By Teresa Killeen
Washtenaw County Bar Association
Sydney Koch is a staff attorney at the Family Law Project of Legal Services of South Central Michigan. Koch grew up in Deerfield, a small farm town in Lenawee County. She earned her B.A.in economics and political science from the University of Michigan, where she was a coxswain on the varsity women’s rowing team and Pi Beta Phi (V.P. Philanthropy).
She earned her JD from the University of Tennessee for law school, where her activities including serving on the editorial board of the Tennessee Law Review; serving as a member and contributor to The Tennessee Journal of Business Law; and competing in the Duberstein Bankruptcy Moot Court; and participating in the Mediation Clinic.
Koch began her legal career in East Tennessee. Although she loved all the outdoor activities living at the foothills of the Smokies had to offer, she is a Michigander at heart and returned to Ann Arbor in 2014. Koch worked in employment-based immigration for the University of Michigan and Honigman until she and her husband welcomed their first daughter.
Since that time, she has worked in family law, serving as a Judicial Attorney, Domestic Referee, and now as an attorney with the Family Law Project representing indigent victims of domestic violence. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Children’s Literacy Network, the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, and the Washtenaw County Bar Association.
Tell us a little about your family. My husband, Jerry Kozak, is able to find humor in almost any situation. He is a co-owner of the Ann Arbor T-Shirt Company and has been supportive of my career since we met in college. We have two beautiful daughters: Dahlia, 5, and Poppy, 2. They are both outgoing, smart, and love keeping us on our toes. We also have an adopted dog, Wally, who loves to snuggle.
What’s an essential part of your daily routine? Kissing my daughters goodbye before leaving for work. No one in my family is a morning person, and every morning involves a mad rush to get out the door (and promises not to hit the snooze button as much tomorrow . . . always tomorrow). After all the chaos, it is important to me to make time to remind them I love them with a hug and a kiss. It is as much for me as it is for them.
What would your second career choice have been if you had not become a lawyer? I absolutely love the natural world, especially plants and flowers. If I could choose a new path, I would work in a nursery or greenhouse. Unfortunately, my love of plants has not translated to gardening success, or even houseplant success. I suppose this means I should stick to Plan A!
Describe a perfect day off. My perfect day off would include sleeping in, grabbing brunch with friends, then hiking to a swimming hole with my family, taking a dip, and returning home to grill burgers.
What are some of your favorite places that you have visited? My husband and I traveled to Iceland for our honeymoon and went scuba diving in a bay off the north coast to see a unique undersea formation, Strytan. It was a truly unique experience, and Iceland itself was magical. We later traveled to Croatia to visit the coast and Plitvice Lakes. Croatia is one of the most beautiful countries I have visited.
What causes are you passionate about? Literacy. I serve on the Board of Directors of the Children’s Literacy Network (CLN), which is a volunteer-based nonprofit agency in Washtenaw County dedicated to closing the book and reading achievement gap. CLN offers a continuum of literacy services designed to motivate and support reading. CLN provides under-resourced schools with trained reading mentors for pre-K to first grade students through its Read with Kids Program, and assists second and third grade students with its BookPALS Program. Families connect with reading at CLN’s literacy nights (FLIP), and CLN continues its programming through the summer months with its Readers Theater Program.
Favorite part of your job? Engaging with clients. The legal system can be daunting, and working with legal aid means serving vulnerable individuals. Being able to explain the legal process and make it more accessible to my clients is fulfilling, meaningful work.
What is the biggest challenge facing you as an attorney today? I recently left my role as a Referee to join the Family Law Project. Juggling the needs and personalities of multiple clients simultaneously, as well as the idiosyncrasies of different opposing attorneys, has been a new challenge. I have learned that I am not as thick-skinned as I previously thought, but have been finding my voice and growing into my practice.
Why did you choose to be a member of the WCBA? What is the greatest benefit you have enjoyed as a member? I chose to be a member of the WCBA because of the connections it provides to other members. We have a wonderful bar, made up of professionals who are giving with their time, expertise, and wisdom. The bar offers useful trainings and networking opportunities, and the connections I have made with its members have made practicing in Washtenaw truly enjoyable.
(Reprinted with permission from the WCBA newsletter Res Ipsa Loquitur.)
Washtenaw County Bar Association
Sydney Koch is a staff attorney at the Family Law Project of Legal Services of South Central Michigan. Koch grew up in Deerfield, a small farm town in Lenawee County. She earned her B.A.in economics and political science from the University of Michigan, where she was a coxswain on the varsity women’s rowing team and Pi Beta Phi (V.P. Philanthropy).
She earned her JD from the University of Tennessee for law school, where her activities including serving on the editorial board of the Tennessee Law Review; serving as a member and contributor to The Tennessee Journal of Business Law; and competing in the Duberstein Bankruptcy Moot Court; and participating in the Mediation Clinic.
Koch began her legal career in East Tennessee. Although she loved all the outdoor activities living at the foothills of the Smokies had to offer, she is a Michigander at heart and returned to Ann Arbor in 2014. Koch worked in employment-based immigration for the University of Michigan and Honigman until she and her husband welcomed their first daughter.
Since that time, she has worked in family law, serving as a Judicial Attorney, Domestic Referee, and now as an attorney with the Family Law Project representing indigent victims of domestic violence. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Children’s Literacy Network, the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, and the Washtenaw County Bar Association.
Tell us a little about your family. My husband, Jerry Kozak, is able to find humor in almost any situation. He is a co-owner of the Ann Arbor T-Shirt Company and has been supportive of my career since we met in college. We have two beautiful daughters: Dahlia, 5, and Poppy, 2. They are both outgoing, smart, and love keeping us on our toes. We also have an adopted dog, Wally, who loves to snuggle.
What’s an essential part of your daily routine? Kissing my daughters goodbye before leaving for work. No one in my family is a morning person, and every morning involves a mad rush to get out the door (and promises not to hit the snooze button as much tomorrow . . . always tomorrow). After all the chaos, it is important to me to make time to remind them I love them with a hug and a kiss. It is as much for me as it is for them.
What would your second career choice have been if you had not become a lawyer? I absolutely love the natural world, especially plants and flowers. If I could choose a new path, I would work in a nursery or greenhouse. Unfortunately, my love of plants has not translated to gardening success, or even houseplant success. I suppose this means I should stick to Plan A!
Describe a perfect day off. My perfect day off would include sleeping in, grabbing brunch with friends, then hiking to a swimming hole with my family, taking a dip, and returning home to grill burgers.
What are some of your favorite places that you have visited? My husband and I traveled to Iceland for our honeymoon and went scuba diving in a bay off the north coast to see a unique undersea formation, Strytan. It was a truly unique experience, and Iceland itself was magical. We later traveled to Croatia to visit the coast and Plitvice Lakes. Croatia is one of the most beautiful countries I have visited.
What causes are you passionate about? Literacy. I serve on the Board of Directors of the Children’s Literacy Network (CLN), which is a volunteer-based nonprofit agency in Washtenaw County dedicated to closing the book and reading achievement gap. CLN offers a continuum of literacy services designed to motivate and support reading. CLN provides under-resourced schools with trained reading mentors for pre-K to first grade students through its Read with Kids Program, and assists second and third grade students with its BookPALS Program. Families connect with reading at CLN’s literacy nights (FLIP), and CLN continues its programming through the summer months with its Readers Theater Program.
Favorite part of your job? Engaging with clients. The legal system can be daunting, and working with legal aid means serving vulnerable individuals. Being able to explain the legal process and make it more accessible to my clients is fulfilling, meaningful work.
What is the biggest challenge facing you as an attorney today? I recently left my role as a Referee to join the Family Law Project. Juggling the needs and personalities of multiple clients simultaneously, as well as the idiosyncrasies of different opposing attorneys, has been a new challenge. I have learned that I am not as thick-skinned as I previously thought, but have been finding my voice and growing into my practice.
Why did you choose to be a member of the WCBA? What is the greatest benefit you have enjoyed as a member? I chose to be a member of the WCBA because of the connections it provides to other members. We have a wonderful bar, made up of professionals who are giving with their time, expertise, and wisdom. The bar offers useful trainings and networking opportunities, and the connections I have made with its members have made practicing in Washtenaw truly enjoyable.
(Reprinted with permission from the WCBA newsletter Res Ipsa Loquitur.)
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