Cynthia with her husband Greg.
Tested.
Cynthia Ward has dedicated her career to practicing law in the public interest and promoting access to the justice system.
She is an accomplished lawyer with 23 years of diverse legal experience. Her background and experience have prepared her well to serve as Lansing's next District Court Judge.
- Graduated from Villanova Law School.
- Licensed to practice in Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and admitted before the Supreme Court of the United States.
- Began practicing law as a civil rights lawyer representing people with disabilities in state and federal courts.
- Served as inaugural director of the Women and AIDS Clinic at Rutgers Law School-Newark where her work representing women with HIV/AIDS was featured in Marie Claire magazine.
- Honored for advocacy work with the “Rising Star” Award from the Association of Black Women Lawyers of New Jersey.
- Received the “Women Helping Women” Award from the Soroptimist International of Suburban Essex.
- Earned tenure as member of faculty at WMU Cooley Law School. Attorney of record in the Sixty Plus Elderlaw Clinic cases where she supervised student law practice in circuit, probate and district courts.
- Appointed Acting Associate Dean of Students and Professionalism and subsequently named the Assistant Dean of Students.
Cynthia currently works for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
"In my mind, there is nobody with a deeper integrity than Cynthia Ward."
-CYNTHIA'S FORMER COLLEAGUE, MICHAEL MCDANIEL (LSJ, August 20, 2015)
Trusted.
Cynthia has deep integrity and the right temperament to serve as District Court Judge.
- Entrusted to enforce WMU Cooley Law School’s Honor Code and Disciplinary Procedures.
- Entrusted with six years of service on the State Bar of Michigan District E Character and Fitness Committee.
- Entrusted with service as an at-large representative on two city of Lansing boards.
- Elected Michigan State Bar Foundation Fellow (“for outstanding legal ability and devotion to community”).
Cynthia’s former colleague, Professor Michael McDaniel, said of her in an August 20, 2015, Lansing State Journal article:
“The number of hours in her work week was much more than other professors because of the time she spent with students,” he said. “She had a much harder job.” From McDaniel’s perspective, Ward understood “there is a vast expanse of gray in most issues.” “She was very comfortable exploring all the nuances in the gray to find what was truly the most important kernel,” he said. “In my mind, there is nobody with a deeper integrity than Cynthia Ward.” (Lansing State Journal excerpt)
Former Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero stated of Cynthia in the earlier-referenced Lansing State Journal article, “I consider her a real asset to the city.” Bernero described Cynthia as “an independent thinker.”
Cynthia at the open door ministry of downtown lansing.
Committed to Our Community.
Cynthia demonstrates her commitment to the community through active engagement and leadership.
- Directed a pro bono legal assistance clinic through Advent House Ministries and the Open Door Ministry for homeless persons in the Lansing area.
- Served as board member for the Lansing Area AIDS Network, where she was elected to the Executive Committee.
- Served on the advisory committee for the Downtown YMCA Wellness Center, where she and her husband were named 2006 Volunteers of the Year.
- Appointed as an At-Large representative on the Lansing Park Board.
- Appointed to Board of Commissioners for Lansing Board of Water & Light. Served as chair of the Human Resources committee.
- Served on the city of Lansing's Ad-Hoc Diversity Committee.
- Served as “judge” for the Lansing Teen Court program.
Cynthia lives in Lansing with her husband Greg. They attend St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in downtown Lansing.
