By Tom Kirvan
Legal News
When Sarah Kuchon took to the podium in early June at the Annual Meeting of the Oakland County Bar Association, the newly-installed president of the OCBA had a lot on her mind, reflecting on a life journey that has not been in the form of a straight line nor a carefully plotted path.
In metaphorical terms, her journey has resembled “a winding road full of surprise turns, engine trouble, unexpected detours, and ... a few scenic overlooks along the way,” she acknowledged while trying to make sense of a life filled with joy, legal triumphs, loss, and unbearable tragedy.
All that while heading a successful personal injury law firm, raising two children, and assuming the presidency of the largest volunteer bar association in the state.
“I like to stay busy and, most of all, I love to learn,” declared Kuchon, who traces her drive and resilience to her great-grandfather, Jasper, an immigrant from Southeast Europe.
“He arrived at Ellis Island with his parents and two sisters, having made the long journey from Croatia,” Kuchon related. “He came here with his family chasing the American Dream. The hope of opportunity, freedom, and a better life. However, after medical screening, Jasper’s parents and siblings were sent back. They tested positive for tuberculosis. Jasper stayed. Alone. A teenager in a foreign land. That moment – a teenage boy choosing to stay, scared but determined – that’s leadership.”
Kuchon also took note of her great-grandmother, Velma Belle, affectionately known as “Grandma Stardust,” a nickname that seemed particularly apropos.
“She would say, ‘We come in as stardust and leave as stardust,’” Kuchon told those gathered at the OCBA Annual Meeting. “She would also say, ‘When you have a bad day, wear gold slippers.’ She lived to be 103, outliving wars, presidents, economic crashes, and fashion trends. Her life was proof that longevity has little to do with ease and everything to do with grit, humor, and maybe a little luck.”
Born and raised in Waterford, Kuchon has made four stops along her academic trail, earning an associate’s degree from Oakland Community College, a bachelor’s from the University of Michigan-Flint, her juris doctor from Michigan State University College of Law, and a master’s in counseling from Oakland University for good measure. She is a National Certified Counselor, while also being certified in Domestic Relations Training through the Oakland Mediation Center. For good measure, she is a credentialed Registered Yoga Teacher through Yoga Alliance.
Her thirst for learning, she said, was mostly an inherited trait, thanks to her parents, Sherry and Will, who divorced when Kuchon was a teen but eventually “reintegrated into the family” and became friends again.
“My mom, my ‘Wonder Woman,’ raised me and my siblings with unwavering strength, taught us how to love fiercely, and how to survive the moments that break us (see related story),” said Kuchon. “My mom’s courage wasn’t flashy. Instead, it was quiet determination and consistent love – that’s leadership too.”
Her father, who began his career as a freelance carpenter and then a lineman for General Motors, took an unconventional turn, moving from the world of punk rock to that of the ordained ministry.
“He went from screaming into microphones in smoky clubs to preaching about grace and transformation,” Kuchon said of her father. “He taught me to stand my ground without losing my soul, to use my voice the way he once used a mic – loud, clear, and unafraid. . . His past gave me grit; his faith gave me grace.”
Legal News
When Sarah Kuchon took to the podium in early June at the Annual Meeting of the Oakland County Bar Association, the newly-installed president of the OCBA had a lot on her mind, reflecting on a life journey that has not been in the form of a straight line nor a carefully plotted path.
In metaphorical terms, her journey has resembled “a winding road full of surprise turns, engine trouble, unexpected detours, and ... a few scenic overlooks along the way,” she acknowledged while trying to make sense of a life filled with joy, legal triumphs, loss, and unbearable tragedy.
All that while heading a successful personal injury law firm, raising two children, and assuming the presidency of the largest volunteer bar association in the state.
“I like to stay busy and, most of all, I love to learn,” declared Kuchon, who traces her drive and resilience to her great-grandfather, Jasper, an immigrant from Southeast Europe.
“He arrived at Ellis Island with his parents and two sisters, having made the long journey from Croatia,” Kuchon related. “He came here with his family chasing the American Dream. The hope of opportunity, freedom, and a better life. However, after medical screening, Jasper’s parents and siblings were sent back. They tested positive for tuberculosis. Jasper stayed. Alone. A teenager in a foreign land. That moment – a teenage boy choosing to stay, scared but determined – that’s leadership.”
Kuchon also took note of her great-grandmother, Velma Belle, affectionately known as “Grandma Stardust,” a nickname that seemed particularly apropos.
“She would say, ‘We come in as stardust and leave as stardust,’” Kuchon told those gathered at the OCBA Annual Meeting. “She would also say, ‘When you have a bad day, wear gold slippers.’ She lived to be 103, outliving wars, presidents, economic crashes, and fashion trends. Her life was proof that longevity has little to do with ease and everything to do with grit, humor, and maybe a little luck.”
Born and raised in Waterford, Kuchon has made four stops along her academic trail, earning an associate’s degree from Oakland Community College, a bachelor’s from the University of Michigan-Flint, her juris doctor from Michigan State University College of Law, and a master’s in counseling from Oakland University for good measure. She is a National Certified Counselor, while also being certified in Domestic Relations Training through the Oakland Mediation Center. For good measure, she is a credentialed Registered Yoga Teacher through Yoga Alliance.
Her thirst for learning, she said, was mostly an inherited trait, thanks to her parents, Sherry and Will, who divorced when Kuchon was a teen but eventually “reintegrated into the family” and became friends again.
“My mom, my ‘Wonder Woman,’ raised me and my siblings with unwavering strength, taught us how to love fiercely, and how to survive the moments that break us (see related story),” said Kuchon. “My mom’s courage wasn’t flashy. Instead, it was quiet determination and consistent love – that’s leadership too.”
Her father, who began his career as a freelance carpenter and then a lineman for General Motors, took an unconventional turn, moving from the world of punk rock to that of the ordained ministry.
“He went from screaming into microphones in smoky clubs to preaching about grace and transformation,” Kuchon said of her father. “He taught me to stand my ground without losing my soul, to use my voice the way he once used a mic – loud, clear, and unafraid. . . His past gave me grit; his faith gave me grace.”
Sporting their “Fast & Furious” attire, the Kuchon family includes Sarah, Cliff, Hannah, and Owen.
Kuchon’s husband, Cliff, is the owner of Clifford Lewis Properties, a home building and remodeling company based in Rochester Hills. They have two children, Hannah, 22, and Owen, 15.
“My husband is my partner in the truest sense,” said Kuchon. “He’s loving, he’s supportive, and he shows up – every day, in all the ways that matter.”
As for her children, Kuchon is even more plain spoken.
“I truly have the best children,” she said. “They are the reason I show up every day and do what I do.”
Her legal mentor was attorney Michael Hohauser, a 1974 Detroit College of Law alum who served as president of the OCBA from 1999-2000.
“Our journey together shaped the lawyer I became, and for that, I owe a debt of gratitude,” said Kuchon of her former law partner.
Kuchon’s two sisters, Jennifer and Megan, also have legal ties that bind. Jennifer is an attorney with Ford Motor Co., and has served as “my fiercest advocate” who “pushes me to be a better version of myself,” said Kuchon.
Megan is Kuchon’s trusted paralegal, “the quiet force in our family” who is the “one behind the scenes keeping things running.”
Her younger brother, Andrew, is a computer programmer with a “niche role” in the tech business, according to Kuchon, who also has another brother, Mitch.
His life story is “complicated” and “tragic,” Kuchon admitted. In November 2021, he pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in the stabbing death of his wife and family dog. After he was arrested in the stabbing deaths, an October 2022 case that drew considerable media attention, Kuchon’s brother was diagnosed with schizophrenia and now is confined to the Caro Center, a regional state hospital for adults with mental illness.
“I do not know why my brother did not seek help for his mental condition,” Kuchon wrote in a column appearing in the May 2023 edition of the OCBA’s Laches magazine. “He suffered in silence despite the fact that he had family and friends who loved him and would have rallied around and supported him.
“I grieve the loss of my sister-in-law,” Kuchon said. “I grieve the loss of my life and my family as they existed before this tragedy. These events rocked me to my core. My grief is complicated because although I did not technically lose my brother, it feels like I did.”
Kuchon’s willingness to discuss the matter – and to write about the “stigma” attached to mental illness – says plenty about her character and courage, and her desire to make an impact as the 93rd president of the OCBA.
“My vision for the OCBA is to honor and enhance the strong legacy of leadership that has defined this organization – leadership grounded in service, integrity, and excellence,” Kuchon said at her installation ceremony in June. “I believe we also have a unique opportunity to lead in the area of lawyer well-being by not only continuing the important work we do, but by modeling affective, empathetic behavior that fosters connection, resilience, and authenticity in our profession.”
“My husband is my partner in the truest sense,” said Kuchon. “He’s loving, he’s supportive, and he shows up – every day, in all the ways that matter.”
As for her children, Kuchon is even more plain spoken.
“I truly have the best children,” she said. “They are the reason I show up every day and do what I do.”
Her legal mentor was attorney Michael Hohauser, a 1974 Detroit College of Law alum who served as president of the OCBA from 1999-2000.
“Our journey together shaped the lawyer I became, and for that, I owe a debt of gratitude,” said Kuchon of her former law partner.
Kuchon’s two sisters, Jennifer and Megan, also have legal ties that bind. Jennifer is an attorney with Ford Motor Co., and has served as “my fiercest advocate” who “pushes me to be a better version of myself,” said Kuchon.
Megan is Kuchon’s trusted paralegal, “the quiet force in our family” who is the “one behind the scenes keeping things running.”
Her younger brother, Andrew, is a computer programmer with a “niche role” in the tech business, according to Kuchon, who also has another brother, Mitch.
His life story is “complicated” and “tragic,” Kuchon admitted. In November 2021, he pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in the stabbing death of his wife and family dog. After he was arrested in the stabbing deaths, an October 2022 case that drew considerable media attention, Kuchon’s brother was diagnosed with schizophrenia and now is confined to the Caro Center, a regional state hospital for adults with mental illness.
“I do not know why my brother did not seek help for his mental condition,” Kuchon wrote in a column appearing in the May 2023 edition of the OCBA’s Laches magazine. “He suffered in silence despite the fact that he had family and friends who loved him and would have rallied around and supported him.
“I grieve the loss of my sister-in-law,” Kuchon said. “I grieve the loss of my life and my family as they existed before this tragedy. These events rocked me to my core. My grief is complicated because although I did not technically lose my brother, it feels like I did.”
Kuchon’s willingness to discuss the matter – and to write about the “stigma” attached to mental illness – says plenty about her character and courage, and her desire to make an impact as the 93rd president of the OCBA.
“My vision for the OCBA is to honor and enhance the strong legacy of leadership that has defined this organization – leadership grounded in service, integrity, and excellence,” Kuchon said at her installation ceremony in June. “I believe we also have a unique opportunity to lead in the area of lawyer well-being by not only continuing the important work we do, but by modeling affective, empathetic behavior that fosters connection, resilience, and authenticity in our profession.”
______________________________________
Attorney provided car crash victim
a special kind of help
By Tom Kirvan
Legal News
As a personal injury attorney, Sarah Kuchon has represented thousands of plaintiffs over the course of a legal career that spans nearly 25 years.
She has taken pride in treating them with the “empathy, compassion, and respect they deserve,” understanding that “each injury case is more than just a legal matter – it is a personal one,” according to the managing partner of the Hohauser Kuchon law firm in Troy.
For Kuchon, that last statement took on a special meaning of its own when she represented a Mancelona woman who had been involved in a near fatal head-on collision in July 2022.
The plaintiff was traveling southbound on a two-lane country road when a northbound water tanker truck inexplicably crossed the center line, plowing into the woman’s four-door sedan, crushing its entire front end and causing life-threatening injuries to her.
The woman, who was extracted from the car by the driver of the tanker truck, was rushed to Munson Medical Center in Traverse City after suffering a broken back, a lacerated liver and spleen, and various other injuries in the crash.
The crash victim – and soon-to-be plaintiff – was Kuchon’s then 69-year-old mother, Sherry, who resided on a scenic parcel not far from the accident site.
“It was a miracle she survived the crash,” said Kuchon. “The entire front of her car was caved in from the bumper to the windshield, while the truck had minimal damage.”
Of course, the fact that Kuchon’s client also happened to be her mother made the entire situation even more difficult, as “we had to provide much of the attendant care ourselves until she didn’t need it anymore,” Kuchon said.
“My sisters (Jennifer and Megan) and other family members rallied to provide the care she needed,” Kuchon indicated.
The crash came just two years after Michigan’s No-Fault Act underwent sweeping changes, revisions that under the pretext of reducing the cost of insurance premiums also caused various unintended consequences about accident victims needing long-term medical and attendant care.
Fortunately, the case settled relatively quickly and her mother made “an amazing recovery,” Kuchon said with a double dose of gratitude.
As an expression of her mother’s own sense of love and gratitude, Kuchon said that a special treat awaited the entire family when her mom returned to good health.
“She took all of us – including all her children and grandchildren – to Florida for a trip,” Kuchon related. “It was a special time, an occasion where we had the chance to celebrate the fact that she was the center of it all.”
Legal News
As a personal injury attorney, Sarah Kuchon has represented thousands of plaintiffs over the course of a legal career that spans nearly 25 years.
She has taken pride in treating them with the “empathy, compassion, and respect they deserve,” understanding that “each injury case is more than just a legal matter – it is a personal one,” according to the managing partner of the Hohauser Kuchon law firm in Troy.
For Kuchon, that last statement took on a special meaning of its own when she represented a Mancelona woman who had been involved in a near fatal head-on collision in July 2022.
The plaintiff was traveling southbound on a two-lane country road when a northbound water tanker truck inexplicably crossed the center line, plowing into the woman’s four-door sedan, crushing its entire front end and causing life-threatening injuries to her.
The woman, who was extracted from the car by the driver of the tanker truck, was rushed to Munson Medical Center in Traverse City after suffering a broken back, a lacerated liver and spleen, and various other injuries in the crash.
The crash victim – and soon-to-be plaintiff – was Kuchon’s then 69-year-old mother, Sherry, who resided on a scenic parcel not far from the accident site.
“It was a miracle she survived the crash,” said Kuchon. “The entire front of her car was caved in from the bumper to the windshield, while the truck had minimal damage.”
Of course, the fact that Kuchon’s client also happened to be her mother made the entire situation even more difficult, as “we had to provide much of the attendant care ourselves until she didn’t need it anymore,” Kuchon said.
“My sisters (Jennifer and Megan) and other family members rallied to provide the care she needed,” Kuchon indicated.
The crash came just two years after Michigan’s No-Fault Act underwent sweeping changes, revisions that under the pretext of reducing the cost of insurance premiums also caused various unintended consequences about accident victims needing long-term medical and attendant care.
Fortunately, the case settled relatively quickly and her mother made “an amazing recovery,” Kuchon said with a double dose of gratitude.
As an expression of her mother’s own sense of love and gratitude, Kuchon said that a special treat awaited the entire family when her mom returned to good health.
“She took all of us – including all her children and grandchildren – to Florida for a trip,” Kuchon related. “It was a special time, an occasion where we had the chance to celebrate the fact that she was the center of it all.”
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