Véronique Liem is a well-regarded attorney and trial lawyer with 20 years of experience representing individuals, professionals, families, and businesses in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Her practice includes family law and divorce, business and employment litigation, alternative dispute resolution, and appeals. She has successfully litigated, tried, or settled dozens of cases in the Detroit tri-county area, and Washtenaw County, as well as in Federal Court.

Véronique is a trained, court-approved mediator for business, employment, and family law disputes, an arbitrator for the Financial Industry Regulation Authority (FINRA), and is a certified collaborative divorce attorney. Notably, she was cited by the Ann Arbor Observer as a "respected local divorce lawyer". She is a former President of the Board of the Washtenaw County Bar Association.

Family Law and Divorce

On a daily basis, Véronique helps her clients resolve issues related to divorce by focusing on family-friendly resolutions that recognize the well-being of children, the client's interests, and equitable financial outcomes.

Family law and divorce services include:

• Divorce Resolution through settlement, mediation, arbitration and collaborative divorces; 
• Litigated solutions if appropriate; 
• Child custody, child support, spousal support, property division, premarital and inherited assets, valuation of practices or businesses, and separate property issues;
• Post-divorce issues including support modification, change of domicile, parenting issues and enforcement; and
• Prenuptial or postnuptial agreements.

Commercial Litigation, Business Law, and Employment Law

Véronique uses her legal expertise and business experience to aggressively and effectively resolve cases through litigation and negotiation on behalf of professionals and businesses. She has represented software developers, wireless product companies, venture capital and consulting firms, medical product distributors, food caterers, entrepreneurs, and banks.

Commercial litigation, business law, and employment law services include:

• Drafting and negotiating contracts;
• Contract disputes and litigation; 
• Commercial litigation or mediation;
• Partnership dissolutions;
• Majority and minority shareholders disputes;
• Lease or sale of computer hardware and wireless products and services;
• Breach of fiduciary duty;
• Employment termination or discrimination and related litigations; 
• Employment agreements, including employment contracts, severance agreements, non-compete and confidentiality agreements;
• Misappropriation of customers lists, trade secrets and business opportunities; and
• Fraud and misrepresentation.

Mediation and Dispute Resolution

Véronique has successfully mediated or resolved with mediation dozens of divorces, employment issues, and commercial and business disputes. She uses mediation and dispute resolution as effective tools to successfully and creatively overcome problems or barriers that often seem insurmountable. As a mediator of divorces, employment or business disputes, she relies on her extensive training, as well as her expertise in the underlying legal specialty areas.

In divorce mediation, Véronique acts as a neutral facilitator, working directly with the parties, with or without counsel present. She facilitates the process of disclosing information and negotiating a divorce settlement. When children are involved, mediation or collaborative divorce are often a first, positive step to a new co-parenting relationship. Frequently, they are the most cost-effective means of divorce resolution.

Véronique, born in Dunkerque, France, became a U.S. resident in 1974 and later a U.S. citizen. She speaks English and French. Véronique is married and has two children.

Education

• University of Michigan (MBA, 1976; Juris Doctor, 1986)
• State Bar of Michigan Family Law Certificate (2008)

Admitted to Practice

• State Bar of Michigan, 1986
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, 1986

Presentations

• "The Relocation Puzzle: Finding All The Pieces," ICLE Family Law Institute, November 2011.
• Collaborative Approaches to Divorce seminar, Weber's Inn, October 2010
• Seminar instructor on "Intro to Collaborative Family Law," Institute of Continuing Legal Eduction (ICLE), 2008

Smith Haughey Articles

• Author, "Jurisdiction Over Custody When Parents Live in Different States," Michigan Family Law Journal, August/September 2011.
• Author, "Keeping Contracts Out of the Tort World," SHRR Business Law Newsletter, January 2011. 

External Publications

• Co-author of "Collaborative Practice-Divorce without Litigation," Michigan Bar Journal, 2006
• "Proving Cohabitation: The Challenges," Michigan Family Law Journal, 1995

Smith Haughey Publications

News for Véronique Liem, MBA

11/12/2010
Smith Haughey Experiences Growth Across the State; Hires Five New Attorneys in Traverse City and Grand Rapids

9/23/2010
Smith Haughey's Ann Arbor Office Expands With the Addition of a Local, Well-regarded Family Law Attorney

Professional/Community Affiliations

• Member, State Bar of Michigan (Past Member, Representative Assembly)\
• Member, Washtenaw County Bar Association (Former President, Board of Directors; Member and Past Chair, Family Law Section; Past Chair, Family Law Benchbook Committee; Past Chair, Friend of the Court Liaison Committee)
• Member, Washtenaw County Circuit Court Case Evaluation Committee 
• Fellow, Michigan State Bar Foundation 
• Member, Women Lawyers Association of Michigan
• Member, Michigan Council for Family and Divorce Mediation
• Member, International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (IACP)
• Member, Collaborative Practice Institute of Michigan (CPIM)
• Chair and public arbitrator, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
• Mediator, Dispute Resolution Center of Washtenaw County and Washtenaw County Circuit Court
• Case evaluator, civil and commercial cases, Washtenaw County Circuit Court
• Mediation coach, Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Divorce and Civil Case Mediation Training
• Seminar instructor, Institute of Continuing Legal Education
• Board Member, Avalon Housing Inc.