Getting to Know: Afan Bapacker

Dearborn attorney Afan Bapacker has been practicing law for more than 11 years, representing thousands of clients in many types of cases.

An active member in the community, he holds leadership positions in several organizations, including community associations and non-profit organizations. 
Bapacker has been appointed as a commissioner on the city of Dearborn’s Board of Ethics.

Bapacker earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan, where he graduated with honors. He obtained his juris doctor degree from Cooley Law School in Lansing.

By Jo Mathis
Legal News

What is your proudest moment as a lawyer?
Every time I get an opportunity to help someone who doesn’t understand his or her rights, or who was misled by another attorney.

What inspired you to enter the field?
I was inspired by my father as well as by my community that was in need of leadership and a voice.

When you were considering law school, what was Plan B?
My backup career would have been a stockbroker.

When you feel overwhelmed, what do you do?
Take a deep breath and concentrate on completing one task at time.

What would surprise people about your job?
It is extremely boring almost all of the time. Most people I know think my job is filled with Perry Mason-style court brawls.

What do you wish someone would invent?
An application that can answer all of my clients’ calls using my voice and giving them updates on their case.

When you look back into the past, what do you miss most?
Being a kid, playing sports and video games every day, and not having student loans to pay off.

What were you doing in your last selfie?
I was at the mall with my daughters.

Can you think of a failure that ultimately became a positive?
I failed the only class in my life in my first semester in college. It was an engineering class and prompted me to immediately change my major to finance. It was shortly thereafter I decided to go into law.

What is one thing you would like to learn to do?
I know how to play chess but would like to learn how to do it well.

What is the best advice you ever received?
“The success of a solo practice is not defined by the cases the attorney takes but by those that he turns down.”