Hon. Patrick Hillary (Retired)

Retired Judge Patrick Hillary is a native of Grand Rapids and has been married to his wife Ellen since 1979. They enjoy two children, their spouses and six grandchildren. He has been involved in many activities over the years including coaching, racquetball, pickleball, golf, bicycling and martial arts.  Patrick enjoys writing poetry, involvement with his church and is an avid boater which he enjoys with his family and friends. Patrick Hillary was elected Judge to the Kent County Family Court in 2001, where he served as Presiding Judge from 2003 through 2009. Prior to becoming judge, his law practice included the areas of business, corporate, real estate, wills/trusts, estate planning and family law. On the bench Patrick presided over many types of family court cases, including divorce proceedings involving businesses and multi-million-dollar estates. As an attorney and Judge, Patrick has been very involved with community and academic organizations.

Education:

• Degree in Business from Ferris State University 1979
• Juris Doctor law degree from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School (Dean’s list) 1983
• Numerous higher learning certificates and awards regarding Pension Law, Estate Planning, Family Law, Advanced Evidence, Domestic Violence and several others

Faculty member and frequent presenter:

• Michigan Institute of Continuing Legal Education
• The State Court Administrative Office Child Welfare Services Division
• The Michigan Judicial Institute

Taught several law related courses:

• Adjunct Professor at Davenport College
• Adjunct Professor at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School

Editorial or academic advisor:

• Michigan Judicial Institute
• Various legal institutions
• Numerous publications in the State Bar of Michigan Journal

Many community and legal organizations including:

• State Bar of Michigan (including Business Law Section)
• Grand Rapids Bar Association (including Family Law Section)
• Probate Judges Association
• National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges
• Grand Rapids Catholic Central Lawyers Association
• Created the Parents and Children Section of the Grand Rapids Bar Association
• Created Child Protection Mediation program for Kent County Courts

Served on many boards including:

• The Kent County Families and Children’s Coordinating Council
• Kent County Community Corrections Advisory Board
• Kent County Alternative Dispute Resolution Plan Oversight Committee
• Kent County Project Rehab
• Selected to National Child Welfare Advisory Board in Washington D.C., Department of Homeland Security. Developed standards for the humane treatment of unaccompanied alien children in the United States and established Kent County as a primary county hearing cases to protect these vulnerable unaccompanied minors.

Awarded highest possible, top 1% preeminent rating for both legal and ethical standards:

• Martindale Hubble: AV Preeminent Rating is the pinnacle of professional excellence earned through a strenuous Peer Review Rating process managed and monitored by the world’s most trusted legal resource.
• American Registry: Certifies qualifying recognitions of excellence by peers and clients.

On the bench, Judge Hillary successfully mediated to settlement the vast majority of his domestic relation cases on the trial date or before, and presided in over 11,000 cases. As mediator, Patrick Hillary looks forward to using his years of experience as a judge to assist attorneys and their clients to successfully resolve pending Family Court cases. He is also excited to work with new and previous business, real estate and estate planning clients.