You chose Livingston County for a reason — the lakes, the space, the schools, the pace of life. Boroja, Bernier & Associates helps families in Brighton, Howell, Hartland, and throughout Livingston County protect what they’ve built with the same quality legal services you’d find in any metro area. Because moving to lake country shouldn’t mean settling for less.
Serving All of Livingston County | Virtual Consultations Available
You Moved Here on Purpose. Your Legal Planning Should Be Just as Intentional.
Livingston County residents didn’t end up here by accident.
You did the math. You weighed the commute against the square footage. You compared Brighton schools to where you were before. You looked at that lakefront lot in Hartland and saw weekends on the water instead of stuck in traffic. You made a choice — and you built something worth protecting.
Maybe you’re raising a family in one of Howell’s newer subdivisions, finally with a yard big enough for the kids to run. Maybe you’ve got a place on one of the chain of lakes, the dock you always wanted. Maybe you’re running a business that serves both the Ann Arbor market and the Lansing corridor, positioned perfectly between both.
Whatever brought you here, you didn’t sacrifice ambition for lifestyle. You figured out how to have both.
Boroja, Bernier & Associates has guided more than 2,000 Michigan families since 2014. We handle matters in Livingston County Probate Court and Livingston County Circuit Court regularly — we know how cases move through this system and what it takes to get results here. With offices in Shelby Township, Troy, Ann Arbor, and Lansing, plus virtual consultations that make quality legal services accessible without the drive into Detroit, Livingston County families get the preparation these matters demand.
You shouldn’t have to choose between lake life and excellent legal counsel. We make sure you don’t.
“Livingston County families often have planning needs that surprise them — lakefront property with complicated title history, homes purchased from family members at below-market value, assets split between Michigan and a winter place in Florida. These situations require attorneys who ask the right questions and catch the issues that could cause problems later. We see these patterns regularly and plan around them.”
Legal Services for Livingston County Families
Boroja, Bernier & Associates provides comprehensive estate planning, probate, elder law, divorce, and family law services throughout Livingston County. Virtual consultations make working with us straightforward from anywhere in the county.
Estate Planning for Livingston County Residents
Lakefront property doesn’t pass like other assets. Add in the cottage that’s been in the family for three generations, the boat, the snowmobiles, the RV, and suddenly estate planning involves decisions most attorneys don’t think to ask about.
Who gets lake access if the property goes to one child but three want to use it? How do you handle a home with multiple names on the deed from a casual family sale years ago? What happens to seasonal property when someone dies — can it even transfer smoothly?
We create estate plans for Livingston County families that account for how you actually live. Wills. Living trusts. Powers of attorney. Healthcare directives. Plans built around your specific assets, your specific family dynamics, and the specific challenges that lake country creates.
Comprehensive will-based estate plans typically range from $1,500 to $2,500. Trust-based estate plans — often appropriate for families with lakefront property or other complexity — generally range from $2,500 to $5,500. We provide transparent, flat-fee pricing after your consultation.
Estate planning services are available to all Michigan residents — so if you have family elsewhere who needs planning, we can help them too.
Probate & Trust Administration in Livingston County
Settling an estate in Livingston County often means dealing with property that doesn’t fit neatly into categories. The lake house that everyone assumes they’ll inherit. The land someone bought decades ago that’s now worth ten times what they paid. Assets scattered between a Michigan address and wherever they spent winters.
We guide personal representatives and successor trustees through estate administration in Livingston County Probate Court — handling the complications that Livingston County estates tend to create. Clear title. Proper valuations. Distributions that don’t blow up family relationships. Estates shouldn’t sit open for years while families wait and wonder. We keep things moving.
Elder Law for Livingston County Families
Your parents moved out here to be closer to the grandkids. Or they’ve been here for decades, aging in the house they built when Howell was still a small town. Either way, the question eventually arrives: what happens if they need care?
Nursing home costs in Michigan run $9,000 to $12,000 per month. Without planning, that lakefront property they worked so hard for could be sold to pay for care — leaving nothing for the family and nothing of the legacy they wanted to pass down. And Medicaid won’t help until they’ve spent down to nearly nothing — Michigan’s 2026 asset limit is just $9,950.
Medicaid planning isn’t about hiding assets. It’s about understanding Michigan’s rules and structuring things properly — ideally years before care is needed, but crisis planning tools can still protect significant assets even when someone already needs placement.
The conversation is easier to have before it’s urgent. We help families start it.
Divorce in Livingston County
Divorce in Livingston County often involves property decisions that complicate everything. The house you bought together after leaving metro Detroit — who keeps it, who can afford to buy the other out, what’s it even worth in this market? The boat, the toys, the vacation place. Assets acquired while building a life that now has to be divided.
And if you have kids, custody and parenting time arrangements need to account for the reality of Livingston County geography — school districts that matter, activities spread across multiple townships, weekends at the lake.
We handle contested and uncontested divorce in Livingston County Circuit Court. Our approach is practical: negotiate where settlement makes sense, litigate where your case requires it. Either way, you’ll understand what’s happening and why.
Family Law Across Livingston County
Custody disputes, parenting time modifications, child support, and other family law matters don’t pause for your convenience. You need attorneys who understand the practical realities of family law in a county where school districts span multiple townships and parenting schedules need to work around lake-country logistics.
We represent clients in Livingston County Circuit Court’s Family Division. Whether you’re establishing a custody arrangement, modifying an existing order, or addressing a support issue, we bring thorough preparation and clear communication to every case.
Livingston County Court Information
Livingston County is growing, and so is its court docket. Knowing how cases actually move through these courts — not just what the rules say — matters for getting your matter resolved efficiently.
Livingston County Probate Court
The Livingston County Probate Court handles estate administration, trust matters, guardianships, conservatorships, and related probate proceedings.
Address: 204 S. Highlander Way, Howell, MI 48843
Phone: (517) 546-9816
Website: Livingston County Probate Court
Note: Verify current address and contact information before visiting.
Livingston County Circuit Court — Family Division
The Family Division of Livingston County Circuit Court handles divorce, child custody, parenting time, child support, and other family law matters.
Address: 204 S. Highlander Way, Howell, MI 48843
Phone: (517) 546-0500
Website: Livingston County Circuit Court
Note: Verify current address and contact information before visiting.
Communities We Serve in Livingston County
Boroja, Bernier & Associates serves families throughout Livingston County:
- Brighton Area: Brighton, Brighton Township, Green Oak Township, Hamburg Township
- Howell Area: Howell, Howell Township, Marion Township, Oceola Township, Cohoctah Township
- Hartland Area: Hartland, Hartland Township, Tyrone Township, Deerfield Township
- Pinckney Area: Pinckney, Putnam Township, Unadilla Township
- Lake Communities: Lake Chemung, Ore Lake, Woodland Lake, Chain of Lakes, Whitmore Lake area
Wherever you are in Livingston County — lakefront, subdivision, or acreage — we can help.
How to Work With Us in Livingston County
Virtual Consultations: Connect via secure video from your home in Brighton or your office in Howell. Skip the drive. Get the same thorough consultation you’d get in person.
Phone Consultations: Prefer to talk things through by phone first? We conduct comprehensive consultations that way for clients throughout Livingston County.
In-Person Consultations: Meet with an attorney at our Shelby Township headquarters for face-to-face meetings. Some matters benefit from sitting across the table, and we accommodate that.
Our Ann Arbor Office: 2723 South State Street, Suite 150, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Phone: (734) 749-9400
What to Expect: Your consultation is with an attorney — not someone checking boxes on an intake form. We’ll listen to your situation, explain what Michigan law says about it, and tell you honestly what we can do. Clear information, realistic expectations, your decision.
Why Livingston County Families Choose BBA Law
Excellence Without the Commute
Moving to Livingston County meant certain trade-offs. Access to excellent legal counsel shouldn’t be one of them. Through virtual consultations and our offices across Michigan, we bring preparation, accountability, and results to Livingston County families — without requiring you to fight I-96 traffic to get it. You chose lake country for the quality of life. Your legal planning should match.
We Actually Know Livingston County
We handle matters in Livingston County courts regularly. We understand how property transfers work here, what the local probate court expects, and the practical realities of family law cases in a county where everyone knows everyone. That familiarity makes your case smoother.
We Do the Work Right
Effort matters, but results are what count. We don’t measure success by how many hours we bill or how many emails we send. We measure it by outcomes: estate plans that actually protect your family, estates closed without dragging on forever, asset protection that works, divorce settlements that accomplish your goals. You’re paying for results — and we deliver them.
“Livingston County clients often tell us they assumed they’d have to go into Detroit or Ann Arbor for serious legal work. They’re surprised to find attorneys who handle their matters competently, communicate clearly, and actually know the local courts. That should be the baseline expectation, not the exception. We’re working to make it the standard out here.”
Frequently Asked Questions: Legal Services in Livingston County
Our Ann Arbor office at 2723 South State Street is one of four Boroja, Bernier & Associates offices across Michigan. We handle matters in Livingston County courts regularly. Most clients work with us via virtual or phone consultations — convenient from Brighton, Howell, or anywhere in the county. In-person meetings at our Shelby Township headquarters are also available.
The Livingston County Probate Court is located at 204 S. Highlander Way in Howell, MI 48843. We handle probate matters there and understand the court’s procedures and expectations.
Estate planning costs depend on what you need. Comprehensive will-based plans typically range from $1,500 to $2,500. Comprehensive trust-based estate plans — often appropriate for families with lakefront property or other complexity — generally range from $2,500 to $5,500. We provide flat-fee pricing after your consultation so you know the cost upfront.
Proactive elder law planning typically ranges from $6,500 to $9,500. Crisis elder law planning — when a loved one already needs nursing home care — generally ranges from $12,000 to $20,000 or more, depending on complexity. The earlier you plan, the more options you have and the more assets we can protect.
Yes — and this is actually a specialty. Lakefront property, family cottages, shared vacation properties, and assets with complicated ownership histories require careful planning. We regularly work with Livingston County families on these exact situations and know the pitfalls to avoid.
Most probate matters take six to twelve months. Michigan law requires a four-month creditor claim period before final distributions. Estates involving real estate sales, unusual assets, or family disagreements may take longer. We’ll give you realistic expectations based on your specific situation.
All of Livingston County — Brighton, Howell, Hartland, Pinckney, the lake communities, and everywhere in between. Virtual consultations make working with us practical regardless of where in the county you’re located.
You Built Something Here. Let’s Make Sure It’s Protected.
You didn’t move to Livingston County to settle for less. You came here because you could have the life you wanted — the space, the lakes, the community — without giving up what mattered.
Your legal planning should work the same way.
Boroja, Bernier & Associates serves Livingston County families with the preparation, communication, and follow-through these matters require. Estate plans built for how you actually live. Estates settled without unnecessary delay. Assets protected. Family transitions handled with clarity.
Virtual consultations make getting started simple from anywhere in the county. Same quality. Same attention. Same results.
Protecting Your Family, Your Life, and Your Legacy. Because You Deserve Better.
To schedule a consultation with the Michigan attorneys at Boroja, Bernier & Associates, call (586) 991-7611.
Contact Information:
Ann Arbor Office: 2723 South State Street, Suite 150, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Phone: (734) 749-9400
Headquarters: 49139 Schoenherr Rd., Shelby Township, MI 48315
Phone: (586) 991-7611
Email: admin@bbalawmi.com
Office Hours: Monday – Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Friday: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM | Saturday & Sunday: By Appointment
