Richard S.Victor, is a Diplomate to the American College of Family Trial Lawyers and is listed in Best Lawyers in America; was selected as a “Super Lawyer” every year and featured on the cover in 2008; a Top Lawyer by DBusiness Magazine; served as President of the Michigan chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and served on the National Board of Governors of the Academy, receiving its highest honor, National Fellow of the Year. In 2014 he was appointed Chair of the Professionalism and Collegiality Committee for the national American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.
He was Chairperson of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999. In 2004 he was recognized for his leadership in the practice of law by the State Bar of Michigan with its highest honor, the Champion Of Justice Award. In 2000, on his 25th anniversary from graduating Michigan State College of Law, he was asked to be a commencement speaker and was given the law school’s National Alumni of the Year Award. He is the co-founder of Michigan’s parent education program SMILE; and the founder and Executive Director of the National non-profit Grandparents Rights Organization. As author of Michigan Family Law and Practice, and involved in being a leader in continuing legal education for lawyers since 1984, both in the state of Michigan and nationally, he has taught lawyers and judges that lawyers who practice family law have a higher duty to their clients than in most other areas of law. He believes that the work that is done by Family Law Attorneys not only affects their clients and their client's businesses, but will most probably affect their clients, their client's children, and their client's future generations.
Lawyer Profile

Richard S. Victor
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Recognized Since:2007
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Recognized in:Family Law
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Languages:English
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Location:1760 South Telegraph Road, Suite 300Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302
Richard S.Victor, is a Diplomate to the American College of Family Trial Lawyers and is listed in Best Lawyers in America; was selected as a “Super Lawyer” every year and featured on the cover in 2008; a Top Lawyer by DBusiness Magazine; served as President of the Michigan chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and served on the National Board of Governors of the Academy, receiving its highest honor, National Fellow of the Year. In 2014 he was appointed Chair of the Professionalism and Collegiality Committee for the national American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.
He was Chairperson of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999. In 2004 he was recognized for his leadership in the practice of law by the State Bar of Michigan with its highest honor, the Champion Of Justice Award. In 2000, on his 25th anniversary from graduating Michigan State College of Law, he was asked to be a commencement speaker and was given the law school’s National Alumni of the Year Award. He is the co-founder of Michigan’s parent education program SMILE; and the founder and Executive Director of the National non-profit Grandparents Rights Organization. As author of Michigan Family Law and Practice, and involved in being a leader in continuing legal education for lawyers since 1984, both in the state of Michigan and nationally, he has taught lawyers and judges that lawyers who practice family law have a higher duty to their clients than in most other areas of law. He believes that the work that is done by Family Law Attorneys not only affects their clients and their client's businesses, but will most probably affect their clients, their client's children, and their client's future generations.
Lawyer Bio
Bar Admissions:
- Michigan, State Bar of Michigan
Affiliations:
- American College of Family Trial Lawyers - Diplomate
- Michigan State University College of Law - National Alumni Of The Year, 2000
- National nonprofit Victor Smile Foundation - Founder/Director
- Oakland County Bar Association - Distinguished Service Award; Life Fellow Bar Foundation
- State Bar of Michigan - Champion Of Justice Award
- National nonprofit Grandparents Rights Organization - Founder/Executive Director
- Family Law Section, State Bar of Michigan - Past Chair; Awarded Lifetime Achievment Award in 1999
- American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers - Former President, MI Chpater; Former member national Board of Governors; 2006 national Fellow of the Year; First recipient national Professionalism of the Year Award , 2016
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for work in:
- Family Law
Awards:
- National Distinguished Alumni of the Year from Michigan State University Collage of Law, 2000
- Named to Best Lawyers in American for Family Law
- Lifetime Achievement Award from the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan, 1999
- Hermes Creative Award for the book "You and Me Make Three", 2008
- Distinguished Service Award, Oakland County Bar Association, 1994
- Child Advocate of the Year, Child Abuse and Neglect Council, 1994
- Champion of Justice Award, State Bar of Michigan, 2004
- Diplomate to the American College of Family Trial Lawyers
- Named as a Michigan "Super Lawyer" every year and featured on the cover with a special cover story in 2008
- Meritorious Service to the Children of America, awarded by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, 1993
- American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers national Professionalism of the Year Award, 2016
Areas of Expertise:
- Alimony
- Child Custody
- Divorce
- Domestic Relations
- Equitable Division
- Grandparents' Rights
- Juvenile Matters
- Marital Settlement Agreements
- Paternity
Additional Information:
Family Law Practice
Firm Details
News & Media
Attorney Case History
DeRose v DeRose, Michigan Supreme Court, April, 2002,
Argued the case before the Michigan Supreme Court regarding the issue of whether
Tallman v Milton, 192 Mich App 606; 482 NW2d 187 (1992
Amicus Curiae counsel for State Bar of Michigan Family Law Section, which dealt with rights of foster parents to secure custody of children left in their care for extended periods of time.
In re Clausen 442 Mich 648; 502 NW2d 649 (1993
Atkinson v Atkinson, Michigan Court of Appeals and Supreme Court (1986)
Author and Creator of the "Equitable Parent Doctrine";
Attorney Client Comments