loess
Oakland County
Bar Association president
Wendy Potts says the public's
perception of lawyers
is inaccurate.
DEBBIE L. SKLAR SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
T H E DE TRO IT J E WIS H NE WS
David and Wendy Potts.
42
- - ike any profession, Wendy Potts
says, the legal field has its share
of bad apples. But Ms. Potts, the
president of the Oakland Coun-
ty Bar Association (OCBA),
thinks the public image of
lawyers is far too negative.
"One of my goals as president
is to make a change in the per-
ception of lawyers," said Ms.
Potts. "I find the way the pub-
lic perceives lawyers is very dis-
tressing.
"People have to realize
that when someone deals
with an attorney, they're
having trouble. The resolution
of a case often is a matter of com-
promising, which sometimes
isn't pleasant."
Movies such as Philadelphia
don't help the public's image of
lawyers much, either, Ms. Potts
believes. Neither do some tele-
vision commercials for lawyers.
"Some of the commercials are
A partner in the Birm-
ingham law firm of Hill
Lewis, Ms. Potts special-
izes in family law. She
has focused most of her
professional life on what
the law can do about the
problem of domestic vio-
lence.
Earlier this year, Gov.
John Engler appointed
Ms. Potts to a committee
which made recommen-
dations on uniform crite-
ria for enforcement of
domestic violence cases
in Michigan.
Ms. Potts said she first
became interested in the law
during a courthouse visit while
she was attending Detroit Mum-
ford High School.
in good taste, but others are
bad," she said. "I believe attor-
neys have the right to advertise,
but I would like to see some lim-
itations.
"Hopefully, I can get the word
out that the members of the
Oakland County Bar Association
are committed to the public. We
provide many community and
pro bono services."
Ms. Potts, 51, a Birmingham
resident, is only the second fe-
male president of the OCBA,
which has approximately 3,500
members. She was elected to a
one-year term which will expire
After earning a bachelor's de-
June 30, 1995.
gree from the University of
Before being named president Michigan in 1965, Ms. Potts
of the volunteer organization, taught in Detroit schools to help
Ms. Potts served on the OCBA's pay her way through law school.
board of directors beginning in
She received her juris doctor
1987 and she was chairwoman degree from Wayne State Uni-
of the OCBA's Membership versity in 1977, worked as a
Committee and Continuing Le- clerk in the Southfield office of
gal Education Committee.
the Michigan Court of Appeals,
Ms. Potts is only the
second female
president of the
then joined Hill Lewis in the ear-
ly 1980s.
"It took me 11 years to get my
law degree," Ms. Potts said.
"Normally it takes five, but I
took time off halfway through
my studies because of the birth
of my two daughters in 1972 and
1974."
Since she began practicing,
Ms. Potts said, she has seen
more and more women enter the
legal profession.
"When I was in law school, I
was one of very few women in
my class," she said. "Many more
women have gone into the field,
but it's still a struggle. I think
women are naturally logical, so
they can make good lawyers."
Being Jewish "has been an
important guide for me through-
out my life," Ms. Potts said. "I'm
proud of my heritage and proud
to be a woman president of the
OCBA who is Jewish."
Ms. Potts and her husband,
Detroit Lions vice president/gen-
eral counsel David Potts,
often unwind from their
hectic, long days on the job
by strolling through downtown
Birmingham. ❑