Butzel Long attorney Shanika A. Owens named to Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s 2021 Class of ‘Up & Coming Lawyers’
DETROIT, Mich. – Butzel Long attorney Shanika A. Owens is one of 25 attorneys in the state named to Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s 2021 Class of “Up & Coming Lawyers.” The attorneys will be honored during a virtual program on June 10 and profiled in an upcoming edition of Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
Attorneys recognized for this honor have distinguished themselves in the practice of law. The honorees were evaluated based on nominations by their peers, colleagues, and associates. The recipients were selected by a committee based on their outstanding professional accomplishments and their mentoring/ community involvement.
Owens focuses her practice on business, corporate, and real estate law. She regularly informs start-ups and counsels business clients in corporate governance and issues surrounding governmental compliance.
As part of her practice, she has presented to Wayne State University’s School of Social Work, Wayne Law classes, and potential clients on ethical obligations, board governance and entity selection.
Prior to law school, Owens served as a legislative assistant to several members of the Detroit City Council where she advised policymakers on several issues including economic development and matters leading up to the Detroit bankruptcy.
Moreover, she served as Selections Chair of the Detroit chapter of New Leaders Council, a national non-profit organization dedicated to training the country’s next generation of progressive leaders, from March 2014 - June 2016.
Owens is a member of the Board of Directors of Avalon Healing, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing compassionate and trauma-informed care to survivors of sexual assault.
In addition, she is a Board Member of the Great Lakes Environmental Law Center, a Detroit-based nonprofit that offers community education, policy support, and various legal services to address environmental, resource, & energy issues affecting communities throughout the Great Lakes region.
Owens also serves as a member of the State Bar of Michigan’s Representative Assembly, a policy-making body created by the Supreme Court to improve the proportion of members who actively participate in setting policies for the Michigan bar.
She is a member of Detroit Sisters in Law, a collective of black women attorneys who gather regularly to support each other. She also is a member of the African American Associates Collaborative, a group of associate attorneys dedicated to retention and support of attorneys of color at Detroit’s largest law firms.
Further, Owens is co-chair of Butzel Long’s Pro Bono Committee. In this role, she coordinates pro-bono projects, suggests firm-wide policies, and encourages all attorneys to service indigent clients throughout Michigan with free legal support.
At the same time, she mentors several young attorneys and law students interested in practicing law in Detroit. Owens regularly devotes her time to pro bono matters including advising local non-profits and participating in the Pope Francis Legal Clinic.
Notably, she was awarded the Michigan Chronicle’s 40 Under 40 Award in 2013 for her outstanding service as a policy analyst to the Detroit City Council.
Owens is a graduate of Wayne State University Law School (J.D., cum laude) and Michigan State University (B.S., Economics).
