Trio sworn-in to appear in front of U.S. Supreme Court
They are among 12 attorneys from Women Lawyers Association of Michigan
Three Macomb County attorneys were among a group of a dozen metroDetroit female lawyers who traveled to Washington, D.C. to be sworn in to practice in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Laura Polizzi, her law partner Angela Medley, and Tanya Grillo, all of whom practice out of Mount Clemens, represented one-fourth of the group that trekked to the nation’s capital Monday to be sworn in by the highest court in the land during a session headed by Chief Justice John Roberts.
The group was sponsored and organized by attorney Sydney Rushing, who practices out of Farmington Hills through the Women’s Lawyers Association of Michigan, Polizzi said. The attorneys had to meet some basic qualifications and received a certificate marking their new status. The cost was minimal, according to Polizzi.
She added none of the
attorneys have a case in front of the high court but want to be prepared in case they do.
“We’re all young attorneys so some of us may have a chance someday,” Polizzi said. “It would be an honor to have that opportunity, to be able to practice in front of the court and not have to be sworn in. I’ve been a lawyer for only eight years so hopefully in the future I’ll have that opportunity, and I will be ready.”
As part of the swearin, the group sat through a case during which each of the nine justices spoke.
“It’s really cool to see it up close and personal,” she said.
Polizzi said her family “was really excited” for the event so her husband, Vito, and 1-year-old son Salvatore, mother, Darlene Garcia, and sister, Lisa Cardella traveled with her.
Polizzi and Medley practice family law, and Polizzi also practices in business law. Grillo has recently returned to private practice after working for 38th District Court in Eastpointe and as a regional manager for the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission.
Other participating attorneys were Kirsten Silwanowicz, Alicia Bianchi, Kristina Costantino, Erin Flynn, Shanna Kaminski, Ryan Kelly, Erin Klug, Kristen Pursley and Patricia Woodruff.