Law Quadrangle spoke with members of the class of 1974 to learn more about the inspiration for their Reunion gifts and why they remain connected to their classmates and the Michigan Law community.
Gifts received in honor of the 50th Reunion
$2,056,811
Total giving by the Class of 1974 since graduation
$48M+
Professor Emerita Christina “Chris” B. Whitman, a triple Wolverine, developed an interest in the law when she participated as a volunteer draft counselor in anticipation of the Vietnam War. As a student, Whitman remembers the Law School as intellectually engaging, politically involved, and a place national opinion leaders visited. After graduation, she made history alongside Professor Emerita Sallyanne Payton as the first two women to serve on the Michigan Law faculty.
“My colleagues were welcoming. Two of them immediately invited me to meet weekly to discuss Supreme Court cases. The faculty meetings were civil and respectful, making it easy to feel part of the whole. I feel lucky to have joined such a collegial group.”
Whitman says her time as a student and professor informs her choice to make discretionary gifts to Michigan Law. “I prefer my gifts to be open-ended because I don’t know what the priorities will be at any particular time. I like to be as helpful as possible, no matter when or where the funds might be useful.”
It became clear to me that the excellence of the Law School experience comes down to the excellence of the professors. At a number of reunions over the years, professors have shown up, even after they’d retired. Their interest in students’ lives beyond graduation motivated me to give back in their honor.
—An anonymous member of the Class of 1974 and their spouse, who also graduated from the Law School, recently designated gifts toward professorships and scholarships that are named in honor of Theodore J. St. Antoine, ’54, Douglas A. Kahn, James J. White, ’62, and L. Hart Wright.
“My father undoubtedly pointed me to U-M and planted the seed that I wanted to become a lawyer,” says Langley R. Shook, son of Richard L. Shook, ’38. “The education we both received enabled two generations of rewarding legal careers.”
During Langley’s 3L year, he and his wife, Karen, BA ’69, had their first child, Kathryn. She was born prematurely and required a week of intensive care at U-M’s hospital. Karen worked for the Institute of Continuing Legal Education and, because of the U-M medical insurance they received, a $50,000 hospital bill cost them a mere $25.
“I feel a considerable debt to Michigan Law for many reasons, not only my education,” he says. “And my father was a donor, so I want to carry the torch.”
Langley has made a gift to the Law School every year since his graduation. In 2024, he and Karen contributed $250,000 to establish the Richard L. Shook Scholarship Fund in honor of his father.
When I give back to the Law School, I aim to pay forward the good fortune I was given so that others might have the same opportunities that were afforded to me. Having a Michigan Law degree opens doors. How can I not want to share that opportunity with others?
—Daniel E. Reidy, co-chair of the class’s 50th Reunion and one of the key figures who helped establish the Law Class of 1974 Scholarship Fund. He and his wife, Elizabeth, have provided substantial support over the years, including a recent $125,000 bequest directed to the class scholarship fund.
Lynne M. Metty was teaching junior high math in the Detroit Public School system when she realized she was interested in changing careers. Inspired by a colleague, Metty took the LSAT and was admitted to Michigan Law. As she neared graduation, she began to plan her next steps.
“I wanted to somehow combine my interest in law with my interest in education, but while I was in law school, such a job didn’t exist,” she says. “By the end of my 3L year, the Detroit Public School system had established a legal department and advertised for an entry-level attorney position, which was perfect for me.”
Metty, who went on to become general counsel in the same school district, made her first gift to the Law School Fund in 1987 and has been a loyal donor ever since. She makes monthly contributions paired with a larger gift once or twice a year, which she says is her way of staying connected and showing her gratitude to her alma mater.
Giving to the clinics means a lot to me because throughout my career, I have taken on cases involving sexual abuse, civil rights, and more—causes these clinics are dedicated to. As long as I am in a position to help, and because I am fortunate enough to have earned an exceptional education from the Law School, I choose to give back.
—Stephen R. Drew has built a career representing people from all walks of life, which he says allows him to help others while learning something new every day. Whether personal injury, employment discrimination, or civil rights cases, he is committed to plaintiff work and designates his contributions to similar efforts at the Law School.
