Governor reappoints trustees Burris, Liggins to the WMU board
KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has reappointed two Western Michigan University Board of Trustees members to new eight-year terms.
Trustees Kelly K. Burris, B.S.‘88, and James L. Liggins Jr. will continue serving on the board through new terms ending on Dec. 31, 2032.
Both board members were first appointed to fill vacant seats through terms ending on Dec. 31, 2024. Burris has served on the board since February 2023 and Liggins Jr. since January 2024.
“We are grateful to the governor for these reappointments. Trustees Burris and Liggins have brought great wisdom and invaluable experience to the board and to the Western Michigan University community,” says WMU President Edward Montgomery. “We look forward to their continued leadership over the coming years.”
Kelly K. Burris
Burris is the owner and founder of Burris Law, PLLC, an intellectual property law firm in Detroit. She holds multiple degrees, including a Juris Doctorate from St. Louis University; a Master of Science in materials science and engineering from Washington University; and a Bachelor of Science in aeronautical engineering from Western Michigan University. She previously was a partner at several national IP boutique firms. Burris was recently selected by her peers for inclusion in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the area of Patent Law for the Detroit Region, and Burris Law was named a Best Women-led Law Firm by Michigan Lawyers Weekly in 2024.
In 2021, Chambers recognized her as a "Highly Commended" honoree for pro bono work. Additionally, she is a member of the Michigan Aeronautics Commission and sits on the Board of Directors for the Detroit Athletic Club. She is also a licensed pilot with multiple ratings and flies her TBM 940 regularly for business and charitable work.
James L. Liggins Jr.
Liggins, of Kalamazoo, is senior counsel at Warner Norcross + Judd, LLP. Previously, he was a partner at Miller Canfield Paddock and Stone, PLC, and an in-house litigation associate at Consumers Energy. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Michigan and a Juris Doctorate from Michigan State University College of Law.
He serves on numerous boards, including Bronson Healthcare Group, where he is the incoming board chair; the American Hospital Association Committee on Governance, where he currently serves as chair; United Way of South Central Michigan, where he previously served as chairman of the board of directors; The Harold and Grace Upjohn Foundation; the State Bar of Michigan Judicial Qualifications Committee, where he serves as co-chair; the State Bar of Michigan Board of Commissioners; Greenleaf Trust; and the State of Michigan Board of Ethics.
Appointments to the WMU Board of Trustees are subject to the advice and consent of the Michigan Senate.
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