About Lori Shearer
Lori Shearer is a lifelong resident of the Ionia and Montcalm County area, a dedicated attorney with more than 25 years of legal experience, and a proud member of a family that has served the community for generations.
Born and raised in Belding, Lori comes from a large, close-knit family. She is the fourth of six children and was raised by parents who have been married for nearly six decades. Her parents still live in the same Belding home where they brought her home from the hospital as a newborn.
Lori roots in the community run deep. She grew up across the street from her maternal grandparents, who founded Setchfield Refrigeration, a successful HVAC business serving Belding and the surrounding communities beginning in the 1940s after her grandfather returned from military service. The company later became Cooper Mechanical, which continues to operate today under the leadership of her father, Joe Cooper, along with her sister and law partner, Shelley Cooper, and her brother, Joe Cooper, Jr. Many members of her extended family continue to live throughout Ionia and Montcalm Counties.
Lori graduated from Belding High School in 1993 and immediately enrolled at Michigan State University. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science/Pre-Law in May 1997. Determined to begin her legal career, she walked in Michigan State University’s graduation ceremony on May 3, 1997, and started law school just two days later at Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing.
While attending law school, Lori lived primarily in East Lansing before returning to Belding during her final years of study. She earned her Juris Doctor in September 1999 and then worked as a substitute teacher in the Belding Area School District while preparing for the Michigan Bar Examination. She was admitted to the State Bar of Michigan in May 2000.
A Lifelong Calling to the Law
Lori interest in the legal profession began at an early age. Her father and uncle, Gary Cooper, both served as police officers for the City of Belding. Another uncle worked in law enforcement in Kalamazoo, and several cousins also pursued careers in law enforcement.
Growing up around public servants inspired Lori to pursue a career connected to the law. After exploring various career paths with the support of her parents, she quickly realized that becoming an attorney was the right choice. That passion for public service continues today and has influenced the next generation, as her son Drew plans to study Criminal Justice in college.
More Than 25 Years of Legal Experience
Since being sworn into the State Bar of Michigan in 2000, Lori has spent the vast majority of her career in private practice, serving individuals and families throughout the region.
Lori served as an Administrative Law Judge for the Michigan Department of Corrections, where she was assigned to hear cases at Carson City Correctional Facility. Although she valued that experience, she ultimately returned to private practice because of her desire to work directly in courtrooms and courthouses serving local communities.
In addition, she served as defense counsel for several specialty treatment courts, including Adult Recovery Court, Mental Health Court, and Sobriety Court, until March 2020.
Throughout her career, Lori has built a reputation for solving complex problems, advocating for her clients, and helping people navigate some of the most difficult moments of their lives. She believes that the legal profession is ultimately about helping people find solutions while ensuring fairness and respect for everyone involved.
Why Lori Is Running for Judge
From the time she entered law school, Lori knew that her long-term goal was to serve as a judge in the community that helped shape her life.
Over the course of her career, she has appeared before numerous judges across a wide variety of civil and criminal cases. Those experiences, combined with the guidance of mentors throughout the legal profession, have helped prepare her for judicial service.
Lori believes her lifelong ties to both Ionia and Montcalm Counties uniquely position her to serve the citizens of both communities. She and her husband, Andy, who was also born and raised in Belding, have been married for more than 20 years and are raising their children in the community they proudly call home.
Her professional practice has given her significant experience throughout Montcalm County, while her family, personal history, and community involvement have kept her deeply connected to Ionia County. These ties have given her a firsthand understanding of the people, values, and challenges that define both counties.
A Commitment to Fairness, Respect, and Integrity
Lori believes that a judge must possess not only legal knowledge and experience, but also common sense, integrity, patience, and respect for every person who enters the courtroom.
Throughout nearly 26 years of legal practice, she has worked with clients, attorneys, judges, court staff, witnesses, and community professionals from all walks of life. She understands that most people do not come to court during the best moments of their lives. They may be facing criminal charges, family disputes, estate matters, personal protection orders, custody issues, or civil litigation.
As a judge, Lori would bring a commitment to listening carefully to all parties, applying the law fairly and impartially, and making sound, well-reasoned decisions based on the facts and the law. She believes every person who appears before the court deserves to be treated with dignity, courtesy, and respect.
Lori Shearer is committed to serving the citizens of Ionia and Montcalm Counties with fairness, integrity, compassion, and professionalism, while upholding the rule of law and the responsibilities entrusted to the judiciary.