Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Maureen McGinnis is passionate about practicing law and working for her community. Her role as a recently elected Judge in the 52nd District Court is, in her words, “the perfect marriage” of those interests. “I really do think I am in the place I was meant to be,” she said. “I am advancing my legal career, learning more each day, and interacting more than ever with people in my community.”
Born in Troy, Maureen McGinnis grew up in a community-focused family. Her mother served as a teacher in the Troy School District while her father practiced law and served on the Troy School District Board of Education. “He’s worked in the same office for forty years, and specializes in family law,” she explained.
Maureen followed in her father’s footsteps, first attending the University of Colorado- Boulder and then returning to Michigan for law school at Michigan State University. She also completed three student internships. Maureen worked on a U.S. Senate campaign in Denver, with the Boulder District Attorney’s Office, and at the United States Department of Justice, Criminal Division, in Washington, D.C.
After passing the Michigan Bar, Maureen McGinnis immersed herself in her profession, working at Donald E. McGinnis, Jr., P.C., her father’s firm. She was quickly recognized for her ability as an attorney and involvement as a young professional. Maureen was the recipient of the Oakland County Bar Association’s Distinguished Service Award in 2010, selected as an Up and Coming Lawyer by Michigan Lawyers Weekly in 2011 and recognized as a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers,Michigan for four consecutive years (2011-2014.)
In 2009, Maureen McGinnis was elected to Troy’s City Council. During her term, she and her colleagues made many important decisions that successfully ushered the City through the Great Recession. “I think that the Council benefitted from having new members,” she recalled. “We provided fresh eyes and perspectives to overcome problems.” Maureen also served as Mayor Pro Tem in 2011-12.
Ms. McGinnis chose to seek a seat on the District Court bench in 2014 rather than run for a second term on City Council in 2013. In an Oakland Press interview she stated, “I think my experiences in the City Council have helped me really understand what is going on (in the City of Troy) … It has been a really good experience. We’ve faced a lot of challenges in Troy over the past four years, but I think the City is in a really good place to move forward.”
Judge McGinnis and her husband Kevin have a daughter, and are expecting a second child in the spring.
Photo:
The Honorable Maureen McGinnis
Sources:
Telephone interview with Maureen McGinnis
httpss://www.oakgov.com/courts/dc52div4/Pages/elected_off_bio/mcginnis.aspx
https://www.theoaklandpress.com/article/OP/20130723/NEWS/307239903
To commemorate the City of Troy’s 60th Anniversary in 2015, we will publish a different story each day that highlights a person, discovery, or event that occurred locally, regionally, nationally, or even globally between 1955 and 2015 and that helped shape our lives and our community. We will try to post stories on important anniversary dates, but we also realize that dates are less critical than content and context. We will include the facts related to controversial stories, allowing our readers to form their own opinions. We invite you to read and comment on the stories. Your suggestions for topics are also welcome and can be posted on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/TroyHistoricVillage. You can also email stories or ideas to the 365 Story Editor at ed@thvmail.org.
