Brendan Guilford | Portage Family Lawyer

BRENDAN N. GUILFORD was born and raised in Kalamazoo County, attending Vicksburg High School. He went on to earn his Bachelor of Arts undergraduate degree in Political Science from Alma College in 2005. After moving to Florida with his wife, Brendan received his law degree from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale. While attending law school, he clerked for the community association firm Kahan Shir, PL in Boca Raton, FL. After graduating from law school, he relocated to the Tampa Bay region with his family in mid-2009. While working in and around Tampa, Brendan worked as an of-counsel attorney for civil litigator Kerry Brown, Esq. and later as an associate family law attorney for Bill Beck Law, P.A. He now is a sole proprietor and principal of Guilford Law, PLLC in Portage, MI. Brendan resides in Portage with his wife and twin boys. Brendan became a member of the Florida and Federal Middle District of Florida Bars in 2010 and a member of the State Bar of Michigan in 2015. He is also trained as a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Law Mediator. Brendan's areas of practice are primarily focused within family law, including divorce, post-judgment modifications, paternity matters, domestic violence and child support-related issues. He has also assisted clients with legal issues relating to community association law, business litigation, defamation, employment law, landlord-tenant law and bankruptcy.

Lawyer.com Member Questionnaire

How did you build a successful practice?
Responding promptly to clients' telephone calls, e-mails, and other correspondence. People really appreciate being called back! Its also important to communicate clearly with clients and expect them to reciprocate. If my client and I understand what the client wants, what the law requires, and what I can provide - we're going to be more successful.

What should clients look for in a lawyer?
Everyone differs as to what is the most important aspect of a good lawyer-client dynamic. I think treating clients with respect is essential; no one wants to be treated like a burden or a commodity. Questions prospective clients might consider: Can I make contact with my lawyer in a reasonable amount of time? Do we have a good dynamic when we meet? Do I feel like my attorney will give me an honest appraisal of the legal realities involved in my case? Do I feel that my attorney does or will add value/strength to my case?

How important is local knowledge to the success of your cases?
Knowledge of local procedural rules is very important to the success of any civil (or criminal) case. Court's don't focus solely on facts - civil procedure is a big part of litigation.

What information can you provide in a free phone consultation?
I am willing to give basic information about Michigan's custody, property division and alimony laws. I typically decline to make specific recommendations, make estimates about the chances of success, or the evaluation the merits of a case on the telephone. I offer in-person consultations for free where I may have more opportunity to provide specific advice, depending on the circumstances.

What information do you need in a free phone consultation?
At minimum: the number of children, their ages and parentage, description of any criminal or juvenile proceedings that relate to the parties, and an understanding of the finances of the parties.

Position	Organization	Location	Duration
Sole Practitioner	Guilford Law, PLLC		2015 - Present

School	Degree	Major	Graduation
Shepard Broad Law Center, Nova Southeastern University	J.D.	Law School	2009
Alma College	BA	Political Science	2005

State / Court	Date
Michigan	2015
Florida	2010

• Florida State Bar        
  Michigan State Bar
  Association of Interdisciplinary Family Law Professionals        

• Family | Successful | Represented client in two day trial with respects to all major family law issues, including legal and physical custody, child support, property division and alimony

• Family | Successful | Full dissolution of marriage bench trial. Issues litigated: parental responsibility, parenting time, child support, equitable distribution of marital property, spousal support

• Family | Successful | Contested legal and physical custody trial before magistrate. Issues involved include: legal and physical custody, child support, parental communication, civil contempt.

Sun.	Mon.	Tue.	Wed.	Thu.	Fri.	Sat.
	9:00 am - 5:00 pm	9:00 am - 5:00 pm	9:00 am - 5:00 pm	9:00 am - 5:00 pm	9:00 am - 5:00 pm

 By appointment only.

Brendan Noel Guilford has been a Premium Member since July 08, 2016.
Lawyers with longer memberships tend to have more experience so we use the Membership date to help prioritize lawyer listings on search pages.

Verified Credentials	Date Verified
(2015) Licensed as Attorney in Michigan. Verified with State Bar of Michigan.	July 08, 2016
(2010) Licensed as Attorney in Florida. Verified with State Bar of Florida.	July 08, 2016

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