“Sean O’Bryan is a local person, who grew up in our area, and speaks our language. He farms, is part of a big family, and is involved in making our community a better place to live. Most importantly, he listens.”
BACKGROUND
Sean O'Bryan grew up in Lapeer County, Michigan. He was the 7th of 8 children, and 1 of 7 boys. His father, William O'Bryan, was a World War II veteran, and worked for the Fisher Body Division of General Motors. He died in 2004, at the age of 81. His mother, Mary Jean, was a registered nurse during the war, and homemaker, wife and mother. She died from Alzheimer's disease in 2009.
EDUCATION
Sean graduated from Almont High School in 1981, where he was active in Future Farmers of America and worked for the local newspaper, the Tri City Times. Sean completed his undergraduate studies at Central Michigan University, where he was elected student body president in 1985, and was an active member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity.
Sean attended law school at Texas Tech University, where he received his Doctorate in Jurisprudence in 1991, was a member of the Texas Tech Law Review and the Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity for honors students. He has also studied at several other colleges, including Michigan State University, the University of Detroit Law School, the University of Windsor (Canada), and the University of Texas.
Always an active student of the law, Sean O'Bryan studies several hours each week, and spends many days each year attending professional conferences, including the annual Michigan Estate Planning Institute, to gain a better understanding of complex estate planning issues, and to stay on top of cutting edge planning options. Sean has worked at the well known Dallas law firm Fanning, Harper & Martinson, and the Texas Attorney General's office before coming back to Michigan, and beginning an estate planning law practice.
Sean has written several articles on law technology and elder law and estate planning issues that have appeared in a variety of publications.
LAW PRACTICE
Since beginning his practice in Michigan, Sean has personally handled over 5000 separate legal matters for more than a thousand local families. He has drafted over 3000 trust agreements, which will allow more than $900 million dollars to pass to families without probate.
In 2005, Sean was among the first attorneys in Michigan to complete a certificate for advanced training in the Probate and Estate Planning Program sponsored by the Michigan Bar Association and the Institute for Continuing Legal Education.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Sean is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the probate and real property section of the American Bar Association, and the probate and elder law sections of the Michigan Bar Association. He has been an officer in the American Bar Association. He is admitted to practice before all the courts in the State of Michigan as well as the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Sean is the current Chairman of the Elba Township Zoning Board of Appeals and a member of the Chatfield School Board of Trustees. Sean served as a member of the Board of Trustees and Chairman of the Four County Community Foundation in his original hometown, Almont, Michigan. Sean is also an active horseman, and is a member of the Lapeer County Mounted Posse. Sean was a past Vice Chairman of the Davison Downtown Development Authority, where he worked for the revitalization of Davison’s historic downtown.
FAMILY
Sean is married to Aimee Lintz O'Bryan, a paralegal. Sean and Aimee have two children, their son Caelan Patrick O’Bryan and daughter Teagan Riley O’Bryan. They reside at Celtic Ridge, a small farm between Davison and Lapeer where they raise horses, sheep, goats, chickens, cats & dogs. They attend St. John the Evangelist church in Davison.