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Sally Babbitt - Lansing, MI

6005 W. Saint Joseph Hwy.Suite 302 Lansing, MI 48917

Updated: 05/16/2024

Lansing Estate Planning & Administration Lawyer

Overview

Sally is the founder and President of Babbitt Legal Group, PC a Michigan based law firm focusing on issues relating to death and incapacity. As an attorney, mediator, author, speaker, and media host & guest, Sally works with clients facing legal challenges involving wills, trusts, power of attorney documents, guardianship, conservatorships, and other probate matters in both a preventative/planning role as well as in an advocacy role in probate litigation.

With over 21 years' experience Sally has tried many cases, prepared many estate plans, spoken and taught on multiple occasions, appeared on radio, TV, and podcasts as both a co-host as well as a guest, written a variety of articles and recently published a book called, "When the Gloves Come Off: Why America's Families Are Fighting in Court."

About Sally Babbitt

Current Employment Position(s)

  • Attorney and Mediator

Practice Areas

  • Estate Planning & Administration
  • Probate Litigation
  • Trustee Services
  • Business Planning

Litigation

  • 40%

Representative Clients

  • In re: Miller Osborne Perry, 299 Mich App 515 (2013, Staff attorney on case, involving the question of whether a petition to determine
  • In re: Mark Moon Estate (unpublished January 27, 2011, COA #294176), Trial attorney for case that generated two appeals, both of which affirmed the trial court's decision that a partnership had been formed between a father and son who farmed together even without formal documents and filings.

Qualifications

Bar Admissions

  • Michigan

Specialties and Certifications

  • Institute of Continuing Legal Education Probate and Estate Planning
  • Institute of Continuing Legal Education Mediation for Domestic Relations Cases
  • Institute of Continuing Legal Education Mediation for General Civil Cases

Other Affiliations

  • State Bar of Michigan, Appellate Section (Co-Chair)
  • Women Lawyer’s Association (Board Member)
  • Eaton County Bar Association (Member)
  • Ingham County Bar Association, Probate and Estate Planning Section (Co-Chair)
  • State Bar of Michigan, Agricultural Law Section (Co-Chair)
  • State Bar of Michigan, Alternative Dispute Resolution Section (Co-Chair)
  • State Bar of Michigan, Probate and Estate Planning Section (Co-Chair)
  • American Agricultural Law Association (Co-Chair)
  • Resolution Services Center of Central Michigan in Lansing, MI, Former Board Member, Vice-President, and Treasurer, multiple years
  • Vice-Chairperson of the State Bar of Michigan’s Agricultural Law Section

Classes and Seminars

  • Trainer for Mediating Probate Litigation Cases for Certificate Candidates, 2017 Resolution Services Center of Mid-Michigan
  • Presenter/Instructor for Estate Planning for Owners of Oil & Gas Rights , 2016 National Business Institute
  • Taught succession planning for Agricultural Clients, 2015 & 2016 American Agricultural Law Association Symposium
  • Adjunct Instructor: Law Office Management, 2005 & 2006 Thomas M. Cooley Law School
  • Adjunct Instructor: General Education, Taught Study Skills and Writing, 2004 & 2005 Baker College of Owosso
  • 2022 Delta Kiwanis Club, Keynote Speaker on Contested Probate Matters and My Book
  • 2022 Delta Rotary Club, Keynote Speaker on Contested Probate Matters and My Book
  • 2021 Holt Rotary Club, Keynote Speaker on Estates, Trusts, Probate Issues
  • 2020 Michigan House Judiciary Committee, Testified Before the Committee Regarding a Proposed Amendment to the Estates and Protected Individuals Code
  • 2019 Eaton Rapids Business and Professional Women, Keynote Speaker on the Issues of Estate Planning and Probate
  • 2019 Albion College, Planning Giving Department, Spoke to Department Regarding Best Methods of Obtaining Planned Gifts for the College
  • 2018 Anatomy of an Agricultural Client, Ingham County Bar Association Probate and Trust Section Meeting Keynote Speaker
  • 2017 Expert Key Witness, Provided Expert Witness Testimony in Jury Trial Regarding Trust Administration Issues in Shiawassee County Probate Court
  • 2017 Summary of Probate Litigation Cases, Ingham County Bar Association Probate and Trust Section Meeting Keynote Speaker
  • 2016 Michigan Farm Bureau, "Take Roots Conference", Presenter at Conference Regarding Special Issues for Agricultural Clients in Succession Planning

Pro Bono Activities

  • Greater Lansing Estate Planning and Probate Council, President
  • Resolution Services Center of Central Michigan, Board Member, Past Treasurer, and Volunteer Mediator
  • St. Luke Lutheran Church, Board Member
  • Eaton Rapids Medical Center Foundation, Board Member
  • American Cancer Society’s Power in Purple Campaign
  • Ingham County Bar Association Probate & Trust Section, Co-Chair of the Section, 2017 - 2022
  • State Bar of Michigan Agricultural Law Section, Publications Chair, 2016
  • Women Lawyers Association of Mid-Michigan, Board Member, 2015
  • Ingham County Bar Association and Eaton County Bar Association, Member for Multiple Years
  • Pro-Bono Litigation and Estate Planning Work, Various Cases through Present

Education

  • Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Lansing, Michigan, 2000
    J.D.
  • Albion College, Albion, Michigan, 1986
    B.S.
    Major: Economics & Management with focus on Accounting
  • San Diego State University Global Campus, 2020
    Major: Forensic Psychology

Articles

Published Works

  • When the Gloves Come Off: Why America's Families are Fighting Each Other in Court. 2022, Bookbaby Publications; ISBN 978-1-66782-52-3
  • The Growing Need for the Use of Independent Trustees, Ingham County Bar Association Briefs, January, 2021
  • Farmers Face Unique Challenges in Estate Planning, Michigan Farm Bureau Farm News, January 20, 2015
  • Monday Profile: Sally Babbitt, Ingham County Legal News, February 9, 2015
  • Enhanced Knowledge in Contested Probate Matters Can Prove Helpful, Ingham County Legal News, April 16, 2015
  • What Do Family Farms and Family Cottages Have in Common?, State Bar of Michigan Agricultural Law Section website. August , 2015
  • Schumacher Enlightens Section members on Oil and Gas Leases, Ingham County Bar Association Briefs, 2014
  • Blended Families Bring Special Issues to Estate Planning, Ingham County Bar Association Briefs, October 2014
  • 2013 Elder Law and Disability Rights Section Fall Conference Delivers Again, State Bar of Michigan Elder Law and Disability Rights Section Newsletter 2013
  • Critical Cases to Watch: Township of Richmond v. Rondigo, LLC, State Bar of Michigan Agricultural Law Section website. July 2013
  • Mid-Michigan Pet Expert Show on WILS 1320 AM - Guest and co-host through present
  • Life Studies Podcast, co-creator and co-host, 2021 - 2022
  • Fox 47 Morning Blend, monthly guest, 2016 - Present
  • Served as Video Host for a Legislative video for the Citizens for Prison Reform non-profit, April, 2023
  • Wakeup with Mike Austin on WILS 1320 AM and Legal Analyst.

Office Information

Address

6005 W. Saint Joseph Hwy.Suite 302 Lansing, MI 48917

Achievements

Honors

  • Featured in 2022 517 Magazine "Pod People" Article
  • Featured in 2017 Capital Area Women's Lifestyle Magazine "local Women"
  • Selected as one of nine area women to represent 2017 American Cancer Society "Power in Purple Campaign"
  • Interviewed for 2015 Michigan Lawyers Weekly Article "Staying out of trouble: Solos have ways to spot, deal with problem clients"
  • 2009 Lawyer's Weekly Top 20 Up & Coming Lawyers

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