Candidate Rating and Endorsements

Candidate Ratings and Endorsements

We respectfully invite all candidates seeking a judicial or quasi-judicial position to seek out a rating and endorsement from the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan (WLAM).  WLAM is proud to endorse and rate candidates running for election or seeking appointment to such offices.

WLAM  makes all ratings and endorsements without regard to sex, party affiliation, religion, national origin or age. The decision is based on  professional qualifications and a demonstrated interest in advancing the cause of women in general, and women in the legal profession.

All ratings and endorsements are made solely on the basis of WLAM evaluation criteria and may include review of the candidate’s application, an interview of the candidate, a background check, input from references,  input from WLAM members of the region where the office is located, and any other first hand knowledge that committee members may have about the candidate.   All deliberations of the Candidate Rating and Endorsement Committee are confidential.

Each candidate will be given one of the following ratings: Outstanding, Highly Recommended, Recommended, Not Recommended, or No Rating. The ratings are defined as follows:

Outstanding: To be rated ”outstanding” the candidate must exhibit exceptional qualities for judicial service. The candidate must have excellent legal ability, wide experience, wisdom intellect, insight, impartiality and judicial temperament. The candidate should have generally participated in numerous civic, charitable, religious, and political activities in the community and professional bar organizations.  The candidate should be acclaimed in the legal community as affirmatively espousing the position of all women in society and a demonstrated record of advancing women in the legal profession.

Highly Recommended: To be rated ”highly recommended” the candidate must exhibit superior qualities for judicial service. The candidate must have demonstrated excellence in legal ability, wide experience, wisdom, intellect, insight, and impartiality. The candidate should have generally participated in civil, charitable, religious, or political activities in the community and professional bar organizations. The candidate should be acknowledged in the legal community as affirmatively espousing the position of all women in society and a demonstrated record of advancing women in the legal profession.

Recommended: To be rated “recommended” the candidate must exhibit the essential qualities and a fitness for judicial service. The candidate must have good legal ability, experience, wisdom, intellect, insight, and impartiality. The candidate should have participated in civic, charitable, religious, or political activities in the community or professional bar organizations. The candidate should be seen in the legal community as affirmatively espousing the position of all women in society and a demonstrated record of advancing women in the legal profession.

Not Recommended

No Rating: A candidate will not be rated if there is insufficient information available to the committee on the candidate’s fitness for judicial office; a candidate requests that no rating be given; or the CREC finds that the candidate does not meet the standards of qualifications set by the CREC as set forth above.

All candidate ratings and endorsements will be announced to the public.

If you would like to seek a rating and endorsement from WLAM, please click here to download the application.   The completed application may be submitted via email or mail to info@womenlawyers.org, or 120 N. Washington Square, Suite 110A, Lansing, MI 48933.

Past Ratings and Endorsements

Click below to see ratings and endorsements issued by WLAM in the past:

2018 Election2018 Election