Leticia Perez – West Michigan 25 most influential Latinos
Leticia Perez
Attorney at Law
Perez Law Office, PLC
As one of only a few Latina lawyers with their own practice, Leticia Perez is determined to break down barriers she faced in her own development.
“I struggled to get where I am today simply because there weren’t enough resources or any that I knew of that could help guide someone like me” she said.
Even after becoming a mother at 17, Perez pushed for eight long years to obtain her business degree. By the time she finished law school, she was caring for four kids, but she finished the program in just over two years, passing the BAR exam on her first try.
“Throughout my career I keep getting the same kind of messages: ‘Thank you for sharing, because of you I believe I can achieve my dreams. If you did it with kids, I can too,’” she said.
Prior to having her own law office, Perez served as the only Spanish-speaking public defender for Kent County,
“I saw a huge need for accessible legal representation for our Spanish-speaking community,” she said. “Because I was limited in the kind of cases I could take, I decided to open my own office.”
Now on her own, Perez has taken several pro bono cases where she represented low income members of the community for free, including helping widows with language barriers navigate the probate court system and helping single mothers establish custody of their children.
Perez also owns her own construction company and advocates to create spaces for more Latino- and women-owned construction companies to have more opportunities.
She has amassed a master list of other Latino contractors and will often refer business to them.
She currently serves on the boards of the Latina Network of West Michigan and Mexican Heritage Association of West Michigan and regularly gives her time to mentor the next generation of entrepreneurs.
“Leading by example is my motto,” she said. “I strive to pave the way for future generations of Latinos.”
