Issue: Spring 2014
35 results
Cover Story Spring 2014
Steven Rhodes, ’73: Guitar-playing Bankruptcy Judge Tuned in to the People
“There is no requirement that a bankruptcy judge has to listen to individuals who are represented by (lawyers),” says former bankruptcy Judge Ray Reynolds Graves, who worked with Judge Steven Rhodes for 17 years. “Steve put that to one side and had the retirees come into court and address him personally. Listening to people who could be adversely affected by having their pensions cut—that tells you something about the man’s sensitivities.”
Cover Story Spring 2014
Mayor Frank Murphy, ’12, Saves Detroit from Financial Ruin
In 1930, a graduate of the Law School—Frank Murphy, Class of 1912—was chosen to deal with a fiscal disaster in Detroit nearly as dire as today’s.
Briefs Spring 2014
African American Alumni Reconnect, Reflect
The excitement was palpable as alumni returned to Ann Arbor for the inaugural Michigan Law African American Alumni Reunion, March 21–23, 2014.
Impact Spring 2014
David Patterson, ’74: Leaving the Door Open
For some, law school can represent turmoil and uncertainty. For David Patterson, ’74, all of that was behind him by the time he finally set foot in the Quad. Patterson earned his bachelor’s degree from Harvard in 1968; the very next day, he had to report for his draft physical back home in Ohio.
Cover Story Spring 2014
Reviving Detroit at its Roots with Urban Agriculture
Surrounded by a sea of crumbling concrete, the lush green landscape of the market garden on Plum Street sits as an oasis in a city forged of steel and cement. For many, it is merely one example of efforts to revitalize Detroit. For Nicholas Leonard, it is the very essence of the urban agricultural model that has inspired his professional career.
Cover Story Spring 2014
JDs in the D: Michigan Law Students Discover Detroit’s Appeal
Changing people’s perceptions of Detroit is part of the mission of JDs in the D, a volunteer group of law students. Through visits to the city, events at the Law School, and partnerships with Detroit-based organizations, JDs in the D shows law students that there are good reasons to consider living and working in Detroit after graduation.
Cover Story Spring 2014
The Big Three: Michigan Law Alumni Aim to Lead Detroit Out of Bankruptcy
Three Michigan Law alumni— Gov. Rick Snyder, ’82, Mayor Mike Duggan, ’83, and emergency manager Kevyn Orr, ’83—aim to lead Detroit out of history’s largest municipal bankruptcy. And they've made no secret of their ambitious plans for the beleaguered city.
Briefs Spring 2014
Prof. Judith Levy Confirmed as Federal Judge
Judith E. Levy, ’96, a Michigan Law faculty member, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 12 to serve as a federal judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. She was sworn in by Chief Judge Gerald Rosen during a ceremony in Detroit held March 18.
Impact Spring 2014
Michael Levitt, ’83: Invest in What You Know
Michael Levitt, ’83, has been successful in finance largely because he follows a simple adage: Invest in what you know. The advice also guides him as a volunteer for and donor to the University of Michigan. Levitt serves on the University’s Investment Advisory Committee and is the alumni trustee for the Law School’s Cook Trust.
Cover Story Spring 2014
Hatching New Businesses in Detroit
Nick Gorga, ’02, is helping “to put a small thumbprint on the next chapter of Detroit.” After working in Chicago for six years as an associate at Latham & Watkins LLP, Gorga returned to Detroit in 2008 to help combat what he viewed as a “brain drain” in the region.