Plunkett Cooney partner Kelli L. Baker was recently named by Michigan Lawyers Weekly (MiLW) to its 2024 Class of “Influential Women of Law.”

“Kelli is a tremendous banking and title insurance attorney, and she is very deserving of this honor,” said Jeffrey C. Gerish, Plunkett Cooney’s President & CEO. “Kelli is a forceful advocate on behalf of her clients, and she is a leader within our firm who has helped mentor numerous attorneys to help them reach their full potential.  I believe I was one of two folks who conducted Kelli’s interview for hire here, and I could not be more proud or more thankful that she joined the firm and is having such a phenomenal career.”

Baker is among 35 attorneys who will be honored at a luncheon on Sept. 27 at Petruzzello’s in Troy, Michigan where one member of the 2024 class will also be named “Woman of the Year.” MiLW, a leading publication serving the state’s legal industry, will also recognize this year’s honorees in a special section of the Sept. 23 issue of the newspaper.

MiLW editorial staff members selected this year’s honorees based on their excellent work in the legal system on behalf of their clients, their commitment to their communities and their service to the profession.

A partner in Plunkett Cooney’s Grand Rapids Office, Baker is a member of the firm's Banking, Bankruptcy & Creditors’ Rights Practice Group. She is also a member of Plunkett Cooney Real Estate & Title Insurance Practice Group and the firm's Cannabis Industry Group.

Baker has extensive expertise in the areas of loan workouts, loan origination and title insurance. She works with some of the nation’s largest lenders and can often be found at the center of multi-million loan closings, as well as unwinding such transactions to protect the bank’s position when things go bad.

A 1991 graduate of Northern Illinois University College of Law, Baker is active in numerous professional organizations, including the Grand Rapids Bar Association, California Bar Association, Turnaround Management Association of West Michigan, and the Real Property Law and Marijuana Law sections of the State Bar of Michigan. She earned her undergraduate degree from Indiana University in 1987.

Established in 1913, Plunkett Cooney is a leading provider of business and litigation services to clients in the private and public sectors. The firm employs approximately 130 attorneys in seven Michigan cities, Chicago, Illinois, Indianapolis, Indiana and Columbus, Ohio. Plunkett Cooney has received Mansfield Rule Certification for midsize law firms, which recognizes leaders in diversity, equity and inclusion within the legal industry.

For more information about Kelli Baker receiving the Michigan Lawyers Weekly “Influential Women of Law" honor, contact the firm’s Director of Marketing and Business Development, John Cornwell, at (248) 901-4008; jcornwell@plunkettcooney.com.

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