Fall 2016

All Articles in This Issue

Angela Allen, ’07 Angela Allen, ’07

Class Note

Angela Allen, ’07: Building Support for Military Spouses

Angela Allen, ’07, whose husband serves in the Michigan Air National Guard, and Jenner & Block, known for its pro bono efforts, have helped The Military Spouse JD Network (MSJDN) advocate for licensing accommodations for military spouses, including recognizing existing bar memberships across state lines.

Maureen Taylor, ’89 Maureen Taylor, ’89

Class Note

Maureen Taylor, ’89: Enjoying a 30-Year “Twilight” Career

Michigan Law is full of iconic settings, but unless you’re Maureen Taylor, ’89, a bathroom in Legal Research probably isn’t one of them. Then again, many aspects of Taylor’s path as a lawyer have been unconventional.

Harold Kennedy III, ’77 Harold Kennedy III, ’77

Class Note Fall 2016

Harold Kennedy III, ’77: A Groundbreaking Legal Career

From record-breaking verdicts to the Supreme Court to the Civil Rights Act, the career of Harold Kennedy III, ’77, has been transformational for North Carolina and the United States. 

Denise Brogan-Kator, ‘06 Denise Brogan-Kator, ‘06

Class Note

Denise Brogan-Kator, ‘06: Fighting in the Trenches for LGBT Equality

Denise Brogan-Kator, ‘06, fought for marriage equality, planning and editing amicus briefs that would help get section three of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) overturned in 2013, which  later helped influence the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2014 landmark Obergefell v. Hodges ruling. But she soon realized that those victories unleashed a different set of problems altogether.

Michael Harrison, ’66 and his wife, Deborah. Michael Harrison, ’66 and his wife, Deborah.

Impact

Michael Harrison, ’66: Supporting Equal Opportunity Through the Program in Race, Law, and History

Michael Harrison, ’66, has a deep-rooted sense of fairness. His grandfather, Glenwood Fuller, LLB 1913, always said women and people of color should have the same rights as white men. “He was ahead of his time,” Harrison says of the former Kent County (Michigan) Circuit Court judge. 

Beautiful image of the windows at the University of Michigan law school Beautiful image of the windows at the University of Michigan law school

In Practice

The Michigan Law Classmates Behind a $3B Hewlitt-Packard Verdict

When Hewlett-Packard found itself in a multibillion-dollar contract dispute, HP General Counsel John Schultz decided that the case called for a team with “an all-star at every position.” When the case finally went to a jury trial in May and June this year, HP’s all-star team included 1983 Law School classmates Camille Olson, of Seyfarth Shaw LLP, and Mark Ferguson, of Bartlit Beck Herman Palenchar & Scott LLP.

Fiza Quraishi, ’07 and family. Fiza Quraishi, ’07 and family.

Impact

Youth Law Fellowship Honors Fiza Quraishi, ’07

For young lawyers with a passion for helping disadvantaged children, pursuing such a career is limited by scarce job opportunities. A new fellowship will offer a gateway by bringing Michigan Law students to the National Center for Youth Law (NCYL)—while honoring a woman who left an enormous legacy at both institutions.

beauty image of the arches in the law quadrangle beauty image of the arches in the law quadrangle

Impact

Recent Gifts: Fall 2016

Giving to Michigan Law is an investment in the future of legal education, and private support ensures that the excellence that has distinguished Michigan-trained lawyers continues for generations to come.

Beauty image of the Law School Reading Room Beauty image of the Law School Reading Room

@UMICHLAW

@UMICHLAW: Fall 2016

Prof. Edward Cooper's clap out  |  Mich. governor signs Michigan Law clinic bills  |  Child Welfare Appellate Clinic scores three big wins  |  and more...

Cover story image of a wire fraying Cover story image of a wire fraying

Cover Story

Tension: Privacy vs. National Security in the Digital Age

Cindy Cohn, ’89, was in her office at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), interviewing a job candidate, when a staff member knocked on her door. Cohn initially said she couldn’t step away from the interview, but her colleague persisted. It was June 5, 2013—the day that would change everything.

Sabrina Hadinoto, ’15 Sabrina Hadinoto, ’15

@UMICHLAW

Sabrina Hadinoto, ’15: Helping Businesses Get Off the Ground

With experience honed in the Zell Entrepreneurship and Law (ZEAL) Venture Capital Lab, Sabrina Hadinoto, ’15, works as an associate at Venture Investors, identifying and analyzing prospective investments. She's just one of the successful VC innovators to benefit from ZEAL. 

Margo Schlanger Margo Schlanger

Features Fall 2016

Intelligence Legalism and the NSA’s Civil Liberties Gap

Margo Schlanger, the Henry M. Butzel Professor of Law, is a leading authority on civil rights issues and civil and criminal detention and is the founder and director of the Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse at the Law School. In this article, she discusses the balancing act between NSA information gathering and civil liberties in the wake of recent security breaches.

Beauty Image of the Dining Hall Beauty Image of the Dining Hall

@UMICHLAW

Halberstam and Seinfeld Outline Plans for Associate Deanships

Professors Daniel Halberstam and Gil Seinfeld have been appointed associate deans of the Law School by Dean Mark West. As of July 1, Halberstam is the associate dean for faculty and research and Seinfeld is the associate dean for academic programming. 

 Friends, Fellowship, and Football  Friends, Fellowship, and Football

Features

Friends, Fellowship, and Football

For decades, members of the Michigan Law faculty have been sitting together in Section 22 at Michigan Stadium. The tradition continues today, with emeritus and active faculty members watching the Wolverines from their perch above the 35-yard line.

Sonja Starr Sonja Starr

@UMICHLAW

Ban the Box Legislation Leads to Increase in Racial Discrimination

“Ban the Box” legislation seeks to open doors to employment for people with criminal records by barring employers from asking about records on employment applications. But a major study points to a serious unintended consequence of these laws: While they may indeed improve the prospects of people with records, this gain comes at the cost of encouraging a substantial increase in racial discrimination by employers.

Senior Day 1966 Senior Day 1966

Features

The Origins of Law School Senior Day

A man who would be immortalized by Tom Hanks many years later was the speaker at the first Senior Day of the University of Michigan Law School. That was 50 years ago, on May 12, 1966. I know. I was there.

Douglas A. Kahn Douglas A. Kahn

@UMICHLAW

Douglas A. Kahn Collegiate Professorship: Alumni Return a Professor’s Investment in Them

In honor of the Law School’s longest-teaching professor, and one of its most influential, the U-M Board of Regents has approved the creation of the Douglas A. Kahn Collegiate Professorship. Professor Kyle Logue has been named the inaugural chairholder.

Akilah Green Akilah Green

Features

Akilah Green, ’06: From the Conference Room to the Writers’ Room

A lawyer walks into a bar and tells the bartender, “I’m moving to L.A. to be a comedy writer…”. It’s not the setup for yet another lawyer joke. It’s Akilah Green’s career path, which has pointed toward Hollywood for decades.

Beauty image of Arches in the University of Michigan Law School Quad Beauty image of Arches in the University of Michigan Law School Quad

@UMICHLAW

Carroll, Price, and Rauterberg Join Michigan Law Faculty

Three tenure-track professors with expertise in civil procedure, health innovation, and capital markets began teaching at the Law School this fall, each as an assistant professor of law.

Beauty image of Windows on the Law School Beauty image of Windows on the Law School

Impact

Cause and Effect: A Donor and His Scholarship Recipient Reflect on Their Connection to Michigan Law

"During my second year, my family had some financial difficulties. I went to Dean Roy Proffitt, JD ’48, LLM ’56, to inquire if any financial aid was available. Without fanfare or embarrassment, he provided some needed assistance. I vowed that, when I was able, I would try to give others help similar to that which I had received."

Dr. Mary Frances Berry, PhD ’66, JD ’70, HLLD ’97 Dr. Mary Frances Berry, PhD ’66, JD ’70, HLLD ’97

@UMICHLAW

Dr. Mary Frances Berry Named 2016 Distinguished Alumna

Michigan Law has named Dr. Mary Frances Berry, PhD ’66, JD ’70, HLLD ’97, as a recipient of the 2016 Distinguished Alumni Award, the Law School’s highest honor. Berry is one the nation’s leading activists for civil rights, gender equality, and social injustice. 

William Yat San Chiang William Yat San Chiang

Impact

Tsiang, ’23, and Chiang: A Grandfather’s Legacy; A Grandson’s Gratitude

William Yat San Chiang never met his grandfather, Pao Li Tsiang, ’23. Chiang didn’t attend the University of Michigan, and he has only visited campus once, so that he could see the place that helped shape his grandfather. 

Judge Roger Gregory Judge Roger Gregory

In Practice

Roger Gregory, ’78: Chief Judge in Fourth Circuit

When teachers bring their students to visit Judge Roger Gregory’s chambers in Richmond, Virginia, he lets the students sit in the judge’s chair “to see what they might become,” he says. Those students also have the opportunity to see how far Gregory has risen—recently to the position of chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Fiske Fellows Fiske Fellows

Impact

Fiske, ’55: 15 Years of Launching Government Service Careers

In 2001, Bob Fiske, ’55, HLLD ’97, created the Robert B. Fiske Jr. Fellowship Program for Government Service to encourage recent Michigan Law graduates to pursue positions as government lawyers. The fellowship pays both college and law school debt for three years plus a stipend; it has supported 49 fellows to date.

Greg Liu, ’97 Greg Liu, ’97

In Practice

Greg Liu, ’97: Foreseeing Growth in Cross-Border M&A

In a global market, national economic interests and national security interests can be barriers to free enterprise. But for Greg Liu, ’97, that’s part of the excitement. As a partner in the corporate department of Paul, Weiss, Liu has worked on a variety of cross-border transactions, representing foreign investors in China as well as Chinese entities seeking to make investments or acquisitions overseas.