About Veronique Liem

Véronique Liem is a well-regarded attorney and trial lawyer with over 35 years of experience representing individuals, professionals, families, and businesses. Her law practice includes family law and divorce, mediation and other cooperative resolution processes. Veronique has successfully litigated, tried, or settled numerous cases in Washtenaw County and surrounding counties.

Véronique is a Fellow of the renowned American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML). She holds the highest “AV/Preeminent” peer-review rating for legal skills and for highest ethical standards from Martindale-Hubbell. She is a trained, court-approved mediator for family law and commercial disputes, an arbitrator and a certified collaborative divorce attorney. Notably, since 2017, she has  been nominated as a “Best Lawyers – Family Law” and, since 2018, as a Michigan Super Lawyers and as a Leading Lawyers nominee. She was selected as a “2013 Woman in the Law” honoree by Michigan Lawyers Weekly and as a 2020 “Lawyer of the Year” award recipient by Best Lawyers in America. She is a former President and former Treasurer of the Board of the Washtenaw County Bar Association and is a former President of Board of the Collaborative Practice Institute of Michigan (CPIM).

Veronique is committed to pro-bono and community service. In 2016, she received the Washtenaw County Bar Association Public Service/Pro-Bono Award. From 2011 to 2022, she was on Avalon Housing Board of Trustees and she remains a member of Avalon’s Finance Committee.

Born in Dunkerque, France, Veronique became a U.S. resident in 1974 and later a U.S. citizen. She speaks English and French. Véronique is married and has two adult children.

PRACTICE FOCUS

Family Law and Divorce

On a daily basis, Véronique helps her clients resolve issues related to divorce by focusing on family-friendly resolutions that recognize the needs of children, the client’s interests and equitable financial outcomes. She is a mediator and a collaborative divorce specialist and resolves many divorces using the collaborative process or mediation. Those methods promote sound co-parenting post-divorce, protect privacy and encourage civility.

Family law and divorce services include:
  • Divorce Resolution through settlement, mediation, arbitration or collaborative divorces;
  • Litigated solutions if appropriate;
  • Child custody, child support, spousal support, property and debt division, premarital and inherited assets, valuation of practices or businesses, and separate property issues;
  • Post-divorce issues including support modification, change of domicile, change of schools, parenting issues and enforcement;
  • Paternity and related issues;
  • Same gender couple divorces or dissolution; and
  • Prenuptial agreements.

Mediation and Dispute Resolution
Véronique has successfully mediated or resolved with mediation many divorces and several commercial and business disputes. She uses mediation and settlement negotiations to creatively overcome problems or barriers that often seem insurmountable.

In divorce mediation, Véronique acts as a neutral facilitator, working directly with the parties, with or without counsel present. She facilitates the process of disclosing information and negotiating a divorce settlement. When children are involved, mediation or a collaborative divorce process are often a first positive step to a new co-parenting relationship. Frequently, they are cost-effective means of divorce resolution.

AWARDS & CREDENTIALS

  • “AV/Preeminent” with Highest Ethical Standards ratings by Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating
  • Best Lawyers- Family Law and Family Law Mediation (2017-2022)
  •    2018-2020 Michigan Super Lawyers nominee
  •    2018-2023 Leading Lawyers –   Family law & ADR nominee
  • 2016 Public Service/ProBono Award, Washtenaw County Bar
  • Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s Women in the Law Award (2013).

EDUCATION & ADMISSION TO PRACTICE

  • University of Michigan MBA with Honors, 1976
  • Juris Doctor cum laude, 1986
  • State Bar of Michigan License , 1986
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan Admission, 1986
  • State Bar of Michigan Family Law Certificate (2008)

AFFILIATIONS

  • Fellow, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML)
  • Board of Directors and 2015-2016 President, Collaborative Practice Institute of Michigan (CPIM)
  • Member, International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (IACP) and CPIM
  • Member, State Bar of Michigan (Past Member, Representative Assembly)
  • Board of Trustees Member, Avalon Housing Inc. ( 2011- 2022); Vice President of Executive Committee (2015- 2019); Member Finance Committee (2020 – Present).
  • Fellow, Michigan State Bar Foundation
  • Member, Washtenaw County Bar Association (Former President, Board of Directors; Member and Past Chair, Public Service Committee; Past Chair, Family Law Section; Past Chair, Friend of the Court Liaison Committee)
  • Member, Women Lawyers Association of Michigan
  • Member, Washtenaw County Circuit Court Case Evaluation Committee (2010 – 2013)
  • Arbitrator, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) (1995- 2012)
  • Mediator, Washtenaw County Circuit Court – Family Law
  • Case Evaluator, civil and commercial cases, Washtenaw County Circuit Court (2010-2018)
  • Mediation coach, Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE), Divorce & Civil Case Mediation Training (2010, 2011)

SEMINARS & PUBLICATION

  •  Seminar Instructor on “Pets in Divorce,” American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, 2022
  •  Seminar Instructor on “Collaborative Process for resolution of Complex Family Law cases,” American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, 2019
  • Seminar Instructor on “ Merger of Settlement Agreements – Law & Enforcement Issues,” American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, 2018
  •  Seminar Instructor on Personal Property Division, American Academy  of   Matrimonial Lawyers, 2017
  • Seminar Instructor on “ Agreements Reached in Mediation,” American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, 2016
  • Seminar Instructor on “ Objections to Referee Hearing and De Novo Judicial Hearings,” American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, 2015
  • Seminar Instructor on “Can The MMPI II and Rorschach Really Be Utilized or Relied Upon in a Custody Evaluation?” American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, 2014
  • Seminar Instructor on “Preparing Clients for Depositions or Hearings,” Family Law Institute (ICLE), 2012
  • Seminar Instructor on “The Relocation Puzzle,” Family Law Institute (ICLE), 2011
  • Author, “Jurisdiction Over Custody When Parents Live in Different States,” Michigan Family Law Journal, August/September 2011.
  • Seminar Instructor on “Collaborative Approaches to Divorce,” Weber’s Inn, October 2010
  • Co-author of “Collaborative Practice-Divorce without Litigation,” Michigan Bar Journal, 2006
  • Seminar instructor on “Intro to Collaborative Family Law,” ICLE, 2008
  • Author, “Proving Cohabitation: The Challenges,” Michigan Family Law Journal, 1995