Education

Professor Elizabeth L. McCree is an attorney, educator, and reform advocate. A Benton Harbor native, she is a magna cum laude graduate of Spelman College, earned her Juris Doctor with distinction from Georgia State University College of Law, and later completed a Master’s Degree in History with a concentration in legal and educational issues of the African Diaspora.

Legal Experience

Professor McCree began her legal career in Georgia, serving as both an Assistant District Attorney in Clayton County and a criminal defense attorney at Lister and Holt (now Lister, Holt and Dennis), one of the state’s largest private criminal defense firms. She has conducted over 100 jury trials as lead counsel and handled cases ranging from traffic offenses to death penalty murder trials.

Reform & Public Service

After returning to Michigan, she served as a prosecutor focusing on juvenile delinquency and child protection cases before founding Historical Reform LLC, an organization dedicated to reforming systems of education, child welfare, criminal justice, and mental health. She has developed and taught constitutional law curricula for incarcerated individuals and remains committed to reducing recidivism through education and empowerment.

Practice & Community Work

Professor McCree is also the founder of The Law Office of Elizabeth L. McCree, PLLC, where she serves as a lawyer guardian ad litem, represents youth in juvenile and education matters, and provides probate and estate planning services.

In addition to her legal and academic work, she serves on multiple local and statewide boards and has contributed to legislative reform efforts in Michigan, including expungement reform, raising the age of juvenile prosecution, and improving appellate representation for children.

In the Classroom

In her courses, she challenges students to think critically about justice, constitutional structure, and the real-world consequences of law and policy.