would be kind of funny. Now that YOU may be ready to put the garbage in the garbage can where it belongs, it's time to give Starla or Polly a call & cut your divorce stress in half (at least). Now, off to find my 3rd husband! J/k :-D Much love and stay strong, Luna #68Seconds

Some "post divorce" issues came up in my divorce, after I moved out of state. I really did not want…read moreto have to come back to Michigan to take care of these legal matters. Starla is a life saver. She listens to what you need done and gets it handled right away and also affordably. I talked to a few other lawyers and Starla's prices were better than theirs. I can't speak highly enough of her family law services. She genuinely seemed to care and is a great negotiator. Everything got resolved and I did not have to return to Michigan. I highly recommend Starla as an excellent divorce attorney.

This attorney is UNSCRUPULOUS. In 2003, I signed a retainer…read morewith him to handle my uncontentious and uncontested divorce. Everything was agreed upon between my ex and I and the divorce was handled without difficulty. So imagine my surprise when I closed on my home May 6, 2005 and found that he had put a lien on my home for what he claimed were unpaid attorney fees. The amount I "supposedly" owed was $938.08 along with $391.58, for a total of $1329.61 taken from the proceeds of selling my home. After returning home from the closing and he refused to speak with me. He refused to provide me with an itemized statement OR proof of service with my signature. I can only assume he sent any/all correspondence to one or two of the other addresses prior to purchasing my home. I would have gladly apologized to him for my fallability. After he refused to speak with me I told him that I'd take him to court. His response was to go right ahead, adding that he would sue me for filing a "frivolous" lawsuit and have me jailed. I am in the process of filing a grievance with the State of Michigan Licensing Board in Lansing. He doesn't deserve one star.

Bob Gardella is honest, easy to work with and he explains everything. He answered my calls (or…read morereturned them promptly). Bob's expertise and knowledge base regarding Trusts are amazing. He has an established network of resources. We left our meeting with our questions answered in an easy to understand format and confident in our choice of attorneys.

Penny and Keith are phenomenal. I have gotten everything I have asked for in my family law case…read moresince she took it over. Penny is my second attorney and took my case after my first attorney became sick and died. If you have an ex with a never ending desire to make your life miserable, this is the firm to hire. Hiring them, was life changing for me. The best!

The retired lawyers were ok. The next generation are rip offs. The attorney engaged us in social…read moreconversation and then billed us for the time. We found another attorney and would not recommend this business.

I have been working with multiple attorneys here at this practice for over 15 years and counting…read moreand couldn't be more pleased. They are the most personable, caring, honest people I have come across; and I can tell you I have worked with many attorneys over the years. These guys hands down take the cake and I couldn't strongly recommend anyone coming close to this firm. Look forward too many years to come working with Brian and Robert.

Great Staff, & amazing attorney. She is thorough and is respected in the court room. 10/10…read morerecommendation

Amazing attorney. Truly cares about the quality of services. She cares about you as an individual.read more

This law firm definitely receives a five star review. In fact I've not ever interacted with such…read morewell-informed, professional and kind team members. From now on when I think of excellent customer service Jeannette will always come to mind. She was extremely helpful and did everything possible to assist us in our particular challenge. I couldn't go without leaving a review here on Yelp. Wanted to publicly acknowledge this firm and in particular Jeannette who is a Senior Legal Assistant. If you've ever had to assist anyone who relies on those entities for their income -it's as challenging as trying to fight the IRS! Obviously this is just my opinion but I have come to realize that without professional help in these areas you can eventually end up feeling like you're drowning, My several months worth of interactions with social security has resulted in believing that these entities were not designed to help you but to figure out anyway to disavow you. and yes-I do recognize that there are people out there that just try to get what they can-however penalizing people who are in genuine need resulting in leaving them without income for months on end and potentially ending up homeless is heartless and I didn't think that's what these agencies specialized in. I took this from their website but can personally attest to it -they truly are experts in terms of issues with Social Security and disability. "At the Law Offices of Weir & McKenzie, you will get excellent personal attention every step of the way. We are a law firm that is primarily focused on and committed to our area of expertise. We have a distinct advantage because we are based in the area." The above statement included my personal experience if you need help I would highly encourage you to give them a call!!!

I was not properly counseled and represented in court....will not help me rectify the issues that…read morehave been created.

Attorney of the highest caliber I highly recommend him he completely destroy my future ex at…read moredeposition. Extremely experienced, extremely polite and ethical and he truly cares about you as a client. He does pay a lot of attention to detail that helps me feel confident. Prices are very reasonable and he is worth every penny. When you pay him he actually does the job instead of some who take the the retainer and disappear. He is very passionate about his job I feel he loves help people from the heart.