Legal Services & Lawyers

Since 1989, I have been an attorney licensed by the State Bar of Michigan. In my decades of general practice, I have served more than 1000 clients.

Among the first-50 attorneys in Michigan to complete the Family Law Certificate program offered by the Institute for Continuing Legal Education in Ann Arbor, MI, I have completed more than 250 divorces from start to finish.

In addition to family law, I have a robust criminal law practice, representing clients in jury trials and appeals across Michigan. Approved for felony assignments by the Oakland County Circuit Court, and for criminal appeals through the Michigan Appellate Assigned Counsel System, I know my way around the criminal justice system.

The Michigan Attorney General has appointed me to serve as a Special Assistant Attorney General (felony child support) and to serve Oakland County as a Public Administrator. These appointments have provided extensive family law, probate and elder law experience as a professional fiduciary in more than 75 cases.

My appellate docket has placed me before the Michigan Supreme Court, Mich Court of Appeals, and the U S Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit. Serving 2-years as a pre-hearing attorney for the Mich Court of Appeals was my 1st job out of law school, followed by another 5-years in the appellate section of Plunkett & Cooney, one of Michigan’s largest private law firms.

For 8-years in the middle of my career, I was an Asst Professor and Director of Legal Studies at the Univ of Detroit Mercy. The UDM Law Review published my article on civil rights claims in the law enforcement seizure context. As a professor of legal studies, I trained paralegals in all aspects of assisting attorneys in private practice, publishing a comprehensive article on this subject in the Mich Bar Journal.

Juris Doctor from the University of Detroit (1988)
Bachelor of Arts with honors from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI, (1984).

Mr. Burkholder heads the LeClairRyan Detroit office and has over 30 years of trial experience in business litigation, wrongful death actions, catastrophic injury cases, design defect cases, and product recall actions. He has represented architects, engineers and accountants in professional liability actions and has defended insurers in first party policy (fire, all risk property or business interruption) cases, as well as bad faith and excess liability claims. He has worked on complicated construction projects, representing design-build firms. He has defended pharmaceutical companies in medical device cases, ethical drug litigation and in generic drug registration litigation. His toxic tort experience includes the representation of manufacturers and distributors in lung cancer, liver cancer (nickel products), asbestosis, silicosis and mold cases. He has tried complicated UCC cases involving requirements contracts and just-in-time inventory systems. His practice has included the representation of domestic and foreign firearms manufacturers. His background includes experience in the U. S. Marine Corps as a trial counsel and military judge, work as a police commissioner and training as an armorer.

Former Assistant Prosecutor, Police Officer, Federal Agent. Professor of Criminal Justice. Advisor to Michigan Senate Judiciary Committee on Drunk Driving law. Ph.D Candidate in sociology (drunk driving), LL.M candidate in labor law.

Sanford J. Melder has helped thousands of people as an attorney. He was admitted to the State Bar of Michigan in 1974. He graduated from Wayne State University with a Jurist Doctor in 1973, and Wayne State University with a Bachelor of Science in 1968.

Sanford J. Melder has practiced law for over 30 years, representing clients in legal matters including Family Law, Divorce, Adoption, Real Estate, Debt Collection/Debt Collection Defense, Wills, Trusts & Estate Planning, Asset Protection, Criminal Defense, Traffic Matters, Drunk Driving, Business Law and Personal Injury.

Areas of Practice:

Family Law
Divorce
Adoption
Real Estate
Debt Collection/Debt Collection Defense
Wills, Trusts & Estate Planning
Asset Protection
Criminal Defense
Traffic Matters
Drunk Driving
Business Law
Personal Injury

Aric K. Melder has assisted each of his clients with the finest legal representation possible while upholding the ethics, spirit, and intent of the law. He was admitted to the State Bar of Michigan in 1996. He graduated from Detroit College of Law, at Michigan State University with a Juris Doctor, in 1996, and Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Arts in 1993.

Aric K. Melder has concentrated his expertise and experience in the areas of Family Law, Divorce, Adoption, Bankruptcy, Debt Collection /Debt Collection Defense, Asset Protection, Real Estate, Wills, Trusts & Estate Planning, Criminal Defense, Drunk Driving, Traffic Matters and Insurance Disputes.

Areas of Practice:

Family Law
Divorce
Adoption
Bankruptcy
Debt Collection /Debt Collection Defense
Asset Protection
Real Estate
Wills, Trusts & Estate Planning
Criminal Defense
Drunk Driving
Traffic Matters
Insurance Disputes