Smiths Creek Probate Lawyers

I have been practicing law since 1989. My practice over the past decade has focused on Debt Solutions for individual Chapter 7, 13, and debt settlement. I have practiced in areas of residential and commercial real estate, criminal defense, and probate law.

John B. Payne, Attorney, established his practice in 1983, becoming a full-service general practice and litigation firm in 1988, when John received his LL.M. in Taxation. John lectures on estate planning and other topics to groups interested in legal issues. He is the author of Michigan Probate and Counseling the Elderly Client in Michigan, plus numerous articles and seminar manuals. Experienced in appellate matters John has appealed many criminal, civil rights and tax cases in state and federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court.

There is no better time than today to plan for your future and for that of your loved ones with a comprehensive estate plan, including: - Wills - Living trusts - Tax sheltering trusts - Education trusts - Special needs trusts - Charitable trusts - Durable powers of attorney - Advance medical care directives - Prenuptial agreements - Business succession plans. Helping clients protect their families’ financial future is the most important work I do. I don’t sell insurance, sell annuities, or put assets under management. Instead, I ask questions, listen, advise, then develop a comprehensive estate plan that meets...

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...

Engaging with people and helping them solve problems is what I have been doing all my life; well, that and dealing with bullies, but we’ll talk about that later. I may not be able to guarantee anything, but whatever problem you’re going through, chances are that I have probably been there myself or helped someone overcome the same obstacle. You’ve probably noticed I’m literally the antithesis of formal, and it isn’t by design or some marketing ploy. This is me to my core: raw, honest, open, and not a shred of ego. I am very laid back, but my process is...

Over 30 years experience in Family Law.

Michael grew up in Tuscola county and graduated from Kingston High School. He graduated with Summa Cum Laude Honors from Saginaw Valley State University with a Bachelors of Professional Accountancy. After attending SVSU, he attended law school at Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, MI. While attending Cooley, he was a member of the Thomas M. Cooley Law Review, competed in Mock Trial competitions, worked as an intern for an attorney in Okemos, MI., and represented several individuals in the Washtenaw County court system as a student-attorney. Michael graduated from Cooley with Magna Cum Laude Honors. Michael is...

Patricia Felix graduated cum laude from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 2016. With a previous career spanning over 30 years in the federal government, including positions with the U.S. Small Business Administration and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Patricia Felix has been a practicing attorney since 2021. She is a member in good standing with the State Bar of Michigan and is also admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. The Law Office of Patricia provides quality legal services at reasonable prices with a focus on Michigan estate planning and probate.

B.A. Economics - University of Michigan
J.D. - University of Michigan Law School
L.L.M. Wayne State University Law School
Law Clerk - Michigan Court of Appeals
Member - Business Advisory Board - Institute for Continuing Legal Education (ICLE)
ICLE Publications:
Contributing Author-Advising Closely Held Businesses In Michigan
Author - Purchase & Sale of Business / Michigan Business Formbook
Author - Transfer Michigan Liquor Licenses
Practice Areas:
Business & Estate Planning, including Wills, Trusts & Power of Attorney & Health Care Power of Attorney, Estate & Trust Administration, Entity Formations & Dissolutions, Business Transactions, Purchase & Sale of Businesses and Professional Practices, Prenuptial Agreements

My mission is to assist clients in making informed and educated decisions with no false representation, and to provide realistic expectations for their outcomes. Over the course of the last several years, I have represented thousands of clients, handled multi-million dollar trusts, and provided pro-bono work for select local residents in need.

When people come to me, they are facing a situation they aren’t sure how to deal with. They have questions and are looking for answers. I look at the situation and figure out how I can help. And when they hire me, I get to work! In short, I help people solve problems. Helping someone with too much debt is different than helping someone whose parent just passed away. It is different from helping someone get a divorce. Sometimes I help by preparing documents in my office. Other times it means a lawsuit. It could mean taking a case to trial. It could...

Howard "Jack" Weyers, Jr. is a well-loved attorney practicing in the greater Lansing area. Jack spent the first portion of his career helping his father, Howard Weyers, Sr. to build WEYCO Inc. in Okemos, MI where they specialized in administering employee benefits to businesses across the state. Growing up, Jack had always thought about attending law school, and after his father sold WEYCO Inc., he decided to finish his Bachelors Degree at Spring Arbor University and pursue his J.D. at Cooley Law School shortly after. He graduated Magna Cum Laude in January of 2015. Days before taking the Bar Exam,...

The best part of being a lawyer is helping others with their legal issues. I don’t pay for TV advertisements or premium on-line placements. Instead, I do the best I can at a fair price for my valuable clients who in turn pay me the ultimate compliment by referring me to others who may need legal services. Here are a few things I ask you to consider.

- I deal directly with my clients. I do not pass you on to a junior associate; I do the actual work, which I continue to find interesting and rewarding.

-I work...

Brent Geers specializes in helping people empower those they trust and provide for those they love. Brent has been an attorney since 2012, working with individuals and families to marshal their time, talent, and treasurer for the benefit of their children, family, and community. He is a Grand Rapids Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” honoree, and currently operates his own practice, Geers Law. Brent is married to an educator, who employs his services as a chaperon for various school functions. He is also his daughter’s father – a girl who will become a president, not a princess.

Attorney Allison Greenlee Korr practices in Kalamazoo, Calhoun, Allegan, St. Joseph and all surrounding counties. She handles Family Law, bankruptcy, foreclosure and probate matters.

She holds a B.A. in Business from Michigan State University and a Juris Doctorate from University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. She is admitted to practice in both the Western and Eastern Districts of Michigan and holds a certificate as a civil mediator issued through the Michigan State Court Administrative Office. Allison also holds Certificates in the areas of Family Law and Probate and Estate Planning issued by the Institute of...

Estate Planning Attorney – Biography Matthew V. Piwowar is the founder of Legacy Architects PLLC. His practice focuses on Estate Planning, Trusts and Wills, Special Needs Children, Business Succession, Long-Term Care, and Probate. He has over 30 years of experience advising on estate planning, business law, mergers & acquisitions, finance, and international law. Mr. Piwowar was born in Marquette, MI and grew up in West Michigan. He provides services to his clients statewide, from Grandville and Grand Rapids, south to Three Rivers and Kalamazoo, north to Boyne City and St. Ignace. Experience Piwowar’s background includes such transactions as: the sale of a...