Marisa Berlinger ’13
Marisa Berlinger ‘13, has been selected as the 2025 recipient of the Paul E. Ripley Award for Young Alumni. The award was established in 1994 and is presented to graduates who have enjoyed exceptional personal and professional success early in their careers.
A native of Sault Ste. Marie, Berlinger graduated from Lake Superior State University in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration–Management and a minor in Pre-Law. During her time at LSSU, she earned numerous academic honors, including induction into the Sigma Beta Delta International Honor Society for Business.
Berlinger credits much of her early inspiration to the one-on-one support she received from faculty. “Dr. Madan Saluja sparked my interest in the law and inspired me to go to law school,” she said. “Professor Carol Andary’s legal research and writing classes gave me important tools to succeed in law school and beyond.”
In 2023, Berlinger gave back to the university that helped launch her academic and professional journey by establishing the Marisa Berlinger Business Scholarship for sophomore students in the Lukenda School of Business. The scholarship gives preference to first-generation students and those intending to pursue law school.
“Being a first-generation student, I had no idea how FAFSA worked or how to navigate college,” she said. “Scholarships made a huge difference for me, and I wanted to pay that forward — especially at a small school like LSSU, where students get opportunities they might not have at a larger university.”
She went on to earn her Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School in 2016, where she distinguished herself as Article Editor and Membership Coordinator for the Michigan Journal of Gender and Law. She was also part of the Federal Appellate Litigation Clinic, contributing to a landmark reversal of a client’s convictions based on a Sixth Amendment violation.
Berlinger currently serves as an Associate Attorney at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP in Seattle, where she litigates complex commercial cases and contributes extensively to pro bono work — including clemency petitions and prisoner rights cases. Her career also includes experience as a federal law clerk for the Honorable Beverly B. Martin on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and prior roles at Quarles & Brady LLP and Calfo Eakes LLP.
In 2020, Berlinger was a finalist for Public Justice’s national “Trial Team of the Year” award, recognizing her work on a groundbreaking public interest case. She also serves on the Local Rules Committee of the Federal Bar Association’s Western District of Washington chapter.
Berlinger is the daughter of Louis and Laura Berlinger. She resides in Seattle, WA where she loves to discover new Seattle restaurants and breweries with friends. She also enjoys reading and exploring the Pacific Northwest with her Great Pyrenees/shepherd mix dog, Chula.