Monthly Feature: Get to Know... Liza Magley

October 1, 2025

One of the first things you’ll learn upon meeting Liza Magley is that she hails from a family of arguers and advocates. Coming from Liza, this is not off putting in the slightest, as she quickly explains, “That’s the manifestation of the environment I grew up with. Arguing was a family sport. Dialog and opinion were respectful and respected. We debated for fun, advocacy, and openness, but never to pick a fight or hurt feelings. Ironically, I’m the only lawyer among us.” 

That early training paid off. An up and coming and highly regarded litigator, Liza was most recently selected as one of the Central NY Business Journal’s 40 Under Forty for 2025. She also credits her success to a love of learning, boundless curiosity, and her ability to have frank conversations with her clients about what they need to hear, even when it might not be what they want to hear.

“The more you know about your client, the more you can anticipate their needs over the course of the litigation and form your strategy. Some clients face litigation with a mediate-to-settle mindset, whereas others want a full-court (pun intended) press. Understanding each client’s unique goals is critical to creating a pathway to a favorable outcome.”

It’s also critical that each client understands what lies ahead on the pathway to that favorable outcome. “It can be hard for a client to conceptualize that a matter could go on for many years, or stall while waiting for a motion.”

She is unwilling to sugar coat and is steadfastly professional and forthright. “I need to say, that’s great, but let’s look at it differently and play that scenario out as well.”

In addition to teaching their children how to argue, Liza’s family instilled a devotion to service. Raised on the Jesuit precept of “men and women for and with others” and her parents’ refrain, “If you don’t, who will?,” her commitment to service started early, at her parish and grammar school, Immaculate Conception. In her teens, Liza worked with parishioners at I.C. to raise thousands of dollars of school supplies for students in need, and continues her work with that very parish today by serving on its Finance Committee.

She has made other full-circle moves since moving back to CNY after graduating from Georgetown Law, including returning to serve as a volunteer at Samaritan Center, where she also volunteered growing up, and graduating with the Leadership Greater Syracuse Class of 2018 after participating in Youth Leadership Greater Syracuse during high school.

She also continues her family’s generational commitment to service in this community by serving as the current Chair of the Loretto Foundation. Both her grandfather and her mother held leadership roles both on the Loretto Foundation and the Loretto Management Corporation Board, leading Liza by example.

To Liza, service is a gift. “It has given me a great appreciation for diverse communities and the ability to move forward with people who are different from me, whether we are figuring out solutions together or just gaining an understanding of each other.  There’s a simplicity and value in that which is good for the soul.”

During her time at Xavier University, Liza worked in a rehabilitation hospital in Managua, Nicaragua as a Service Fellow. She also held a leading role in the Student Senate, which kindled her interest in law.

Liza had previously considered careers in news reporting or politics. Her dad favored politics; her mom thought she could pursue acting. Both saw how Liza could read a room and put on a different face in different situations. As for Liza, “I loved reading, writing and public speaking, so becoming a trial attorney seemed like a great thing.” At Georgetown Law, Liza was surprised that so few of her peers were focused on litigation. She joined the trial advocacy team after “an intense tryout process” that confirmed her path.

Liza’s return to Central New York post law school is a win for the region as well as for Bond. “I always knew I wanted to live here as an adult,” she explains. “I interviewed with New York City firms but couldn’t see building a community there. To me, Central New York is where the Midwest meets the east coast, and I love that. Here, I can make a meaningful impact.”

She started knocking on the doors of Syracuse law firms and reached out to the father of a high school classmate who was a member at Bond. A summer associate interview followed. “I immediately felt at ease; it was the same sense of community I experienced at Xavier. The lawyers here not only work super hard for clients but also for one another. We cover for each other to make sure we’re also able to enjoy our lives or deal with life’s demands.”  It should come as no surprise that, at Bond, Liza also chairs Bond’s Pro Bono Committee and performs legal and direct pro bono services.

Liza is also deeply appreciative of the region’s rich history, which she first sampled on road trips with her dad, who loved finding a hole-in-the-wall spot to sample local cuisine, and her mom, who never failed to find an arts-and-crafts fair, park, or historical venue to encourage Liza and her sisters to expand their points of view. Today she continues this legacy with her husband, Connor, and their friends. Recently, they’ve made day-trips to the Thousand Island’s Boldt Castle and the Seward and Tubman museums in Auburn. They also discover their own holes-in-the-wall, craft breweries, and the historical landmarks that celebrate Central New York as a center of innovation and philosophy.

“Traveling is probably my favorite thing to do.  It dovetails with my curiosity about people and gives me perspective. Discovering the many commonalities we share, no matter where I travel, gives me empathy and a greater appreciation of the human experience. Traveling can be relieving as a way to understand your own smallness; forgiving the mistakes you make or for not being where you want to be just yet. It’s significant to surround yourself with experiences that can help you get there.”

Liza credits her family with helping her maintain that perspective, too. Her mom volunteers with Liza at Samaritan Center and her dad keeps her updated on his hunt for the best half-moon cookie. Her sisters never fail to celebrate her achievements with a funny quip to ensure she doesn’t get too big of a head. And Connor, a special education teacher in the Syracuse City School District, is as patient as they come, and has perfected how to distinguish between her arguing to win (as an attorney) and arguing to discuss (as a Magley).