East Lansing, MI

Jeffrey Lance Abood

Based in Birmingham Michigan, Jeffrey practices in the areas of family law (including divorce, child custody and support), criminal defense (including alcohol and drug related offenses and white collar crime), personal injury, and wrongful death. Jeffrey is one of Michigan’s premiere Divorce attorneys, and is a favored litigator for Nationally known sports teams, agents, and players associations. He has handled cases before the Michigan Liquor Control Commission and Michigan Lottery Bureau, sat on the Criminal Justice Advisory Board of Wayne State University, and serves as General Counsel to Metro-Detroit non-profit organizations. His contacts and relationships make him a force as a legal practitioner, and his attention to detail has led him to lead counsel on a number of high-profile cases that have garnered international attention, including the wrongful termination case of a teacher, a child custody dispute, and representation of high-profile professional athletes and elected officials. In addition to being dynamic in the courtroom, he has authored numerous articles on the subject of divorce, and both local and national media regularly look to him to contribute to or opine on the subject. The courts, meanwhile, appreciate his skill and ability to resolve complex disputes. He is active in serving the community, and is a proud member of several charitable and community boards, has served as a director of the Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce, and is currently a director of the DRCFA board.

Andrew Abood

Andrew P. Abood has over a quarter century of experience practicing law. He began working alongside his father in 1987 first as a law clerk and then as a lawyer. Here, he developed strong advocacy skills with an attention to detail, and became committed to the firm’s philosophy that for every wrong there is a remedy. He believes that this single philosophy applies across the board to the defense of those wrongfully charged. Andrew continued his father’s legacy by establishing his own practice in 1997, specializing in criminal defense, personal injury, domestic relations, employment law, workers compensation, social security disability, real estate, and corporate and business transactions. From 1990 to 1992, Andrew clerked for Michigan Supreme Court Justice Michael Cavanagh. During that time, he was exposed to arguments by some of the best attorneys in the State. He worked directly on complex legal problems that had reached the State’s highest court. Although Andrew’s practice is fairly diverse, he is first and foremost a trial attorney. He does not shy away from a case because of its notoriety or public scrutiny, and has appeared on Nancy Grace, Larry King, and Joan Velez Mitchell to talk about high-profile cases. Andrew has taken on several cases that have been in the media spotlight. The charges were ultimately dismissed. When Attorney Charles Ford’s cousin was charged with Open Murder for the death of his girlfriend, Charles Ford turned to Andrew, and was found not guilty. When Ingham County Sheriff’s department searched for 7-year-old Ricky Holland, focusing on parents Lisa and Tim Holland, Lisa’s parents retained Andrew. Andrew has practiced in local and State and Federal courts, including the Federal Court of Claims, and has appeared in courtrooms in nearly every county in Michigan. He has also been granted the special status of pro hoc vice in other states, including Illinois, Ohio, and Florida. Cases in Ohio and Illinois went to appellate courts where he’s twice argued in the Illinois Court of Appeals, as well as the Ohio Court of Appeals. “The fallacy of the cliche ‘no man is above the law’ is that our country has had laws that discriminate based on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation and ethnicity. The law is not perfect. It is created by men and women who are imperfect. Don’t hire a lawyer who cites cliches. Great lawyers help clients rise above the law, and stand on principle.”- Andrew Abood

Wendy M. Schiller-Nichols

Wendy M. Schiller-Nichols is a dedicated attorney specializing in personal injury law, focusing on auto accident, wrongful death, dog bite, slip and fall, and medical malpractice cases. With nearly 25 years of experience, she is committed to ensuring victims receive fair compensation. She co-founded The Nichols Law Firm in 2006 with her husband, Mike Nichols. Wendy graduated with distinction from Thomas M. Cooley Law School and earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Memphis. She is a member of the Michigan Association for Justice, the American Trial Lawyers Association, the State Bar of Michigan, and the Ingham County Bar Association.

Michael J. Nichols

Michael J. Nichols is a nationally recognized OWI defense attorney and author of 'The Michigan OWI Manual' by Thomson Reuters West publishing. He is the task force chair for the forensic science committee and chairs the autonomous vehicles task force for the National College for DUI Defense (NCDD), where he is also a faculty and sustaining member. Mr. Nichols has achieved numerous acquittals, including a notable OWI-by-Marijuana-Causing-Death trial and the first black box vehicular homicide case in Michigan. He is an adjunct professor at Thomas M. Cooley Law School, focusing on DUI Law and Practice and Forensic Evidence. He co-founded The Nichols Law Firm in 2006 with his wife, Wendy Schiller-Nichols. He has been an active member of the Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan (CDAM) since 2000 and helped launch the Michigan Association of OWI Attorneys (MIAOWIA) in 2012. He is also a member of the Michigan Association of Justice (MAJ) and a proud graduate of Michigan State University.

Carrie Koerber

Carrie Koerber graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Science in 2006, with a Specialization in International Business. While attending Michigan State College of Law she was selected to participate in the Trial Practice Institute, a specialized program designed to develop litigation skills and courtroom presentation. She also received Jurisprudence Book Awards in Evidence, Trademark & Unfair Competition, Decedent’s, Trusts and Estate. She began working at the Abood Law Firm while in law school and graduated from Michigan State College of Law in 2009. Carrie Koerber has worked on a number of high profile cases including, People of the State of Michigan v Shamari Milton, People of Meridian Township v Beverley Nettles Nickerson, and People of the State of Illinois v Drew Peterson, specifically with regard to the felony weapons charge. Her research and writing skills and her comprehension of the issues led in each case to the charges being dismissed or an acquittal of the charge. Carrie Koerber’s experience working on OWI cases is extensive. In 2011, Carrie Koerber worked on over 50 different OWI cases with over 1/3 of the cases resulting in no criminal conviction. Those cases were in numerous jurisdictions across the state of Michigan, including East Lansing, Lansing, Mason, Marshall and Traverse City. Carrie Koerber played a significant role in the charges of First Degree Criminal sexual conduct being dismissed against a client who did not speak English, as well as successfully appealing a decision of an Ohio Judge that refused to allow an Abood Law Firm client to withdraw his plea. The Ohio Court of Appeals agreed with the Abood Law Firm and reversed the trial court. Carrie Koerber has also been successful in the civil arena as well. Working on complex civil cases that require significant document management and attention to detail. One such case resulted in a significant settlement of a legal malpractice case against a major law firm in favor of our client. Today, Carrie’s areas of practice include Criminal Law, Personal Injury, Domestic Relations and Civil Litigation.

Austin Zima

Austin A. Zima graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a Bachelor of History in 2017. Austin then obtained his Juris Doctor from Michigan State University College of Law in 2020, with a concentration in litigation. While attending law school, Austin was selected for the Michigan State University Trial Practice Institute, a specialized program designed to develop litigation skills and courtroom presentation. He received Jurisprudence Book Awards in Trial Practice and International Environmental Law; competed in several Mock Trial Competitions on behalf of the university; and was a nominated finalist in Michigan State University’s 2017 Donald Nystrom Best Brief Competition. Austin began working at the Abood Law Firm while in law school, and now practices in the areas of Criminal Law, Civil Litigation, and Probate Law. He has worked on a wide variety of cases over his career, including felony criminal offenses, automobile accidents, driving offenses, civil rights violations, federal drug crimes, and dog bites. Austin has obtained favorable results for his clients through the dismissal of criminal charges, negotiating favorable settlements, and receiving favorable rulings in motion practice at both the trial court and appellate court levels. Austin represents clients throughout the State of Michigan and is devoted to serving a client’s legal needs.

Chris Wickman

Chris Wickman joined the Nichols Law Firm in September 2018 after over six years in solo practice. His practice focuses on criminal defense, handling misdemeanors and felonies from OWI to murder, as well as Driver’s License Restoration, PPO advocacy, Expungements, and Title IX investigations. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from Michigan State University’s James Madison College and his Juris Doctor from Temple University Beasley School of Law. Chris is a co-chair of the Ingham County Criminal Defense Law Section, a Director of the Ingham County Bar Association, and a member of the Criminal Law and Appellate Sections of the State Bar of Michigan and the Michigan Association for Justice. He is admitted to practice in Michigan and federal courts in the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan. He has received multiple awards from the Ingham County Bar Association, including the Top 5 Under 35 (2016), Camille S. Abood Distinguished Volunteer Award (2022), and President’s Special Recognition Award (2024).