Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

Business & Commercial Disputes

Associate - Litigation and Investigations

Liz’s practice focuses on complex civil litigation. She is a tenacious and resourceful advocate with experience leading teams and presenting innovative arguments to reach favorable results for clients.

Liz joined the firm after five years on active duty in the United States Air Force. In her first assignment at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, Liz led a three-attorney, two-paralegal office section providing in-house counsel to commanders on labor law, environmental law, ethics, Freedom of Information Act, and operational law. She also served as a military prosecutor in numerous courts-martial for felony-level drug and sex crimes, managing all aspects of motions, voir dire, trial, and sentencing for those cases.

Following her first assignment, Liz was competitively selected to serve as Special Victims’ Counsel at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. There, she leveraged her litigation and interpersonal skills to successfully advocate for the rights and dignity of over ninety survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence at all stages of military investigations and court proceedings. Her outstanding performance and empathetic approach led to her selection as an instructor for Air Combat Command’s Squadron Commanders’ Course, where she developed a trauma-informed leadership module to equip new commanders with survivor-centered response capabilities. She was also entrusted with creating an annual Continuing Legal Education course for East Coast Air Force litigators.

Prior to her military career, Liz served as a law clerk to the Honorable Laurie J. Michelson, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan in Detroit. Liz assisted Judge Michelson in drafting written opinions resolving case-dispositive motions, covering areas such as labor law, ERISA, insurance, Section 1983, and suppression. She also played a crucial role in preparing jury instructions and analyzing evidentiary issues for civil and criminal trials, showcasing her versatility and depth of legal knowledge.

Liz earned her Juris Doctorate (cum laude) from the University of Michigan Law School in 2014, where she served as a Research Assistant for Professor Kristina Daugirdas and was an active contributor to the Michigan Journal of International Law.