Lori A. Buiteweg

“The attorney-client relationship turns on the attorney’s ability and willingness to hear the client’s point of view, explain empathetically how the law shapes the outcome of their case, and be prepared on their case every step of the way.” – Lori A. Buiteweg

Bio

Lori Buiteweg spent thirty-six years building a sterling reputation throughout Michigan as a top-notch family law attorney. She is now serving exclusively as a domestic relations arbitrator and family law mediator. As such, she puts her substantive knowledge of the field, strong leadership skills, and strategically creative thinking into action.

The primary goal of Lori’s mediation work is to fashion two happy families from one unhappy family, making her perfectly suited for the role. A close second is her goal to bring a timely end to the divorce process efficiently, making her perfectly suited as an arbitrator.

A good mediator must look for consensus and areas of agreement, take ownership of the process by demanding honesty, figure out what is at the root of the conflict, and resolve the issues with clarity and ingenuity. Lori takes delight in doing just this.

Lori’s experience with international custody and parenting time cases makes her uniquely able to help parents with these issues. Without an out-of-court resolution, parents can end up litigating in two countries for years on end without resolution. And her experience with extremely high-asset cases makes her especially qualified to help attorneys and their clients clarify the many complicated issues pertaining to such cases, including unvested stock units, pensions, phantom income, retained earnings, business income, and family-owned companies. When trusts and prenuptial agreements are involved, Lori is also experienced in how to handle those issues.

Lori’s peers and their clients respect her competent, practical approach, and appreciate her positive attitude, empathy, reassuring demeanor, and sense of humor. A driven individual, Lori works hard to be prepared for each mediation, ensure the attorneys and their clients are ready to come to the table with a full understanding of the assets and issues. Throughout the mediation process, she helps lawyers and their clients generate options and proposals, and at the end, accurately memorialize their agreements.

Lori’s high-level value comes from her issue-spotting prowess, from potential mental health issues that may be blocking progress and require a mental health professional’s assistance, to tax-related traps that may require the assistance of a CPA. No two cases are alike. By getting to understand the family’s dynamics, Lori can help forge a path towards an amicable resolution leading to a happier future for everyone in the family.

Lori proudly served as the 81st President of the State Bar of Michigan (the sixth woman to have that distinction), President of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML Michigan Chapter), and President of the Washtenaw County Bar Association. She is a frequent speaker at bar association events across Michigan and has published articles on often-esoteric legal topics. And she edits the firm’s blogs on its website. She currently serves on the Public Policy Committee of the State Bar of Michigan, and is a subject matter expert in family law for a Michigan Supreme Court pilot project to license non-lawyers to provide a limited scope of legal representation to clients.

Michigan Super Lawyers named Lori as one of the Top 50 Women Lawyers in in 2016, 2017, 2020, 2022, 2024, and 2025 and a Michigan Super Lawyer every year from 2010 to 2026. In 2025, Michigan Lawyer’s Weekly added Lori to the Lawyer’s Hall of Fame, and in 2017, named her a “Leader in the Law” for her exemplary work to improve the justice system and legal community in Michigan.

When not practicing law, Lori enjoys yoga, gardening, traveling, Michigan football, and spending time with her adult children.

Awards & Recognition

• Top 100: 2026 Michigan Super Lawyers
• Selected to Super Lawyers for 2010 – 2026