Practice areas: Family Law, Business & Corporate, Estate Planning & Probate; view more
Licensed in Michigan since: 1994
Education: The Thomas M. Cooley Law School
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2011 - 2026 Connie R. Thacker, a formidable attorney and shareholder at Thacker Sleight PC in Grand Rapids, Michigan, shines as a relentless litigator and a skilled mediator. With a rich background drawn from two decades at prominent firms, she and her law partner launched their own practice to deliver superior service and outcomes, free from the red tape and high costs associated with larger firms.
Ms. Thacker’s practice centers around family law, including divorce, custody, mediation, prenuptial agreements, child support and adoption. In addition, she holds a Michigan real estate broker license and practices in estate planning, business and real estate law. She is a distinguished fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML), a title earned through a rigorous selection process involving an exhaustive interview, anonymous peer reviews by judges and attorneys and a four-hour exam focused on family law. She has also received formal training and certification from the AAML Matrimonial Arbitration Training Institute and stands among the few in Western Michigan certified by the AAML as an arbitrator.
Moreover, Ms. Thacker is uniquely honored to be the only attorney in Western Michigan designated as a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA) by the Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts (IDFA). Academically, she earned her J.D. cum laude from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School. Licensed to practice law in Michigan since 1994, she remains active and in good standing.
Ms. Thacker's accolades include being named “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers for Grand Rapids in collaborative divorce practice and family law. She is also recognized by "The Best Lawyers in America" for her excellence in family law, collaborative practice and family law mediation in Grand Rapids. Additionally, the Grand Rapids Business Journal has repeatedly honored her as a Top Lawyer in the divorce category.
Practice areas
Family Law, Business/Corporate, Estate Planning & Probate, Real Estate: BusinessFocus areas
Adoption, Alimony & Spousal Support, Business Formation and Planning, Business Organizations, Child Support, Condominiums & Cooperatives, Contracts, Custody & Visitation, Dissolution, Divorce, Domestic Violence, Estate Planning, Father's Rights, Guardianships & Conservatorships, Juvenile Law, Landlord/Tenant, Limited Liability Companies, Living Wills, Marital Property, Mediation & Collaborative Law, Mortgage & Refinance, Name Change, Partnership, Paternity, Power of Attorney, Prenuptial Agreements, Probate & Estate Administration, Same Sex Family Law, Short Sale, Sub-chapter S Corporations, Trusts, Wills
- 70% Family Law
- 10% Business/Corporate
- 10% Estate Planning & Probate
- 10% Real Estate: Business
First Admitted: 1993
Professional Webpage: https://www.thackersleight.com/about/connie-thacker
Bar / Professional Activity
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Colorado
- District of Columbia
- Fellow, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
- ICLE Family Law Advisory Board
- Judicial Candidate Review Committee
- Grand Rapids Bar Association, Chair of Family Law Section
- AAML Michigan Chapter, Board of Examiners
- Grand Rapids Inns of Court, Past Officer
- State Bar of Michigan, Executive Committee
- State Bar of Michigan, Family Law Council
- State Bar of Michigan, Chair of Alternative Family Committee
- State Bar of Michigan, Chair of Domestic Violence Committee
- American Bar Association, Family Law Section
- Collaborative Practice Institute of Michigan
- Michigan Council for Family and Divorce Mediation
- Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC)
- American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML)
- Ottawa County Car Association
- Grand Rapids Bar Association
- State Bar of Michigan
Special Licenses / Certifications
- Certified Mediator
- Licensed Michigan Real Estate Broker
- ASA Business Valuation Income Approach/Training
- ASA Business Valuation Market Approach/Training
- ICLE Family Law Certificate Graduate
- Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA)
- Certified Arbitrator, AAML
- Certified Collaborative Divorce Lawyer
Pro bono / Community Service
- Saugatuck Center for the Arts, Board of Directors
- Fellow, Michigan State Bar Foundation
- Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce
- Fennville Chamber of Commerce
Educational Background
- University of Baltimore, B.A.
Scholarly Lectures / Writings
- The Divorce Process, ICLE, Presenter
- Business Owners Beware, Detroiter
- GAL Handbook for Divorce Practice, Co-Editor
- Estate Planning in a Divorce, Family Law Journal
- Domestic Abuse and the GAL, Divorce GAL Handbook
- Understanding the Child Advocate, Family Law Journal
- Contractual Vows, Family Law Journal
- Facebook and the Rules of Evidence, Family Law Journal
- An Electronic Scent of Another, Family Law Journal
- Children Who Require More, Family Law Journal
- Stock Options, Family Law Journal
- The Closing Letter, Family Law Journal
- The Divorce Process, Western Michigan Estate Planning, Presenter
- Prenuptial Agreements, Edward Jones, Presenter
- Child Support Deviation from the Formula, AAML, Presenter
- Enforcement of Prenuptial Agreements, AAML, Presenter
- Judgment of Divorce, AAML
- Understanding Arbitration, AAML
- Parent Coordination, AAML, Presenter
- Joint Legal Custody, AAML, Presenter
- Custody Evaluations, State Bar of Michigan, ICLE, Presenter
- Overcoming Child-Parent Contact Problem/Alienation, ICLE, Presenter
- Alternative Dispute Resolution, ICLE, Presenter
- DOMA and Marriage Equality, ICLE, Presenter
- The impact of Divorce on Special Needs Children, ICLE, Presenter
- Understanding Psychological Reports, ICLE
- Cohabitation Agreements, ICLE, Presenter
- Attorney Fees from A-Z, ICLE, Presenter
- Non-Marital Unions, ICLE, Presenter
- Fundamentals of Divorce Practice and Procedure, ICLE, Presenter
- Domestic Violence/Domestic Abuse, ICLE, Presenter
- Drafting the Judgment of Divorce and Follow Up, ICLE, Presenter
Honors
- 2017 Best Lawyers GR, MI Family Law Lawyer of the Year
- Recognized by Leading Lawyers for Family Law
- AVVO, Top Lawyer Rating, Superb 10
- 2017 100 Top Female Lawyers in Michigan
- Western Michigan’s Best Lawyers
- Listed in the "Best Lawyers in America®" for Collaborative
- 2014 American Registry of Business Excellence
- 2011-2017 Super Lawyers® in Family Law
- 2011 Best Lawyers GR, MI Family Law Lawyer of the Year
- 2015 Best Lawyers GR, MI Family Law Lawyer of the Year
- 2016 Best Lawyers GR, MI Collaborative Lawyer of the Year
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2011 - 2026
