HILLS AT LAW, P.C. - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Criminal Defense Attorney
- Senior Trial Attorney
Job Titles:
- Criminal Defense Attorney
- Member of the State Bar of Michigan
Attorney Cody Crane graduated with a Bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan and received his Juris Doctor degree from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School. At Cooley Law School, Cody received a number of Dean's List awards and was an active member of the Thomas M. Cooley Business Law Society, as well as President of the Thomas M. Cooley Sports and Entertainment Law Society.
Cody is currently a member of the State Bar of Michigan and the Kalamazoo County Bar Association. He is also a member and the former President of the Kalamazoo County Trial Lawyers Association, as well as a member of the Young Lawyers Section of the Kalamazoo County Bar Association. In addition, Attorney Crane sits on the Board of Directors for the Kalamazoo County Bar Association. He is admitted to the practice of law in all Michigan courts as well as federal court in the U.S.District Court - Western District of Michigan.
Job Titles:
- Criminal Defense Attorney
Currently, Jim claims he is semi-retired. He is still active in the firm, assisting associate attorneys with their files. Jim is always available to help in any way he can, except of course, when he is in Mexico.
Job Titles:
- Retired from HLO / Retired from HLO 2018. Went into Semi Retirement. He Is Now Living a Life of Joy and Refinement
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Criminal Defense Attorney
- Criminal Defense Attorney, Partner
- Member of the Kalamazoo County Bar Association 's Board
Jessica LaFond joined the Firm in 2013 and became a partner in 2020. Jessica's vision for the firm has lined up with Michael's and they have continued to grow the Firm over the last several years. Most recently, they opened an office location in St. Joseph, Berrien County.
Mike and Jessica are committed to providing the best professional criminal defense representation to the citizens of southwest Michigan.
Jessica LaFond is from southwest Michigan and is a graduate of DePaul University College of Law. After graduation, LaFond moved back to southwest Michigan and began working at Hills at Law, clerking for Michael D. Hills. After passing the Michigan Bar, she began working full time as a criminal defense attorney at Hills Law Office. LaFond is a member in good standing of the Michigan Bar.
LaFond is an active member of the Kalamazoo County Bar Association's Board and serves on multiple committees, including the Expungement Clinic Committee. She also is an active member of the Kalamazoo County Trial Lawyers Association; she served as President from 2017-2018 and Treasurer since 2018. LaFond is also a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan.
Job Titles:
- Criminal Defense Attorney
Justin Workman was born and raised in Kalamazoo and briefly left the area to obtain his Juris Doctorate at the University of Akron School of Law. After graduation, Justin moved back to Kalamazoo and began serving as an Assistant Prosecutor for Kalamazoo County. Justin recently resigned his position to join Hills Law and is a member in good standing of the Michigan Bar.
Job Titles:
- Criminal Defense Attorney
Retired from HLO during COVID 2020 when she decided to go back home to Ohio and set up her own firm closer to family. She is doing great and we still stay in touch and are happy for her success!
Job Titles:
- Criminal Defense Attorney
- Criminal Defense Attorney, Partner
Michael Hills joined the firm in 1999 and transitioned it into the law practice that it is today. From the outset of his career, Mike made it a priority to build a firm that provides its clients with superior legal representation. Since that point, the Firm has continued to do just that while adding attorneys who support that vision.
Michael Hills is a graduate of Michigan State University School of Law, where he graduated with a cum laude distinction. After graduation, Hills served as a law clerk for Circuit Court Judge Harry A. Beach in Allegan County, Michigan After serving his year clerkship for Judge Beach, Hills opened his own practice in Kalamazoo Michigan. Mr. Hills' practice is limited to criminal defense and has been since the first client walked through the door. Hills is a member in good standing of the Michigan Bar and the Federal Western District of Michigan.
Retired from HLO 2018. Went into semi retirement. He is now living a life of joy and refinement.
Job Titles:
- Criminal Defense Attorney
- Retired
Edmonds has more than 35 years of experience as a licensed attorney. He has extensive trial experience in both criminal and civil cases, including oral argument before the Michigan Supreme Court. Edmonds is admitted to practice Law before all State Courts, the Federal District Court for the Western District of Michigan, and the United States Supreme Court.
Thomas Edmonds graduated from Western Michigan University in 1969 with a BBA degree and a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army. Edmonds served in Germany and Vietnam before leaving active service in 1972; he would continue to serve in the Army Reserve and the Air National Guard. Edmonds then attended Wayne State Law School, graduating with his J.D. in 1975. He served as an assistant prosecuting attorney from 1975 to 1981, with stints as Chief of the Consumer and Commercial Fraud Unit for the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney for Kalamazoo County from 1978 to 1981 and as Chief of the Special Prosecutions Unit for the same Office from 1980 to 1981. In 1981, Edmonds joined the Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Department as Undersheriff. He was elected Kalamazoo County Sheriff in 1984, winning re-election five times before retiring from the office in 2003; he retired from the military in 2004 as a brigadier general.
Thomas Edmonds went into retirement 2017 and can be seen driving about town in his old time car.