Zenna Elhasan.

DEARBORN — Zenna Elhasan said she is excited to continue her duties as Wayne County Corporation Counsel under a new administration that rang in the new year with its sights set on progressive change.  

Elhasan said she’s already seen positive results since Wayne County Executive Warren Evans took office in January. 

“The new administration is very proactive,” Elhasan said. “They have obtainable goals and are very strategic and forward thinking. Warren Evans has a tremendous amount of talent to get the county where it needs to be. We need a strong leader to make sure things are done appropriately. We have that with Mr. Evans.”

Elhasan has served as corporation counsel since December of 2011, leading a staff of 30 attorneys in a wide variety of practice areas, including commercial litigation, federal civil rights litigation, contract disputes, labor and employment, real estate and tax matters and health care issues.

Before coming to the county, Elhasan served as a judicial magistrate in the 20th District Court in Dearborn Heights, where she also managed the probation department.  Prior to that, Elhasan spent seven years with Allen Brothers, Attorneys & Counselors, PLLC. 

Elhasan, who was born and raised in Dearborn, said she aims to bring a unique and important cultural perspective to Wayne County.  She is fluent in Arabic and is very involved in the Muslim-American community.  

She attended the University of Michigan-Dearborn where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in biology in 2000.  She pursued a master’s in biology from Wayne State University and completed her formal education with a law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law in 2004.

Although she was originally appointed as Corporation Counsel by former County Executive Robert Ficano, Elhasan was kept on by the Evans administration. 

“I am very fortunate that Mr. Evans gave me the chance to continue serving the public under his leadership” said Elhasan. “I love my job and the people I work with. There are a lot of challenges that come with the position and I look forward to meeting those challenges every day.”

With a new executive team in place, Elhasan said she still feels a sense of community at her workplace. Elhasan said the Arab American presence in Wayne County is still thriving, despite numerous changes. The county continues to reflect the diversity of its residents through the administration.  

When discussing the county’s future, Elhasan was enthused. 

“Fiscal discipline is a major priority to the Evans Administration” Elhasan said. “The county and its employees exist to provide services to the taxpayer.  We are expected to work hard, to perform and to provide top notch service to the citizens of Wayne County.” 

She predicts that Wayne County will gradually regain its position as a center point in the state, attracting new jobs and rebuilding its economy, which took a hit over the last decade. 

“We have a great team in place to improve and streamline decision making and bring in new businesses to the county,” Elhasan said.  “It demands more efficiency from organizations and professionalism in day-to-day operations. We are talking about a new form of leadership .” 

Elhasan said Wayne County is taking an aggressive but measured approach on long-term solutions rather than short term fixes. Several departments have undergone fiscal changes by trimming budgets to better reflect the county’s economic condition.  

She noted that she is very involved with the next phase of the controversial Wayne County Consolidated Jail Project, which stalled in the middle of its development under the previous administration.

Elhasan said her team is evaluating the situation from a legal perspective and developing a strategy for the project that would best fit the county, moving forward. Part of her duty will be to analyze whether the county will be able to withstand and finish the project based on the cost requirements. The county is expected to make further announcements on the project in the coming months.

On a day-to-day basis, Elhasan is actively working with the county on its fiscal challenges and making tough calls on legal matters that impact residents, businesses and county employees.  She said an underlining theme with all her responsibilities is to do what’s best for residents in the county.  

Despite her grueling job schedule, Elhasan has also managed to stay actively involved in the community. She serves as the vice president of the Arab American Political Action Committee (AAPAC) and sits on boards at ACCESS, the Islamic Center of America and Child’s Hope.