Experienced attorney, advocate, and mediator
Resume:
Laura Warsaw
Solo practitioner/attorney - Warsaw Law Office
Grand Rapids, MI 49505
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Dedicated attorney with experience in multiple fields including criminal, civil, and family law. Decades of experience working with troubled and abused children, families in crisis, and other victims of domestic violence. Excellent leadership skills and self sufficiency, perfectly coupled with an intense desire to listen and learn from those who have more experience and knowledge. Work Experience
Long Term Substitute Teacher
Edustaff Agency/ Hesperia Community Schools-Hesperia, MI December 2022 to Present
• Dedicated and adaptable instructor with a strong commitment to student success. Skilled at following lesson plans and maintaining a safe classroom environment. Created and implemented multiple lesson plans to engage students at all grade levels as needed. Served as a long term guest teacher in multiple emergent situations, and promptly developed a successful curriculum to ensure student success. Solo Practitioner/Attorney
Warsaw Law Office-Grand Rapids, MI
2010 to Present
Concentration in family law and estate planning. Represent clients in family law matters pertaining to custody, support, and domestic abuse issues. Negotiate resolution of divorce cases. Draft complaints and briefs.
Provide Pro Bono legal services to active duty soldiers for local and state-wide organizations. Draft wills, Powers of Attorney, and any and all matters pertaining to family law and civil litigation. Court Services Specialist
Kalamazoo County Circuit Court - Family Division-Kalamazoo, MI July 2013 to November 2015
Responsibilities
Coordinate and jointly direct the efficient processing of all child protective, delinquency, and domestic cases. Direct and specify appointments of attorneys. Perform bailiff duties for jury trials. Assist judges and referees at hearings, schedule hearings and personally serve court orders to parties present at hearings. Prepare court orders and reports. Research, analyze, docket court orders and enter information into the court case management system. Certify documents. Respond to inquiries regarding court procedures. Attend and monitor court proceedings.
Accomplishments
Assisted in developing and streamlining new processes to facilitate court directives and judgments. Part of a small but significant team-driven effort to go paperless. The end results of these actions were heightened security and increased efficiency.
Skills Used
Project management skills, fact-finding, and most definitely the fine art of diplomacy and compromise. Pretrial Investigator
Kent County Court Services-Grand Rapids, MI
1998 to 2010
Interviewed and compiled inmate background information, submitted bail reports and bond recommendations to the various district courts for use at arraignment. Attended arraignments, provided supporting information as needed. Assessed eligibility for personal recognizance bonds, granted fast track releases.
Intern/Volunteer
Ostrander Law Offices-Grand Rapids, MI
January 2008 to February 2009
Researched legal issues, assisted in case preparation relating to family law. Interviewed clients, participated in juvenile home visitations in preparation for trial. Drafted parenting time agreements and case histories. Observed court procedures in Family and Probate Court Juvenile Group Worker/Acting Shift Supervisor
Kent County Child Haven-Grand Rapids, MI
December 1985 to February 1998
Responsible for the health and welfare of juveniles in a residential facility. Served as acting shift supervisor on a regular basis. Coordinated efforts between local agencies. Triaged night/weekend calls to Children's Protective Services for the greater Kent County Area. Education
Juris Doctor
Thomas Cooley Law School - Grand Rapids, MI
October 2009
Bachelor of Arts
Grand Valley State University - Grand Rapids, MI
2004
Skills
• Legal Research
• Negotiation
• Legal Drafting
• Case Management
• Writing Skills (10+ years)
• Administrative Experience
• Proofreading
• Crisis Intervention
• Crisis Intervention
• Social Work (10+ years)
• Child Protective Services
• Triage
• Animal care
• Sales
• Time management
• Leadership
• Legal counsel
• Teaching
• Individual / Group Counseling
• Mental Health Counseling
• Special Education
• Curriculum Development
• Personal injury law
• Westlaw
• Immigration law
Certifications and Licenses
Bar
Substitute Teaching Certification
Additional Information
Qualifications
Multifaceted and proactive attorney with over 20 years of experience in criminal justice, family law, and child welfare. Well-versed in child support, custody issues, and negotiation, with strong ties/working knowledge of area law enforcement agencies, correctional facilities, and child welfare systems.
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