Laura Baird
Member of the Michigan House of Representatives
from the 70th district
In office
1 January 1995 – 31 December 2000
Preceded byH. Lynn Jondahl
Succeeded byGretchen Whitmer
Personal details
Born (1952-10-01) 1 October 1952 (age 71)
Michigan
NationalityAmerican
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseGeorge Zulakis
Children3
Parents
  • Boyd C. Baird (father)
  • Nancy L. Tingley (mother)
Alma materWestern Michigan University (B.A.)
Thomas Cooley Law School (J.D.)
Occupationpolitician
Professionlawyer, judge

Laura L. Baird (born 1 October 1952) is an American politician and judge. She was a member of the Michigan House of Representatives from 1995 to 2000, when she was elected a judge of the Michigan Circuit Court.

Personal life and legal career

Baird was born on 1 October 1952 in northern Michigan,[1][2] to parents Boyd C. Baird and Nancy L. Tingley.[3] Her father and grandfather both served as probate judges.[1][4] Baird attended Western Michigan University, graduating in 1975, then earned her J.D. degree from Thomas Cooley Law School in 1979.[1][5] She was placed on the court-appointed list for legal cases regarding abuse and neglect shortly after graduating from law school.[4] Baird worked at a private legal practice, Baird & Zulakis, from 1980 to 2000,[5] with her husband George Zulakis.[6]

Laura Baird and George Zulakis had three children, Michael, Nicholas, and Zoe.[1][2] Nicholas died in 2001.[7] Zoe enrolled at the University of Minnesota Law School in 2018.[8] Laura Baird's father Boyd C. Baird died in 2008.[3]

Political career

Baird later moved to Okemos, Michigan,[1] and was Ingham County commissioner from 1992 to 1994, representing the 11th district.[5] She ran for the 70th district seat on the Michigan House of Representatives in 1994, as a Democratic Party candidate, and won.[1] Baird was elected to another term in 1996, and remained in office from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2000.[9] Baird was elected a judge of the Michigan Circuit Court in 2000, 2006, 2012, and 2018.[5] In 2013, Baird was elected vice president of the Michigan Judges Association,[10] and became president of the MJA in December 2015.[11]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "State Representative LAURA BAIRD (D)–70th Representative District" (PDF). Michigan Legislature. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Legislator Details". Michigan Legislative Biography. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  3. ^ a b "Boyd C. Baird". Lansing State Journal. 7 October 2008. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  4. ^ a b "Hon. Laura Baird–Practice tips for abuse and negelect cases". Legal News. 28 March 2011. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d "Honorable LAURA BAIRD, Chief Circuit Judge Pro Tempore". Ingham County, Michigan Government. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  6. ^ "Defense attorney takes pride in safeguarding constitutional rights". Legal News. 27 June 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  7. ^ "NICHOLAS L. ZULAKIS". Lansing State Journal. 21 May 2001. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  8. ^ "Congratulations!". LinkedIn. Baird & Zulakis P.C. 23 January 2018. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  9. ^ "Laura Baird Laura Baird (D) State Representative, District 70". Michigan Votes. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  10. ^ "Ingham County 30th Circuit Court Judge Laura Baird elected Vice President of Michigan Judges Association". Legal News. 5 September 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  11. ^ "Judge Baird spearheads Michigan Judges Association". Legal News. 5 December 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
Categories