Issue: Spring 2016
26 results


Class Note Spring 2016
Hon. Harlan VanWye, ’67: An Extra-Innings Career
In 22 years as a judge with the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board, the Hon. Harlan VanWye, ’67, saw it all, from despair to defensiveness to questionable wardrobe choices. But learning that a claimant named her child Harlan, after him, came as a surprise.


Class Note Spring 2016
Monica Tesler, ’98: Dreaming of Space Adventures Leads to Debut Kids’ Book
Some people spend their work commutes catching up on email or scrolling through Facebook. Others unwind by listening to their favorite podcast. Monica Tesler, ’98, spent the better part of a year on a commuter boat dreaming of space adventures, the likes of which can be found in Bounders, her debut novel for middle-grade readers.


Class Note Spring 2016
Eric Ostermeier, ’95: Data-driven Political Journalism
The pen may be mightier than the sword, but in today’s world of pundits and partisanism, Eric Ostermeier, ’95, says data is the most powerful of all. Since 2006, Ostermeier has authored Smart Politics, a blog he founded at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs.


Class Note Spring 2016
Robbie Friedman, ’08: Innovations in Law Firm Billing
As a corporate attorney, Robbie Friedman, ’08, was familiar with what he describes as the “opaqueness” of legal billing. So he co-founded Viewabill, a startup based in Columbus, Ohio, in 2013. A cloud-based platform, Viewabill allows clients to see in real time how much a law firm is billing for its work.


@UMICHLAW Spring 2016
Detroit Neighborhood Business Project Launched
Michigan Law and JPMorgan Chase have joined together to launch the Detroit Neighborhood Business Project (DNBP), a program to address barriers to growth and provide legal support for Detroit’s neighborhood small businesses.


Cover Story Spring 2016
In the Driver’s Seat: Autonomous Vehicles and the Law
The technology of autonomous and connected cars has come a long way, and it has outpaced solutions in another realm: The legal world. Now, Michigan Law is set to become the central repository for rapidly evolving legal and regulatory information involving autonomous vehicles.


Impact Spring 2016
Cause and Effect: Donors and Their Scholarship Recipient Reflect on Their Connection to Michigan Law
Anita Jenkins, ’74, and Jim Jenkins, ’73, of Midland, Michigan, got their start at U-M, both as lawyers and as a couple (they met in the course registration line as undergrads). Ashley Davis, a 1L from Jacksonville, Florida, is the 2015-2016 Jenkins Scholar and a graduate of Florida Atlantic University.


@UMICHLAW Spring 2016
Michigan Law’s Child Advocacy Law Clinic: Theory and Practice Come Together in Trial Experience
In 2014, a woman named Ashley came to Michigan Law’s Child Advocacy Law Clinic to help her gain custody of her children from her violently abusive husband. She met 2Ls Dani Angeli and Alanna Farber, who became her champions, working with Ashley on the case all the way through her trial.


Features Spring 2016
Driverless Cars and the Legal Issues They Create for Manufacturers and Law Firms
It started with a phone call from a West Coast lawyer seeking some basic legal advice about the auto industry. Then a few more calls, primarily from California and Europe. Before long, Richard Walawender, ’86, and other members of the automotive group at Miller Canfield PLC realized they needed to start a new team that would focus specifically on autonomous vehicles.


Impact Spring 2016
Stu Finkelstein, ’85: Supporting a Loan Repayment Program that Offers Career Flexibility
Stu Finkelstein, ’85, loves going to work every day. Through his family’s bequest to create the Finkelstein Family Debt Management Fund, he will help to ensure that future Michigan Law graduates have the opportunity to feel the same way.