By Debra Talcott
Legal News
When Syeda Farhana Davidson was invited to join The Law Offices of Lee & Correll earlier this year, she could not have predicted that just a few short months later she would be “making history” by being named a co-recipient of the Oakland County Bar Association’s Distinguished Service Award. In an unprecedented move, the OCBA chose an attorney and a partner from the same firm, meaning Davidson would share the prestigious award with Michael Lee, the man who had hired her. The Distinguished Service Award is one of the most coveted because it goes to an attorney who demonstrates superior dedication to the OCBA, to the legal community, and to the general public.
“Before the OCBA had announced the recipient, I learned that Michael—who happens to be my boss—had been nominated as well,” says Davidson. “Michael has made numerous contributions to the bar and the public, and he really deserved to receive the award, so I was hoping he would get it. But I was very excited when I found out we were both going to receive it.”
Davidson has been active with the OCBA since her days as a student at Cooley Law School when she served on the Law Student Committee and the Law-Related Education Committee. Since passing the bar exam, she has become a director and legislative liaison for the New Lawyers Committee, chaired the Law-Related Education Committee, and has served as vice chair for the Public Service Committee. Davidson also has served on the Diversity Committee and was an associate on Inns of Court. As a solo practitioner, she worked on criminal law and family court committees.
“I was nominated for my work on those committees and for my seat on the Executive Council of the State Bar of Michigan’s Young Lawyers Section and for my volunteer experiences, particularly my work at CARE House with children who have suffered abuse and neglect,” explains Davidson, who often can be seen talking or playing with the youngsters there.
One of five children, Davidson was raised in Port Huron by her parents, Syed and Fatema Hossain, who are both doctors. Davidson earned her B.A. from the University of Michigan-Dearborn with a major in English and a minor in psychology-subjects that continue to serve her well in her practice of law. At Cooley, she enjoyed the camaraderie of fellow students, admitting that she is someone who actually misses the emotion of finals week.
“Our class bonded during those weeks because we were all going through the same very stressful experience together,” says Davidson. “It was very encouraging, and we all tried to support each other the best we could. Then, when the last final was done, we would all go out for drinks and dinner.”
A true “people person,” Davidson thrives on projects that help others. Her first legal experiences were with the Family Law Assistance Project, which is the clinic at Cooley that provides legal services to low-income survivors of domestic violence. She has also worked at Oakland County Friend of the Court. Wanting to expand her knowledge beyond family law, however, she interned in the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office. Upon passing the bar, Davidson started her own practice in family law and criminal defense. This past February she joined Lee & Correll in Southfield to practice labor law, primarily representing public school employees.
Davidson is married to Bryan Davidson, a CAD designer at Troy Design. The couple lives in Ferndale where they share the “parenting” of two cats, Mogwai and Rufus. They lead a full and busy life, with Bryan attending night classes at Oakland Community College to pursue a degree in journalism and Syeda involved in her various commitments.
“The project that I am the most proud of at this moment is the ThinkFast! Boot Camp for New Lawyers that I organized through the Young Lawyers Section of the State Bar,” says Davidson. “There is a great improv theater in Ferndale called ‘Go Comedy,’ and one night I was at one of their shows thinking, ‘You know, these skills would make me a much better courtroom lawyer.’ So I met with P.J. Jacokes, part owner of the theater—and the son of Referee Jacokes in Macomb County—and we organized an improv workshop for lawyers. It sold out almost immediately.”
Davidson is also pleased with the outcome of the OCBA’s 18th Annual Youth Law Conference, where she invited speakers to present on a variety of topics of interest to the high school students in attendance. The students learned about everything from a day in the life of an entertainment lawyer from Bloomfield Hills attorney Howard Hertz to the role of the K-9 Unit from the City of Troy Police Department. The keynote speaker was the retired Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Gene Schnelz.
“The students were very engaged, and they learned a lot; however, this conference has been in place for many years, so I can’t take credit for the structure of it. I just happened to be the chair of the committee this year,” says Davidson.
Davidson has a knack for blending work and pleasure. In her law school days, she enjoyed working as a bartender at the Magic Bag in Ferndale because it gave her the opportunity to meet interesting people and listen to good music. She is grateful for the wonderful support she felt from the establishment’s owners and management during her law school days and when she was a solo practitioner.
“On most Saturday nights you can still find me bartending at The Magic Bag. It’s kind of a fun thing that I still like to do, and I often get to hear some great bands while I work. I also like to check out independently-owned businesses of all kinds—breweries, restaurants, boutiques,” says Davidson, who appreciates others’ creativity and hard work.
Never one to shy away from hard work herself, Davidson has set some admirable goals for her own career.
“I decided a long time ago that I was never going to compromise my ideals for a paycheck,” says Davidson. “My goal is to do whatever I can to make sure that never changes, no matter what my place of employment is.
“I hope to evolve as a trial lawyer and educate the public without ever changing who I am or forgetting where I came from.”
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