Michelle Lanham, Esq., Vice-President/Secretary
michelle@ohioanimaladvocates.org
Michelle started her solo law practice in 2017, concentrating on Plaintiff’s employment and civil rights litigation. Michelle is a 2019 graduate of the Ohio State Bar Association’s Leadership Academy and a member of the Ohio Employment Lawyers Association.
Before becoming an attorney, Michelle worked in the mental health field, serving individuals in the community with severe/persistent mental illnesses and combat veterans diagnosed with substance dependence. She published her Master’s Thesis, “The Relationship Between Gratitude and Job Burnout in Mental Health Professionals” and completed legislative and policy internships. Today, she remains committed to mental health issues as a member of the Ohio Attorney General’s Task Force on Criminal Justice & Mental Illness. She is also a Board Member and volunteer for the Resurrecting Lives Foundation.
Michelle received her J.D. from Capital University Law School and her M.A., Clinical Psychology, from the University of Dayton. In law school, she was a two-time Judicial Extern for the Supreme Court of Ohio, a Legal Extern at the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. She also completed clerkships at well-respected litigation firms and worked as a legal research assistant.
Michelle has always loved all animals, but admittedly has a special place in her heart for cats, especially her two rescue tabbies. She serves as the Secretary for the OSBA’s Animal Law Committee and is a volunteer and life member of Cat Welfare Association. Michelle is dedicated to statewide and local animal welfare issues.