John R. Foley

John R. Foley has practiced law in metropolitan Detroit since 1981 and founded John R. Foley, P.C. in 1994. For more than four decades, he has concentrated on family law, probate and estate matters, and complex civil litigation, representing clients whose matters require careful courtroom preparation and sustained client relationships.

John leads the firm’s Family & Estate practice, with primary responsibility for the most complex contested divorce, custody, and probate matters. His practice is grounded in the long-standing relationships he has built within the Wayne and Oakland County family and probate courts — familiarity that is itself a significant resource for clients navigating proceedings that often unfold over years. His work on high-conflict cases has given him a wealth of practical experience and insight into the emotional, psychological, and financial dimensions of contested custody, parenting time, spousal support, and property matters.

In addition to his client practice, John has served as a mediator, arbitrator, receiver, and discovery master for more than twenty-six years. He was a volunteer mediator with the Wayne County Circuit Family Court mediation pilot project at the invitation of the Honorable William Callahan, and has served by invitation as a mediator for the Michigan Court of Appeals in Family Law cases. He is a past member of the Wayne County Bench/Bar Committee.

John has been rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell since 2000 — the peer-review gold standard in the profession — and has been selected to the Michigan Super Lawyers list every year from 2014 through 2025. His other recognitions include Crain’s Detroit Business Top Attorneys in Michigan (2014), the National Academy of Family Law Attorneys Nationally Ranked Top Ten (2015), the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys (2019), Hour Detroit Michigan Top Lawyer (2020), Marquis Who’s Who Top Lawyers (2020), America’s Most Honored Professionals (since 2018), and DBusiness Magazine Top Lawyers (2025).

Outside of his legal practice, John has served as Alumni Board President of Detroit Catholic Central High School, and contributes pro bono as a Catholic pre-marriage counselor through Living in Love and to local religious leaders across faith communities.

Representative Matters

• Prevailed in numerous contested divorce matters involving significant marital estates, business valuation, and contested custody.
• Represented heirs and beneficiaries in contested probate, will contests, and trust litigation.
• Obtained guardianships and conservatorships in contested family proceedings.
• Served as court-appointed mediator, arbitrator, receiver, and discovery master in matters referred by attorneys and the courts.
• Served by invitation as a mediator for the Michigan Court of Appeals in Family Law cases.
• Former volunteer mediator, Wayne County Circuit Family Court mediation pilot project (by invitation of Hon. William Callahan).