As we welcome the New Year, we are grateful for the trust our clients and community placed in us throughout the past year. We look forward to continuing to serve you with dedication, integrity, and care in the year ahead. Wishing you a happy, healthy, and successful New Year!
As the year comes to a close, we extend our warmest holiday wishes to our clients and community. This holiday season, we are thankful for the relationships we’ve built and the trust placed in our firm. Wishing you and your family a wonderful holiday season and a prosperous New Year!
At Banfield Couling Law & Mediation PLLC, we are making a positive impact on young lawyers by offering opportunities for aspiring lawyers to work hands-on at our law firm. We are pleased to announce our summer intern, Morgan Passini, has left us to start her legal studies at Cooley Law School. Congratulations, Morgan — we’re proud of you and can’t wait to see all that you will accomplish!
We are proud to announce that on August 26, 2025 Andrea Banfield had the honor of presenting at the State Bar of Michigan ADR Annual Seminar on Incorporating Mediation into the Filing of Joint Petitions for Divorce.
She was recently elected to the Family Law Council and serves as Co-Chair of the ADR Section. This seminar was also her first official function as Chair of the ADR Section.
Andrea is passionate about informing both fellow attorneys and the public that there are many ways to navigate sensitive family matters. After all, family law is not a one-size-fits-all model.
Congratulations to Andrea on behalf of our firm! Your leadership in Michigan Family Law is being recognized and you are contributing to a better practice for clients and counsel alike.
Co-parents who communicate respectfully and effectively after divorce probably will not wind up back in court very often – if at all. And their children are much more likely to thrive. Here’s how to “win” by setting the stage for everyone to thrive.
The best advice I ever received about helping divorced parents learn how to communicate was this: Talk in the same way you would to your boss or to a person at church. In this three-part series, learn about how you can communicate with your ex in a manner that not only serves your children’s best interests but can set you up for success in court if necessary.
The Streamline Divorce process is a fast, less stressful and less costly way to have a respectful divorce without a lawsuit. You don’t have to “go to court” just because you hit a speedbump along the way. A new video helps illustrate how we can help if you do hit a speedbump in the process of working through a Streamline Divorce settlement. To view, click: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTm1nU1ACsc
The Livingston County Educational Service Agency has announced a free workshop on Saturday, April 5th. The First Livingston County Parent Summit will offer Ted Talk speakers on navigating parenthood in the new era of technology. For more information visit: https://www.livingstonesa.org/community-resources/livingston-county-parent-summit
“Andrea is amazing! She goes out of her way to answer any questions I have and has never judged my situation. She's always been truthful with me and tells me how things will be. She almost always answers my emails right away and just truly cares about her clients. Thank you Andrea! I would not trust your divorce with anyone else! She is professional, caring goes above and beyond!”
“Mrs. Couling was excellent for me when I was going through my divorce this last year. My ex-wife had a lawyer that did not know Livingston county very well and Denise was on top of everything. It seemed she took care of all the emails the paperwork and everything. When I first walked into her office I knew she was going to be good because the whole wall was filled with awards. I would recommend her 10 times out of 10 to anybody that is going through a divorce.”
Congratulations to my law partner, Andrea Banfield, for yet another year of recognition by the public as one of the best family law and divorce attorneys in Livingston County. Once again, Andrea was recently named a finalist as Best Family Law Attorney and as Best Divorce Lawyer in the 2024 Official Community Choice Awards for Livingston County. Well done!
Happy Thanksgiving from Banfield Couling Law & Mediation. We are grateful for our clients, colleagues and community!
We are informed that our clients (and their spouses) encounter these types of comments all too frequently. This is to make it crystal clear that our Streamline Divorce℠ process is absolutely "legal." Our Streamline Divorce℠ process is one of a number of ways to have a cooperative divorce without a lawsuit in Michigan. Visit today’s blog to learn more.
“My family had the privilege of retaining Ms. Banfield. We were initially drawn to her by her esteemed reputation as one of Livingston County's "Best Lawyers". Throughout our interactions, she has consistently demonstrated promptness, through preparation, and an unwavering dedication to the advisory role.” (Client Testimonial, April 2024)
“I could not imagine better support and representation than I received from Denise. She is very knowledgeable, providing information and guidance in ways that are both detailed and easy to comprehend. Denise also has a great feel and understanding for the personal and emotional aspects of divorce, and the patience and awareness to provide the type of support that is most needed through the ups and downs of the process. I highly recommend Denise without reservation.” (Client, Google Review)
This podcast is the closest thing to sitting down for a personal consultation. In this Divorce Planning podcast, we address many of the most common topics which are discussed in an initial divorce consultation. We hope you find it valuable! Listen at: https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/streamline-divorce-with-denise-couling/id1702246751?i=1000641193795
Congratulations to our very own Andrea Banfield — once again voted Best Divorce Lawyer in Livingston County in the 2023 Best of Livingston Community’s Choice Awards!
For year after year, Livingston County community members have relied on Andrea Banfield to handle the issues they hold closest to their hearts with the perfect blend of compassion, vigorous legal representation and adherence to the highest ethical and legal principles.
Joint Divorce is now an option in Michigan. There are multiple ways to start the Joint Divorce Process. Streamline Divorce is an efficient, lower-cost option for a respectful divorce without a traditional divorce lawsuit. Attorney Denise Couling discussed the options of Streamline Divorce and “Streamline Plus” in today’s blog article.
Everyone is familiar with the phrase “filing”for divorce. “ Some clients are surprised to learn that “filing for divorce” typically refers to starting a lawsuit against your spouse. The “traditional” divorce lawsuit is one in which one spouse brings a lawsuit for divorce against the other spouse — and a divorce litigation ensues. But did you know that a divorce lawsuit is not the only option? In this new blog series, I will walk you through the options for “Joint Divorce” in Michigan and help to provide insights on which type of Joint Divorce process tends to work best in certain types of situations.
There is a better, more respectful way to approach divorce and family law. Divorce and many other family law matters can be handled without a “traditional” lawsuit. For more information on our exclusive Streamline Divorce process, visit: https://www.streamlinedivorce.com/
"I had absolutely no doubts when deciding to form a family law firm with Attorney Andrea Banfield in early 2020. I encourage everyone who has had the same privilege to vote for her in the 2023 "Best of Livingston County" awards." The link is at: https://livingstondaily.gannettcontests.com/2023-Best-of-Livingston-County-Communitys-Choice-Awards/gallery?group=466785
We are honored by the trust our community has placed in us! Once again the law firm of Banfield Couling Law & Mediation PLLC has been nominated as Livingston County’s best law firm. Click here to cast your vote for the 2023 People’s Choice Awards: https://livingstondaily.gannettcontests.com/2023-Best-of-Livingston-County-Communitys-Choice-Awards/gallery?group=466784
Yes: you can settle a divorce before It's even filed. Denise Couling’s book, Michigan Divorce: Fast-Tracked, guides you through the steps and considerations. Learn more about the new and better ways to navigate a more respectful and less costly divorce process. Available on Amazon in print or Kindle formats: https://www.amazon.com/Michigan-Divorce-Fast-Tracked-Denise-Couling-ebook/dp/B0933B92W4/ref=sr_1_1?crid=19SQNF50JU4F1&keywords=denise+couling&qid=1692708132&sprefix=denise+couling%2Caps%2C123&sr=8-1
A client’s satisfaction with the work of our firm is the best testimonial of all. In an ongoing series to share our clients’ reviews of their experiences, this post shares a recent review of Attorney Andrea Banfield:
Andrea is very professional, knowledgeable, and takes the time to listen to the issues. She offers straightforward and helpful legal advice. She helped me understand some custody and parenting laws that I was not aware of and pointed me to helpful resources. I highly recommend her for family law issues.
Did you know that many of our firm’s helpful materials are available on our website? In fact, a number of our videos and handouts can be found at: https://coulinglaw.com/videosandhandouts Whether you may be considering scheduling an appointment or simply wishing to familiarize yourself with key considerations for a potential divorce or family law action, these materials are available at any time.
Collaborative Divorce (also referred to as Collaborative Practice) is an alternative to filing a traditional divorce lawsuit. Both attorneys Andrea Banfield and Denise Couling are trained in Collaborative Practice and are highly experienced in other pre-filing divorce options. Contact us to find out whether this option may be of benefit to you. https://coulinglaw.com/new-page-1
During a time most people describe as the most challenging time in their lives, Denise Couling has the reputation for empathetically informing her clients every step of the way during their divorce.
“Denise steered me through a clear path even though I was extremely distraught.... She kept me at ease and reassured me without trying to overpromise even though I know it would have been easy up front to do so. …. I highly recommend Denise and her firm; they're all great and sincerely kind." (Client, Google Review)
Can One Attorney Represent Two Spouses in A Divorce Action? No. Joint representation of both spouses by an attorney in Michigan is not permitted. Many callers ask our office for joint representation. While we cannot offer that service, we do offer our Streamline Divorce℠ process that is perfect for parties that have or are able to reach a Pre-filing Settlement Agreement.
MICHIGAN CHILD SUPPORT FAQ #1: How is a Person’s Variable Income Considered in Determining Child Support? In Michigan, the Michigan Child Support formula takes into consideration numerous factors to calculate support, which includes each parent’s income, tax rates, the number of overnights a child has with each parent, and the cost of health insurance premiums paid by either parent.
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