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Class Note Fall 2020
Azadeh Shahshahani: Protecting Immigrant Rights Across the U.S. South
Azadeh Shahshahani, ’04, a prolific writer and speaker on the subject of immigrant rights, was first drawn to Project South because of the organization’s work to combat Islamophobia.
Class Note Fall 2020
Zack James, ’17: Rethinking the Farm with Autonomous Tractors
Zack James, ’17, can recall the exact moment when building tractors started to pay off. It was August 2019, and James was sitting in his truck, watching an autonomous tractor move up and down a field, planting seeds. “It was the first time I was being paid to do farming services.”
Class Note Fall 2020
Colleen Hilton, ’07: Marketing “Marvelous” Streaming Media at Amazon Studios
When the marketing team at Amazon Studios wanted to recreate the Carnegie Deli to mark the new season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, they turned to Colleen Hilton, ’07, for legal advice.
In Practice
Carla Newell, ’85: Riding a Tech Boom in Silicon Valley—Again
As public interest in consumer genomics has exploded in recent years, Carla Newell, ’85, found herself at the center of the industry’s boom as the chief legal officer and chief risk officer at Ancestry, a leading family history and consumer genomics company.
Features
Two Pandemics, a Century Apart
In the fall of 1918, the University of Michigan was forced to address a spreading pandemic while the final months of World War I continued to disrupt American life and University operations. News coverage in The Michigan Daily shows clear parallels between the 1918 pandemic and the COVID-19 outbreak of 2020.
Features
Class of 2020: Graduating Together, From Afar
Before the pandemic forced Michigan Law to postpone Senior Day in 2020, David Louison was chosen by his peers to deliver the student keynote.
A month or so into COVID-19 lockdown, as the Law School prepared an online celebration for the graduating 3Ls, LLMs, and SJDs—an in-person ceremony is planned for 2021—Louison went for a walk to consider what a virtual commencement speech could look like. “I was just thinking, ‘Am I going to do a speech at all?’”
Impact
Reflecting on Ann Arbor, Estate Lawyer Plans Support for the Next Generation
For George Smrtka, ’67, attending Michigan Law was a dream come true. “I applied to two other law schools, but Michigan was the top of the mountain for me. I never thought I could afford it, but the admissions counselor offered a scholarship for half of the tuition and the rest was covered through a loan. I also lived off-campus, washed dishes, and walked up a hill in the snow—both ways,” he laughs.
Impact
Scholarship Fund Leverages the Power of the Collective
The Victors for Michigan Law Scholarship Fund exemplifies a timeless adage: A whole can be greater than the sum of its parts. Driven by one visionary leader who inspired additional gifts from alumni and friends of Michigan Law, the fund was created to provide ongoing support for students at the Law School.
Impact
With Gift to Law School Fund, Alumna Pays It Forward
“I believe in the power of education and am incredibly grateful for my experiences. Law school is a place that gathers people from so many different backgrounds and affords them a chance to make a great life.”
Impact
Recent Gifts: Fall 2020
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.
@UMICHLAW
@UMICHLAW: Fall 2020
John Petoskey, ’20, appointed to Michigan Advisory Council on Environmental Justice | Professor Ellen Katz receives 2020 L. Hart Wright Award for Excellence in Teaching | Professor of Law Evan Caminker co-counsels successful appellate case | and more...
Cover Story
COVID in the Quad
On a Thursday morning, stacks of The Michigan Daily carried a front-page proclamation from the president of the University of Michigan: Effective immediately and in response to the spreading global pandemic, all students, faculty, and staff must wear face masks while on campus, walking on nearby streets, and at all University events until further notice. The announcement came on the heels of an order the previous weekend from the Michigan governor that banned all public gatherings until the escalating public health crisis was resolved.
Briefs
News in Briefs: Fall 2020
Michigan Innocence Clinic celebrates 23rd exoneration | Historic fundraising year for Student Funded Fellowships | Alumni head to Supreme Court | and more...
In Practice
Chris Burtley, ’15: Reimagining Supply Chains After Historic Disruption
Months before COVID-19 became a global pandemic, Chris Burtley, ’15, was called into the first of what would become a series of meetings about a novel coronavirus that was emerging in Wuhan, China, and beginning to threaten global supply chains. “When a client asked me in January to join calls related to the coronavirus, we thought of it as a small project to keep an eye on, not something that would become the biggest issue we have seen in decades.”
In Practice
Lawrence García, ’95: Moving Detroit’s Legal Team in New Directions
When the mayor of Detroit asked Lawrence García, ’95, to lead the city’s legal department, he jumped at the opportunity, knowing it would challenge him professionally and give him a meaningful platform to influence the trajectory of Detroit. “The law department has always had a lot of bench strength and excellent lawyers, but historically you haven’t heard people worried about going up against the office—whether it’s in litigation or in business dealings.”