Women Lawyers Who Rock: Healthcare Law Attorney Neda Mirafzali
By Marisa McStravick • August 02, 2012 •Writers in Residence
Neda Mirafzali is an associate attorney with Clark Hill PLC in Birmingham, MI and so much more. She’s knowledgeable, compassionate, and extremely driven. A trifecta more than welcomed on Ms. JD.Neda practices in all areas of health care law, from assisting clients with transactional and corporate matters, to representing providers and suppliers in health care litigation matters, and more. Whether or not you are interested in practicing healthcare law, Neda’s advice to women in all stages of the legal profession is incredibly motivating, and her knowledgeable insight on the recent Health Care Reform Act is informative. While most recent law…
Women Lawyers Who Rock: Laura Kabler Oswell of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP on being busy, but balanced at a large firm
By Marisa McStravick • July 17, 2012 •Writers in Residence
It goes without saying that Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, an international law firm that regularly ranks as one of the most prestigious law firms in the world, houses only the best of the best attorneys. After learning more about Laura Kabler Oswell, an associate at the firm’s Palo Alto offices, it’s clear she is one of them.A 1999 graduate of the University of Southern California, where she earned her B.S. in business administration, Oswell worked as a consultant for three years at Accenture between undergrad and law school, where she primarily worked on projects for clients in the financial services…
Women Lawyers Who Rock: Cooking class + female attorneys?
By Marisa McStravick • May 14, 2012 •Writers in Residence
First, I’d like to give a celebratory “happy end of finals!” to all my law school buddies out there. That was a tough couple of weeks, and we are all in need of some well deserved R&R. While I wasn’t able to interview one of the many incredible females in the legal profession during finals, I did discover a blog that I’m just now becoming familiar with and enjoying. The Careerist, a lawjobs.com blog, “takes an inside look at how lawyers shape their careers and manage their lives. The blog aims to dissect developments in the profession, provide useful information…
Women Lawyers Who Rock: From the perspective of a successful, soon-to-be law school graduate
By Marisa McStravick • April 17, 2012 •Writers in Residence
Third year law students all over the country will be finishing up their law school careers this May. After three long and tough years, they’ll have to jump one last hurdle - the bar - and then they’ll finally pursue the career they’ve worked so hard for. In recognition of all the outstanding “3Ls” out there, I wanted to dedicate this column to a a third year law student who has certainly given the past three years her very best. Bridget Sheehan, a busy third year at Michigan State College of Law, talks motivation, the perks of getting involved, and…
Women Lawyers Who Rock: An Interview with the Honorable Michigan Supreme Court Justice Marilyn Kelly
By Marisa McStravick • March 15, 2012 •Writers in Residence
Being only the fifth woman to hold the distinguished position as Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, Justice Marilyn Kelly undoubtedly deserves a place on Ms. JD. Not only was she elected Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court in 2009, but she has been the recipient of numerous prestigious awards and has undoubtedly contributed to the legal profession in outstanding ways. I had the honor of speaking with the extraordinary woman herself who shared her insights on everything from the hardships she faced as a female in the beginning of her legal career, advice for women thinking about…
Women Lawyers Who Rock: An Interview with Dean Joan Howarth
By Marisa McStravick • February 13, 2012 •Writers in Residence
In my previous entry I acknowledged Ms. Arabella Mansfield who established a place in the legal world for women across the country. Today, I would like to recognize the Dean of my law school, Dean Joan Howarth, who is an incredible and profound leader to all her students in so many ways. Dean Howarth is the first female Dean at Michigan State University College of Law (MSUCOL), and she has done a fantastic job since taking the position in 2008. Prior to being the law school’s proud Dean, Dean Howarth had already created an impressive academic and groundbreaking path for…
Women Lawyers Who Rock: The Woman Who Started Women’s Legal Careers and More
By Marisa McStravick • January 09, 2012 •First Women
Seeing as my column is dedicated to recognizing awesome female lawyers and law students, I found it appropriate to focus my introductory entry on one of the very first women to start it all, Arabella Mansfield. Also known as Belle Babb Mansfield, Mansfield was the first woman lawyer admitted to the practice of law in the United States. In 1869, despite Iowa law requiring bar applicants to be white males over the age of 21, at just 23-years-old, Mansfield was admitted to the Iowa bar after passing the bar exam with high scores. Mansfield’s accomplishment paved the way for Iowa…
It Only Takes One Voice
By Marisa McStravick • October 24, 2011 •Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination
“Approximately 25,000 women become pregnant through rape each year. In response, many states have passed special laws, devised streamlined procedures, or both, to aid pregnant women who seek abortions or wish to place their rape-conceived children for adoption. However, few states have passed laws to aid the large numbers of raped women who choose to raise their rape-conceived children. Without such laws, in most states, a man who fathers through rape has the same custody and visitation privileges to that child as does any other father of a child. Moreover, as a result of this legal void, raped women and…