Chief Deputy Attorney General Fadwa Hammoud Named Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s Influential Woman of the Year

LANSING – Michigan Lawyers Weekly has recognized Chief Deputy Attorney General Fadwa Hammoud as the 2023 Influential Woman of the Year. The newspaper chose 35 honorees for the Class of 2023 Influential Women of Law. Those 35 honorees voted Hammoud as their 2023 Woman of the Year through a secret ballot.

Hammoud joined the Department in 2019 when Attorney General Dana Nessel selected her to be Michigan’s 12th Solicitor General. She became the first woman, and the youngest in Michigan’s history and the first Arab American Muslim solicitor general in the U.S. She also made history by becoming the first Arab American Muslim woman to argue before the United States Supreme Court, a case in which she prevailed. In 2022, Hammoud was promoted to Chief Deputy Attorney General and oversees the Department’s three bureaus: Criminal Justice, Consumer and Regulatory Enforcement, and Environment and Government Operations.

Hammoud told Michigan Lawyers Weekly, “In public service we are judged entirely by the impact we have on others, and the distinction of being ‘the first’ to hold any office is merely an invitation to change lives for the better and make sure we’re not the last.”

The overarching philosophy evident in all of Hammoud’s achievements is her strong belief in collaboration. In her acceptance speech, Hammoud gave thanks for her success to the many people she's worked with over the years. "In law and in life, virtually all achievement is collective. Embrace the fact that collaborating with others, including sometimes leaning on them during your times of need and supporting them during theirs, is fundamental to our work. The reality is that we are bonded together in ways that necessarily mean that the more you achieve, the more we all grow."

In addition to being a wife, mother, and leader in the Department of Attorney General, Hammoud is also a respected member in her community. She donates her time and energy to a variety of local organizations. She is a volunteer attorney mentor for the Women Lawyers Association, a board member of the Islamic Center of America, the Government Bar Association, the Dearborn Education Foundation, and the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. Prior to joining the Department, Hammoud served as a trustee and treasurer of the Dearborn Public Schools Board of Education and the Henry Ford College Board.

“Fadwa is a passionate and insightful champion for the rights of Michigan’s residents and has dedicated her career to helping people,” said Nessel. “Whether it’s advocating for victims as a Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor, representing the interests of the state as Solicitor General, or overseeing the work of our bureaus, Fadwa’s legal expertise, commitment to public service and wealth of experience is unparalleled. This award could not be more deserved.”

Hammoud, a first-generation American, graduated from Wayne State University Law School in 2010. Before coming to the Department of Attorney General, she worked as an assistant prosecuting attorney in the Wayne County Prosecutor’s office. While there, she established Wayne County’s Business Protection Unit, which specialized in organized retail crime.