DOCKET THE UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT MERCY SCHOOL OF LAW MAGAZINE
EMBRACING OPPORTUNITIES INSIDE
Meet Our New Dean: Jelani Jefferson Exum
Alumni Involvement
FA L L 2021
TABLE OF
CONTENTS FALL 2021 IC
Antoine M. Garibaldi, PhD
Stay Connected
1
Message from the Dean
2
Feature: Meet Our New Dean
8
Embracing Opportunity
10
Law Clinics
12
Meet the Incoming Class
Communications Specialist Docket Editor
14
Celebrating our Students
Jennifer Rumschlag
18
JD-MBA Alumni Spotlights
20
Class of 2020 Employment Outcomes
22
Career Services
24
Recent Faculty Publications & New Faculty
26
New Staff & Faculty Promotions
28
Donor Spotlights and Thank You Notes
30
Year in Review
32
Alumni Association & ABLA Presidents’ Messages
34
Class Notes/Remembrance
BC
Upcoming Events
University President
Jelani Jefferson Exum Dean
Grace Henning
Associate Dean of Enrollment and Communications
April Ellison Director of Alumni Relations
Sam Kojiro Publication Design
Dave Frechette Photographer
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
We welcome press releases, photos and updates about Detroit Mercy Law alumni.
Please send information to: Communications Office University of Detroit Mercy School of Law 651 E. Jefferson Avenue Detroit, MI 48226-4386 law@udmercy.edu
FOLLOW US
ON
SOCIAL MEDIA
LIKE US
FOLLOW US
NETWORK
facebook.com/DetroitMercyLaw
instagram.com/detroitmercylaw
linkedin.com/school/15101212
MESS AG E F ROM THE D E A N
“The past year has been a time of unexpected trials, but it has shown the true strength of our community in the people that make it up. I am ready to get to know all of you as the dean of this exceptional law school. I am excited for us all to work together to serve our students and our community.” I AM HONORED TO BE WRITING THIS FIRST MESSAGE TO YOU IN THE DOCKET AS DEAN. I WAS DRAWN TO TEACH AT DETROIT MERCY LAW BECAUSE OF HOW THE SCHOOL TRULY EMBODIES A SOCIAL JUSTICE MISSION. Over
the past two years as I have come to get to know the bright and tenacious students, talented and dedicated faculty, excellent administrators and staff, and engaged alumni that make up the community here, I have seen this mission in action. I am excited to take on this new role and continue the work of fulfilling the mission of Detroit Mercy Law. In this issue of the Docket, we highlight some of the ways we embraced opportunities and changes and overcame challenges that we have faced over the past year. From our clinics operating completely remotely and our faculty pivoting to an entirely online class delivery approach to our students and alumni staying connected and active, the Detroit Mercy Law community has not missed a beat in continuing to provide an excellent legal education and law school experience to our students.
We applaud the achievements of our students and faculty, who have attained no less than immense success despite the challenges posed to them. We welcome our new community members who have joined us over the past year. We celebrate the accomplishments of our recent graduates securing employment and our current students overcoming the challenges of a virtual interview process. We highlight our JD MBA program that allows students to graduate with two degrees. There has been so much to be excited about at Detroit Mercy Law! This year, we were able to come together both in person and online for our signature events, including Red Mass, the McElroy Lecture on Law and Religion, and the Dewitt C. Holbrook Lecture on Social Justice. We celebrated the accomplishments of our 2021 graduates with a live streamed Baccalaureate Mass and an in person hooding ceremony. It was wonderful to have the opportunity to gather again. The past year has been a time of unexpected trials, but it has shown the true strength of our community in the people that make it up. I am ready to get to know all of you as the dean of this exceptional law school. I am excited for us all to work together to serve our students and our community.
Jelani Jefferson Exum
Dean and Philip J. McElroy Professor of Law
DETR OIT MERCY LAW 1
MEET
OUR NEW DEAN: JELANI JEFFERSON EXUM "I am honored to serve as Dean. Our school has a rich history of service, a dedication to social justice, and a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. During this time of transition, there are many new opportunities. I look forward to us making measurable gains in student success and diversity, equity, and inclusion over the next few years."
2 D O C KE T | FA L L 202 1
DEAN JEFFERSON EXUM BEGAN SERVING AS DEAN OF DETROIT MERCY LAW ON JULY 1, 2021. SHE IS THE FIRST PERSON OF COLOR AND SECOND WOMAN TO SERVE AS DEAN OF DETROIT MERCY LAW.
After graduating from Harvard Law School, Dean Jefferson Exum served as a law clerk for a federal appellate judge and a federal district court judge before joining legal academia. Her experience includes serving as both a professor and administrator. As a professor, she earned numerous teaching awards at multiple law schools. As an administrator, she developed a successful pipeline program. In 2019, Dean Jefferson Exum joined the Detroit Mercy Law faculty as the Philip J. McElroy Professor of Law. She received the Detroit Mercy Law Professor of the Year award from the student body in 2021. As a nationally recognized expert in sentencing law and procedure, she is a sought-after speaker and writer. Dean Jefferson Exum has accomplished more than 70 presentations, papers, and books. She has given two TEDxTalks on the use of fatal force by police officers in America. She is a member of the editorial board of the Federal Sentencing Reporter and her work has been featured on prominent sentencing blogs, such as Sentencing Law and Policy. Originally from New Orleans, Dean Jefferson Exum has lived in the Detroit area for the past 11 years with her family—her husband Lowen and their three young children, Zora (8), Xavier (6), and Isaiah (3). She appreciates the community, history, cultural diversity, art and music scenes, and architecture of Detroit.
DETR OIT MERCY LAW 3
QA &
WITH
DEAN JEFFERSON EXUM
What will be the focus for your first year as dean?
I want to make sure we are doing all that we can to support our students from day one until they step into their legal career. We will put a lot of energy into cultivating resources and putting systems in place that will allow our students to thrive, like expanding our academic support department and increasing our resources for bar success. Additionally, we will continue to support the good work that is already being done in admissions and career services. Enhancing our reputation by promoting our faculty's scholarly impact and our unique programming will also be a major focus. I will work to engage our wide network of alumni to collaborate on opportunities that serve our social justice mission and dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion. My commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion will go beyond maintaining our diverse student and employee body. I want to make sure we have measurable outcomes, not only in our diversity, but we are also looking at our policies, our curriculum, and the climate of our institution to make sure that we have an inclusive environment where our entire community can thrive.
What originally drew you to Detroit Mercy Law?
Living in Detroit, I knew how important Detroit Mercy Law was to the community. I had been living in the area for about 11 years and working out of state at a different law school that I enjoyed, but I wanted to be rooted in the community where I was living. When I started to think seriously about finding a school to be my home institution in Detroit, I thought about what is most important to me. Social justice has always been the core of my own scholarship and professional work. I wanted to join a school where social justice was an embraced part of the tradition and mission of the entire university. For me, Detroit Mercy Law felt like a place where I would fit and my values would align with the institution's values. 4 D O C KE T | FA L L 202 1
What do you see as strengths of Detroit Mercy Law?
Our greatest strength is our community— our bright and tenacious students, engaged alumni, expert faculty, and dedicated team of administrators and staff. Our commitment to social justice and dedication to educating lawyers with a commitment to service through the law are key to the Jesuit and Mercy traditions at Detroit Mercy Law. Our strategic location in downtown Detroit and longstanding connections to the Detroit community are instrumental in our work to advance legal and social equity in our own community. Through our clinic and externship programs, relationships with alumni and bar associations, and other work of our faculty and students, we are a visible presence in Detroit. I am proud of the work Detroit Mercy Law does for our students and community, and I am committed to making our outreach and legal services programs even stronger and ensuring our reputation reflects the impact we make. I must also recognize here our Canadian & American Dual JD program, which is the only program of its kind in North America. We are fortunate to educate transnational lawyers through this program in partnership with Windsor Law, which also has a dedication to ethics, justice, and service.
Why did you want to become the dean of Detroit Mercy Law? This is a great time to be a dean at a law school, and I cannot imagine a better place to step into this role. We have a team of people with a shared vision of wanting to serve our community and develop justice seeking attorneys. When I joined Detroit Mercy Law, I did not plan to pursue being the dean. I was just happy to be a part of the community. As faculty, I came to appreciate the school even more and to understand the real impact it makes in Detroit and on the students. I realized what a great team we have at Detroit Mercy Law. When the deanship became open, I thought that I appreciate all the people in the institution, and I have a genuine desire to see the school thrive for those people, so it made a lot of sense to give it a shot. I have a desire to help the school move forward its path.
What would you like to share with the Detroit Mercy community? For me personally, on this journey to this point, mentorship has been really important. It is not lost on me that I am the first Black dean at Detroit Mercy Law and only the second woman to be dean. Going into the 2021–2022 school year, there will be 28 Black women law deans in the country. Mentorship is a deeply held value of mine. I appreciate the pathways that have been forged for me and I try to reach back to help others who may not always see themselves in leadership roles, whether because of their race or gender, or even because they are mothers of young children. It is important to be someone who can represent what leadership can look like as others have done for me. What do you want the Detroit Mercy Law community to know about you? I am a mother of three kids, and I love being a parent. It is important to me to embrace people’s whole lives, to cultivate a culture that supports individuals and their family life. I am trying my best to work in a fashion where I do not sacrifice my commitment to being a great mom as I am being a successful professional. What do you like about living in Detroit? Since I’m from New Orleans, I really gravitate towards cities with a rich history and a diverse culture with an arts and music scene. To me, that feels the most like home. And I’ve really enjoyed getting to know those aspects of Detroit. The people here reminded me of the people at home in New Orleans. Detroiters are very proud of their communities, they’re hard working, and that’s the type of environment I grew up in. I’ve lived in a lot of different places, but Detroit has felt much more like home than any other place I’ve lived besides New Orleans.
DETR OIT MERCY LAW 5
Why did you decide to become a lawyer? It goes back to growing up in New Orleans. I lived in a neighborhood that was a mix of all different kinds of people, but I was able to see clearly how there were different interactions with the police based on people’s race and socioeconomic status and it never sat right with me. I always had a lot of questions for my parents as a kid about things that did not seem just and fair. From those experiences, I thought law would be a great career to pursue because it would allow me to fight for justice and equal treatment. I thought it was a good road for transforming the world into what I hoped that it would be.
6 D O C KE T | FA L L 202 1
Why did you decide to join academia instead of pursuing a traditional law practice? I did not go to law school thinking I would be a professor. I was interested in criminal defense. Specifically, I wanted to be a public defender. This was the path that came from that underlying desire to want to help people to be treated fairly in our legal system. When I did work in law school, it was all about public defense or public interest work. When I graduated from law school, I decided to clerk. I clerked on the Eastern District of Louisiana and also the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Both of those judges encouraged me to think about academia. They noted that I had strong writing and research skills, and they thought an academic job would be a good place for somebody like me who takes a broad view of legal issues. I was encouraged to do a teaching fellowship. Then, I did it, and I just loved it. I loved teaching, I loved scholarship, and I never looked back from there. What is your favorite part of teaching? My favorite part of teaching is watching students figure out that they have a role in shaping and changing the law. I get to teach them black letter law, helping them understand what criminal laws are about and the rules of criminal procedure. And that is important, but what I enjoy the most is pushing them to critique the law and helping students to understand that they will have a place in shaping what justice looks like. When I see students grasp that and think about how they can be change agents in their own legal careers, that is what excites me the most about teaching.
FAST FACTS
A BO U T
DEAN JEFFERSON EXUM
EDUCATION
TEACHING AWARDS
• Harvard College, English and American Literature and Language, magna cum laude
• Detroit Mercy Law Professor of the Year, 2021
• Harvard Law School
• Eastman & Smith Faculty Scholarship Support Award, 2015, 2016
ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE
• Eastman & Smith Faculty Achievement Award, 2014
• Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion and Professor of Law, University of Toledo College of Law
• University of Toledo Outstanding Teaching Award Nominee, 2013, 2014
• Visiting Associate Professor of Law, University of Michigan Law School.
• U T Law BLSA Professor of the Year, 2011–2012
• Associate Professor of Law, University of Kansas School of Law • Forrester Fellow and Legal Writing Instructor, Tulane Law School
FEDERAL CLERKSHIPS • Law Clerk, Judge James L. Dennis, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit • Law Clerk, Judge Eldon E. Fallon, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana
• Beth A. Eisler First-Year Teaching Award, 2013 • College of Law Student Impact Award, 2011–2012
TEDx TALKS • TEDx TOLEDO 2020, #PresumedPunishable: Sentencing on the Streets, September 17, 2020 • TEDx TOLEDO 2014, THEME: HUMAN, The Death Penalty on The Streets, September 18, 2014
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT • Neighborhood Defender Services (NDS), Detroit, Chair, Board of Directors • T he Links Inc., Oakland County (MI) Chapter, Member • Jack and Jill of America, Inc., Oakland County Chapter, Member, Parliamentarian (2020–2021), Foundation Chair (2021–2022)
DETR OIT MERCY LAW 7
E M BR ACING O P P O RT U NIT Y
EMB R AC I NG
THE
O PP O R T U N I T Y
IT WAS NOT A QUESTION OF IF STEPHEN KIM DUAL ’97 WOULD BE INVOLVED AS AN ALUMNUS AT DETROIT MERCY LAW, BUT A QUESTION OF HOW. “It is a privilege to be
involved, contribute, and give back to the program that has done so much in preparing, equipping, and enabling me to enjoy the life and career that I have,” he said. “I don’t see my participation as a favor to the school but repaying the school for all it did for me.” When Kim was a law student, the Dual JD program was extremely small. Between its launch in 1982 and its reaccreditation in 2000, the class size in the program hovered around 20 students. “There were not a lot of alumni that had gone through the Dual JD program back when I was a student,” explained Kim. “While I was in the program there were a handful of upper year program students that I held in very high regard and had a tremendous amount of respect for. They were incredibly generous with their friendship, time, thoughts and experiences, and in many ways were role models to me and many others.” Kim has worked on both sides of the border, in law firms and as in-house counsel.
GET INVOLVED!
From admissions to alumni events, there are many ways for you to connect with the Detroit Mercy Law community. Contact April Ellison, ellisoal@udmercy.edu or 313-596-0202, to learn more about opportunities for involvement.
8 D O C KE T | FA L L 202 1
TO
B E I N VOLVED
“The program provided me with the foundational tools to identify, appreciate, and apply my knowledge both of the practice of law and the business of law, irrespective of US, Canadian, or crossborder context, and employ those tools for maximizing outcomes.” This range of
experience allows for Kim to provide unique advice to current Dual JD students. “I’m happy to highlight my experiences to inspire incoming students, current students, and new graduates.” With the COVID-19 pandemic came opportunities to connect with future students in different, virtual ways. “The scale of the programs was one of the main differences between virtual programming and in-person programming,” Kim noted. “I made an effort to scroll through all the screens in a Zoom just to see who else was on.” “Alumni participation in the program is essential.” he explained. “Alumni participation is good for the students because it provides proof of concept to the theory that their legal education may equip them to be successful, whatever their aspirations may be, where ever they may choose to pursue their careers, be it in Michigan or Ontario or beyond.” Kim believes that alumni participation is not just good for the current students but also for the alumni who are participating. “Alumni participation is good for the alumni because it provides a tremendous opportunity to network with fellow alumni, current faculty and staff, and current students.”
Stephen Kim (bottom left) was the recipient of the 2020 Dual JD Transnational Leader Award. He was notified of being the recipient via video conference by former Windsor Law Dean Christopher Waters (top left), former Dual JD Director Christina Loebach (top right) and Karen Momotiuk, Major Gift Officer, Windsor Law Through the power of Zoom, we connected with our incoming students at our Dean’s Receptions for Incoming Students. In breakout rooms, students were able to connect with alumni, current students, and faculty to learn more about the Detroit Mercy Law experience.
BU I LD I NG V I R T UA L MOOT I N G SK I LL S FOR THE FU T U RE PR AC T I C E OF L AW THE 2020–2021 MOOT COURT SEASON OFFERED NEW CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES being
virtual for the first time. Lina Chakar Dual ’20 and Sean Cowley ’08 helped students build their virtual mooting skills. Chakar was transformed by the mooting experience when she was a student at Detroit Mercy Law. When offered the opportunity to coach a team, she came on board immediately. This was made possible by virtual mooting, as Chakar served as a coach while completing her articling in Toronto.
“Delivering persuasive arguments virtually can be particularly challenging, since competitors cannot rely on immediate feedback and nonverbal cues of the audience to guide their presentation,” said Chakar. “It can be a challenge to express passion and confidence through a small screen. I tried my best to share tips on posture, use of hand gestures, and tone of voice to help improve the oral advocacy of the team.”
Cowley has also been coaching moot court teams since he graduated. “I always had the teaching bug inside me. Once I graduated, it was a useful way to stay involved,” Cowley said.
“The State of Michigan is talking about taking a large amount of non-evidentiary hearings into the Zoom platform permanently,” he explained. “It’s a skill we didn’t know we were going to need, and now it will help these students come out ahead with this experience.”
“One of the unique opportunities that arose from a year of virtual moots is their public and accessible viewings, which provided competitors with an opportunity to learn from the mistakes of other students,” explained Chakar. “The students had a willingness to work with the circumstances they were given,” said Cowley. “It was really a pleasure to work with one of my favorite teams I’ve ever worked with in the decade I’ve been doing it.”
I N TERESTED I N MOOT COU R T ?
Whether judging internal competitions, such as the Patrick A. Keenan Appellate Advocacy Competition, or sponsoring teams traveling for national competitions, guidance and feedback from alumni experts helps refine students’ skills.
In 2020, the annual Patrick A. Keenan Appellate Advocacy Competition was hosted virtually for the first time. Alumni provided support through judging initial rounds as well as our final round. Deja Davis ’21 and Nadine Dabaja ’21 were named tournament champions and Amanat Sandhu Dual ’21 and Sabrina Mangiapane Dual ’21 were named runners-up. Left to right, top row: Michigan Supreme Court Justice Brian K. Zahra '87; Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Denise Langford Morris '82; U.S. Circuit Court Judge Helene N. White; finalist Amanat Sandhu Dual ’21. Left to right, middle row: finalist Sabrina Mangiapane Dual ’21; finalist Nadine Dabaja ’21; finalist Deja Davis ’21; Professor Julie St. John Left to right, bottom row: Bailiff Fatmeh Cheaib ’22, Bailiff Narissa Ayoub ’22. DETR OIT MERCY LAW 9
L AW CLINICS
CLINICAL PROGRAM: A CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING AND SERVICE DETROIT MERCY LAW IS A LEADER IN PREPARING STUDENTS TO SERVE CLIENTS IN THE PRACTICE OF LAW. Our clinical program,
founded in 1965, is among the first in the nation. Over the years, the clinics have evolved to respond to the needs of the community and expanded to guarantee that all students graduate with experience representing real clients. This past year presented unique opportunities to evolve and expand. In 2020-2021, our students provided almost 35,000 hours of pro bono legal services to residents of Detroit and the surrounding communities.
CLINICS OPERATE REMOTELY DURING PANDEMIC
The Federal Pro Se clinic, which typically operates out of the Theodore Levin United States Courthouse in downtown Detroit, operated remotely under the supervision of a new director, Barbara Patek, who helped students and clients adjust to the virtual world while in her first term. “There is no question that going remote made our work more challenging and time consuming, but the students adapted seamlessly,” commented Patek.
“The shutdown was particularly challenging because many of our clients had limited or no internet access and even mail was a challenge with the contemporaneous court shut down. Fortunately, we obtained an order from the court that allowed us to e-file on behalf of pro se litigants in certain circumstances, without filing an appearance.”
The clinics operated remotely during the pandemic while Detroit Mercy Law offered classes completely online. The transition to remote learning did not diminish the hands-on lawyering opportunities for students or the services offered to clients through the clinics. Students learned to service clients using technology in innovative ways, The Environmental Law Clinic also continued just as attorneys learned to adjust in their practices. to operate remotely throughout the pandemic. “We had to transition quickly. I'm grateful for “Fortunately, with environmental law we have lots the hard work of our clinical faculty, staff, and of administrative practice like drafting comment students in very challenging times,” said Professor letters on permits, rules, and legislation and that Nick Schroeck, Associate Dean of Experiential can easily be accomplished remotely,” commented Education and Director of the Environmental Law Schroeck. “My students were still able to attend community meetings and hearings virtually, and Clinic. “We navigated new technologies, we had some Zoom calls with clients. The virtual new tools, new court rules, all while world was actually helpful in some ways. It was still striving to do the best job possible easier to get everyone in the same place at the same time without having to worry about traffic for our clients and community. It wasn't and parking."
always easy, but we got through it, and the students learned many valuable skills along the way.”
FEDERAL PRO SE CLINIC
10 D O C KE T | FA L L 20 2 1
The Federal Pro Se Clinic received the Ilene and Michael Shaw Public Service Award from the National Federal Bar Association in September of 2020. This national award recognizes the work recipients do in and for their community.
FELLOW JOINS VETERANS LAW CLINIC In July, the Veterans Law Clinic welcomed Holly Christian, the first Toni Wisne Sabina Veterans Law Clinic Fellow. This fellowship position, made possible by the Toni Wisne Sabina Foundation, will allow the Veterans Law Clinic to increase the scope of services available to low-income veterans who need legal assistance. Christian is a graduate of DePaul University College of Law. She previously worked as the Pro Bono Manager and Staff Attorney at Swords to Plowshares in San Francisco, a non-profit organization that provides services to Bay Area veterans in need. “I applied for the fellowship because it offers a unique opportunity to share my passion for veterans law with the next generation of lawyers,” explained Christian. “There were a few teachers and professors in my life who saw potential in me and took a chance. This fellowship will allow me to pay it forward while serving a population I care about deeply.”
“Veterans have been historically over-promised and underserved. It means a lot to me to help veterans navigate the difficult and sometimes frustrating VA benefit and military discharge upgrade process,” said Christian.
“It's amazing that a successful outcome in this area of law can benefit a veteran in multiple ways ranging from access to healthcare and monthly disability compensation to restorative justice and corrections to their military records. I feel incredibly fortunate to serve those who have served us.” The Veterans Law Clinic is a popular choice of clinic among students. Since its inception in 2007, the Clinic provided more than 32,000 hours of free legal services, assisted more than 1,000 veterans and their families, and recovered over $3.6 million in benefits for veterans.
CONVICTION INTEGRITY CLINIC OFFERED THIS FALL This fall, Detroit Mercy Law began offering the Conviction Integrity Clinic in partnership with the Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU) in the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office. Students work under the supervision of Valerie Newman, Director of the CIU, as well as with other Wayne County Assistant Prosecutors. The Clinic will provide students with the opportunity to help incarcerated individuals with felony convictions who claim innocence and who otherwise may not have access to legal services. “This is a unique collaboration between the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office and the law school. This clinic will expose students to all aspects of the prosecution of a criminal case, the causes of wrongful conviction, and how the appellate system works in Michigan,” said Newman.
“Students will participate in all aspects of conviction integrity work. It will involve the review of cases where someone maintains their innocence, how to identify a potentially credible innocence case, and the review of innocence cases deemed credible.”
WORK WITH OUR CLINICS!
Support of the clinics, including time and talent or financial support, is always needed. To learn more, please contact Rebecca Simkins Nowak, Director of Clinical Operations and Outreach, at 313-596-9409 or simkinrg@udmercy.edu
This clinic, along with the Criminal Trial Clinic, expands opportunities for students to gain criminal law practice experience. DETR OIT MERCY LAW 11
2021 I N C O M ING CLA SS
MEE T
THE
DE A N ' S FELLOWS
ADMITTED STUDENTS WHO HAVE DEMONSTRATED EXCELLENCE prior to law
school through academics, leadership, professionalism, and service are invited to interview for fellowship consideration. Dean’s Fellows receive full-tuition scholarship support and alumni mentors, as well as leadership, networking, and service opportunities throughout law school.
Simon Alnajjar, Dean’s Fellow BA, Integrative Studies, Oakland University Simon, a first-generation college graduate, hopes to be a leader and inspiration to others in the Chaldean American community.
Rosanna Ameriguian,
Rita Dunne, Dean’s Fellow BA, Humanities, Michigan State University Residential Honors College Rita worked as an English instructor in Tokyo, Japan. She was drawn to the social justice mission of Detroit Mercy Law.
Matthew Furgele,
Dean's Fellow BA, Political Science, University of Michigan Rosanna interned in the Wayne County Prosecutors Office Special Victims Unit where she supported the Child Abuse Unit and the Domestic Violence Unit.
Transnational Law Fellow BA, Mathematics and History, Ursinus College Matthew uses his degree combination to analyze problems from multiple perspectives. He looks forward to gaining transnational perspectives as a student in the Canadian and American Dual JD Program.
Christin DewBerry,
Adam Hamid, Dean’s Fellow
Dean's Fellow BA, Political Science, Tennessee State University Christin served as a legislative intern in the Tennessee State Legislature and received a senate resolution for her work.
Elizabeth Dierker, Dean’s Fellow BS, Biomedical Science, Oakland University Elizabeth is a registered patent agent through the United States Patent and Trademark Office. She is also passionate about disability rights and public health.
12 D O C KE T | FA L L 20 2 1
BBA, Accounting and Finance, University of Michigan Dearborn Adam is interested in public policy and governance. He plans to pursue political and judicial opportunities to help as many people as possible both in and outside of the judicial system.
Tiffany Harvey, Dean’s Fellow BA, International Studies and Asian Studies, University of Michigan Tiffany worked with AmeriCorps, volunteered with D-Town Farm, and served as a volunteer Mandarin translator. She is interested in civil rights and environmental law.
Kristen Nelson, Dean’s Fellow
Yasmeen Moradshahi, Intellectual Property Law Fellow BS, Electrical Engineering, Kettering University Yasmeen’s experience working at an intellectual property law firm solidified her interest in becoming a patent attorney.
BS, Management, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, magna cum laude Kristen played Division I basketball and is interested in becoming a sports and entertainment attorney.
Matthew Toma, Dean’s Fellow BA, Finance, Loyola University of Chicago Matthew is inspired by the Jesuit and Mercy traditions of Detroit Mercy Law and plans to use his law degree to stand up for the voiceless in the ArabAmerican community.
Wynn Wasmer, Dean’s Fellow BA, History, Alma College Wynn is interested in civil rights, public interest, and criminal law. He plans to use his law degree to make a difference in the Detroit community.
Monica Roberts, Dean’s Fellow BA, Communication Studies, University of Georgia Monica is interested in criminal law and social justice. As an attorney, she plans to work to exonerate the innocent.
Tina Toma, Dean’s Fellow BS, Business Administration, Wayne State University, MBA, Wayne State University Tina worked in the automotive industry as a procurement officer. She looks forward to merging her business experience and legal studies to pursue a career in corporate law.
THANK YOU TO THE ALUMNI AND FRIENDS
MICHAEL CHICHESTER ’07
STEPHANIE MOORE ’19
WHO SERVED AS MENTORS for contributing your time and talent to support our mission of educating the complete lawyer.
KEITH DRISCOLL ’17
JUDGE DENISE LANGFORD MORRIS ’82
ELIAN ERULKAR
MICHAEL PEREIRA ’18
DARWYN FAIR ’79
CHELSEA SMIALEK ’15
YAFEEZ FATABHOY ’18
MICHAEL SOLT ’16
ANTHONY AGOSTA ’97
JEWEL HAJI ’19
KORY STEEN ’18
DAVID CAMPBELL DUAL ’04
KRISTINA JOSEPH ’14
ETHAN VINSON ’76
PONCE CLAY ’15
KYM KINCHEN REEVES ’09
JUSTICE BRIAN K. ZAHRA ’87
HENRY H. TARRANT AWARD
FOR BLACK STUDENT EXCELLENCE: This is the second year the Henry H. Tarrant Award to law school and for their potential as future leaders for Black Student Excellence has been awarded. The who will advance justice, equality, civil rights, and award recognizes incoming Black students for their service. In addition to financial assistance, award achievements prior recipients will receive mentorship.
Kristen Nelson Deloris Retland
Tiffany Harvey Monica Roberts DETR OIT MERCY LAW 13
ST U D ENT AWA RDS & R E C OGNIT ION
ST UDEN T LE ADERSH I P
L AW REVIEW E-BOARD
EDITOR- IN - CHIEF
ERIN MALONE
EXECUTIVE EDITOR OF INSIDE ARTICLES
ANTHONY CIMINI
MANAGING EDITOR
BENJAMIN CHRISTENSEN
EXECUTIVE EDITOR OF OUTSIDE ARTICLES
CHASE YARBER
ONLINE EDITOR
BROOKE NOSANCHUK
SYMPOSIUM DIREC TOR
MACKENZIE CLARK
MOOT COURT E-BOARD
MYIA DAVIS
14 D O C KE T | FA L L 20 2 1
GILBERT MORRISON
KATYA ROWLEY
STUDENT BAR ASSOCIATION E-BOARD
BL ACK L AW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION (BLSA) E-BOARD
PRESIDENT
VICE PRESIDENT
TREASURER
SECRETARY
JOSEPH SAMS
PRESIDENT
DANIELLE ANDERSON
VICE PRESIDENT
BRANDON WILSON
BRANDON WILSON SECRETARY
TREASURER
PARLIMENTARIAN
FUNDR AISING COMMIT TEE CHAIR
CORIANN MCMILLEN
SHANICE LEACH
AARON ROBERSON
MADISON OROW
BRIANNA HINES
EMILY ELMER
DETR OIT MERCY LAW 15
ST U D ENT AWA RDS & R E C OGNIT ION
ST UDEN T SUCC ESSES
Chase Yarber ’22 was one of two law students to be awarded the Charles J. Cohen Scholarship from the Jewish Bar Association of Michigan.
Deja Davis ’21 was awarded the Ralph M. Freeman Scholarship for excellence in Civil Procedure.
Joseph Kuzmiak ’21 and Julian Freitag Dual ’21 placed first in Drafting for the Investor’s Counsel at the annual Jaffe Transactional Law Invitational.
The Women Lawyers Association of Michigan Foundation awarded Outstanding Women Law Student Scholarships to Laura Atanasovski ’21, Joy Mohammed ’22, and Julia Walczak ’21.
Julia Walczak ’21 was named Member of the Year by the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan-Wayne Region.
Allison Koltunchik ’22 was awarded the A. Vince Colella Civil Rights Scholarship.
16 D O C KE T | FA L L 20 2 1
2021 VIVIERE EX MISSIONE AWARD DEJA DAVIS
Katya Rowley Dual ’22 and Abrial Neely ’23 were awarded the 2021 Voice for Justice Fellowship. Katya worked at HAGURUKA in Kigali City, Rawanda over the summer and Abrial worked at the Neighborhood Defenders Service in Detroit over the summer.
THE VIVERE EX MISSIONE AWARD — LATIN FOR “TO LIVE OUT THE MISSION” —
is presented annually to graduating students who best exemplify the mission of Detroit Mercy. This award is presented as a surprise during the commencement ceremony. The 2021 recipient
Aaron Roberson ’22 received the 2021 Sengstock Award for Best Note from the Detroit Mercy Law Review.
of the award for the School of Law is Deja Davis. Deja received this award in honor of her academic achievements, her leadership during law school, her service to the school and wider community, and for making it her mission that all students feel welcomed and supported. During her time at Detroit Mercy Law, Deja served as Secretary and President
Amanda Welton-Hagan Dual ’21 received the Honorable Sandra Chapnik Women-in-Law Award from the Women’s Law Association of Ontario.
of the Black Law Students Association and on the Executive Board for the Moot Court Board of Advocates.
Benjamine Christensen ’22 was awarded the Peggy Browning Fellowship.
DETR OIT MERCY LAW 17
A L U MNI SP OTLIGHT
EMB R AC I NG LEG AL AND BUSI N ESS O P P O R T U N I T I ES WITH A J D - MBA DETROIT MERCY LAW OFFERS A JD-MBA PROGRAM IN COLLABORATION WITH UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT MERCY
that allows students to earn both degrees in less time than if they were pursued separately. Students in the program learn to connect legal and business concepts, such as accounting practices and tax law, labor management relations and labor law, and corporate finance and securities law. Alumni of the program work as lawyers and business leaders. COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Kenny Hemler JD, MBA ’07 General Motors, Corporate Finance & Global Innovation Group
After working for over 10 years in New York City, Kenny Hemler accepted an opportunity with General Motors that brought him back to Detroit. “I came back to where it all started, quite literally. I can see the law school from my office in the Renaissance Center.”
“GM’s vision of an all-electric future with zero crashes, zero emissions, and zero congestion presented me with a chance to come back to Detroit and use my law degree to help create a better, safer world. How could I pass up that opportunity?” Hemler’s practice is focused on a wide variety of complex transactional matters, such as mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, co-development agreements, and other new growth opportunities. Growing up in Warren and Detroit, Hemler recognized the importance of the auto industry. “It is a huge part of the City’s identity and the identity of the people who grew up here. It is an industry that is both deeply rooted in history and constantly changing.” Hemler enjoys the variety that working in the auto industry provides to his work. “No two days are the same. There is no script for this period in our industry’s history. I work with diverse, cross-functional teams on innovative, industry-changing projects. It’s almost impossible to get bored.”
18 D O C KE T | FA L L 20 2 1
Gerta Shkembi JD, MBA ’14 Lear Corporation, Director of Corporate Development GERTA SHKEMBI CAME TO LAW SCHOOL WITH A PASSION FOR BUSINESS AND LAW.
“I wanted to pursue a career that incorporated both,” she explained. “There was something exciting to me about being empowered in a board room with the training and knowledge of the law to support business decisions. The JD-MBA program felt like the right solution for me.” Shkembi is responsible for sourcing, evaluating, structuring, negotiating, and executing acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and partnerships. She also drives internal project workflow and leads cross-functional transaction teams to support a portfolio of deals.
“Although many business professionals can be successful without legal training, and an attorney can practice corporate law without an MBA, there is a material advantage for those that have strong knowledge in both,” she said. “With my legal background, I have been able to obtain even better business results.” Shkembi has found that her legal background has led to positive working relationships with the legal teams she interacts with. “I tend to achieve better results by being able to speak the ‘legal language’. Similarly, the MBA laid a strong foundation for me to grow the corporate development side of my career.”
DETR OIT MERCY LAW 19
C A R E E R SE RV ICE S
CLASS
OF
2020 EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES
DETROIT MERCY LAW GRADUATES SECURE LEGAL EMPLOYMENT ABOVE NATIONAL AVERAGE DURING PANDEMIC The graduating class of 2020 secured an overall employment rate of 91 percent in legal positions. THE DETROIT MERCY LAW GRADUATING CLASS OF 2020 EMBRACED OPPORTUNITIES WHILE SEEKING EMPLOYMENT during a global
pandemic and surpassed the national average employment rate as reported by the American Bar Association (ABA). According to the ABA employment summary, 88 percent of 2020 Detroit Mercy Law graduates secured fulltime, long-term legal employment, compared to 77 percent of 2020 law graduates nationwide. The overall legal employment rate, which also includes part-time and short-term employment, for 2020 graduates was 91 percent.
“Detroit Mercy Law students build relationships in the legal community through networking and other legal experiences throughout law school. The Class of 2020 reaped the rewards of their work as students and achieved impressive employment outcomes. When our local legal community quickly pivoted to the virtual practice of law, our graduates leveraged their connections and experience and jumped in where they were needed.” — Tanya Lundberg, Assistant Dean of Career Services and Outreach
20 D O C KE T | FA L L 20 2 1
LAW FIRM (2–50 ATTORNEYS) 52%
“The benefits of working at a smaller firm are like going to a smaller law school, you get that personal mentorship and guidance from day one. Small to mid-size firms offer a family environment with big firm experience. My experience at a smaller firm has been nothing short of rewarding, and the people here truly help me grow as an attorney.” — Michael Petrus, Associate Attorney, Kirk, Huth, Lange & Badalamenti, PLC, Detroit
GOVERNMENT 6%
“Completing two law degrees in three years through the Dual JD program was great training for handling a high-volume litigation practice with long hours. Since graduating from Detroit Mercy Law, I can say that I found what I enjoy doing and what I can see myself doing for years to come working on the variety of cases that come through The Crown Law Office-Civil (CLOC). The CLOC is the central civil litigation and advisory office for the Government of Ontario and provides representation to ministries, agencies, and corporations and the work involves almost every area of law.” — Vinny Lekhi, Dual JD, Articling Student, Crown Law Office-Civil Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General, Toronto
JUDICIAL CLERKSHIP: 3%
“What prepared me the most for my judicial clerkship was Detroit Mercy Law’s excellent writing program. I still use the skills I learned in my first-year legal research and writing courses. My upper-level writing course, the Judicial Clerkship Seminar, gave me a simulated opportunity to do the hands-on work of a judicial clerk under the supervision of a professor who had previously served as a clerk.” — Adam Pradko, Clerk, Michigan Court of Appeals Research Division, Lansing
LAW FIRM (50+) 23%
“I look forward to gaining litigation experience as an associate. Detroit Mercy Law prepared me for my career in many ways. Participating in Moot Court, clinics, internships, and externships enhanced my interest in litigation. I enjoy going to court and engaging in oral arguments.” — Jailah Emerson, Associate Attorney, Varnum, Detroit
91% 2020 graduates employed in legal positions
BUSINESS & INDUSTRY: 12%
“My professors challenged me in the classroom to apply concepts to practical simulations that mimicked problems I would face as a practicing attorney. Those teachings, especially in courses like Anatomy of a Business Transaction Law Firm Program and Counseling and Negotiations, provided me with the technique and confidence to successfully lead projects in my current role.” — Brittany Misisch, Corporate IP Counsel, GKN Automotive, Detroit
C L A SS OF 2020 SEC TO R S OF EM PLOY M EN T
PUBLIC INTEREST: 4%
“I decided to pursue a career in public interest law because I have always enjoyed helping people. When I received my first emotional thank you from a client, it was a very proud and happy moment. You become invested in your clients’ cases and when you receive your first win, it is something you never forget.” — Cheryl Mitchell, Staff Attorney, Legal Services NYC, New York City
2020 DUAL JD GRADUATES SECURED 96 PERCENT EMPLOYMENT RATE THE DETROIT MERCY LAW EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES INCLUDE GRADUATES OF THE CANADIAN & AMERICAN DUAL JD PROGRAM, offered in partnership with University
of Windsor Faculty of Law. Dual JD graduates pursuing licensure in Canada are required to complete postgraduation experiential training, which is similar to an apprenticeship, before they are admitted to practice law. Of the 2020 Dual JD graduates, 96 percent secured articling,
Law Practice Program, or attorney positions to fulfill the post-graduation experiential training requirement, and some will pursue licensure on both sides of the border. The Dual JD program is the only comparative program of its kind in North America in which students earn two law degrees in three years and graduate eligible to be licensed in both the US and Canada. DETR OIT MERCY LAW 21
C A R E E R SE RV ICE S
EMB R AC I NG V I R T UA L I N TE RV I E WS: ST UDEN T S SECU RE SUMME R A SSOC I ATE AND C LERK I NG P OSI T I ONS “Virtual interviews and virtual networking will likely be a part of the future, even as we return to more in-person events.” — Kate Brink Harrison '12, Director of Career Services
ON-CAMPUS INTERVIEWS HOSTED VIRTUALLY THE ANNUAL ON-CAMPUS INTERVIEW (OCI) PROGRAM TRANSITIONED TO A VIRTUAL PLATFORM DURING THE PANDEMIC. Traditionally, participating
employers interview students at the law school, beginning in mid to late summer. The pandemic, however, delayed the 2020-2021 program at law schools across the nation and shifted the interviews to virtual platforms. The 2021-2022 OCI program is now underway, and while the timeline returned to normal, the interview process remained virtual. Despite these changes, Detroit Mercy Law students successfully secured positions for the 2021 summer and are already beginning to accept positions for 2022. “Our students adjusted well to virtual interviews,” stated Harrison. “When the pandemic began, the Career Services Office (CSO) supported students via Zoom and continued offering mock interviews, one-on-one counseling sessions, resume and cover letter workshops, and informational lunches with alumni.” Anthony Cimini '22 secured a summer associate position with Miller Canfield.
“Virtual mock interviews with the CSO really helped me prepare for the real experience,” stated Cimini.
“Virtual OCI was a different and new experience,” stated Fatmeh Cheaib '22, who secured a summer associate position with Collins Einhorn.
“The introductions seemed awkward at first without the normal handshaking, but after that, the virtual interviews felt very natural.” 22 D O C KE T | FA L L 20 2 1
Brooke Nosanchuk '22 secured a summer associate position with Plunkett Cooney.
“While it may seem harder at first to connect with others through a screen, I would not change a thing about how virtual OCI went for me. With OCI being virtual, I was able to participate without missing class or other commitments,” she stated. The majority of employers that participate in OCI are large and mid-size law firms that interview rising 2Ls for summer associate positions. Students selected for the positions typically work the summer following their 2L year and begin again as associates at the firm following the bar exam. OCI may also include small firms, courts, government agencies, corporate legal departments, and non-profits. For example, the Michigan Court of Appeals participates yearly and interviews 3Ls for judicial clerkships that begin following graduation, and the Washtenaw County Prosecutors Office Appellate Division regularly interviews students for year-round law clerk positions.
STUDENTS INTERVIEW VIRTUALLY WITH WOLVERINE BAR ASSOCIATION’S JUDICIAL EXTERNSHIP AND SUMMER CLERKSHIP PROGRAMS
VIRTUAL PROFESSIONALISM
TIPS
EACH YEAR, THE CSO PARTNERS WITH THE WOLVERINE BAR ASSOCIATION (WBA), an affinity bar association that
promotes equal justice and equal access and seeks to diversify the legal profession, and supports students applying to their judicial externship program (JEP) and summer clerkship program (SCP). This past year, interviews for these programs were hosted virtually. All 19 of the Detroit Mercy Law students who applied to JEP and SCP were invited to interview. One declined because she received an internship through a different program. All 18 who interviewed received offers. Some students worked exclusively in a law firm, corporate legal department, federal judicial chambers, or non-profit, while others split their summer between multiple employer types.
“My experience with the WBA provided me with exposure to opportunities that I did not expect to have as a first-year law student. I look forward to helping those who come after me receive the same exposure, resources, and connections that I was afforded,” stated Tenisha Wardford ’24, who
split her summer between Dickinson Wright as a Summer Associate and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan as a Judicial Clerk.
1
Avoid virtual backgrounds during interviews. They can be distracting, become pixelated, and sometimes make parts of you disappear.
2
Take a pause before you start speaking. It can be difficult in a virtual environment to know when someone is finished speaking. Take a short pause before you start to speak to avoid interrupting someone.
3
Maintain eye contact. Make the virtual meeting window small and move it to the top of the screen as close as possible to the camera. Focus on your camera and limit the need to look down at the screen.
4
Consider wearing earbuds or a small headset. Earbuds or a small headset can help improve sound quality and reduce background noise. Avoid larger headphones because they can be distracting.
LOOKING TO HIRE A DETROIT MERCY LAW STUDENT OR RECENT GRADUATE?
Employers are encouraged to connect with the CSO early about hiring needs for the strongest applicant pool. Many students secure summer employment during the preceding fall, and many recent graduates secure legal employment prior to graduation. Email cso@udmercy.edu for more information. DETR OIT MERCY LAW 23
L AW SCHOOL T E AM
FACULTY PUB L I C AT I O NS Erin Archerd
Associate Professor of Law It’s Not the Lawyers We Need to Convince, Discussions I n Dispute R esolutions (2021) Two Hearts and Brewer/Distributor Conflicts, 52 University of the Pacific L aw R eview 803 (2021)
J. Richard Broughton
Successful L egal A nalysis and Writing: The Fundamentals (5th ed., West, forthcoming 2022) (with Christopher D. Soper) Chapter 22 (Legal Ethics), in ICLE, M ichigan Basic P ractitioner H andbook (7th ed., forthcoming 2021)(with Lawrence Dubin)
Paula Manning
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs & Professor of Law The Second Article, 59 Houston L aw R eview (forthcoming 2021)
Assistant Dean of Academic Success and Bar Preparation & Professor of Law How to Train Your Supervisor, Pace L aw R eview (forthcoming 2022) (with Kris Franklin)
Jelani Jefferson Exum
Deborah Paruch
Dean & Professor of Law That’s Enough Punishment: Situating Defunding the Police Within Antiracist Sentencing Reform, 48 Fordham Urban L aw Journal 625 (2021)(with Jalila Jefferson-Bullock) Reconstruction Sentencing: Imagining Drug Sentencing in the Aftermath of the War on Drugs, A m. Crim. L. R ev (Georgetown) 1685 (2021)
Melissa Eckhause
Visiting Professor of Law Fighting Image Theft: An Empirical Study of Photography Copyright Lawsuits, A lbany L aw R eview (forthcoming 2022)
Cristina Lockwood
Associate Professor of Law The Presence of Justice: A Call to Expand the Humanitarian Exception in ABA Model Rule of Professional Conduct 1.8(e) 35 Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics & Public Policy (forthcoming 2021) M ichigan L egal R esearch, (4th ed., Carolina Academic Press, forthcoming 2021)
24 D O C KE T | FA L L 20 2 1
Professor of Law Solitary Confinement of Juveniles: It is a Cruel and Unusual Punishment, 25 I daho L aw R eview (forthcoming 2021)
Michelle Richards
Associate Professor of Law Going Viral?: Examining the Use of Civil Liability Strategies as a Responses to Public Health Crises, 18 University of New H ampshire L aw R eview (forthcoming 2021)
Daniel Rosenbaum
Visiting Professor of Law Confronting the Local Land Checkerboard, 56 University of R ichmond L aw R eview (forthcoming 2021) Reforming Local Property for an Era of National Decline, Buffalo L aw R eview (forthcoming 2022) A Legal Map of New Local Parkland, M arquette L aw R eview (forthcoming 2021) Towards Mission Creep: Fragmented Local Governance in the Face of Crisis, 56 29 Journal of Affordable Housing & Community Development Law (2021)
Nicholas Schroeck
Associate Dean for Experiential Education & Associate Professor of Law Engaged Communication of Environmental Health Science: Processes and Outcomes of Urban Academic -Community Partnerships, A pplied Environmental Education & Communication ( June 2021) (with Carrie Leach, et al.)
FACULTY PUB L I C AT I O NS Leslie Scott
Assistant Professor of Law Drug Decriminalization, Addiction, and Mass Incarceration: A Theories of Punishment Framework for Ending the "War on Drugs", 48 N. Ky. L. R ev. 267 (2021)
Elizabeth Sherowski
Visiting Professor of Law Book Review, Narrative and Metaphor in the Law, L egal Communication & R hetoric: Journal of the A ssociation of L egal Writing Directors (forthcoming 2021) A New Way to Teach Secondary Source Research: Source Discovery, 28 P erspectives: Teaching L egal R esearch and Writing 32-35 (2020)
Stephen Wilks
Associate Professor of Law Disturbing the Modern Plantation: How COVID-19 is Reinforcing the Food Supply Chain’s Function as a Social Sorting Tool, 30 Cornell Journal of L aw & P ublic Policy (forthcoming 2021) Chasing the Fruits of Misery: Confronting the Historical Relationship Between Opioid Revenues, Offshore Financial Centers, and International Regulatory Networks, 41 Northwestern Journal of I nternational L aw & Business 1 (2021) Opportunistic Prosecution? Huawei and the Role of Banking Regulation in China’s Trade War with the United States, in Big Policy and Big Crime: Is It A ll A bout the Money? (Elizabeth Kirley & Tonita Murray, eds.) (forthcoming 2021) Designed for Disruption: When COVID-19 Collides with a Fractured Supply Chain and Politicized Global Trading System, in Outsmarting the Next Pandemic (Elizabeth Kirley & Deborah Porter, eds.)(forthcoming 2021) Sheriffs, Schills, or Just Paying the Bills?: Rethinking the Merits of Compelling Merchant Co-Operation with ThirdParty Policing in the Aftermath of George Floyd's Death, in 79 Washington and L ee L aw R eview (forthcoming 2023)
WELCOME NEW COMMU N I T Y MEMB E R S N E W FACULT Y Paula Manning
Professor of Law and Assistant Dean for Academic Success and Bar Preparation B.S., University of California, Irvine, J.D., Western State University College of Law Manning is a nationally recognized expert on law school teaching and learning. Her scholarship focuses on incorporating positive psychology into the law school environment to improve student wellbeing, combat stereotype threat, support student autonomy, and develop growth mindsets. Manning was a Visiting Professor at Pacific University McGregor School of Law. She was a Professor of Law and Director of the STELLAR Student Law Program at Western State University College of Law. Prior to joining academia, she was the Director of Litigation at the Fair Housing Foundation in Long Beach, California.
Holly Christian
Toni A. Wisne Veterans Law Clinic Fellow B.A., University of Dayton, J.D., DePaul University College of Law Christian is an experienced attorney working in the area of veterans law. She previously worked as the Pro Bono Manager and a Staff Attorney at Swords to Plowshares in San Francisco, a non-profit organization that provides services to Bay Area veterans in need, and was the Veterans Pro Bono Coordinator for the American Bar Association’s Military and Veterans Legal Center in Chicago. Christian will be working in the Veterans Law Clinic with students and veterans, increasing the scope of services provided by the clinic. DETR OIT MERCY LAW 25
L AW SCHOOL T E AM
FACULT Y P ROM OT I O NS Catherine Archibald
Associate Professor of Law B.A., Princeton University, J.D., Michigan State University College of Law, LL.B, University of Ottawa Faculty of Law Archibald joined the faculty in 2015 and was granted tenure in 2021. She teaches Comparative Legal Theory and Analysis in the Canadian and American Dual JD Program and an upper-level course in Gender Law.
Patrick Meyer
Professor of Law and Director of Kresge Law Library B.S. Southwest Minnesota State University, M.S., Kansas State University, M.L.S, Syracuse University, J.D., Washburn University School of Law Meyer joined the faculty in 2012 and was promoted to Professor of Law in 2021. In addition to developing the collection and fostering the creation of services for faculty and students in the Kresge Law Library he teaches the Introduction to Legal Research and Writing course for first-year students.
Michelle Richards
Associate Professor of Law B.A., Michigan State University, J.D., University of Detroit Mercy School of Law Richards joined the faculty in 2002 and was granted tenure in 2021. She teaches Advanced Advocacy, Applied Legal theory and Analysis, Civil Procedure, Pre-Trial Litigation, and Torts.
Nicholas Schroeck
Associate Professor of Law and Associate Dean of Experiential Education B.A., Elmhurst College, J.D., Wayne State University Law School Schroeck joined the faculty in 2018 and was granted tenure in 2021. He teaches environmental law, oversees the clinical program, and serves as director of the Environmental Law Clinic.
26 D O C KE T | FA L L 20 2 1
N E W STA FF Katharine Fisher
Director of the Canadian & American Dual JD Program B.A., University of Windsor, M.A., University of Windsor, J.D., University of Windsor Faculty of Law, LL.M, York University Osgoode Hall Law School Fisher joined Detroit Mercy Law in June 2021 after working as an instructor at St. Clair College teaching Legal Research and Writing, Administrative Law, and Torts and Contracts. She also previously worked as a contributing editor for LexisNexis Canada and a Legal Research and Writing instructor at University of Windsor.
Kari Jenkins
Web Designer B.A., Rochester University Jenkins joined Detroit Mercy Law in November 2020 after working in higher education for 7 years. She was previously the Alumni Director for Marygrove College and The Foundation and Communications Coordinator for Monroe County Community College.
Deborah Parsons
Clinical Support A.S. Macomb Community College, B.S. University of Detroit Mercy Parsons joined Detroit Mercy Law in May 2021 after working at Lakeshore Legal Aid as the Office Administrator. During her time at Detroit Mercy, she was a work study student in the law clinic.
Cristina Ruiz-Mason
Clinical Support A.S., Platt College Ruiz-Mason joined Detroit Mercy Law in June 2021 after working at Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation as a bi-lingual parent educator. She holds her Associate's Degree in Paralegal Studies
RETIREMENT REFLECTIONS DEAN PHYLLIS L. CROCKER Dean Phyllis L. Crocker joined Detroit Mercy Law in 2014. During her time as dean, the school expanded clinic offerings, which have received multiple awards for service to the community and with her support, and the first affiliate of the Detroit Mercy Law Alumni Association the Association of Black Law Alumni was formed. Dean Crocker worked hard to increase diversity in the faculty, administration, and staff in addition to the student body at Detroit Mercy Law, and she dedicated time and effort to increasing scholarships to help students afford law school. Dean Crocker was presented with a portrait, donated by the Student Bar Association, that will hang in the hallways of Detroit Mercy Law, recognizing and honoring her as the first woman dean of the school.
PROFESSOR JACQUELINE HAND Professor Jacueline Hand joined the faculty at Detroit Mercy Law in 1980 and earned the rank of Professor of Law in 1986. Over her 41 years of teaching, she taught a variety of courses in the areas of environmental law and property law. She founded the American Indian Law Center at Detroit Mercy Law in 1996 and was the director of the center until 2007. Throughout her career, Professor Hand served at as a visiting professor at many institutions, including University of New Mexico Law School, University of Santa Clara Law School, and Seattle University Law School. She was the recipient of an Indo-American Fellowship for study in India through the Fulbright Association.
ADJUNCT PROFESSORS WILLIAM LADD AND JENNIFER PILETTE William Ladd ’79 and Jennifer Pilette retired after over a decade of adjunct teaching. Together, Professor Ladd and Professor Pilette taught the Juvenile Justice and the Children and the Law courses in the Law Firm Program. Professor Ladd additionally directed the Juvenile Law Appellate Clinic. In 2012, Professor Ladd and Professor Pilette received the Adjunct Professor of the Year Award.
Professor Hand with students on one of her urban agriculture trips for her class about the subject.
DETR OIT MERCY LAW 27
SC H O LA RSHIP S & T H AN K YOU NOT E S
SUPPORTING
THE
COMPLETE LAWYER
OUR COMMUNITIES NEED MORE LAWYERS WHO, LIKE YOU, ARE DRIVEN TO SERVE. Scholarship support from alumni donors empowers our students as
they pursue their goals and seek to make a difference in their communities. We thank all of our donors for helping students thrive in law school and beyond.
INTERESTED IN GIVING BACK?
Visit law.udmercy.edu/alumni-giving/gift-giving/ donate-to-the-school-of-law or connect with Julie Hein, Director of Development, heinja@udmercy.edu or 313-596-0274
“It is truly an honor to have been awarded the Honorable John R. Perry Memorial Endowed Scholarship, and to attend University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. I grew up in Detroit and have spent many years living in and around the city. What a gift it is to attend school in the heart of downtown.” — Anthony Cimini, ˈ22
JUDGE JOHN E. FITZGERALD ‘65 AND
REV. MARY B. FITZERGALD JUDGE JOHN E. FITZGERALD ’65 AND HIS WIFE, REV. MARY B. FITZGERALD, PLEDGED TO SUPPORT THE ANTHONY ASHER '65 ENDOWED CLINIC FUND. This pledge was made in honor of the friendship between Judge Fitzgerald’s and Anthony Asher when both were students at University of Detroit School of Law.
His donation will also support the College of Business Administration where his father was Dean for many years.
“I will be forever grateful for the education and training I received by the Jesuits at the University of Detroit, both undergraduate and post-graduate. The Jesuits not only created an atmosphere for learning, but instilled in me, an appetite for learning. My father would often say to me and my brothers that an education is no guarantee or magic key to success, but it will equip you to experience opportunities to continue to grow personally and professionally. The education I received at the University of Detroit provided a foundation upon which I have been able to build to enjoy a positive and successful career.” — Judge John E. Fitzgerald
REMEMBERING ANTHONY A. ASHER ‘65 Anthony A. Asher '65 passed away on August 24, 2021 at the age of 85. Asher, a generous supporter of the School of Law, made a gift in honor of his brother to support the purchase and renovation of the firehouse that now houses the clinical program. The building is named the George J. Asher Law Clinic Center. Each year, student clinicians work out of the building and provide pro bono legal services to community members who otherwise may not have access to legal services through over a dozen clinics offered by the School of Law. Asher was the child of Syrian immigrants who died when he was young. His older brother, George J. Asher, dropped out of school at 16 to take care of his younger
siblings. After helping raise his siblings, George entered law school at Detroit Mercy Law. Tragically, in 1963 just months shy of completing his law degree, George passed away from complications of hemophilia. Asher, who was inspired by his older brother, was a first-year law student at the time of George’s passing. Asher’s successful law career spanned five decades. He went on to become a CEO and President of Sullivan, Ward, Asher, and Patton PC.
SCHOL ARSHI P S & THANK YOU NOTE S
“Being the first of my household to pursue higher education and law school, while financing my education without any family support, the Ferd J. and Lottie Chmielnicki Endowed Scholarship assists me significantly to complete my law school studies. It is my hope that one day I can carry on the tradition of giving at Detroit Mercy Law, so students can continue to pursue and excel in their law school studies without worries of financial concerns.” — Daniel Nisghuchi Dual ˈ21
"By awarding me the Virginia Leo Sirotnak Endowed Scholarship, you are allowing me to focus on the most important aspect of school, learning. Thank you for your investment in Detroit Mercy Law and the futures of students like me.”
“My parents immigrated from Lebanon and I am a first-generation college graduate. The Aline FeltonBerkley Scholarship allows students like myself the opportunity to reach our goals.” — Hanadi Faraj ˈ21
— Amanda Welton-Hagan, Dual ˈ22
JUDGE MARYLIN ATKINS
‘80
JUDGE MARYLIN ATKINS ‘80 HAS PLEDGED TO BE THE ONGOING SPONSOR OF A TUITION SCHOLARSHIP ADMINISTERED BY THE BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION. The scholarship supports a rising 3L student and will be called the Marylin E. Atkins Scholarship. Judge Atkins was a District Court Judge for the 36th District in Detroit until she retired in 2012. After her retirement, she published her memoir, The Triumph of Rosemary, in 2017. She spoke at the 2019 Book Awards honoring Detroit Mercy Law students.
“I believe it is important that Black lawyers be a part of the legal and judicial system in our community. By sponsoring a BLSA scholarship I can assist Black law students in earning their law degree and it’s my way of giving back to my law school. I am grateful for the opportunity” — Judge Marylin Atkins '80
DETR OIT MERCY LAW 29
YE AR IN RE V IE W
C ELEB R AT I NG
THE
C L A SS OF 2021
BACCALAUREATE MASS DETROIT MERCY LAW AND DETROIT MERCY DENTAL CELEBRATED THE GRADUATES IN THE CLASS OF 2021
on May 13, 2021 with the Baccalaureate Mass. This year, the Mass was livestreamed and had limited people in Ss. Peter and Paul Jesuit Church participating in the celebration giving thanks and asking for blessings for the Class of 2021 as they begin their professional journeys.
Deja Davis ’21 reads the Prayers of the People.
Joseph Kuzmiak ’21 reads the Prayers of the People.
Participants at the Baccalaureate Mass (Left to Right): Professor Cara Cunningham Warren, School of Law, Dr. Juliette Daniels, Assistant Dean, Student Services and Enrollment Management School of Dentistry, Dr. Tim Saunders, Assistant Dean, Clinical Administration, and Clinical Professor, School of Dentistry, Fr. Gilbert Sunghera, S.J, Celebrant, Dr. Antoine M. Garibaldi, President, Dr. Mert Aksu, Dean, School of Dentistry, Phyllis L. Crocker, Dean, School of Law, Rev. Mr. Kurt J. Godfryd, Assistant Dean for Administration, School of Law, Dr. Catherine Punsalan-Manlimos, Assistant to the President for Mission Integration, Pamela Zarkowski, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Monica Barbour, University Secretary and Senior Attorney.
HOODING CEREMONY
ON MAY 14, 2021, AFTER THE VIRTUAL COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY, DETROIT MERCY LAW HOSTED A HOODING CEREMONY for graduates. 70 graduates came with two
guests to get hooded and celebrate all their accomplishments.
Emily Hessenthaler ’21 is hooded by her mother and attorney, Laura Eisenberg ’91.
Livia Khemmoro ’21 addresses the Class of 2021 as the chosen class speaker.
Deja Davis ’21 leads the prayer inspired by St. Thomas More. 30 D O C KE T | FA L L 20 2 1
RED MASS DETROIT MERCY LAW CELEBRATED ITS 108 TH ANNUAL RED MASS on September 22, 2020.
Red Mass is an occasion for judges, attorneys, and community members of all faiths to pray together for guidance at the beginning of a new judicial term. This was the first ever live streamed Red Mass. Photo: Jewel Haji ’19 leads the Prayers of the People
The Hon. Michael Riordan ’90 of the Michigan Court of Appeals carries in the Book of the Gospels at the beginning of the Mass
VIRTUAL EVENTS
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, many of the events on the Detroit Mercy Law calendar were held virtually.
FIRST
IN-PERSON CL ASS
The Detroit Mercy Law student clinicians were sworn in via Zoom by Judge Denise Langford Morris ’82 on January 21, 2021.
The Detroit Mercy Law Women’s Law Caucus hosted a successful event all about negotiating salaries as a woman lawyer.
In addition to hosting signature events via Zoom, a new series addressing current events was put together to create timely responses and allow the community to hear from our faculty experts when major events occurred in our country. Professor Richard Broughton, Dean Jelani Jefferson Exum, Professor Nicholas Schroeck, Professor Leslie Scott, Professor Daniel Rosenbaum, and Professor Julia Belian provided commentary on a range of subjects from the 2020 Election to the Presidential Inauguration to Vaccine Passports.
ON JUNE 23, 2021 DETROIT MERCY LAW HAD ITS FIRST IN-PERSON CLASS
since the beginning of the pandemic
in March 2021. Professor Richard Broughton taught Constitutional Law to a group of Dual JD students. DETR OIT MERCY LAW 31
A L U MNI A SSOCIAT ION P R E SIDE NT ’ S M E SSAGE
I AM THRILLED TO BEGIN MY TENURE AS THE UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT MERCY SCHOOL OF LAW ALUMNI BOARD PRESIDENT FOR THE 2021-2022 TERM.
It is my pleasure, along with the Board of Directors, to represent the more than 9,000 alumni around the globe and connect with our many friends and supporters. With the leadership of our President-Emeritus, the Hon. Michael J. Riordan, the Law School Alumni Board has had many successes over the past two years, including: creating and endowing the Detroit Mercy Law Alumni Board Endowed Scholarship; creating the Alumni Council – a board of recent Law School alumni; ensuring that programs and services provided to our alumni meet their current needs by revising Alumni Board By-Laws, Committee Structure, and Membership; and holding the first (and hopefully only) virtual Erin Go Law event, which provided an opportunity for our community to reconnect. The Alumni Board looks forward to continuing to build upon these successes, and we hope you will join us in this mission. Throughout the coming year, the Law School Alumni Board will lead several initiatives designed to raise funds as we invest in the future of legal education at Detroit Mercy Law. A financial investment in current students will help mitigate their debt and provide tangible support as they navigate their future. We hope you will share your experiences by engaging with admitted students to encourage their choice of Detroit Mercy Law, serving on job-related panels, or mentoring current students. Whether virtually or, when the time is right, in-person, we hope you will join us at an event, program, or lecture. The presence of alumni and friends means so much to the school. The members of the Alumni Board are here to serve you, and I invite you to join us for the exciting year we have ahead. Looking forward to the year ahead with a semblance of normalcy for all of us. We deserve it!
Kyle R. Dufrane ‘98 President Detroit Mercy Law Alumni Board
2020 -2021
DETROIT MERCY LAW ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIREC TORS
KYLE R. DUFRANE ’98 PRESIDENT HON. MICHAEL J. RIORDAN ’90 PRESIDENT EMERITUS SARAH SIMMONS ’18 VICE PRESIDENT GREGORY G. THIESS ’79 CO-SECRETARY AHNDIA MANSOORI’ 18 CO-SECRETARY HON. MIACHEL J. BEALE ’90 KRISTOFFER BUTLER ’19 KEITHER DRISCOLL ’18 YAFEEZ FATABHOY ’18 BERNARD J. FUHS ’06 MARCO GATTI ’10 JEWEL HAJI ’19 KENNY HEMLER ’07 MARIAH HERFI ’21 HON. TERRANCE A. KEITH ’84 LORI MIRELES-SMITH ’18 CHRISTINA NASSAR ’10 MYLIKA RADFORD ’13 KORY STEEN ’18 JAMES E. TAMM ’85 MACIE TUIASOSOPO ’13 MATTHEW L. VICARI ’90 MARK A. WISNIEWSKI ’90 JUSTIN ZATKOFF ’14
2021-2022 ALUMNI COUNCIL MICHAEL CHICHESTER JR. ’07 REBECCA EL BADAOUI ’20 MICHAEL PEREIRA ’18 MICHELLE SHEMBLER ’19 KRISTIN FERNANDEZ ’19
32 D O C KE T | FA L L 20 2 1
ABLA PRES IDEN T’S MES SAG E
THE ASSOCIATION OF BLACK LAW ALUMNI (ABLA) HAS HAD A BUSY FIRST YEAR. Members created and
implemented a mentoring program, developed working committees to support students and alumni, solidified the connection with the Black Law Student Association (BLSA), raised funds for the David Williams II and Gail Carr Williams Scholarship and, in August, hosted the first ever ABLA Networking event “Summer BBQ Bash.” These accomplishments are freshly spun threads of the rich contributions of Black alumni to be stitched into the tapestry of Detroit Mercy Law. With each new accomplishment a new thread attaches in the hope another student will find the path to the North Star of opportunity. The ABLA, together with those who support our cause, seek to ensure the doors of opportunity remain accessible and affordable for Black students. Integral to our success is providing two vital resources many of us wish we had in law school: mentors to light the darkened path, and money to ease the financial load strapped to the back of every new graduate as they walk along the way. This is just the beginning. Our goal is not just for the benefit of Black law students; it is rather to actively lead University of Detroit Mercy School of Law in the recruitment and engagement of all law students and alumni in the crusade for equal justice. Working together, we at Detroit Mercy Law can do great things.
Hon. Terrance A. Keith ’84 President Association of Black Law Alumni
2021-2022
DETROIT MERCY LAW ASSOCIATION OF BLACK LAW ALUMNI BOARD OF DIREC TORS
JUDGE TERRANCE A. KEITH ’84 PRESIDENT JUDGE KRISTINA ROBINSON GARRET ’15 VICE PRESIDENT JESSICA HOLMES ’15 SECRETARY DESIREE MARKS ’13 TREASURER MIKYIA AARON ’15 JUDGE MARYLIN ATKINS ’80 KYRA BOLDEN ’14 FALLON BOOTH ’14 JOSEPH BROWN ’62 PONCE CLAY ’15 DARWYN FAIR ’79 ROBBIE GAINES ’15 MICHELE HALL ’84 KRENISSA HICKS ’16 JUDGE SHANNON A. HOLMES ’98 DEREK HURT ’84 MARCL HURT ’92 RYAN JACKSON ’17 KYMBERLY KINCHEN ’09 EDWINA KING ’10 JONATHAN KIRKLAND ’15 MELISSA KOPRIVA ’16 ASHLEY MCBRIDE ’16
ABLA: TOGETHER WE RISE To engage with or to obtain more information about the ABLA, the first affiliate of the Detroit Mercy Law Alumni Association, please email April Ellison at ellisoal@udmercy.edu
JAMEL NELSON ’09 ERICA POWELL-BELL '08 MYLIKA RADFORD ’13 NISHAWN SPILLER ’17 AISHA J. THOMAS ’13 CLARENCE TUCKER ’87 MACIE TUIASOSOPO ’13
DETR OIT MERCY LAW 33
C L ASS NOT E S
1960S
1980s
Frederick W. Lauck ’69 was named to the
Steven D. Sallen ’84 was named to the
Michigan Lawyer’s Weekly Hall of Fame.
Michigan Lawyer’s Weekly Hall of Fame.
Kim Shierk ’84 was named to Michigan
1970S
Lawyer’s Weekly’s debut list of Go to Lawyers.
Christopher A. Andreoff ’72 was named Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers.
1990s
Hon. Lisa Gretchko ’78 was appointed by
Hon. Jennifer Deegan ’96 was appointed
the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit as a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan.
to the 57th Circuit Court by Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
Nicole Goodson ’97 was named a Notable
Woman in the Law by Crain’s Business Detroit.
1980S Henry B. Cooney ’80 was named to the Michigan Lawyer’s Weekly Hall of Fame.
Robert Kamenec ’82 was named one of DBusiness's Top Lawyers for 2021.
Mark Kopson ’85 was named on of DBusiness's Top Lawyers for 2021.
Thomas J. Manganello ’80 was named to the Michigan Lawyer’s Weekly Hall of Fame.
Mary Kucharek ’92 was named a Notable
Woman in the Law by Crain’s Business Detroit.
Jason Long ’99 was elected Secretary of
the Real Property Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan.
Mark Lytle ’90 joined Nixon Peabody as a partner in the Government Investigations & White-Collar Defense practice. Hon. Millicent Sherman ’95 was appointed to the 36th District Court of the City of Detroit by Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
Hon. Shalina Kumar ’96
Hon. Shalina Kumar ’96 was nominated by President Biden to be a federal judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. Judge Kumar was appointed to the 6th Circuit Court in Oakland County in 2007. She was appointed Chief Judge of the Oakland County Circuit Court by the Michigan Supreme Court 2018. If confirmed, she would be the first Indian-American to serve as a federal judge in Michigan.
34 D O C KE T | FA L L 20 2 1
2000s Yvonna Abraham ’06 was appointed to 3rd
Circuit Court of Wayne County by Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
Michelle Bass ’07 was named a Notable Woman in the Law by Crain’s Business Detroit. Francesco Briguglio ’08 was
elected president of the Macomb County Bar Association.
Kimberly Clayson ’06 was named a Notable Woman in the Law by Crain’s Business Detroit.
Ryan Kelly ’08 was named President of the Women Lawyer’s Association of Michigan. Layne Sawka ’03 was named a Notable
Woman in the Law by Crain’s Business Detroit.
Marlena Taylor ’09 was appointed to the 36th
District Court of the City of Detroit by Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
Jennifer Dukarski ’10
Jennifer Dukarski BME '96, JD '10 is the leader of Butzel Long’s Connect Car and Autonomous Vehicle Specialty. She is a national leader in legal issues facing emerging automotive technology. In 2020, she was appointed cochair of the American Bar Association's forum diversity committee. In 2021, Dukarski was appointed to the Transportation Research Board’s (TRB) Standing Committee on Emerging Technology Law. In this national position, Dukarski serves with other committee members to investigate and provide a forum for the discussion of legal and public policy issues arising from the identification, development, and application of emerging technology to transportation systems.
2010s Mikyia Aaron ’15 was appointed to the
Grand Valley State University Board of Trustees by Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
Angelo Berlasi Jr. ’19 joined Nemeth Law, P.C. as an associate attorney.
Matthew G. Bernard ’12 was named partner in the Detroit office of Bowman and Brooke.
Kyra Harris Bolden ’14 was named one of
the Michigan Chronicle's 40 under 40.
Ponce Clay ’15 was awarded The Community
Impact Award by the Detroit Bar Association.
Javon David ’13 was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Michigan Defense Trial Counsel Assocation.
Valerie Dahlstrom ’18 and Jennifer Smith ’18 founded Brimstone Law PLLC specializing in family law together.
Charity Dean ’15 became the President and CEO of the Metro Detroit Black Business Alliance. She was also named in Crain’s Business 40 under 40 Class of 2020. Michael Everett Hall ’15 was sworn
in as President of the D. Augustus Straker Bar Assocation.
Kate Brink Harrison ’12 was elected to the board of the Detroit Bar Association.
DETR OIT MERCY LAW 35
C L ASS NOT E S
2010s Vanessa Guerra ’16 was elected County Clerk for Saginaw County. She was also appointed by Governor Whitmer to the Saginaw Valley State University Board of Control. Ahndia Mansoori ’18 was promoted to
Senior Associate Attorney at Kitch Drutchas Wagner Valitutti & Sherbrook, P.C.
Nicola Mawatmeh ’11 was promoted to Chief
Ariana Pellegrino ’14 was elected as a
member at Dickinson Wright in the Detroit office.
Aisha Thomas '13 was named to the 2021
class of Leaders by the Urban Land Institute Atlanta Women Leadership Initiative.
Amanda Vintevoghel ’12 was named partner at The Dragich Law Firm.
of Staff for the U.S. House of Representatives.
Lawrence Opalewski ’13 was named an Up and Coming Lawyer by Lawyer’s Weekly. He was named partner at Dalton and Tomich in 2021. Chelsea Pasquali ’12 was promoted to
2020s Adel Nucho ’20 joined Dalton and Tomich as
an associate attorney.
partner at Collins Einhorn and Farell PC.
Arrielle Hall ’20
Arrielle Hall ’20 competed in NBC’s American Ninja Warrior. Hall trained as a body builder and for the competition show while she was a law student.
36 D O C KE T | FA L L 20 2 1
G I V I N G C AM PA I G N THE COURTYARD IS THE FRONT DOOR TO DETROIT MERCY LAW. Each year, hundreds of community members come through the Courtyard to enter our front doors. They attend lectures and religious events, participate in panel discussions for students and serve as adjuncts, moot court judges and guest lecturers. It is also a frequent entrance to the Ss. Peter and Paul Church. The renovation will transform the space into a park-like setting where students, faculty, staff and the community – including parishioners of the Ss. Peter and Paul Church – can study, reflect, and connect with each other in the heart of Detroit.
“We are very pleased to be renovating the Courtyard space. We want to infuse a new sense of energy, warmth and pride in the Courtyard. We hope the space will become a location shared with everyone in the community.” — James Tamm '85, Co-Chair, Campaign Volunteer Steering Committee
Donors who make a gift of $25,000 or more in support of the Courtyard will receive public recognition of their gift on campus. Below is a list of available naming opportunities. • NAMING OF THE COURTYARD . • GATED ENTRANCE . . . . .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
$
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
$
• LANDSCAPE/GREEN SPACE GARDENS . . • FEATURED COURTYARD ART . . . . .
750,000
500,000
.
.
.
.
$
.
.
.
.
$
250,000
150,000 • STUDY BREAK TABLES AND CHAIRS. . . . . . . $100,000 • CONVERSATION BENCHES . . . . . . . . . . $50,000 • COURTYARD DISPLAY WALL. . . . . . . . . . $25,000
REMEMBRANCE With deepest sympathy to the family and friends of alumni who passed away from August 7, 2020 to June 30, 2021 LOREN G. ADAMS ’57 JOSEPH L. ARPIN ’53 JOSEPH J. BILETI ’52 GEROGE BLATY ’54 LAWRENCE J. BOGOS ’66 JANE L. BRIGGS-BUNTING '75 ROBERT A. CHOLISH ’53 ANTHONY S. CIARAVINO ’62 CHARLES C. CONKLIN ’53 ALAN M. CORNWALL ’83 MICHAEL DASILVA DUAL ’14 JERRY P. D’AVANZO ’51 GERALD C. DAVIS ’72 RICHARD L. DELONIS ’68 LAWRENCE D. DIBASIO ’70 DANIEL DZIERBICKI ’18 MICHAEL L. FAYAD ’70 DONALD V. GRAHAM ’52 SEBASTIAN V. GRASSI ’79
THOMAS R. GRDEN ’86 MARY JANE GUTHRIE-MIERNICKE ’95 GARY S. HOLCOMB ’82 ROSE M. HOOPER ’80 EARSULA JOHNSON ’87 ROBERT S. KARGOL ’78 FRANK J. KELLEY ’51 SALLY M. KING ’75 DOREAN M. KOENIG ’67 GARY L. KOHUT ’78 MORAN J. LEVASSEUR ’51 BRUCE R. MATERS ’77 ROBERT W. MACCOMB ’96 THOMAS S. MCLEOD ’86 JOHN F. MILAN ’65 CHARLES J. MOCERI ’63 JOHN R. MONAGHAN ’66 JAMES H. MULCAHY ’53 MICHAEL F. MURPHY ’78
JAMES E. NANCARROW ’79 JOHN P. O’KEEFFE ’63 JUDITH K. OLK ’84 ROLAND L. OLZARK ’54 MARY ANN PANCHESHAN ’66 RONALD S. PICHLIK ’88 KENNETH E. PRATHER ’59 EDWARD C. REYNOLDS ’79 JEANNINE S. RICHARDSON ’92 BURCE A. RODWAN ’70 HUGH C. ROSS ’54 JOHN M. SHERIDAN ’57 GERALD C. SIMON ’52 LAWRENCE J. STIKEMAN ’86 PATRICK F. TRESE ’00 AVROM T. WEISMAN ’83 MICHAEL J. YOCKEY ’75 A.R. ZEFF ’56
University of Detroit Mercy School of Law Alumni Relations 651 East Jefferson Avenue Detroit, MI 48226-4349
UPCOMING EVENTS Detroit Mercy Law will still be hosting many of our events virtually until it is safe to gather as a community again. OCTOBER 19, 2021 - Patrick A. Keenan Appellate Advocacy Tournament Final Round MARCH 4, 2022 - Detroit Mercy Law Review Symposium
Be on the lookout for more details for the following events: McElroy Lecture on Law and Religion DeWitt C. Holbrook Lecture on Social Justice Erin Go Law Networking Reception Dual JD Alumni & Awards Reception