On December 1, Ingham County Circuit Judge Laura Baird became president of the Michigan Judges Association (MJA), which focuses on improving the administration of justice in courts statewide.
In this role, Baird will lead an organization of more than 250 current and former circuit and appellate judges.
Elected by her peers earlier this year, Baird succeeds Court of Appeals Judge Colleen O'Brien.
"My goal is to work with my colleagues on the bench to help drive change to improve service to the public," Baird said. "These reforms include increasing efficiency and saving public resources, while making sure every person served by our court is treated with dignity and respect."
Baird has been an Ingham County Circuit Court Judge since January, 2001. Prior to that she was a partner in Baird & Zulakis, P.C. an Ingham County Commissioner, and a State Representative.
Baird received a Juris Doctor with Distinction from WMU Cooley Law School and a Bachelor's of Science also from WMU.
She is a State Bar of Michigan Fellow, an Ingham County Bar Association Fellow, a member of Women Lawyers and a presenter at the Michigan Judicial Institute.
Baird is involved in many community service organizations including: Ele's Place for Grieving Children; Partners in Crisis; Legal Services of South Central Michigan; and Oasis Family Center. Previously, she served on the Clinton-Eaton-Ingham Community Mental Health Board (1993-1994), Tri-County Community Advocates (1982-2002), and she was an Okemos Public Schools volunteer (1985-2000).
As a state legislator, Baird served on the Michigan Law Revision Commission, the Michigan Sentencing Guidelines Commission, the National Commission on Uniform State Laws. Key legislative achievements include: revision of Michigan's Mental Health Code, 1995; enactment of the Family Court Act, 1996; enactment of EPIC (Estate Protected Individuals Code), 1998; and Lt. Governor's Child Protection Legislation, 1998.
Baird's judicial chambers are located at the Ingham County Circuit Court, Veterans Courthouse, 313 W. Kalamazoo St., Lansing, MI 48933. She can be contacted at LBaird@ingham.org, or by telephone at 517-483-6438.
Published: Mon, Dec 14, 2015
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