Laura R. Kopack

Laura Reyes Kopack is the Director of Governmental Affairs and Community Relations for the Mechanical Contractors of Detroit. Laura represents over 200 contractor’s in the mechanical construction industry and serves as a representative on eight trusts, as a management trustee.  She serves on numerous government, community committees and construction industry board of directors and committees;

She practiced law at Creighton, McLean & Shea PLC (formerly Brashear, Tangora, LLP) from 1999 to 2013 as a general practitioner and Family Law Certified Mediator as well as a private practice prior to joining the firm. She has been a practicing attorney for over thirty years and she serves as President and Legal Counsel of Latin Americans for Social and Economic Development, Inc. (LA SED).

She is a graduate of the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. She completed her undergraduate degree at Wayne State University while working full-time. With over 30 years of experience, Laura has worked with the Detroit Edison Company (DTE Energy) as their Corporate Counsel while serving as an Adjunct Professor at Madonna University where her classes focused on Partnerships and Corporation Law. Laura also served as Assistant Vice President and Legal Counsel to Syndeco Inc., a subsidiary corporation of multi-state business affiliates and partnerships for the Detroit Edison Company (DTE Energy).

 

Laura has written and produced several articles, including “Current Tax Proposals, Michigan Bar Association Tax Journal 1979; “Tax Incentives for Historic Preservation,” Michigan Bar Association Tax Journal 1979; “Hispanic Redistricting in Michigan”, Rose Institute publication 1990, Hispanic Recruitment Video (Political Precinct Delegate Recruitment), Executive Producer 1990.

Laura has been involved with numerous non-profit and profit organizations in the Hispanic Community, the metro Detroit area, and Chicago ILL as a board member, Chairman of the Board, Legal Counsel and served extensively on the organizations finance committees and strategic planning committees. Laura has been instrumental in reorganizing the business, provide strategic planning and legal counsel for entities with over 50 million plus budgets. She was the founder of numerous Hispanic non-profit organizations to advance specific issues in the public and private sector. The goal was to allow the organization to optimize budgets, become self-sufficient and to be able to compete in the profit and non-profit arena.

Laura was born in Laredo, Texas, raised and educated in Detroit, Michigan and she is the daughter of Mexican immigrants. She is the first in her family to graduate from high school, college and law school. Laura has had numerous firsts in her career. She was the first Hispanic on the Michigan State Bar Board of Commissioners, the first to sit on the Judicial Screening Committee, the first Hispanic Chairperson of the Michigan Civil Rights Commission. Laura continued her career serving with distinction on many statewide and local organizations with a passion to move the needle forward.

Laura remains active in politics assisting numerous individuals succeed to elective office on the local, state and national level. Laura received many awards through her career and is recognized for her contributions in politics, the legal community and the Hispanic community.  Through her work with the Mechanical Contractors Association, she has made a difference advocating for restructuring and reinventing the industry.