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Frederick G. Buesser
41000 Woodward Avenue
Bloomfield Hills,
Michigan
48304
Phone: 248-258-1309
Fax: 248-258-1439
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DIVORCE AND FAMILY LAW GROUP
In Ed Gold, Fred Buesser, Gordon Scupholm, David Potts, Denise Alexander and Evanne Dietz, Butzel Long, P.C., one of Michigan’s oldest and largest full service law firms, has assembled a distinguished team of divorce and family lawyers whose accomplishments have brought national recognition by election to membership in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, inclusion in Best Lawyers in America, and designation as Michigan Super Lawyers. Working collaboratively with clients and with one another, the Butzel team brings unsurpassed experience, skill, judgment, and sensitivity to the successful management and resolution of complex, non-routine divorce and other family law-related matters. Headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, with offices throughout Michigan and backed by the resources of 225 lawyers with expertise in all relevant areas of law, the Butzel Family Law Group can deliver whatever is needed to any issue or situation, whether arising from factual or financial complexity, from time constraints, or from difficult people.
MEMBERS OF THE GROUP
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EDWARD D. GOLD Direct Dial: (248) 258-1416 Fax: (248) 258-1439 Email: gold@butzel.com |
Edward D. Gold is a shareholder practicing in Butzel Long’s Bloomfield Hills office. He attended Wayne State University and Detroit College of Law (J.D., 1964). He has authored numerous articles on family law and is a contributing lecturer for the Institute of Continuing Legal Education, the State Bar Family Law Section Seminar Series, the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and the Michigan Trial Lawyers. He was an adjunct professor at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law where he taught Family Law.
Mr. Gold is a former chairperson of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan, from whom he recently received its Lifetime Achievement Award. He served as Vice President of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and as President of the Michigan Chapter. He is also a member of the American College of Family Trial Lawyers, whose membership is limited to 100 lawyers nationally, as well as the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. He is an elected member of the Matrimonial Network, a group of the 30 finest matrimonial lawyers in the country. He served as President of the Southfield Bar Association and the Oakland County Bar Association.
Mr. Gold is listed in the most recent edition of the Best Lawyers in America and has been listed for the past ten years. He was also named one of the 10 best divorce lawyers in metropolitan Detroit by Detroit Monthly magazine and was recently recognized as one of Michigan’s Super Lawyers.
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FREDERICK G. BUESSER III Direct Dial: (248) 258-1411 Fax: (248) 258-1439 Email: buesser@butzel.com |
Frederick G. Buesser III is a shareholder based in Butzel Long’s Bloomfield Hills office and also serves clients from the Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Lansing offices. He attended the University of Michigan Law School, where he was an editor of the Law Review, graduating cum laude in 1966. For twenty five years prior to joining Butzel in 1992, Buesser was a partner in Buesser Buesser Snyder and Blank, the preeminent boutique divorce firm in the state. He is a fourth generation lawyer with a deep commitment to personal service and professionalism.
Mr. Buesser has represented and counseled a wide range of clients in sophisticated family matters throughout Michigan for over 40 years, and has extensive experience in handling complex tax, business, and valuation issues. He has authored numerous articles pertaining to valuation and tax issues, settlement structures, and trial and negotiating tactics, including the “Property Settlement and Alimony”chapter of Michigan Family Law,published by the Institute of Continuing Legal Education in 1986. He has authored numerous articles on family law and is a contributing lecturer for the Institute of Continuing Legal Education, the State Bar Family Law Section, the Michigan Judicial Institute, the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and the Michigan Trial Lawyers.
He has served on the Council of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan, as a Trustee of Child and Family Services of Michigan, as a Grievance Panel Chairperson of the Michigan State Bar Grievance Commission, and is a Trustee of the Michigan Supreme Court Historical Society and a Fellow of the Michigan State Bar Foundation and the American Bar Foundation.
Mr. Buesser has been included in the Best Lawyers in America since 1986 and was named one of the ten best divorce lawyers in metropolitan Detroit by Detroit Monthly magazine. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and a member of the Editorial Board of its Journal of Matrimonial Law. He has been designated a Michigan Super Lawyer.
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T. GORDON SCUPHOLM II Direct Dial: (248) 258-1411 Fax: (248) 258-1439 Email: scupholm@butzel.com |
Gordon is a gentleman’s gentleman. His mild manner and understated exterior mask a clever lawyer and a competitive spirit. He is the group’s “Clark Kent.”
Prior to joining Butzel, Gordon was engaged in the general practice of law where he gained experience in a broad range of areas, including real property, estate planning, probate litigation, and corporate governance. This background has served him well in the practice of family law. Since joining Butzel in 1985, he has focused his practice in the area of family law, with a special interest in custody and parenting issues and in family disputes involving estates and trusts.
In his 43 years as an attorney, Gordon has successfully litigated matters involving property division, custody, visitation/parenting time, out-of-state domicile change for children, safe delivery of newborns, and support enforcement. Gordon believes that clients want a competent attorney who is also a good listener. When the matter is concluded, they want peace of mind that a fair resolution was reached.
A graduate of Albion College (cum laude) and the University of Michigan Law School, he is a member of the American Bar Association and its Family Law Section, and is a Fellow of the Michigan Bar Foundation. He is a member of the Family Law Section and Probate and Trust Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan. He is also a member of the Oakland County Bar Association. He served as Chairman of the Probate, Estate and Trust Committee and served for many years as a member of the Public Advisory Committee on Judicial Candidates.
Gordon and his wife, Marilyn, have been married for 43 years. They have two grown children and two grandsons. The Scupholms enjoy golf and their favorite charity is the American Heart Association.
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DAVID W. POTTS Direct Dial: (248) 258-1438 Fax: (248) 258-1439 Email: potts@butzel.com |
David W. Potts is a shareholder based in Butzel Long’s Bloomfield Hills office. He attended Hillsdale College and is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University (B.S., 1964) and Wayne State University Law School (J.D., 1969), where he was a recipient of the Arthur L. Robbins award for trial advocacy. He is admitted to practice in all the courts of Michigan, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, and the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Mr. Potts concentrates his practice in the areas of complex business litigation in state and federal courts, family law and divorce litigation, environmental law and litigation, government relations, and sports and entertainment law.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Potts served as Vice President and General Counsel for the
Detroit Lions of the National Football League, where he was involved in negotiations with the Pontiac Stadium Authority on issues ranging from lease and interpretation of agreements with the Authority to construction of facilities at the Lions’ new stadium. Mr. Potts represented the Lions in League and general legal matters and counseled management during the Lions’ move to Detroit until joining Butzel Long in 1999.
Mr. Potts is a member of the Oakland County Bar Association (Past Vice Chair, In-House Counsel Committee; Past Chair, Public Relations Committee); the American Bar Association; the State Bar of Michigan; a Fellow of the Michigan Bar Foundation; the Sports Lawyers Association; and is a Master of the Oakland County Bar Association’s Inn of Court.
Mr. Potts is extremely active with community activities including the Birmingham Planning Board (Board member); the Oakland County Economic Development Corporation (past Chair and current member); the Oakland County Business Roundtable; and Board Member of the Oakland County Legal Aid Society. His civic activities include the American Heart Association Midwest Affiliate; the American Heart Association of Metropolitan Detroit (past Chairman, Board Member, Executive Committee Member); National Kidney Foundation of Michigan’s Board of Directors; the Founders Society of the Detroit Institute of Arts; and Council Member of the President’s Council on White House Fellows. He is a co-host of the popular television show Eye on Oakland seen locally in Oakland County and he is a member of the Oakland County Board of Commissioners.
David and his wife, the Honorable Wendy Potts, Chief Judge of the 6th Judicial Circuit of Michigan, have two children and live in Birmingham.
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DENISE ALEXANDER Direct Dial: (248) 258-2519 Fax: (248) 258-1439 Email: alexander@butzel.com |
Denise Alexander is a shareholder practicing in Butzel Long’s Bloomfield Hills office. Ms. Alexander graduated from the Detroit College of Law (J.D., 1976) and the University of Michigan (B.G.S., 1973).
Ms. Alexander has extensive experience practicing in all areas of family law. She has been recognized by various professional and legal organizations as a leading practitioner in this area, and was recently recognized as one of Michigan's Super Lawyers.
Ms. Alexander is an active speaker on various family law issues, and has authored numerous articles on special family law topics, including: “Diplomacy in Domestic Relations” for the Michigan State Bar Family Law Journal (Volume 22, April 1995); “Procedures for Obtaining a Personal Protection Order” for the Michigan State Bar Family Law Journal Special Edition for Single Parents (1998); and “To Sign or Not to Sign: Pitfalls of the ‘Final’ Agreement” for the Michigan State Bar Family Law Journal Special Edition - Dividing the Assets (2001).
Ms. Alexander has served as an instructor and lecturer for several professional and continuing legal education organizations, including the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers; Institute of Continuing Legal Education; State Bar of Michigan, Family Law Section; and the Oakland County Bar Association, People’s Law School.
Ms. Alexander currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Michigan Inter-Professional Association on Marriage, Divorce and the Family, Inc. and is President of the Board of Trustees for the Child Abuse and Neglect Council of Oakland County (CANCO). She has held numerous public service positions, including serving on the Waterford Planning Commission (1997-2001), the Southfield City Council (1989-1992), and the Southfield Planning Commission (1983-1989). She was the HUD Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development (1992-1993), the Executive Director of the Michigan Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Board (1991-1992), and the Executive Director of the Government Task Force on Children’s Justice (1991-1992).
Ms. Alexander is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, the Oakland County Bar (Family Law sections), the Michigan Inter-Professional Association (“MIPA”), the Women’s Economic Club, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. She has also been honored as a “90 for the 90’s” honoree by Crain’s Detroit Business and by the Southfield Business and Professional Women’s “Women of the Year” in 1992.
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EVANNE D. DIETZ Direct Dial: (248) 258-2607 Fax: (248) 258-1439 Email: dietz@butzel.com |
Evanne L. Dietz is a senior attorney based in Butzel Long’s Bloomfield Hills office. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School (J.D., 1993) and the University of Michigan (M.A., 1995; B.A., cum laude, 1990). She has a fluency in reading, writing, and speaking the Russian language.
Ms. Dietz is a valuable addition to the group. Prior to joining Butzel Long, Ms. Dietz was Associate Family Division Legal Counsel for the Third Judicial Circuit Court, and co-founded and worked for LEAP (Lawyers for Equal Access Project) and LEAD (Lawyers for Equal Access of Metro Detroit).
Ms. Dietz served on the Board of Commissioners and Open Justice Commission of the State Bar of Michigan (member, Family Law and International Law) and is a past chair of the Young Lawyers Section. Ms. Dietz chaired the State Bar’s Equal Access Initiative and served on the Pro Bono Initiative. Ms. Dietz is a member of the American Bar Association and served as Assembly Clerk and Speaker for its Young Lawyers Division, as well as Liaison to the Section of Family Law. She also serves on the Wayne County Council Against Family Violence. Ms. Dietz was invited by the Third Judicial Circuit Court to sit in as visiting Referee at the Juvenile Court adjudicating abuse, neglect and delinquency cases during August and September, 2006.
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