Angela Caulley is a Member in the Probate and Estate Planning Group practicing out of both the Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo offices. Ms. Caulley concentrates her practice in the areas of estate planning, estate and trust administration, and probate litigation.

Estate Planning

Angela works with clients during the estate planning process to identify her clients’ goals, analyze her clients’ personal and financial situations, and customize and draft unique estate plans that best align with her clients’ needs. This includes the drafting of deeds, wills, trusts, prenuptial agreements, durable powers of attorney, and patient advocate designations.

Probate Litigation

Angela has experience with a broad array of will, trust, estate, guardianship, and conservator disputes, including:

• Challenges to the validity of wills and trusts
• Claims of breach of fiduciary duty
• Claims of conversion
• Claims of mental incapacity
• Claims of undue influence
• Estate and trust creditor claim issues
• Defending claims made against personal representatives and trustees
• Seeking court modification of trust agreements
• Seeking court clarification of will and trust terms
• Seeking court appointment and removal of personal representatives and trustees
• Seeking court appointment and removal of guardians and conservators for both minors and adults

Estate and Trust Administration

Angela guides families in settling their loved ones’ affairs after death. Angela work in this area includes all aspects of probate court administration and trust administration to ensure that her clients’ loved ones’ wishes are properly carried out.

Education

Angela earned her J.D. summa cum laude from Michigan State University College of Law in 2017.  She received Jurisprudence Achievement Awards for Contracts; Family Law: Child, Family and the State; Family Law: Marriage and Divorce; and Business Enterprises and was awarded Best Oralist in Advocacy. While in law school, Angela was a Dean Charles H. King Scholar (recognizes high academic achievement). She was a member of the Michigan State Law Review and served on the Senior Editorial Board as the Senior Symposia Editor.

During law school, Angela was a judicial extern to the Honorable Curtis J. Bell in the Kalamazoo County Probate Court.

Angela was also actively involved in Moot Court and her recognitions include:

• ABA Regional Champion (2016)
• Chicago Bar Semi-finalist (2016)
• ABA Regional Finalist (2017)
• ABA Regional Best Brief Award (2017)

Angela received her B.S. degrees in Mathematics and Psychology from Grand Valley State University in 2010.

Publications

• “Policing the Prenup: When Love at First Sight Deserves a Second Look,” Women’s Rights Law Reporter, (2017)
• “Put the Child First Again: Joint Custody Presumptions and the Need for Reform,” Boston University Public Interest Law Journal, 27 B.U. Pub. Int. L.J. 403 (2018)

Professional Affiliations and Activities

Angela was recognized as a 2024 Best Lawyers One to Watch for “Litigation – Trust and Estates” and “Trust and Estates.”  Angela was also selected as a 2023 Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) Pathfinder. The LCLD Pathfinder Program is designed for diverse, high-potential, early-career attorneys at LCLD Member organizations.

Angela is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, the Grand Rapids Bar Association and the Women Lawyers Association.

Angela is admitted to practice in Michigan.

Community Activities

Angela is a member of the Junior League of Grand Rapids and serves as the financial advisor for Sigma Kappa Sorority at Grand Valley State University.