Overview

Alaina is a member of the firm’s Trusts and Estates Practice Group in the Lansing office.

Prior to joining Foster Swift, she served as a summer extern for Southeastern Dispute Resolution Services where she mediated landlord-tenant and small claims cases after becoming a certified civil mediator. Additionally, she was a member of the Michigan State Housing Law Clinic as a clinician where she dealt with all aspects of the landlord-tenant relationship, including educating residents on their basic rights, working with tenants on the brink of eviction, assisting renters living in unsafe conditions, and connecting people with community resources.

For her legal education, she attended the Michigan State University College of Law. During her time at Michigan State, Alaina received multiple awards and recognitions for her achievements, including a full tuition scholarship and Jurisprudence Achievement Awards for receiving the top grades in her class.  At Michigan State, Alaina also served as an Associate Editor of the MSU Law Review and participated in the Dean Charles H. King Scholars Program. 

Alaina received her undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Arizona. She was awarded a scholarship by the University of Arizona for her academic excellence.

Affiliations

Memberships & Affiliations

Legal Affiliations:

• Ingham County Bar Association

• State Bar of Michigan

Industry & Professional Associations:

• Greater Lansing Estate Planning Council (GLEPC)

Community Involvement:

• Junior League of Lansing
• Woldumar Nature Association
  • Board Member

Experience

Representative Matters

May 2023 - Foster Swift attorneys Alaina Nelson and Alexander Rusek successfully advocated on behalf of a large healthcare facility client to overturn an ex parte restraining order entered against the client in circuit court within one week of Foster Swift’s involvement in the case.

Communications

Publications

• Changes to Income Tax May Make for Favorable Roth IRA Conversions, Foster Swift Trust & Estates Law News, February 3, 2021
• Resuming Construction Under Executive Order 2020-70, Foster Swift Legal Update E-blast, May 6, 2020
• Back to Work Planning for the Construction Industry, Foster Swift Legal Update E-blast, April 30, 2020
• How does the Coronavirus Impact your Contracts?, Foster Swift Legal Update E-blast, March 17, 2020

News & Events

News

• New Virtual Program Addresses Legal Strategies for Women Business Leaders, Michigan Business Network, March 28, 2022
• Foster Swift Welcomes Three Associates, November 14, 2019