The WLAM Leadership Class is a WLAM initiative created to further its mission of securing the rights of women in society, advancing the interests of women members of the legal profession, promoting improvements in the administration of justice, and promoting equality and social justice for all people. The leadership class will benefit law students by providing students with the tools to develop the professional skills necessary for success and leadership positions in law, business, government, the nonprofit sector, and the judiciary. Participation in the Leadership Class will greatly enhance participants’ business contacts, equip them with the tools necessary for professional development, and will provide opportunities that typically do not exist outside the program.
All events are anticipated to be in the Metro Detroit area. Once confirmed, the WLAM Leadership Class Curriculum will be updated accordingly.
2024 Curriculum
As a part of the WLAM Leadership Class, Class Participants will receive the following benefits:
- Networking opportunities with fellow women lawyers.
- Opportunity to develop leadership tools.
- Improve your career prospects.
- Obtain the ability to formulate and implement effective leadership strategies.
- Identify and develop your leadership style.
- Assist with communication skills.
- Opportunity to provide a day of service to the community.
- Learn how to effectively connect to people, develop the ability to give constructive feedback, and critically seek the feedback of your team.
- Increase your woman lawyer network.
- Meet with WLAM leaders.
- Learn more about the importance about diversity, equity, and inclusion in leadership and how WLAM impacts DE&I efforts.
- A WLAM membership.
- A professional headshot with retouching provided by Emma Burcusel.
- WLAM swag.
- Many other opportunities that typically do not exist outside of the Class.
Class Members:
- Adriana Burga, WMU Cooley Law
- Alexis Brown, University of Detroit Mercy School of Law
- Anony Walton, Wayne State University Law School
- Codie Drake, WMU Cooley Law
- Molly DeWyse, Wayne State University Law School
- Rosanna Ameriguian, University of Detroit Mercy School of Law
- Savanna Polimeni, University of Detroit Mercy School of Law
- Stephanie Thomas, University of Detroit Mercy School of Law
- Zahara Madahah, University of Detroit Mercy School of Law
Please join WLAM in training the future female leaders in the practice of law. We launched our inaugural WLAM Leadership Class in 2021 to further our mission of securing the rights of women in society and advancing the interests of women in the legal profession and the administration of justice.
The WLAM Leadership Class was created to benefit law students by providing tools to develop professional skills necessary for success and leadership positions in law, business, government, the nonprofit sector, and the judiciary. We realized that law students were having a hard time connecting with one another, not only because of the pandemic, but because there was a lack of programming of this nature. Therefore, we created this program to help fill that gap. We hope that the Leadership Class experience provides the business contacts and leadership skills to assist in furthering professional development and in our Michigan legal community. Learn more about the Co-Chairs below.
Kirsten Silwanowicz
Kirsten J. Silwanowicz is an Associate General Counsel at the Great Lakes Water Authority. She practices in contracts and state and federal procurements. She graduated from Michigan State University in 2009 with her Bachelor’s of Arts in Spanish and then from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law in December of 2011. She started her legal career in Dallas, Texas, and moved back home to Michigan to practice in 2015. Kirsten has been a member of the Women’s Lawyers Association of Michigan since law school in 2009 and is the current President for the WLAM Wayne Region.
Alexandra Casperson
I am a dependable and effective advocate for the people of Michigan, having been a faithful public servant my entire career. I currently work as an Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights and Elections Division of the Michigan Attorney General’s Office. My caseload is primarily focused on wrongful imprisonment, conviction integrity, and campaign finance violations. I previously worked as a prosecutor for over 8 years, specializing in public integrity cases as well as sexual assault and child sexually abusive material cases. I have extensive experience in litigation, motion writing, and recently successfully argued my first appellate case.
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