“I advise my clients to take the high road by reminding all parties that if they have children together they will continue to be part of each other’s lives post-judgment.”

-Attorney Gerald Cavellier

I am a Shareholder and head the Domestic Relations/Family Law Section at Hertz Schram PC in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. I am a graduate of Michigan State University College of Law (formerly known as the Detroit College of Law). My entire practice focuses on Family Law matters. I am also a member of the Hague Convention Attorney Network, an organization created to assist parents seeking to invoke the Hague Child Abduction Convention in the United States.

Since 1996, I have been practicing Family Law/Matrimonial Law. I am a past chair of the Oakland County Family Law Committee, a member in good standing with the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan and a Professor of Law at Western Michigan University, Cooley Law School where I teach Family Law. I am collaboratively trained and a member of the Collaborative Professionals Institute of Michigan (CPIM) and International Association of Collaborative Professionals (IACP). I am also a member of the Family Mediation Counsel of Michigan.

My practice involves all aspects of family law including Divorce, Child Custody, Child Support, Parenting Time, Spousal Support and Property Division. I am very familiar with more complex issues including marital tort litigation, division and valuation of closely held businesses, division of intellectual property, copyrights and royalties. I have litigated Hague Child Abduction Convention cases and interstate custody and support issues.

Family law cases require a special combination of characteristics to navigate clients through some of the most emotional days of their lives. It is said that divorces are the second most difficult time in a person’s life, second only to the loss of a close loved one. Thus, the One-Liner above, which reads “Let me help you find the calm in your emotional storm.”

In my free time I am a volunteer ski patroller with the National Ski Patrol and Legal Advisor with the Central Division of the United States to the National Ski Patrol. I am also a member of the National Mountain Bike Patrol.

Practice Areas

Matrimonial Law
Family Law
Domestic Relations

Education

Detroit College of Law, now known as Michigan State University College of Law, East Lansing, MI, JD: 1995

Oakland University, Rochester Hills, MI, B.S. (Marketing): 1987

Bar Admissions

State Bar of Michigan, June 1996 to present
United State District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, June 1996 to present
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, September 2003 to present

Examples of Excellence

In addition to the more traditional divorce matters, I have been very fortunate to represent many current and former professional athletes, entertainers and public figures in my almost 25 year career in family law, including National Football League players, National Hockey League players, National Basketball Association players, as well as Major League Baseball players and their spouses. I have also had the pleasure to represent many entertainers, musicians and authors and to assist these public figures discreetly and professionally through their family law matters.

I also handle other complicated divorce situations such as business owners, and spouses of business owners, CEO’s and spouses of CEO’s, high net worth individuals, auto dealership owners, and individuals with multiple business interests.

Honors & Awards

  • Best Family Law Lawyers, 2020
  • Super Lawyers, 2015 to present
  • Top Lawyers in Family Law by dbusiness, 2014 to present
  • Top Lawyers in Metro Detroit, Peer Review Survey Winner, 2014 to present
  • Top Lawyers in Michigan, The Legal Network, 2013 to present
  • Best Lawyers, 2014 to present
  • Leading Lawyers, 2016
  • Named one of the Best Lawyers in America, 2018
  • Lexis Nexis, Martindale-Hubbell Peer Rated for Very High Legal Ability and Ethical Standard, 2008 to present
  • Oakland County Bar Foundation Life Fellow Award, 2008 to present
  • Oakland County Pro-Bono Attorney of the Year, 2004
  • United States District Court Eastern District of Michigan • Certificate of Appreciation, 2003
  • Received Certificate of Mediator Training through Oakland Mediation Center, 1997

Professional Affiliations & Credentials

  • Author, “Grandparent Visitation: A Decade Later” Feature Article in the Oakland
  • County Bar Association publication “Laches” Family Law Edition, November 2014
  • Women’s Divorce Resource Center, Speaker, and Board of Directors, 2013
  • Author, “HELP! My Child Has Been Kidnapped”, Hague Convention on Civil
  • Aspects of International Child Abduction, Feature Article in the Oakland County
  • Bar Association publication “Laches” Family Law Edition, November 2013
  • Completed the Chicago Marathon, October, 2012 and dozens of ½ marathons around SE Michigan
  • National Ski Patrol Member, Alpine Patroller, Pine Knob, 2011 to present
  • Eastern Michigan Region of the National Ski Patrol, Legal Advisor 2013 to 2016
  • Central Division of the United States of the National Ski Patrol, incoming Legal Advisor
  • Adjunct Professor of Law at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School
  • Teaching Family Law, 2008 to present
  • Author, “Ante-nuptial Agreements in the 21st Century” Feature Article in the Oakland County Bar Association publication “Laches” Family Law Edition, November 2010
  • Common Ground Board of Directors, Past Board of Trustees, Advisory Board
  • Member – non-profit organization providing assistance to families in crisis, including victims of crime, assist people with mental illnesses, and homeless youths, 2005 – 2006
  • Family Law Assistance Project, F.L.A.P. – Volunteer Attorney – Legal Aid Clinic in Oakland County
  • Oakland County Bar Association – Mentor/Volunteer Mentor

Testimonials

Throughout all of that your professionalism stood out, now I know why you get the acclaim you do from a variety of sources and I consider myself proud to be one your clients.

Ted A.

When my deceased father’s former spouse sued me, I called Jerry Cavellier, who handled my father’s divorce. In what looked to be a long, difficult legal battle, Jerry quickly devised a strategy that wore down the opposition and settled the case. His legal maneuvering saved me tens of thousands of dollars!

Peter Leonard, National Best-Selling Author

I was fortunate to have found Jerry Cavellier to represent me when I went through my divorce. He did an outstanding job representing me and advocating for my interests (both custodial and financial). He took the time to understand my case and the issues at hand. He was always very responsive to all of my inquiries. In addition to his legal expertise and negotiating skill, Jerry provided some needed compassion and perspective during that difficult anxious laden time. I would recommend Jerry to anyone going through a divorce and looking for a highly skilled and loyal advocate.

Shaun

Gerald (Jerry) helped me through a tough time while I was going through my divorce. He was always available, respectful of my wishes and above all empathetic to everything I was going through and dealing with, which was plenty. I’ve heard from others going through similar situations as me that their lawyers would forget about them in the process and leave them hanging for days at a time without contact.

Never happened with Jerry. He always kept me well informed of the process, what came next and never, never left me wondering. I can’t speak highly enough about him.

Luis

Gerald is an excellent attorney, he has been able to advise me on any and all issues dealing with my divorce and custody case. I would highly recommend him to anyone. I only feel comfortable with Gerald representing me in court. He is honest, professional and trustworthy.

Very knowledgeable in a wide range of areas. Compassionate and understanding to client’s situation. Works quickly and diligently to achieve his client’s best outcome. I am very satisfied with Mr. Cavellier’s work and services he performed for me. I have used Mr. Cavellier on more than one occasion. I highly recommend Mr. Cavellier.

Interviewing and choosing a law firm/attorney is a difficult process and none more so than when choosing the right “family law” attorney. For me, this meant finding someone with whom I could entrust not only a difficult case, but more importantly a difficult defendant, the mother of my child. As unmarried parents, I was denied by the defendant/mother right as legal father to my son and although she would claim otherwise, the demand for legal counsel was unavoidable. Jerry Cavellier has proven on every occasion to be that right choice. Where the defendant/mother is now with her 4th attorney, Jerry has remained focused for me since this began almost 2 years ago.

To further illustrate her difficult behavior since the beginning, this particular defendant made reference to Jerry in a previous review, inferring that he (in some way) represented her. In short, Jerry is and remains her opposing counsel and has never represented her. Of course, she would write a poor review, because Jerry has performed professionally and exceptionally well for his client, me (the plaintiff) and that of my son. It goes without saying, with her inability to co-parent and more importantly, her refusal to adhere to the parenting order of the Oakland Co. court, in MI, of course she would be unhappy with my attorney who has advocated very well for me and my child.

Shane

As a long-term, now over 10-year customer of Hertz Schram,  I owe this team a debt I may never be able to repay, yet it would be an understatement to say they are just my lawyers.

With Jerry’s decades of family law under his belt, we were able, with months of hard work, to turn a nightmare into a fair outcome for all concerned.  In a difficult family court setting, Jerry could distill, and further explain complex business matters to the court’s satisfaction and found a way to keep my family intact through what might have otherwise been a complete loss and irreparable damage.  My precious children, then all tender, came through it wonderfully, one now a doctor, and another a fortune 50 Executive, have good relationships with both of their parents, and due to a fair and well managed judgment, got to see their dad as much as their mother, and always felt safe and protected.

In other words, without Jerry I would have lost my family. I recommend Hertz Schram to anyone that needs solid experienced family and business planning as their best choice.

John O.

Jerry was and continues to be a great help and support throughout my divorce and years afterwards. Whenever I’ve needed to speak with him, he is available. Whenever I’ve needed advice or direction throughout the process, he would make time for me to explain and feel confident I understood to make good decisions. Above all, I felt he was truly concerned with what I was dealing with and was looking out for me in my best interest.

Jerry is a kind, empathic human being. He continues to be accessible whenever I reach out for help. Thank you Jerry.

Luis R.

Awards and Accolades

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