Joshua G. Berman, ’94, and Amy I. Berman made a gift of $100,000 to establish the Berman Family Scholarship Fund to support first-generation college students. Joshua, a trial lawyer, is a partner at Clifford Chance US LLP, where he advises clients in the private and public sectors on matters relating to white-collar, government, and congressional investigations. Amy is a civil rights education lawyer who currently is the deputy director of the National Academy of Education. Joshua and Amy reside in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
Scott Fowkes, ’88, made a gift of $100,000 to establish the Scott W. Fowkes Family Scholarship Fund in honor of his 35th Reunion, for which he served as co-chair of the Reunion Committee. The fund will support Michigan Law students who are from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds or have overcome significant challenges. Scott has served as general counsel of the American Dental Association since 2019; before that, he was a litigation partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Scott and his wife, Maria, reside in Wilmette, Illinois.
Jeff Friedman, ’88, made a gift of $50,000, of which $12,500 will be added to the Law School Fund and $37,500 will be added to the Victors for Michigan Law Scholarship Fund. Jeff began his career as a corporate lawyer and transitioned to real estate finance in 1994. He is a senior adviser at Mesa West Capital, which he co-founded in 2004 and sold to Morgan Stanley in 2018.
Jeffrey A. Hall, ’88, made an additional gift of $100,000 to the Jeffrey A. Hall Scholarship Fund in honor of his 35th Reunion. The Hall Scholarship supports Michigan Law students on the basis of merit, with consideration given to need. After clerking for the Hon. James L. Ryan on the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and four years of litigation experience at Kirkland & Ellis, Jeff joined Bartlit Beck LLP upon its founding in 1993. Today, he is a partner in the firm’s Chicago office.
Jennifer and Daniel Laytin, ’98, made a $50,000 gift to the Daniel E. Laytin Family Fund for Law and Economics in honor of his 25th Reunion, for which Daniel also served on his class year’s Reunion Committee. The fund supports the Law School’s Program in Law and Economics. Daniel is a litigation partner in the Chicago office of Kirkland & Ellis, where he specializes in antitrust and other complex litigation.
Gregor N. Neff, ’61, made an additional gift of $50,000 to a scholarship fund he established in 1996. Since it was established, Gregor has made annual contributions to the fund and documented an additional contribution through a bequest. He intends to continue to grow the fund with additional gifts, which he says demonstrates that “the steady accumulation of moderate gifts over time can provide significant assistance for the Law School’s talented students.” Gregor has practiced intellectual property law in New York City since graduating from law school.
Eric A. Oesterle, ’73, made an additional gift of $200,000 to the Eric A. Oesterle Scholarship Fund to commemorate his 50th Reunion, for which he also served on his class year’s Reunion Committee. Eric began his career as an associate with Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP and became a partner in 1980. He joined Miller Shakman & Beem LLP as a partner in 2007 and remained with the firm until retirement. Eric has more than 40 years of litigation experience in complex commercial matters. He lives in the Greater Chicago area.
Jeff Petrash, ’73, made an additional gift of $125,000 to the John Winfield Close Law Scholarship Fund, named in honor of his maternal grandfather. The gift is in celebration of his 50th Law School Reunion. Jeff is the founder and principal at Riverhill Consulting in Bethesda, Maryland, where he specializes in regulatory litigation, government relations, public policy, and other matters in the energy industry.
Harold “Hal” W. Reick, ’69, and Kay L. Reick, MS ’67, recently established the Harold “Hal” Reick Law Scholarship Fund at the Law School with a gift and documented bequest totaling $150,000. The scholarship is part of two gift commitments they made to the University that were divided evenly among the Law School, the College of Engineering, and the School of Nursing. Hal had a successful career as an intellectual property attorney. Kay was an assistant professor of nursing at Grand Valley State University and served on the board of a major hospital. The couple met during their time at the University of Michigan.
Max J. Schwartz, ’73, and Gail A. Schwartz made an additional gift of $50,000 to the Eric & Virginia Stein Fund for International and Comparative Law. The gift is in honor of Professor Eric Stein, whose mentorship made an outsized contribution to Max’s education and professional career. Max retired from Sullivan & Cromwell in 2013, where he led the executive compensation group after a long career advising on tax, securities, and labor laws related to executive compensation and employee benefits.
Stefan F. Tucker, ’63, and Marilyn Tucker made an additional gift of $60,000 to the Stefan & Marilyn Tucker Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarship assistance to residents of the State of Michigan or the Greater Washington, DC, area. The gift was made in honor of Mark West, the David A. Breach Dean of Law, and Mike Dubin, the assistant dean for development and alumni relations from 2015 to 2023, for their service to the Law School community.
Barbara A. Walkowski, ’93, made a $100,000 gift to commemorate her 30th Law School Reunion and establish the Barbara Walkowski Scholarship Fund to support first-generation college graduates and those from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. The gift is made in honor of her parents, Raymond and Halina Walkowski, who instilled in their family the importance of higher education despite not having the financial resources to attend college themselves. Barbara and her siblings all graduated from University of Michigan undergraduate programs and went on to earn graduate degrees. She has spent her career as a technology executive and is now an investor and adviser to early-stage technology companies. She serves on the board of the Metropolitan Opera and is a trustee of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
