Shelley A. Kester

Shelley Kester is an award-winning attorney, a community leader, a dynamic communicator and a caring individual. She is Chair of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan. Her practice includes nearly all aspects of family law, including divorce law and child custody. She was among the first in Northern Michigan to complete the Family Law Certificate Program through the Institute of Continuing Education and the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan. She is President of wilson Kester, the Empowered Divorce Source. A frequent contributor to the Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Ms. Kester is past president of the Grand Traverse-Leelanau-Antrim Bar Association and member of the Michigan State Supreme Court Bar. She is also a former member of the California State Bar. An active member of the State Bar of Michigan, Ms. Kester has served on its Domestic Violence committee, Practice Management Committee as well as subcommittees of the Family Law Section. Most recently, she served on the State Court Administrator’s advisory panel to update Michigan’s Friend of the Court’s Parenting Time Guidelines. She is both a litigator and trained collaborative divorce attorney, having served as a board member of the Collaborative Practice Institute of Michigan. She has received Governor appointments to the Children’s Trust Fund Board and is Founding Chair of the Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center.