Esther F. Flowers, Esq.
Senior Abuse & Neglect Attorney
Meet Esther F. Flowers
Esther F. Flowers is a seasoned Michigan abuse and neglect attorney who brings a rare blend of legal skill, social work training, and frontline child welfare experience to every case. For Esther, this work is a calling, and she approaches every case with purpose, compassion, and conviction.
Before practicing law, Esther worked as a Child Protective Services investigator. She knows firsthand what caseworkers face in the field, from the first knock on the door to the final court hearing. That experience shapes how she prepares cases, collaborates with professionals, and presents evidence in the courtroom.
Esther has also practiced on all sides of abuse and neglect proceedings, giving her a well-rounded understanding of the process and of each party’s perspective. She uses that insight to anticipate challenges and build strong, well-prepared cases.
Legal Experience and Training
While child welfare is the heart of her practice, Esther’s experience also includes criminal law, probate, and landlord-tenant matters. Every area connects back to the same purpose: supporting healthy families and building stronger communities. She has represented youth in foster care, parents working to reunite with their children, advised multidisciplinary teams, and provided national trainings on child welfare law and practice.
She is a respected voice in the state’s child welfare legal community, serving as Michigan State Coordinator for the National Association of Counsel for Children and as a Council Member of the State Bar of Michigan Children’s Law Section.
Approach to Practice
Esther believes the goal of child welfare is not to create perfect families, because perfect families do not exist. The goal is to keep children safe while supporting families to be the best they can be for one another. She works closely with caseworkers to build cases that protect children and give families a real path toward reunification whenever it is safe.
Her social work background helps her see the whole picture, including trauma, family history, and the services that can change a case’s outcome. Esther stands in the gap for children, ensuring their safety stays at the center of every decision while families receive the support they need to succeed.
Education and Admissions
Esther earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, where she was one of the first students to earn the Family Law Concentration. She also holds a Master of Social Work from Wayne State University. Esther is admitted to practice law in the State of Michigan and before the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.