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About Joel
Biography
Joel Bernier is a founding partner of Boroja, Bernier & Associates PLLC, where he leads the firm's divorce and family law practice. Born and raised in the Detroit area, Joel knows Michigan's people, courts, and legal system intimately.
His path to the law was unconventional. Joel earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Wayne State University and a Master's in Music Industry from the University of Miami before discovering his calling in the courtroom. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and was admitted to the State Bar of Michigan in 2010.
That background shapes how he practices. Divorce, custody disputes, and family transitions are not just legal questions. They are life-changing events involving complex emotions and personal dynamics. Joel listens closely, prepares meticulously, and builds strategies that address both the legal and the human side of every case.
He is also a battle-tested trial attorney. During his years in criminal defense, Joel won more than a dozen jury trials, securing acquittals and not-guilty verdicts for his clients. That courtroom record matters in family law: most cases settle, but they settle on stronger terms when the other side knows your attorney can win at trial.
Joel co-founded Boroja, Bernier & Associates in 2014 on a simple conviction: Michigan families deserve better. Effort matters, but results define excellence, and the firm measures itself by outcomes delivered and families protected. Since 2014, the firm has guided more than 2,000 families through divorce, family law, estate planning, probate, and elder law matters, with offices in Shelby Township, Troy, Ann Arbor, and Lansing.
Joel represents clients in divorce, child custody, parenting time, child support, property division, spousal support, and family law litigation in Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne counties and across Southeast, Central, and Mid-Michigan.
Practice Areas
2
Practice Areas
Fees and Rates
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Chat withLicenses
Licensed in Michigan for 15 years
State: Michigan
Acquired: 2010
No misconduct found
Location
Boroja, Bernier & Associates
49139 Schoenherr Road, Shelby Township, MI, 48315
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Joel A. Bernier's Reviews
Avvo Review Score
2 Client Reviews
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Practice Areas
What Clients Mention
Showing 1 - 1 of 1 review | 5 stars
Posted by brandon | August 05, 2022 | Hired Attorney
Excellent lawyer! Highly recommend
I cannot say enough positive things about Joel Bernier. For starters, he truly made me feel like I was his only client, always answered my questions/concerns, and was always there for me. Joel was a rock in a storm for me…Always- calm, collective, and professional when I was not. He constantly played...
Joel A. Bernier's Lawyer Endorsements
"Mr. Bernier is a great lawyer, professional and hard working. I endorse this lawyer."
"I endorse this lawyer. Joel is a pleasure to discuss a variety of legal topics with. Joel is very knowledgeable of the law and is always well prepared. I recommend him."
Aaron Boria
Criminal defense lawyer
John Elkhoury
Criminal defense lawyer
Experience
Honors
2026
Rising Star, Super Lawyers
2026
Lead Counsel Rated, Lead Counsel
2025
Lead Counsel Rated, Lead Counsel
2025
Rising Star, Super Lawyers
2024
Lead Counsel Rated, Lead Counsel
2024
Rising Star, Super Lawyers
2023
Lead Counsel Rated, Lead Counsel
2023
Rising Star, Super Lawyers
2022
Lead Counsel Rated, Lead Counsel
2022
Rising Star, Super Lawyers
2021
Lead Counsel Rated, Lead Counsel
2021
Rising Star, Super Lawyers
2020
Lead Counsel Rated, Lead Counsel
2020
Rising Star, Super Lawyers
2019
Lead Counsel Rated, Lead Counsel
2019
Rising Star, Super Lawyers
2018
Rising Star, Super Lawyers
2018
Lead Counsel Rated, Lead Counsel
2017
Lead Counsel Rated, Lead Counsel
2016
10 Best Client Satisfaction Award, American Institute of Legal Counsel
2016
Lead Counsel Rated, Lead Counsel
2015
Lead Counsel Rated, Lead Counsel
2009
Outstanding Academic Achievement in Comparative Law, University of Detroit Mercy School of Law
2004
Academic Scholarship, University of Miami
Work Experience
2014 - Present
Founding Partner, Boroja, Bernier & Associates
2011 - 2014
Associate Attorney, Sheikh Legal Services
Associations
2010 - Present
Macomb County Bar Association
Education
2010
University of Detroit Mercy School of Law
Juris Doctor
2006
University of Miami
M.M
N/A
Wayne State University
Bachelor of Arts, Music
Languages
English