Judge Kathleen M. McCarthy: Professional Background and Legal Expertise

The Hon. Kathleen M. McCarthy is a judge for the Third Circuit Court in Michigan. She was elected to the bench in 2000 and re-elected in 2006, 2012, and 2018.

Over the course of her judicial career, McCarthy directed the establishment of the first self-help center at the Friend of the Court in Wayne County. She also oversaw the design and development of refurbished quarters for the Friend of the Court operation in the Penobscot Building.

McCarthy earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology from the University of Michigan, Dearborn in 1988. She then completed a J.D. at the Detroit College of Law in 1993.

After graduating from law school, McCarthy entered into private practice, working as a trial attorney in the Law Offices of Charles L. Nichols in Dearborn. She held that position for two years, eventually leaving to open a law practice alongside her husband, Greg Boulahanis. They specialized in personal injury litigation and family law matters.

Her memberships have included the Wayne County Family Bar Association (president), the Dearborn Bar Association (president), the Downriver Bar Association, and the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan. She has also served on the Wayne County Council Against Family Violence, the Advisory Board of the Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee, and the Boards of the Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center, Michigan Legal Help, and the Furniture Bank of Southeastern Michigan.

She is a recipient of the Judge of the Year Award from the DADS of Michigan (2006), the Pillar of Justice Award from the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee of Michigan (2010), and the Marilyn J. Kelly Award for Outstanding Service to the Practice of Law (2021).

Raised in northwest Detroit, McCarthy is an active member of the Divine Child Church in Dearborn. She is the co-founder of Girls Matter, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting self-esteem and self-discipline among young women in the greater Metropolitan Area. McCarthy, a mother of two children, is married to George Malis, who is an attorney with Abbott Nicholson.