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Elizabeth Smith
President
Elizabeth M. Smith, is the Senior Staff Attorney for Asset Acceptance, LLC, a financial services corporation located in Warren, MI. She concentrates her litigation practice in the areas of, compliance, creditors' rights and defense litigation involving the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and other federal and state regulations. Previously, Ms. Smith worked at one of the nation's largest creditors' rights law firms handling similar matters and additionally represented creditors in Chapter 7, Chapter 11 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy proceedings as well as representing mortgage lenders in the foreclosure process. Ms. Smith earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Japanese, cum laude, from Western Michigan University and her Juris Doctorate from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. Ms. Smith is also a member of the State Bar of Michigan, the Oakland County Bar Association, and the Michigan Creditor Bar Association. In the past, Ms. Smith has served the Women’s Bar Association as a chair of various committees, including the Website Committee and the Public Relations Committee and has served on the board as Treasurer and Vice President.
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Nicole Wilinski
Immediate Past President
Ms. Wilinski, who is a member of Plunkett Cooney’s Insurance Law Practice Group, represents insurance providers in coverage cases throughout Michigan and the Midwest. Ms. Wilinski's experience includes the defense of complex insurance coverage disputes in the areas of environmental and construction law. She also defends clients in construction, commercial and personal injury litigation. Ms. Wilinski is a member of the State Bar of Michigan (Litigation and Insurance and Indemnity Law Sections); American Bar Association (Vice Chair, TIPS-ICLC, 2008 – 2009; TIPS-ICLC, 2009 – Present); Defense Research Institute and Women Lawyers Association of Michigan- Oakland Region. She was has been a WBA member since 2006 and served as President Elect/Treasurer, 2008-2009).
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Stacey King
President-Elect
Stacey L. King is currently a shareholder at Garan, Lucow, Miller, P.C. in Detroit, where she focuses in all areas of commercial liability defense, including premises liability, dramshop actions/intentional torts, as well as in all areas of automobile No-Fault liability, and lemon law claims. She graduated from James Madison College at Michigan State University in 1995, and from Wayne State University Law School in 1998. She was admitted to the State Bar of Michigan and to the United States District Courts in 1998.
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Elizabeth Sokol
Elizabeth L. Sokol is the Treasurer for the Women’s Bar Association. A solo practitioner at The Law Office of Elizabeth L. Sokol, PLLC in Royal Oak, Liz focuses her practice in civil appeals, commercial litigation, business law and creditor’s rights. Ms. Sokol earned her law degree at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. She pursued her undergraduate studies in political science at Wayne State University, where she is also currently pursing an L.L.M. in Taxation. Ms. Sokol has been actively involved in the WBA for many years and also serves as co-chair of the Fundraising Committee.
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Ryan Steele
Ryan M. Steele is the Recording Secretary and practices at Kelly & Kelly, P.C., in Northville. Her practice focuses on family law and criminal matters. She regularly appears in both circuit and district courts in the area. Ms. Steele is an active member of the following organizations: Young Lawyers Section of the State Bar, Oakland County Bar Association, Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan, Northville Chamber of Commerce and President of the Northville Area Pi Beta Phi Alumnae Club. Ms. Steele received her undergraduate degree from Michigan State University and attended the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, graduating cum laude. While at UDM, she was actively involved in national Moot Court competitions. A recipient of the Dean's Honor Society and Murray Feldman Scholarships, Ms. Steele earned the highest grade in her class in Civil Procedure, Federal Income Taxation, Civil Law and Family Law.
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Melissa Graves
WLAM Representative Melissa E. Graves is an associate attorney at Ottenwess & Associates, PLC in Detroit, where she concentrates her practice in the areas of medical malpractice defense, employment litigation, and general litigation matters. Ms. Graves earned her law degree cum laude from Wayne State University Law School in 2002, where she served as a member of the school’s National Moot Court Team and earned the Boaz Siegel Award for Outstanding Performance in the Fields of Pension, Health and Welfare, Employment or Labor Law. Ms. Graves earned her Bachelor of Science (magna cum laude) from Wayne State University in 1999. In addition to the Women’s Bar Association, Ms. Graves is also a member of Michigan Defense Trial Counsel. In the past, Ms. Graves has served the Women’s Bar Association as Co-Editor of the Headnotes Newsletter.
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Lori Williams
Lori T. Williams is a 20 year attorney, and owner of a legal referral and legal consulting business called Your Legal Resource, PLLC. Lori owned and operated a family law practice for 14 years, prior to creating Your Legal Resource 6 years ago. Lori connects the right client with the right attorney in all areas of law throughout Metro Detroit. She also provides consulting services for solo practice and small firm attorneys on how to generate more business through effective branding, marketing, networking, and strategic partnerships. Lori is the current membership chair of the Women’s Bar Association, and the designated member on behalf of the WBA through its membership with the Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce. She has also been active in numerous networking groups the past 15 years and has held leadership roles in many of them.
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