WLAM’s 2021 Award Recipients

The Jean L. King Leadership Award, named in honor of the fearless Attorney Jean Ledwith King, an attorney, teacher, and women’s right activist, was presented to WLAM Past President Paula Talarico. Paula Talarico graduated from Wayne State University Law School in 1983. She currently owns and manages her own firm, Talarico & Associates, specializing in family law and trust litigation.

The Mary S. Coleman Award, created to honor the first woman to serve on the Michigan Supreme Court, was presented to the Honorable Michelle Rick of the Michigan Court of Appeals. Judge Rick was first appointed to the trial bench in 2007. There she focused on family, criminal, and civil cases. Before that, she was an assistant prosecutor for Livingston County, an assistant attorney general, and deputy legal counsel to former Governor Granholm. On January 1, 2021, Judge Rick was elected to Michigan’s 4^th District Court of Appeals.

The Geraldine Bledsoe Ford Award, given in honor of the first female African American judge elected without the benefit of incumbency in the United States, was presented to Michelle Crockett of Miller Canfield Paddock and Stone PLC. Michelle Crockett graduated from Wayne State University Law School in 2000. She is currently the Deputy Executive Officer, Chief Diversity Officer, and a Labor and Employment Principal at Miller Canfield. She manages recruitment, hiring, diversity and inclusion, mentorship, professional development, and many other programs at the firm. In addition, she has defended many Fortune 500 clients against a multitude of employment-related claims.

The Regional Leadership Awards, presented in recognition and celebration of professionalism, excellence, and dedication to furthering the objectives of WLAM, were presented to Kristina Bilowus of the Career Development Department of MSU College of Law; Kailen Piper of O’Neill, Wallace and Doyle, PC; and Katie Tucker of Sinas Dramis Law Firm.

Kristina Bilowus earned her juris doctor and L.L.M. from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School in 2013 and 2016, respectively. During her professional career, she has been a judicial law clerk and an attorney handling family law cases. Currently, she is an adjunct professor at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School and an Assistant Director for Career Services at Michigan State University College of Law.

Kailen Piper graduated from Michigan State University College of Law in 2018. Following her graduation, she worked as a law clerk and was promoted to an associate attorney at O’Neill, Wallace & Doyle, P.C. She primarily handles insurance defense litigation. During her academic years, she was a law clerk at United Auto Workers and a legal intern at Prisoner’s Legal Services of New York.

Katie Tucker received her juris doctor, magna cum laude, from Michigan State University College of Law in 2012. She worked as a law clerk at Michigan Education Association focusing on labor, employment, and education – related research. Following that, she clerked at Church Wyble, P.C. working on medical malpractice and personal injury related matters. She also worked as an attorney at White, Schneider Young and Chiodini P.C. handling statewide labor and employment related disputes. Most recently, she works as an attorney at Sinas Dramis Law Firm, focusing on wrongful death and personal injury matters.