State Bar President Lisa Hamameh is pictured at the Presidential Inauguration and Awards Luncheon when she was sworn-in by Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Megan Cavanagh at the Detroit Marriott Troy on September 19, 2025.
By Julie Freer
Legal News
It has been a busy year for Lisa Hamameh, midway through her tenure as the 91st president of the State Bar of Michigan. Sworn-in last September as the first Palestinian American and ninth woman to lead the Bar, she has taken every opportunity over the past few months to drive home her top three priorities: empowering Michigan’s lawyers through member support, mental wellness, and a renewed commitment to the rule of law.
Hamameh has been a member of the State Bar since she graduated from Wayne State University Law School in 2000. She is the daughter of Palestinian immigrants – Hanna and Jeanette Hamameh – who made their home in Detroit, where they welcomed two daughters -– Linda and Lisa. When her father passed away in 1977, Hamameh said her mother was thrust into the role of sole provider for her young family, working in a pediatrician’s office, then at a Fashion Bug store, as well as relying on their church and government assistance to make ends meet.
“My upbringing is 100 percent the reason for my determination,” said Hamameh. “My mother barely spoke English and she dropped out of 10th grade to marry my father. When he passed away, he did not have life insurance. We struggled. I can recall, as if it were yesterday, the bone chilling feeling in our cold, heatless car on a winter evening on the way home from a family visit. Similarly, I can recall the struggle to fall sleep in the middle of summer – without air conditioning.”
“But I also remember when mom got a window air conditioner in her bedroom and all three of us would sleep in mom’s bed. I never felt more safe! Also, the birthdays – mom always did them up. I remember a couple at McDonald’s. My family struggled financially, but we were also well loved. We always had each other as well as the generosity of our extended family, church and government assistance. In many ways, we thrived, but I always knew I wanted more for us.”
Hamameh planned to start her college education at Central Michigan University, but quickly realized she did not have the money to go away to school. So, she stayed at home, working during the day and taking classes at Wayne State University in the evenings. That lasted for one semester, until she decided she needed a change of pace and moved to Texas for one semester, where extended family lived. In Texas, Hamameh excelled working at a local Kroger, receiving a promotion shortly after starting and attending a local community college, where she was even asked to proctor an exam for one of her professors.
“This experience helped build my confidence,” said Hamameh. “But I missed home.”
She came back focused and determined to make something of herself, and learned that obtaining student loans could help her achieve her goal of earning an undergraduate degree from Wayne State.
“I took a juvenile justice class to satisfy one of my requirements for a bachelor’s degree,” said Hamameh. “I loved it. That’s where my interest in criminal justice started.”
She graduated from WSU with a bachelor’s in Criminal Justice in December of 1995, and then took almost two years to work and prepare for her next journey – Wayne State University Law School, graduating in 2000.
Today, Hamameh specializes in municipal law and serves as city attorney for Berkley, South Lyon, White Lake Township, Highland Township, and Holly Township.
“What I like most [about municipal law] is that I am not stuck in one niche,” said Hamameh. “Municipal lawyers deal with contracts, land use, zoning, constitutional questions, local legislation, environmental regulation and so much more. Much of my day-to-day involves finding workable solutions to problems or issues my clients are facing.”
—————
The value of the State Bar
What, for her, has been the most valuable part of 26 years as a member of the SBM?
“In a word – connections,” said Hamameh. “I have made lasting friendships, expanded professional networks, and got to know local judges, all while volunteering my time to give back to an organization that I believe in. It is not easy to make new friends as adults. But active engagement in local, affinity and state bars offers opportunities to spend time with colleagues, which organically evolves into valuable connections.”
Each month as president, Hamameh writes a column in the Michigan Bar Journal. The first three focused on her top three priorities for the year. “Admittedly, I was involved in State Bar leadership for many years before I began to get a true picture of the important services the State Bar provides to its members,” she wrote in a November column.
She points out that the SBM has more than 70 employees, including staff that reviews and summarizes recent court opinions for the daily eJournal; supports the Lawyer Referral Service; and supports the mental health and well-being of those in the legal profession.
In April, the SBM launched the MiLawyer Podcast, featuring insights and strategies to help attorneys improve their practice and protect their well-being.
Additionally, programs like SOLACE are designed to help members of the legal community, or their immediate family, who are facing critical needs due to illness, injury or catastrophic events.
Supporting members’ entire well-being dovetails into another top priority: de-stigmatizing mental health in the legal profession.
"Lawyers are expected to be sharp, resilient, and available at all hours – solving complex problems under pressure,” said Hamameh. "Behind our impressive titles and legal victories, a quiet reality looms over the profession: many of us are running on empty.”
Michigan Task Force on Well-Being in the Law issued 21 recommendations to help those in the legal field prioritize their mental health including: reassuring law students that seeking mental health treatment will not create obstacles to bar admission and law practice; normalizing the ability to make mistakes as part of the learning process; and to de-emphasize alcohol at social events and legal functions, to name a few.
"When you recognize help-seeking behaviors, be ready and willing to listen, offer empathy, avoid judging or shaming, normalize seeking help, offer resources such as therapist recommendations, and be sure to follow up — a quick text telling the person that you’re thinking about them can go a long way,” said Hamameh.
Hamameh’s third priority is urging attorneys to remember why they chose this path and to recommit to their role as defenders of the rule of law. The State Bar of Michigan is one of several bars across the country that recently signed the “Pledge to Preserve the Independence of the Legal Profession and the Judicial System” developed by the National Conference of Bar Presidents.
“Attorneys have always been and must continue to be the first line of defense for the Rule of Law,” said Hamameh. "This pledge focuses on upholding the cornerstones of our American democracy — preserving our inalienable rights, the independence of the judiciary, and access to justice for all — which should never be controversial.”
—————
Volunteer work
Hamameh was honored in 2011 by the Oakland County Bar Association for her extensive volunteer work. She serves on the Well-Being in the Law Commission, the Michigan State Bar Foundation Board of Directors, and the Oakland County Bar Foundation, in addition to volunteering for organizations outside the legal realm, like the Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Komen Race for the Cure, Habitat for Humanity, and more.
She has also volunteered as a judge for moot court and mock trial competitions.
“Some students do not have role models in their lives to teach them paths toward a different future,” said Hamameh. “As a first-generation college graduate myself, I know it is sometimes hard to see all the possibilities because you simply don’t know they exist. Volunteering with students can show them there are opportunities for them in the legal profession. They need guidance. They need us as mentors. They need to know they really can do anything they set their minds to.”
As for the more than 46,000 members of the SBM, Hamameh said there are variety of ways for people to get involved to make the most of their membership and help shape the organization’s future, including applying to be on a committee, or running for an elected commissioner position on the Board of Commissioners or Representative Assembly.
Another option is to join a section.
“The State Bar offers 44 practice area sections for members to stay up to date on legal issues, network and advance issues of jurisprudence,” said Hamameh. “Joining a practice area section offers attorneys the opportunity to meet experienced attorneys practicing in a particular area. These relationships often lead to friendships, mentoring, job opportunities and more.”
Legal News
It has been a busy year for Lisa Hamameh, midway through her tenure as the 91st president of the State Bar of Michigan. Sworn-in last September as the first Palestinian American and ninth woman to lead the Bar, she has taken every opportunity over the past few months to drive home her top three priorities: empowering Michigan’s lawyers through member support, mental wellness, and a renewed commitment to the rule of law.
Hamameh has been a member of the State Bar since she graduated from Wayne State University Law School in 2000. She is the daughter of Palestinian immigrants – Hanna and Jeanette Hamameh – who made their home in Detroit, where they welcomed two daughters -– Linda and Lisa. When her father passed away in 1977, Hamameh said her mother was thrust into the role of sole provider for her young family, working in a pediatrician’s office, then at a Fashion Bug store, as well as relying on their church and government assistance to make ends meet.
“My upbringing is 100 percent the reason for my determination,” said Hamameh. “My mother barely spoke English and she dropped out of 10th grade to marry my father. When he passed away, he did not have life insurance. We struggled. I can recall, as if it were yesterday, the bone chilling feeling in our cold, heatless car on a winter evening on the way home from a family visit. Similarly, I can recall the struggle to fall sleep in the middle of summer – without air conditioning.”
“But I also remember when mom got a window air conditioner in her bedroom and all three of us would sleep in mom’s bed. I never felt more safe! Also, the birthdays – mom always did them up. I remember a couple at McDonald’s. My family struggled financially, but we were also well loved. We always had each other as well as the generosity of our extended family, church and government assistance. In many ways, we thrived, but I always knew I wanted more for us.”
Hamameh planned to start her college education at Central Michigan University, but quickly realized she did not have the money to go away to school. So, she stayed at home, working during the day and taking classes at Wayne State University in the evenings. That lasted for one semester, until she decided she needed a change of pace and moved to Texas for one semester, where extended family lived. In Texas, Hamameh excelled working at a local Kroger, receiving a promotion shortly after starting and attending a local community college, where she was even asked to proctor an exam for one of her professors.
“This experience helped build my confidence,” said Hamameh. “But I missed home.”
She came back focused and determined to make something of herself, and learned that obtaining student loans could help her achieve her goal of earning an undergraduate degree from Wayne State.
“I took a juvenile justice class to satisfy one of my requirements for a bachelor’s degree,” said Hamameh. “I loved it. That’s where my interest in criminal justice started.”
She graduated from WSU with a bachelor’s in Criminal Justice in December of 1995, and then took almost two years to work and prepare for her next journey – Wayne State University Law School, graduating in 2000.
Today, Hamameh specializes in municipal law and serves as city attorney for Berkley, South Lyon, White Lake Township, Highland Township, and Holly Township.
“What I like most [about municipal law] is that I am not stuck in one niche,” said Hamameh. “Municipal lawyers deal with contracts, land use, zoning, constitutional questions, local legislation, environmental regulation and so much more. Much of my day-to-day involves finding workable solutions to problems or issues my clients are facing.”
—————
The value of the State Bar
What, for her, has been the most valuable part of 26 years as a member of the SBM?
“In a word – connections,” said Hamameh. “I have made lasting friendships, expanded professional networks, and got to know local judges, all while volunteering my time to give back to an organization that I believe in. It is not easy to make new friends as adults. But active engagement in local, affinity and state bars offers opportunities to spend time with colleagues, which organically evolves into valuable connections.”
Each month as president, Hamameh writes a column in the Michigan Bar Journal. The first three focused on her top three priorities for the year. “Admittedly, I was involved in State Bar leadership for many years before I began to get a true picture of the important services the State Bar provides to its members,” she wrote in a November column.
She points out that the SBM has more than 70 employees, including staff that reviews and summarizes recent court opinions for the daily eJournal; supports the Lawyer Referral Service; and supports the mental health and well-being of those in the legal profession.
In April, the SBM launched the MiLawyer Podcast, featuring insights and strategies to help attorneys improve their practice and protect their well-being.
Additionally, programs like SOLACE are designed to help members of the legal community, or their immediate family, who are facing critical needs due to illness, injury or catastrophic events.
Supporting members’ entire well-being dovetails into another top priority: de-stigmatizing mental health in the legal profession.
"Lawyers are expected to be sharp, resilient, and available at all hours – solving complex problems under pressure,” said Hamameh. "Behind our impressive titles and legal victories, a quiet reality looms over the profession: many of us are running on empty.”
Michigan Task Force on Well-Being in the Law issued 21 recommendations to help those in the legal field prioritize their mental health including: reassuring law students that seeking mental health treatment will not create obstacles to bar admission and law practice; normalizing the ability to make mistakes as part of the learning process; and to de-emphasize alcohol at social events and legal functions, to name a few.
"When you recognize help-seeking behaviors, be ready and willing to listen, offer empathy, avoid judging or shaming, normalize seeking help, offer resources such as therapist recommendations, and be sure to follow up — a quick text telling the person that you’re thinking about them can go a long way,” said Hamameh.
Hamameh’s third priority is urging attorneys to remember why they chose this path and to recommit to their role as defenders of the rule of law. The State Bar of Michigan is one of several bars across the country that recently signed the “Pledge to Preserve the Independence of the Legal Profession and the Judicial System” developed by the National Conference of Bar Presidents.
“Attorneys have always been and must continue to be the first line of defense for the Rule of Law,” said Hamameh. "This pledge focuses on upholding the cornerstones of our American democracy — preserving our inalienable rights, the independence of the judiciary, and access to justice for all — which should never be controversial.”
—————
Volunteer work
Hamameh was honored in 2011 by the Oakland County Bar Association for her extensive volunteer work. She serves on the Well-Being in the Law Commission, the Michigan State Bar Foundation Board of Directors, and the Oakland County Bar Foundation, in addition to volunteering for organizations outside the legal realm, like the Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Komen Race for the Cure, Habitat for Humanity, and more.
She has also volunteered as a judge for moot court and mock trial competitions.
“Some students do not have role models in their lives to teach them paths toward a different future,” said Hamameh. “As a first-generation college graduate myself, I know it is sometimes hard to see all the possibilities because you simply don’t know they exist. Volunteering with students can show them there are opportunities for them in the legal profession. They need guidance. They need us as mentors. They need to know they really can do anything they set their minds to.”
As for the more than 46,000 members of the SBM, Hamameh said there are variety of ways for people to get involved to make the most of their membership and help shape the organization’s future, including applying to be on a committee, or running for an elected commissioner position on the Board of Commissioners or Representative Assembly.
Another option is to join a section.
“The State Bar offers 44 practice area sections for members to stay up to date on legal issues, network and advance issues of jurisprudence,” said Hamameh. “Joining a practice area section offers attorneys the opportunity to meet experienced attorneys practicing in a particular area. These relationships often lead to friendships, mentoring, job opportunities and more.”
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