Ashley (Wangberg) Prew (B.S., 2010), Associate Attorney, Williams & Knack, P.C. in Brighton, MI.
Ashley Prew was a regular in the Political Science department back when we were housed in the then-unrenovated Clow Faculty building. A serious student with a Political Science major and Legal Studies Emphasis as well as a devoted leader of USRH on campus, Ashley’s sights were set on law school. After taking the LSAT and applying to schools, the wait to determine her post-UW Oshkosh future began. Things couldn’t have turned out better for Ashley: she was offered a full tuition scholarship to Michigan State University College of Law, which she gratefully accepted. She has been in Michigan ever since.
Ashley is now an Associate Attorney at Williams & Knack, P.C., a firm with four attorneys specializing in business law, estate planning and probate. “Describing a day in my position is nearly impossible, as no two days are the same,” Ashley writes. “A few of the things I could have on my agenda for any given day are meeting with a family to place their personal affairs in order by setting up an estate plan, drafting the necessary documents to properly set up a corporation or limited liability company for a new business owner, and representing a client at a motion hearing for a pending civil litigation matter.”
How did she come to this position? “Originally I had the goal of becoming a prosecuting attorney after law school. However, my first summer semester at Michigan State included an internship at the Circuit Court in Lansing, Michigan that quickly made me realize that I was not interested in pursuing criminal law. The internship allowed me to assist in legal research and writing on a wide variety of matters and also observe motion call day every week for both the civil and criminal docket,” Ashley notes. During her second year of law school, she worked as a legal assistant for Williams & Knack, and continued to work there in the summer. “After passing the Michigan Bar Exam in 2013 I became an associate attorney at the firm. My experience working with clients as a legal assistant provided me with invaluable training and allowed me to quickly transition into courtroom practice. I often take the lead on the civil litigation matters for the firm and in the past year have appeared in the great majority of our litigation matters.”
In addition to having a very busy professional and personal life, Ashley understands the value of being active in the community she calls home. “I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to give back to our community through my work and my office supports such endeavors,” she writes. “I currently am an active member of the Rotary Club of Howell Michigan and was the Co-Chair of our annual fundraising event, the Tour de Livingston, which raises funds for our local United Way Basic Needs fund. This year alone the event raised over $30,000. In addition, I am also honored to have recently accepted a position on the Board of Directors of the Howell Area Chamber of Commerce that will begin in 2017.”
Are you waiting for that graduate school or law school acceptance? It will come! We always love sharing in our students’ success, so always tell us your news! If you’d like to connect with Ashley, take a peek at her firm bio, listed in the comments.