Shelley Kester - Traverse City, MI
Attorney at Wilson Kester The Empowered Divorce Source
Family Law Lawyers in Traverse City, MI
627 W Front St. Traverse City, MI 49684
- 1 Super Lawyers®
-
37
Years
Experience
Traverse City Family Law Lawyer
Updated: 08/27/2026
Areas of Practice
- Family Law
Attorney Information
Overview
Shelley Kester, ranked one of Michigan’s best female divorce lawyers, is an award-winning attorney and dedicated family law practitioner who has spent her career advocating for the protection of children and the empowerment of the individual.
As Founder and CEO of Wilson Kester the Empowered Divorce Source, Shelley has spent her career doing two things with equal conviction: protecting children and empowering the individuals who love them. Her work is not just legal representation. It is advocacy in the deepest sense of the word.
Ranked among Michigan's best female divorce lawyers, Shelley brings a depth of experience to every case that is genuinely rare. She was the first attorney from Northern Michigan to serve as Chair of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan. She has presented for the Institute of Continuing Legal Education, served on the Advisory Committee to SCAO's Friend of the Court Bureau, and played a direct role in updating Michigan's Parenting Time Guidelines for the first time in twenty years.
Shelley's commitment to public service is equally deep. She has received two Governor appointments to the Children's Trust Fund Board, served as Mayor Pro Tem of Traverse City, and dedicated years of advocacy to the State Bar of Michigan's Domestic Violence Committee. Her work on behalf of clients facing domestic violence extends far beyond the courtroom. It is personal, persistent, and unwavering.
She is a published author in the State Bar of Michigan's Family Law Journal, a longtime contributor to the Practice Management Committee, and the recipient of the Amelia Schaub Pioneer Award from the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, Tip of the Mitt Region, an honor given to those who lead by example and open doors for those who follow.
What sets Shelley apart is not only what she has accomplished. It is how she shows up for the person sitting across from her. She has spent countless hours helping clients find their strength, reclaim their voice, and build a life they are proud of on the other side of one of the hardest seasons they will ever face.
That is the standard she founded Wilson Kester the Empowered Divorce Source on. And it is the standard she holds every single day.
Awards and Honors
Awards
Honors
- Nominated Fellow of the ABF, Fellows of the American Bar Foundation 2010
- Boss of the Year, Grand Traverse Area Legal Professionals 2008
- One of Top Criminal Lawyers in Traverse City, Michigan, Business News 2007
Other Sources of Feedback About Shelley Kester
Included on the 2026 Michigan Super Lawyers list
Past Lists
- 2025 Michigan Super Lawyers list
- 2024 Michigan Super Lawyers list
Education
Legal Education
-
Cambridge University Faculty Board of Law The Old Schools,
Cambridge,
England, 1989
Honors: Lent Term in Residence -
McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific,
Sacramento,
California, 1989
J.D., Doctor of Jurisprudence
Non Legal Education
-
Michigan State University,
East Lansing,
Michigan, 1986
B.A.
Current Employment Position(s)
-
Founder & CEO
Past Positions
- Associate Attorney, Running, Wise, Wilson, Ford & Phillips, P.C., 1991 - 1997
Pro Bono Activities
- Child Abuse & Neglect Prevention Board
- Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center, Founding and Past Chair
- Great Lakes Children’s Museum, Founding Officer and past Board Member
Published Works
Articles
-
2012, Michigan Family Law Journal, with Robin Omer and Nina Abrams, Answers to Frequently Asked Questions for Attorneys Considering Mediation of Family Law Matters
-
Law Fall 2012, Shining a Light to Improve The Way We Respond to Sexually Abused Children "Children's Advocacy Centers"
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2009 Michigan Lawyers Weekly Spread the Word by Douglas J. Levy (contributed to article)
Bar Admissions
- California, 1989
- U.S. District Court Northern District of California, 1990
- U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 1990
- Michigan, 1992
Specialties and Certifications
- Family Law Certificate Program, Institute of Continuing Education and the Family Law Section, State Bar of Michigan
Other Affiliations
- Sacramento County Bar Association, 1989 - Present
- American Bar Association, 1989 - Present
- Sacramento Zoological Society, 1990 - Present
- California Trial Lawyers Association, 1989 - Present
- Grand Traverse-Leelanau-Antrim Bar Association (Past President)
- Michigan State Supreme Court Bar (Member)
- California State Bar (Former Member)
- State Bar of Michigan (Member)
- State Bar of Michigan, Domestic Violence committee
- State Bar of Michigan, Practice Management Committee
- State Bar of Michigan, subcommittees of the Family Law Section
- Collaborative Practice Institute of Michigan (Member)
- International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (Member)
- Up North Collaborative Divorce Professionals (Member)
Photo
Contact
627 W Front St.
Traverse City, MI 49684
Phone Number: 231-563-5278
Email: Send a message
Hours: Mon - Fri: 8am – 5pm, Sat - Sun: Closed
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