Melissa Budden Kelleigh

Melissa Budden Kelleigh

5.0
Rating: 9.9

Licensed for 25 years

Family Lawyer at Grand Rapids, MI
Practice Areas: Family, Alimony, Child Custody ... +5 more

99 Monroe Ave NW Ste 200, Grand Rapids, MI

About Melissa

Biography

Practice Areas

8

Practice Areas

Family 30%

I practice exclusively in the area of family law, including the issues of spousal support (alimony), property division, custody, parenting time, and child support. I am also trained in Collaborative Law.

30%
Alimony 10%

Alimony, also known as spousal support, is available to both men and women depending on many factors, including the length of the marriage, contribution as homemaker, and disparity of income.

10%
Appeals 10%

If you are unhappy with your result at trial, I can represent you on appeal to the Court of Appeals. I work on appellate cases involving family law, juvenile law, and mental health commitments

10%
Child Custody 10%

I assist clients in resolving legal custody issues (who makes the major decisions for the child), as well as resolving issues of parenting time (who the child is with from day to day).

10%
Divorce and Separation 10%

Many family law cases are divorce cases. I also help clients who have never been married but need to divide property, including same-sex couples.

10%
Juvenile Law 10%

I am court-appointed counsel in Kent County representing parents in child welfare proceedings. I am also available for private work in this area if Child Protective Services has gotten involved with your family.

10%
Mediation 10%

If you are unable to reach agreements but would like to try to resolve your family law matters outside of court, I can serve as a mediator to help you reach agreements.

10%
Uncontested Divorce 10%

If you have reached agreements and need help filling court forms, I can assist clients with filling out the necessary forms. This is a great option for those who cannot afford full representation and simply want help filling out paperwork.

10%

Fees and Rates

We have not found any cost information for this lawyer


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Licenses

Licensed in Michigan for 7 years

State: Michigan

Acquired: 2018

Active in Good Standing

No misconduct found

Licensed in Oregon for 25 years

State: Oregon

Acquired: 2000

Inactive

No misconduct found

Location

Melissa Kelleigh

99 Monroe Ave NW Ste 200, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503

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Melissa Budden Kelleigh's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

5.0 /5.0

4 Client Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (4) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.
Star rating
5 stars 4
4 stars 0
3 stars 0
2 stars 0
1 star 0
Practice Areas

Showing 1 - 3 of 3 reviews | Practice Area Knowledge

Posted by Selene | May 08, 2018 | Hired Attorney | Divorce & Separation

The lawyer to have

I hired Melissa Kelleigh as my representative for my divorce and then again for parent modification. Melissa is very attentive, sensitive, resourceful and organize. Melissa is the lawyer to have in a difficult moments, always looking for the best interest of her client. I strongly recommend her.

Posted by Natalie | February 05, 2018 | Hired Attorney | Family

A great person and lawyer

Melissa helped me through a real tough case that involved intense safety concerns for my kiddo. It was a terribly unideal set of facts where many state agencies were involved. Melissa was not my first attorney but she was my best attorney due to her skill, grace and compassion. She didn't make me fee...l shame that I was scared or emotional. She took risks I asked her to take and did the best with what we had to work with. Looking back I'm so grateful for that help and mostly because kiddo is healthy and safe.

Posted by Casey | January 17, 2018 | Lawsuits & Disputes

Above & Beyond

Ms. Kelleigh went above and beyond to assist me in finding the right avenue to pursue justice for my very unusual situation. She was very easy to speak with; she was kind, thoughtful, and a good listener. Before she would even discuss fees, she did research on the situation I was in, and provided me ...with her opinion of my best avenue forward. I was able to follow everything she told me, unlike many other attorneys I had spoken with who didn't have the ability to translate legal terminology for a layman like me. Even when she determined she could not represent me because the matter fell into an area of law that is not her focus, she reached out and found several thoughtful referrals who could. Ms. Kelleigh truly is in the business of helping people.

See All Client Reviews

Melissa Budden Kelleigh's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Melissa
Derek Jacques headshot
Derek Jacques

Family lawyer | Oct 10

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Melissa Budden Kelleigh is a great family law attorney. I had the distinct pleasure of seeing her legal expertise in action and I would not hesitate to recommend this lawyer to any client in need."

Natalie Hedman headshot
Natalie Hedman

Family lawyer | Apr 23

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I endorse this lawyer. Melissa works as a team, if possible, toward solutions that also meet her client's goals. Melissa can also be a strong advocate without the sacrifice of dignity or professionalism."

Brandy D Pirtle-Guiney headshot
Brandy Pirtle-Guiney

Family lawyer | Mar 06

Relationship: Co-worker

"I had the good fortune to work with Melissa Kelleigh and saw her professionalism and intellect on a first-hand basis daily. She is a thorough and conscientious attorney and is committed to her clients and her practice areas. I heartily endorse her."

Scot J Eliot headshot
Scot Eliot

Family lawyer | Feb 02

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. Melissa provides compassionate excellent family law advocacy."

View All Endorsements
Natalie Hedman headshot
Natalie Hedman

Child custody lawyer

Erin Hrabak headshot
Erin Hrabak

Unknown lawyer

Experience

Rating:  9.9 (Superb)

Honors

2016

Pro Bono Honor Roll member, Oregon State Bar

2000

Cornelius Honor Socity Member, Lewis & Clark School of Law

Work Experience

2012 - Present

solo practice attorney, Kelleigh Family Law, LLC

2010 - 2012

Associate, Yates Matthews & Eaton

2009 - 2010

solo practice attorney, Melissa Kelleigh

2003 - 2007

Associate, Kennedy Watts Arellano & Ricks, LLP

2000 - 2002

Judicial Clerk, Oregon Court of Appeals

Associations

2018 - Present

State Bar of Michigan

Member

2017 - Present

Grand Rapids Bar Association

Member

2017 - Present

Women Lawyers Association of Michigan

Member

2000 - Present

Oregon State Bar

Member

2016 - 2017

Child Welfare Counsel

LGBTQ Workgroup Member

2014 - 2016

Queen's Bench

Board Member

2003 - 2017

Multnomah Bar Association

Member

2000 - 2017

Oregon Women Lawyers

Member

Education

2000

Lewis & Clark Law School

JD - Juris Doctor cum laude

1995

University of Chicago

BA - Bachelor of Arts with honors

Speaking Engagements

2017

Clear Transitions

Frequent speaker at workshop for women going through divorce

2015

Clear Transitions

Frequent speaker at workshop for women going through divorce

2014

Clear Transitions

Frequent speaker at workshop for women going through divorce

Publications

2018

State Bar of Michigan, Family Law Section Assistant Editor of Family Law Journal

2000

Journal of Small and Emerging Business Law Executive Editor

Languages

English

Activity

Avvo Rating

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Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution