Marisa Vinsky

Marisa Vinsky

Marisa Vinsky

Marisa has always had an extreme passion for criminal law. Since the first grade, she has never wavered in her desire to become a criminal defense attorney. She believes that protecting the constitutional rights of clients is her calling.

Marisa worked at the State Appellate Defender Office in Detroit, specifically in the Juvenile Lifer Unit, where she fought for the rights of juveniles to obtain constitutional sentences under the newly enacted law. She also worked in the Michigan State University College of Law’s Civil Rights Clinic. This gave Marisa an opportunity to litigate on behalf of prisoners whose civil rights had been violated in the prison system. Marisa’s work has been instrumental to many of our firm’s wins, including a recent victory at the Sixth Circuit challenging the constitutionality of a federal statute.

Being involved in the legal community is something Marisa enjoys. She is a member of multiple organizations, such as the State Bar of Michigan Criminal Law, Animal Law, Marijuana Law, and Prisons/Corrections sections. Marisa has volunteered at multiple expungement clinics, where she honed her skills while helping out those in the community. She now serves as C&N’s lead on expungement cases, with detailed knowledge of the new Clean Slate Act.

In her free time, Marisa loves traveling the world, cheering on all of the Detroit sports teams, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

Professional Activities/Community Involvement

  • Attorney Volunteer, Clean Slate Pathway Expungement Fair, Legal Aid of Western Michigan, May 2022
  • Attorney Volunteer, Mid-Michigan Virtual Expungement Clinic, June 2021
  • Secretary, Davis Dunnings Bar Association, 2021 – 2022
  • Attorney Volunteer, Grand Rapids Expungement Fair, Legal Aid of Western Michigan and Black and Brown Cannabis Guild, April 2021
  • Volunteer, Constellation Cat Cafe, East Lansing, MI, 2021
  • Board of Directors, Ingham County Bar Association Young Lawyer’s Section, 2020 – 2022
  • Member, Ingham County Bar Association
  • Member, Davis Dunnings Bar Association
  • Member, Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan
  • Member, Jewish Bar Association of Michigan
  • Member, Women Lawyers of Michigan

Presentations

  • Guest Lecturer, Transition to Practice, Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, June 2022
  • Guest Speaker, DUI Expungement Seminar, Cooley Law School, March 2022
  • Jumping into the Job: When Representation Begins in the Middle of a Case, Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan Spring Conference, March 2022
  • Guest Lecturer, Transition to Practice, Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, February 2022
  • Killer Motions, Wayne County Criminal Advocacy Program, December 2021
  • Guest Lecturer, Transition to Practice, Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, October 2021
  • Panel Member, Discussing the Practice of Law Post Covid, Michigan State University College of Law, October 2021
  • Guest Speaker, Know Your Rights, The Village Lansing, July 2021
  • What’s Your Honest Assessment, Ingham County Bar Association Criminal Defense Section, June 2021
  • Guest Lecturer, Transition to Practice, Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, June 2021
  • Digging Daubert, Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan Fall Conference, October 2020
  • Guest Lecturer, Transition to Practice, Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, October 2020
  • Guest Lecturer, Transition to Practice, Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, June 2020
  • Defending CSC Cases, Ingham County Bar Association Criminal Defense Section, July 2020
  • Guest Lecturer, Transition to Practice, Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, October 2019

Publications and Media

Awards and Recognition

  • Rising Star Award, Davis-Dunnings Bar Association, 2022
  • Up and Coming Lawyers, Michigan Lawyers Weekly, 2022
  • Women Lawyer Stars, Women Lawyers Association of Michigan—Mid-Michigan Chapter, 2021
  • Top 5 Under 35, Ingham County Bar Association Young Lawyers Section, 2021

Education

  • Michigan State University College of Law, East Lansing, MI
    • Juris Doctor, summa cum laude
    • The Geoffrey Fieger Trial Practice Institute
    • Teaching Assistant for Civil Procedure and Trial Practice Institute Pretrial I
    • Jurisprudence Awards for the highest grades in Research, Writing and Analysis (specialized criminal law section); Advocacy; Evidence; and Trial Practice Institute Pretrial I
    • Donald Nystrom Best Brief Semi-Finalist
    • Walter E. Oberer Scholarship and Faculty Scholarship recipient
    • Secretary, Black Law Students Association
  • Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI
    • Bachelor of Science in Philosophy and Political Science, magna cum laude
    • Centralis Scholar Award recipient