By Jo Mathis
Legal News
When Liisa Speaker moved back to Michigan 11 years ago, the first call she made—even before she found a job—was to the Ingham County Bar Association to ask for a membership application.
“I knew local bars had a lot to offer and were a good way to meet people,” said Speaker, who had been active in her Texas bar association, and hoped to make those same kinds of connections here.
It wasn’t long before Speaker had gotten her Michigan license, joined the ICBA and become a member of its Briefs Publications Committee, which allowed her to do two things she loves: write, and meet people.
And now, on July 1, Speaker will take over as ICBA president.
She’s a natural cheerleader for the organization.
“For me, the biggest selling point is having the network of attorneys,” Speaker said. “It’s so important knowing people in town and being part of a professional organization. It increases professionalism. I know people I can refer cases to and I know people I can ask questions of, and vice versa. Certainly there are people in town who aren’t (members) who know a lot of people, but it’s just not the same as having the camaraderie we do with our events. And having a community.”
Speaker said outgoing president Josh Ard has done a great job, and she hopes that soon into her tenure, the ICBA website will be fully functioning—an issue in the hands of an IT company.
“That needs to happen,” she said, referring to recent accessibility problems.
Speaker wanted to be a lawyer since she created a ninth-grade history fair project on Brown v. Mississippi.
Though she was born in Lansing, Speaker had lived in the Upper Peninsula for seven years and Texas for 20 years by the time she moved back to Michigan. Her husband, Paul, whom she met at The University of Texas School of Law, wanted to earn his PhD in math, so the couple decided to move back to her home state so he could attend Michigan State University.
She worked on appeals at both the Court of Appeals in Fort Worth and at a large firm in Dallas.
“When I came to Michigan, my goal was to become an appellate practitioner,” she said, noting that Pat Gallagher—her first boss here—encouraged her to get out and make connections, which helped get her name out there as an appellate attorney.
Then, in April of 2007, she opened her own appellate boutique doing solely appeals.
“I wasn’t pigeon-holed anymore,” she said. “I started getting referrals for all kinds of appeals. And that opened the door to me doing more family law appeals.”
Most of her work now is family law appeals. Her office is about a mile from her house at the edge of downtown Lansing, with the Michigan Hall of Justice in the middle.
Speaker enjoys gardening and spending time with her husband, an economic forecaster for Dow Chemical, and their two young daughters.
How will Speaker be able to manage a busy practice, family life, and leading the ICBA?
Two words: Madelyne Lawry.
Speaker says that the ICBA’s executive director is organized and on top of things.
“I’ve been—quote/unquote—in charge of events where I didn’t really have to do very much because Madelyne ran everything,” she said with a laugh.
At the same time, she’s bracing for an uptick in her busy schedule.
“We are so busy at work, and a lot of times I have to go back to work after my two little girls are in bed,” she said. “I’m a little worried. But with Madelyne there … I think everything will work out.”
Lawry said Speaker has not only generously donated financially, but has given many hours outside the spotlight.
“Liisa treats her responsibilities as a leader with as much respect and attention to detail as she does the clients she represents through the Speaker Law Firm,” said Lawry. “I have no doubt she will continue to move the organization to the next level.”
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