Thomas C. Kates

Thomas C. Kates is a family law attorney and domestic mediator based in Holland, Michigan. He represents individuals and families in divorce, child custody, child support, parenting time, paternity, and related matters throughout West Michigan. Kates combines courtroom experience with practical guidance to help clients understand the legal process, protect important family interests, and pursue workable resolutions during difficult transitions.

Kates earned a Bachelor of Science from Central Michigan University in 1983 and worked as a special education teacher while attending law school. He received his Juris Doctor from Wayne State University Law School in 1989, where he served as assistant editor of the Wayne Law Review. His background in education, legal writing, and litigation supports a clear and thoughtful approach to family law counseling and advocacy.

Kates has practiced as a trial lawyer in West Michigan for more than three decades. His work includes contested family law proceedings as well as mediation designed to resolve disputes outside the courtroom. He has completed extensive training in domestic mediation and domestic violence screening and has served as an attorney guardian ad litem, a civil case evaluator, and a volunteer domestic mediator in the Holland area.

Thomas C. Kates is a member of the State Bar of Michigan’s Family Law and Master Lawyers Sections. He formerly served as president of the Mason-Lake Bar Association and founded the Holland Area Solo Practice Bar Association. Through litigation, negotiation, and early-stage mediation, Kates helps clients address sensitive family disputes with careful preparation, practical judgment, and attention to the financial and emotional effects of the legal process.

Law Office Affiliations

• Attorney, Thomas C. Kates, Attorney and Mediator
• Member, State Bar of Michigan, Family Law and Master Lawyers Sections
• President, Mason-Lake Bar Association
• Founder, Holland Area Solo Practice Bar Association

Licensed State

• Michigan

Education

• Wayne State University Law School
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• Central Michigan University
  Bachelor of Science (BS)

Awards & Badges