1. No category

Survey | Qualtrics Survey Software
Page 1 of 4
ABA YLD Awards of Achievement Program
Single Project/Minority
The application should highlight the most successful public service project conducted during the last concluded
activity year.
Any ABA YLD Young Lawyer Affiliated Organization affiliated under Articles 3.1 (a) or 3.1 (b) of the ABA YLD Bylaws
is eligible. For more information on Affiliate eligibility, see the ABA YLD Bylaws.
Submission deadline is June 15, 2011. Awards will be presented on August 6, 2011 during the YLD Assembly at the
ABA Annual Meeting in Toronto, Canada.
* Indicates required field.
Cover Sheet
* Name of YLD Affiliate
MI - State Bar of Michigan Young Lawyers Section
Page 1 of ____________
(fill in total number of pages on mailed copy)
* Division (Figures are for the young lawyer membership of your organization)
State Affiliate: Between 3000 and 8000
* How did you hear about the AOA program? (Select all that apply)
Friend/Colleague
YLD Email
Local Affiliate
YLD Website
Organization Profile
* Number of young lawyers in your affiliate
5350
https://abanet.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_1Tyu7AcInrNuzbu
6/30/2011
Survey | Qualtrics Survey Software
Page 2 of 4
* Is your organization affiliated with a senior bar?
Yes
No
If YES, is membership in your organization automatic?
Yes
No
If a state organization, which are you?
Mandatory
Voluntary
* When does your fiscal year begin and end?
October 1 - September 30
Chairperson/President of Affiliate
* First Name
Maureen
* Last Name
McGinnis
* Address
1721 Crooks Rd Ste 101
* City
Troy
* State
MI
https://abanet.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_1Tyu7AcInrNuzbu
6/30/2011
Survey | Qualtrics Survey Software
Page 3 of 4
* Zip Code
48084
Application Prepared By (You will be the person contacted by the ABA YLD regarding this project)
* First Name
Brandy
* Last Name
Robinson
* Address
231 W. Lafayette Rm. 718
* City
Detroit
* State
MI
* Zip Code
48226
* Email Address
[email protected]
* Telephone
3135989325
* Please indicate number of exhibits being submitted
https://abanet.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_1Tyu7AcInrNuzbu
6/30/2011
Survey | Qualtrics Survey Software
Page 4 of 4
Publications
0
CD or DVD
1
* Single Project Title
Platinum in the Profession: Highlighting the Legacy of African-American Leadership in the Law
Do Not Write in This Area
Decision of Judges:
1st Place
2nd Place
Special Recognition
Certificate of Performance
Submit
https://abanet.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_1Tyu7AcInrNuzbu
6/30/2011
STATE BAR OF MICHIGAN
YOUNG LAWYERS SECTION
2010-2011 PROJECT INFORMATION FORM
This form must be completed for all single project service to the Bar, Public and
Comprehensive Applications. One form must be completed for each project
included in a comprehensive application as well as for each single project
application entry.
AFFILIATE
NAME:
PROJECT
TITLE
State Bar of Michigan Young Lawyers Section
Platinum in the Profession: Highlighting the Legacy of AfricanAmerican Leadership in the Law
(If Comprehensive Application) – Project I.D.
#
1.
TYPE OF PROJECT
Please check appropriate type:
_ _ Service to the Public
2.
_ X _ Service to the Bar
DEGREE OF CHANGE OR GROWTH
Please check appropriate type:
_ X _ New Project this Year __ Project continued from previous year
3.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Please provide a brief description (250 words or less) of your project. Be sure to
include a description of the role(s) played by the young lawyer volunteers in the
undertaking of this project; any products resulting from the project; in the case of
continuing projects, have they been expanded and, if so, how.
Diversity remains a critical issue for the State Bar of Michigan, as reflected by its
recent release of the “Michigan Pledge to Achieve Diversity and Inclusion” in the legal
profession. Indeed, the State Bar has frequently opined that African-Americans are
amongst the most underrepresented groups of lawyers in the state. Platinum in the
Profession provided a starting point for tackling this trend by highlighting the
accomplishments of African-American attorneys and judges in the Michigan area, and
encouraging others to follow their roadmap to success. The event featured highly
accomplished Michigan lawyers working in the private sector, public sector, in
corporations, and in the judiciary.
With recognition that this event would draw distinguished practitioners with the power
to make lasting change, it became a platform to discuss a troubling issue facing
people of color: over-incarceration. To that end, the program included a compelling
lunch talk given by Professor Michelle Alexander of the Ohio State University and the
Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity. Professor Alexander has written
extensively on the subject of mass incarceration and its effects on poor and minority
communities.
She discussed her recent book, The New Jim Crow:
Mass
Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindess.
4.
NEEDS ASSESSMENT
What was the reason for undertaking this project? (E.g., was the project internally or
externally motivated; was there a need in the community for the project; was there a
target audience?)
This program idea originated with a well-known premise often discussed by legal
educators and bar leadership, namely that there are too few African-Americans
entering the legal profession. To the extent that the problem is rooted in a lack of
knowledge about the contributions of existing African-American attorneys and judges,
Platinum in the Profession will shone a brilliant spotlight upon those leaders and
sought to inspire a new generation to make a difference through a career in the law.
5.
ACHIEVEMENT OF GOALS/IMPACT
What were the goals and objectives of the project and how were they met?
The program was designed to (1) highlight the accomplishments of African American
attorneys and judges in the Michigan area, (2) inform law students and young lawyers
about how to develop a roadmap for success in the profession, and (3) inspire
lawyers of all stripes to use their law degree to make a difference in the community.
The program goals were most certainly met. We accomplished them through several
mechanisms, including (1) the hosting of a full-day program which featured panel
presentations from lawyers working in the public sector / at public interest
organizations, in law firms, as in-house counsel at various corporations, and on the
state and federal bench; (2) the publication of a keepsake booklet which provided a
biography of each presenter and their words of wisdom for law students and young
lawyers; (3) the presentation of a keynote speaker at the luncheon who talked about
her own passions and encouraged the audience to take a stance on a troubling issue
that affects people of color disproportionately.
If Goals were not met, why not?
To Be Determined.
C.
Will this be a recurring affiliate project?
This has yet to be determined.
If yes, will there by any revisions made?
One revision to the program would be the inclusion of a track for black lawyers who
have pursued careers in academia. It would also be helpful to record the event in the
future and publish the sessions on the Young Lawyers’ Section website as a tool to
benefit those who could not attend the program in-person.
6.
DEGREE OF PARTICIPATION BY MEMBERS
A.
How many young lawyer members actually participated in this project?
(Consider young lawyers involvement in all the different stages of the project-planning
organization, implementation and/or presentation)
Please indicate how many: _2_ YLS Leadership (officers, directors, board
membership)
_4_ YLS committee members
_125_ YLS General Membership
Planning, executing, advertising, and soliciting donations to support this event
required an investment of two-months time, start to finish.
B.
Was the project conducted with the Senior Bar?
___ YES __X_ NO
C.
What other groups or individuals participated and in what numbers.
This project was co-sponsored by the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association, the
Wolverine Bar Association, and the D. Augustus Straker Bar Association. Each
organization sent at least two representatives on its behalf to support the event.
7.
BUDGET:
A.
What was the cost of this project excluding in-kind/donated services?
The estimated cost of this project was approximately $21,000 which reflected
expenses for renting the venue, providing continental breakfast, lunch, and reception
food for the participants, the Platinum publication, advertising, securing the keynote
speaker, providing gifts for the panelists, hiring a photographer, and other
miscellaneous costs.
B.
How was the project funded?
The budget request was for the YLS to cover $5,000 worth of the expenses, and the
rest of the monies were furnished based on sponsor dollars from law firms,
businesses, and other bar associations. There was approximately $1,700 in excess
funding raised for this event, and those proceeds were donated to an organization
called Saving Kids of Incarcerated Parents, which provides mentoring support to
Detroit youth with at least one parent who has been in contact with the criminal justice
system.
A CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTING AFRICAN AMERICAN LEADERSHIP IN THE LAW
m
LATINUM
INTHEPROFESSION
Angelique Strong Marks: Chairperson
In 1995, Angelique Strong Marks began her career practicing employment law at Hardy Lewis &
Page PC representing General Motors Corporation and Delphi Automotive. She moved on to serve
as the chieflegal counsel for Frank's Nursery & Crafts, Inc, then the nation's largest dedicated lawn
and garden retail chain. She then gained Corporate Securities and Finance experience while serv­
ing as senior counsel at CMS Energy Corporation and DTE Energy Company, both Fortune 500
Companies. In 2004, she began working for Handleman Company, a Troy-based .music distribution
company with operations throughout the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. In this
role Ms. Strong Marks became the first African-American General Counsel of a publicly traded
company in the state of Michigan. In October 2009, she began serving as General Counsel and
Corporate Secretary at Behr America, Inc., a Tier One Automotive Supplier based out of Troy,
Michigan.
Ms. Strong Marks currently serves on the State Bar of Michigan Board of Commissioners. She has
served as Chairperson of the State Bar of Michigan Young Lawyers Section, a Michigan delegate to
the American Bar Association House of Delegates, president of the D. Augustus Straker Bar Asso­
ciation and Chairperson of the Save Kids of Incarcerated Parents Advisory Board and a member of
Michigan Lawyers Weekly Board of Editors. Ms. Strong Marks has been honored as Michigan
Lawyer's Weekly Up and Coming Lawyer, Crain's Business 40 under 40, State Bar of Michigan
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _;....s Citizen Lawyer, Who's Who in Black Detroit and Michigan Lawyer's Weekly In-House Leaders in
the Law.
Ms. Strong Marks became a lawyer because she wanted to "Change the World." While she has not
taken the traditional path of a civil rights activist, Ms. Strong Marks utilizes the skills she has ac­
quired and the relationships she has developed to be a true change agent and social engineer. To
quote the great Charles Hamilton Houston, "A lawyer is either a social engineer or a parasite."
Ms. Strong Marks' advice to young attorneys and those who want to become lawyers is that they
must first determine their purpose in life and then pursue it with passion and a standard of excel­
lence. She also reminds them ofthe familiar phrase "To Whom Much is Given, Much is Expected".
Brandy Y.Robinson: Co-Chairperson
Brandy Y. Robinson is a .\aw clerk to the Honorable Julian Abele Cook Jr. of the Eastern District of
Michigan.
Before clerking for Judge Cook, Ms. Robinson worked as an Assistant Defender with the State Ap­
pellate Defender Office (SADO) in Detroit. There, she successfuJly represented indigent criminal
defendants at all stages of appeal, in both state and federal courts. Ms. Robinson also worked as an
associate in the Public Law Group of Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone prior to joining SADO.
Ms. Robinson graduated from the University of Michigan Law School in 2003, where she was an
Articles Editor for the Michigan Journal of Race & Law. She also served as Political Action Co­
Chair on behalf of the Black Law Student Alliance.
Ms. Robinson is the President. of the Wolverine Bar Association, the Chair-Elect of the State Bar of
Michigan Young LaWyers Section, and belongs to the Detroit Chapter of the National Conference
of Black Lawyers.
~PTmm~ ~tate mo;;~~ @?mVdent
W. Anthony Jenkins
In 1980, W. Anthony Jenkins began his career as an Associate at Verner, Liipfert, Ber­
nard, McPherson and Hand in Washington D.C. doing legal research, drafting of pleadings and providing assistance in regulatory and administrative law. In 1982, he moved to Honig­
man Miller Schwartz and Cohn in Detroit, Michigan where he was an Associate and Part­
ner. He served as counsel to a broad range of clients in real estate and commercial develop­
ment including acquisitions and sales, land development, leasing, secured lending and workouts and liquor license matters. In 1994, he joined Dickinson Wright where he cur­
rently is a Member and ChiefDiversity Officer. During his career at Dickinson Wright he has had prominent assignments representing Wayne County Land Bank Corporation, City of Detroit Downtown Development Authority, The Ferchill Group, Charter County of Wayne, and public school districts. He is a nationally recognized expert in certification of companies as minority-owned business enterprises. For nearly 30 years, Mr. Jenkins has distinguished himself as a lawyer, mentor, author and champion for diversity. He has been listed in Michigan Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers, and is a Martindale-Hubbell top-ranked attorney amongst his peers. He is the recipient of both the Spirit of Detroit Award and multiple Service Awards from the American Bar Asso­ ciation. When asked why he wanted to become a lawyer Mr. Jenkins replies, "It was the evening of
July 23, 1967, while I was away from home spending the summer at Williams College in Williamstown, MA, that I learned ofthe
rioting, looting and burning in Detroit. What I will never forget, apart from my concern for my family and friends, was a profound
sadness and sense ofdespair for the City of Detroit and everything about the City and myoId neighborhood that was dear to me.
That night, I planted a seed in my heart with hope that it would grow into a promise that I could deliver upon: to make the best of
life's opportunities and one day to go back home to do what I could to help provide opportunities for others."
Mr. Jenkins' advice to young attorneys and those who want to become attorneys is, "To have and display respect for the legal
process and those who participate in it....The practice of law is more than about winning the case at all costs or focusing on
compensation or notoriety. It is about striving for those things in the context ofrespect, civility and fair play....What we do as
lawyers, simply, is take on the problems of other people and try to help them become better offthan they were beforehand. And,
while we sometimes do that for a fee, there are times when we should do it with neither expectation nor acceptance of a fee. As
lawyers, we are bound by a duty to do so, and, as lawyers, we are uniquely qualified to do what needs to be done. Your
commitment to help those who need help by supporting pro bono legal services either by volunteering your time or by making a
financial contribution to a legal aid program, is a hallmark of our duty as professionals."
Purpose of the Platinum In The Profession Program
The State Bar of Michigan Young Lawyers Section, the Barristers ofthe Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association, the D. Augustus
Straker Bar Association and the Wolverine Bar Association are the hosts of Platinum in the Legal Profession: A Conference
Highlighting African American Leadership in the Law.
Diversity remains a critical issue in the legal profession. In fact, African-Americans are one of the most underrepresented groups
of attorneys in Michigan, The purpose of the Platinum In The Profession Conference is to highlight the accomplishments ·of
African-American attorneys and judges in the Michigan area and encourage the attendees to make a difference through a career in
the law.
The organizations, with the support ofthe program's sponsors, put together this outstanding one day seminar with attorneys who
have provided a strong legacy of leadership. These attorneys will share how they established their roadmap to professional suc­
cess. Most importantly, their guidance will enhance the lives of less senior attorneys and those who aspire to be attorney and
highlight how perseverance, determination and a plan allow one to accomplish hislher goals. African Americailattorneys in the
Metro Detroit area have a strong legacy ofleadership, The organizations are h<)llored to hostthefustof its kind program that
.
highlights theirc(jl11!;J,1J~ent to the. law and to the. community;
~
LATINUM THEPROFESSION Michelle Alexander: Keynote Speaker
Michelle Alexander is a highly acclaimed civil rights lawyer, advocate, and legal scholar who
currently holds a joint appointment at the Kirwan Institute for the Study ofRace and Ethnicity
and the Moritz College ofLaw at The Ohio State University. Prior to joining the Kirwan
Institute, Alexander was an associate professor of law at Stanford Law School, where she
directed the Civil Rights Clinics. In 2005, she won a Soros Justice Fellowship, which
supported the writing of her first book, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of
Colorblindness (The New Press, 2010). The book has received rave reviews and has been
featured in national radio and television media outlets, including NPR, The Bill Moyers
Journal, the Tavis Smiley Show, C-Span Washington Journal, among others.
For several years, Alexander served as the Director ofthe Racial Justice Project for the ACLU
ofNorthern California, where she helped to lead a national campaign against racial profiling
by law enforcement. While an associate at Saperstein, Goldstein, Demchak & Baller, she
specialized in plaintiff-side class action lawsuits alleging race and gender discrimination.
Alexander is a graduate of Stanford Law School and Vanderbilt University. Following law
school, she clerked for Justice Harry A. Blackmull on the United States Supreme Court, and
for Chief Judge Abner Mikva on the United States Court ofAppeals for the D.C. Circuit.
£P
LATINUM
INTHEPROFESSION
Program Agenda
7:30a.m.-8:30a.m.
Breakfast sponsored by Butzel Long and Honigman, Miller, Schwartz & Cohn
8:30a.m.-9:00a.m.
Greetings & Recognition "'Welcome from Angelique Strong Marks & Brandy Robinson "'Greetings from Breakfast Sponsors: Butzel Long and Honigman, Miller, Schwartz & Cohn "'Welcome from State Bar President W. Anthony Jenkins *Recognition of Sponsors 9:00a.m.-l0: lSa.m.
Legacy in Government, Politics and Public Service: Moderator: Solon Phillips Panel: Lorray Brown, Jeffery Collins, Jenice Mitchell Ford, Saul Green and Terrance Keith lO:30a.m.-ll:4Sa.m.
Legacy in Law Firms and Solo Practices: Moderator: Michelle Carter Panel: Jeffrey Edison, Sherrie Farrell, Shirley Kaigler, Bonnie Mayfield, William Mitchell, Harold Pope and Reginald Turner 11 :4Sa.m.-l:2Sp.m.
Lunch
"'Greetings from Arvin Meritor "'Keynote Speaker: Professor Michelle Alexander, Civil Rights Advocate & Author "'Recognition of Platinum Sponsor Arvin Meritor and Other Sponsors 1:30p.m.-2:4Sp.m.
Legacy in the Judiciary: Moderator: Brandy Robinson Panel: The Honorable Ulysses Boykin, The Honorable Edward EwelI, The Honorable Denise Page Hood and The Honorable Denise Langford Morris 3:00p.m.-4:15p.m.
Legacy in Corporate America: Moderator: Lionel Anderson Panel: Vernon Baker,· Roderick Gillum, Marcia Goffney, E. Christopher Johnson, Alex Parrish and LeRoy Richie
.
.
4:30p.m.-6:00p.m.
Reception Sponsored by Thomas M. Cooley Law School
"'Greeting from Thomas M. Cooley Law School
"'Greetings from State Bar President W. Anthony Jenkins
Lorray Brown Lorray S. C. Brown has been an attorney since 1984 and has been the managing attorney
and the statewide consumer law specialist at the Michigan Poverty Law Program (MPLP)
since 2001. In her role as the statewide consumer law specialist, she provides litigation, ad­
vocacy and case consultation support in consumer law which includes foreclosure preven­
tion and anti-predatory lending. In the summer of2008, she worked at the National Con­
sumer Law Center (NCLC) in Boston as a consumer law fellow. At NCLC, she reviewed
and analyzed mortgage documents and co-authored the chapter "Federal, State, and Indus­
try-Led Responses to the Foreclosure Crisis" for the NCLC Foreclosure Prevention Coun­
selingmanual, second edition. She is also the director of the Michigan Foreclosure Preven­
tion Project. The Foreclosure Prevention Project is a project ofthe Michigan Poverty Law
Program. Lorray received her J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and her
B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania. She has several years oflaw teaching experi­
ence, mOst recently as an adjunct professor at the University of Michigan Law School.
Jeffrey G. Collins
Partner: Collins & Collins, P.C.
Date Admitted to the Bar: January 20, 1985
Career Highlights: Detroit Recorder's Court Judge
Presiding Judge Criminal Division of Wayne County Circuit Court
Michigan Court ofAppeals Judge
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan
Founding Partner of Collins & Collins, P.C.
Why I became a lawyer: As high school student I would often go to Detroit Recorder's
Court and watch amazing lawyers in action. I was impressed with how effective advocacy
impacted lives. I felt a career in the law would allow me to make a meaningful difference
in the lives of people who have been compromised. Howard Law School stressed that there
is a face behind every set of facts. That face relies on the legal system for justice. Whether
you are a judge, a prosecutor or a defense attorney our legal sYstem gives you the opportu­
nity to leave your fingerprint ofjustice on every single case.
Advice for young attorneys and aspiring attorneys: Remember the lessons learned in kin­
dergarten, namely be humble, be honest and treat people the way you would like to be
treated. I encourage young lawyers not to be afraid to take a risk. Ifyou dedicate yourself
to "service",not self, law can be a very rewarding career. Aspiring lawyers should make
sure the fire burns in the belly for a legal career. Without passion it simply becomes a job
and not an avenue to effectuate social change. We all must consistently find ways to "give
back". Finally, I encourage all attorneys to have a life outside ofthe law. A legal career is
far too stressful as to not have healthy outlets.
4
~
Jenice Mitchell Ford
.
.
Jenice Mitchell Ford is a native Detroiter and a graduate of Martin Luther King High
School. She earned a degree in English Literature from Georgetown University in 1996.
She served as President ofthe Gospel Choir and the Black Student Association. In 1999,
she earned a Juris Doctor degree from Northwestern University School of Law. She served
as Articles Editor ofthe Northwestern Law Review and Vice Chair ofthe Christian Legal
Fellowship.
As Senior Counsel in the Detroit office of Foley & Lardner LLP, one of the country's larg­
est law firms, Mitchell Ford specializes in Commercial Litigation. She is admitted to prac­
tice law in Michigan, Illinois, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan,
the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court ofAppeals and the United States Supreme Court. Prior to join­
ing Foley, Mitchell Ford was judicial clerk to the Honorable Anna Diggs Taylor, U.S.
District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Mitchell Ford is civic minded and community oriented. She was elected to the 2009
Detroit Charter Revision Commission where she serves as Chairperson. She was named to
Crain's 40 Under 40 Class of2010. Also, she is a graduate of the Detroit Regional
Chamber's Leadership Detroit program (Class XXIV). She volunteers as member ofthe
Board of Directors of the Sphinx Organization and is former Vice Chair of the City of
Detroit Board of Ethics. She received the Wolverine Bar Association's Margrette A. Taylor
Distinguished Young Lawyer Award. For five years (2001-2006), Mitchell Ford coordinated
the Wolverine Bar's Minority Bar Passage Program and helped nearly 100 law students
prepare to pass the Michigan bar examination.
Mitchell Ford was a steering committee member for Michigan Lawyers for Obama, coordi­
nating voter protection efforts during the historic 2008 election. She has served on
transition teams for elected officials and worked on presidential, gubernatorial and mayoral
elections. A lifelong member and past trustee of Corinthian Baptist Church of Hamtramck,
Mitchell Ford is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and a trustee of the Minerva
Education and Development Foundation, a philanthropic arm of the Detroit Alumnae
Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Sorority, Inc.
Mitchell Ford became a lawyer to speak for those who couldn't speak for themselves. Her
advice to aspiring attorneys is to always be poised to maximize the moment when
preparation meets opportunity.
Saul A. Green
Saul A. Green is the Deputy Mayor and Group Executive for Public Safety of the City of
Detroit. Prior to his appointment as Deputy Mayor, he was senior counsel and member of
Miller Canfield's Criminal Defense Group and Litigation and Dispute Resolute Practice
Group, with a specialty in alternative dispute resolution, white-collar crime and high profile
litigation.
Saul A. Green was appointed United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan by
former President William J. Clinton, and served in that capacity from May 1994 to May
2001. During his many years ofpublic service. he has held the pOSitions of Wayne County
Corporation Counsel; Chief Counsel, United States Department ofH6Usingand Urban De­
velopment, Detroit Field Office, and Assistant United States Attorney.·· Hecoiripleted ser­
vice as the independent Monitor overseeing implementation ofpolice reforms iii Cincinnati,
OB.
Saul A. Green received his law degree in 1972 from the University of Michigan LaW
School and BA in Pre-Legal Studies in 1969, also from the University ofMichigan,
Terrance A. Keith has served as the Chief Deputy Treasurer for Wayne County since 2004,
responsible for all administrative operations and legal proceedings in connection with the
collection ofdelinquent real property taxes.
In 2001 he joined the Office of Wayne County Corporation Counsel, quickly becoming
Principal Tax Attorney, representing the Wayne County Treasurer. In 2003, he created the
Treasurer's first community outreach campaign educating the public about the changes to
the delinquent tax law, Public Act 123 of 1999.
Within two months, delinquencies and forfeitures were reduced 60 percent. In the last four
years he created "Operation Normandy", "Battle of the Bulge", "We're Here to Help" and
"We're Here to Help YOU" campaigns. He created a Taxpayer Assistance Department and
expanded its resources by forging partnerships with the City of Detroit, the Michigan De­
partment of Human Services, community groups, churches and more than 20 non-profit or­
ganizations including the United Way and the Michigan Welfare Rights Organization. He
also helped create the WXYZ-TV, Channel 7 "Tax-A-Thon". In the process, in 2010 alone,
he has helped prevent more than 10,000 properties from going to public auction.
A 1984 graduate of the University of Detroit School of Law, for two years he was the Law
Clerk for United States Bankruptcy Judge Ray Reynolds Graves. Later he became a share­
holder of Kemp Klein Umphrey and Endelman, PC where he practiced bankruptcy and mu­
nicipallaw. During that time he also served on the State Bar of Michigan Representative
Assembly, Board of Commissioners and the Attorney Discipline Hearing Panel. A recipient
of various awards for his contributions to the legal profession, he is recognized as the
"Founding Father" ofthe D. Augustus Straker Bar Association.
Solon M. Phillips: Moderator
Solon M. Phillips is currently employed by the Wayne County Department of Corporation
Counsel as an Assistant Corporation Counsel. He graduated from Florida A&M University
with a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science. He obtained his law degree from
the University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School. Solon was admitted to the State Bar of
Michigan in 2003. He is also a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin.
As an Assistant Corporation Counsel, Solon provides legal advice to Wayne County's De­
partment of Public Services, Department of Environment, Register of Deeds, and Film Ini­
tiatives Office. Solon is the immediate past president of the D. Augustus Straker Bar Asso­
ciation. He is a past memberofthe State Bar ofMichigan, Young Lawyers Section, Execu­
tive Council. He currently serves on the Michigan Basic Property Insurance, Board of
Governors. In 2008, Solon attended the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colo­
rado as a part ofthe Michigan delegation.
Solon has a strong belief in the rule of law. He is a second generation lawyer. He originally
became a lawyer based on a desire to follow in his father's footsteps. Early on in his life,
Solon also realized the important role that lawyers play in guaranteeing that all citizens
have access to the legal system. Solon's adviee toyoung lawyers is "remember that any­
thing worth having requires hard work .and sacrifice. Learn to develop discipline. Seek out
mentors in the profession that can help you on your journey."
~~~~tl/Nii~WmdieeA Jeffrey Edison
Mr. Edison has practiced law, primarily as a criminal defense lawyer, since May 1976. He is
a former National Co-Chair, Nationaf Conference ofBlack Lawyers and the current President
of the Detroit Chapter; former faculty and fonner member, Board of Directors,
Detroit/Wayne County Criminal Advocacy Program; member, Criminal Defense Attorneys
of Michigan; and former member, Legal Redress Committee, NAACP. He has participated
in various programs in correctional facilities to address prisoner concerns and has been in­
volved in community organizing around prison issues. In 1989, Mr. Edison represented
NCBL in celebration of Libya's 20th Anniversary. Mr. Edison, in 1991, co-presented, "Com­
ments: The Draft Bill of Rights for Post-Apartheid South Africa: Protections for the Crimi­
nal Defendant," at a Constitution Making Conference, in Cape Town, South Africa.
Mr. Edison was on the legal team organized by the NAACP, challenging the abolition of De­
troit Recorder's Court, as a violation of the Voting Rights Act and on the legal team for Citi­
zens for Affirmative Action's Preservation, which was an intervener in the affirmative action
litigation at the University of Michigan Undergraduate School. As a law student, Mr. Edison
was inspired to become a lawyer by the National Conference of Black Lawyers, and its mis­
sion "to serve as the legal ann ofthe movement for Black Liberation, to protect human rights,
to achieve self-detennination of Africa and African Communities in the Diaspora, and to
work in coalition to assist in ending oppression of all people."
Sherrie Farrell
Member, Dykema
Detroit Office
Ms. Farrell advises clients on all aspects ofbusiness disputes, including II broad range of
commercial and complex litigation matters. She recently served as national diScovery coun­
sel in asbestos and toxic tort litigation for a fonner Fortune 25 company She also served as
national expert handler for toxic tort litigation for two Fortune 25 companies. In addition to
Ms. Farrell's mass tort experiences, she has represented OEMs, closely-held corporations,
auto suppliers and construction companies in both litigated and non-litigated matters.
For the past several years, Ms. Farrell has been involved in Finn administration, including
serving as a member of the Professional Personnel Committee since 2008. In 2010, Ms. Far­
rell became chair of Dykema's Diversity Committee. Ms. Farrell is a former journalist and
PR practitioner for the City of Detroit. She has the distinction of working for three ofthe .
City of Detroit's recent mayors. She also served as a director of the City ofDetroit's Com­
munication Services department. Ms. Farrell has received national awards an4 recOgnition
for her work as both a journalist and PR practitioner.
Active within and outside the legal community, Ms. Farrell has served aspresiQent oft)l¢
Women Lawyers of Michigan-Wayne Region, and as president ofthe WolverirteBar Associllc
tion. She is a current board member ofthe Legal Aid and Defender Association; She alSo is
a member of the Advisory Board of Minority Organ Tissue Transplant Education Program
(MOTIEP) ofDetroit. In addition, served as a board member for Adult Well-Being Ser­
vices; Board ofVisitors, Wayne State University Law School. Among her honors, she has re­
ceiveq recognition for her work with MOTTEP. She also was named Wayne State Law
School'S 2005 Honorary Alumni of the Year.
·'shlrley A. ~g1er earned her Bachelor's degree With distinction from Wayne State
University. in 1972, is a 1975 graduate ofthe University ofMichigan Law School and
received her LL.M in Taxation from Wayne State University Law School in 1993. Ms.
Kaigler is a partner in the law firm ofJaffe, Raitt, Heuer & Weiss Professional Corporation
and serves as the estate planning, wealth planning and probate practice group coordinator.
Ms. Kaigler has focused her practice in the areas ofestate, tax, retirement and business
succession planning; probate and trust administration; elder law; and special needs issues.
Ms. Kaigler is a frequent speaker for ICLE and has been consecutively listed in The Best
Lawyers in America since 2007 and in Michigan Super Lawyers Magazine from 2006 to
2010. She currently serves as a member ofthe D. Augustus Straker Bar Association,
Wolverine Bar Association, Legal Financial Network ofthe Community Foundation of
Southeast Michigan, ICLE Probate an Estate Planning Advisory Board, Detroit Institute of
Arts Tannahill Society Estate Planning Council. Some of her additional professional and
civic affiliations are President ofD. Augustus Straker Bar Foundation, Anti-Defamation
League Advisory Board, Black United Fund Advisory Board, Board ofTrustees for the
Council ofMichigan Foundations, and Southfield Community Foundation Board. Most
recently Ms. Kaigler was selected as a Michigan Lawyers Weekly Women in the Law 2010
honoree. Ms. Kaigler believes that those who master the law have great power and became
a lawyer to use this power to improve the quality oflife ofthose in the community. Her
advice to a young lawyer is to find a practice area in the law that excites you, become an
expert in that area and then figure out how you can use those skills to make your
community better than you found it.
Bonnie Mayfield
Bonnie Mayfield was admitted to the State Bar of Michigan on May 18, 1987 and is an
equity Member of Dykema Gossett PLLC. She is a seasoned and business savvy trial and
appellate lawyer, a member ofthe Litigation and EmploYment Law practice groups, and
focuses on employment discrimination, tort, product liability, and commercial litigation.
She has been selected by several major clients to defend their legal matters and also to be
the Responsible Partner managing the clientllaw firm relationships. A frequent lecturer, she
has spoken to groups such as the IADC, ABA, and the State Bars ofMichigan and
Wisconsin. She served as a CLEO teaching assistant and clerked for the NAACP LDF, the
Honorable Julian Cook, and the Honorable Nathaniel R. Jones, and interned for the
Honorable Harold Baer, Jr. and the Honorable Caleb Wright, Jr. In law school, Bonnie was
a member ofNYU's Law Review. Bonnie became a lawyer, in part, because she wanted to
"right wrongs." My advice to all lawyers, young and old, and to those who want to become
lawyers is to develop excellent technical skills. They also should cultivate intestinal
fortitude, be loyal and honest, have integrity and class, never let someone or circumstances
pressure you into stealing or hijacking from another, work longer and harder than you think
you can, never be circumscribed by yourself, others, or circumstances, seek diverse and
opposite opinions, analyses, and relationships, and read and meditate on such writings as:
"Ethical Ambition," "Invictus," "IfWe Must Die," "A Man for AU Seasons," "Man's
Search for Meaning," ''The Bet," "Equipment," "As A Man Thinketh," ''The Ladder of
Saint Augustine," "Nothing Gold Can Stay," "Power Through Constructive Thinking,"
"Julius Caesar," Oliver Wendell Holmes's ''The Path ofthe Law." and, last but not least,
Ephesians 6:10-18.
William Mitchell
William Mitchell is an attorney concentrating his praCtice in complex
criminal and civil litigation. Bill serves :frequently as a legal analysis or talk show guest in
cases ofcomplex litigation and has cases featured nationally including segments on Dateline
NBC and Court TV. Mr. Mitchell received his Bachelor ofAccounting from St. Mary's
University in Texas, his law degree from Howard University in Washington D.C. and was
admitted to the State Bar ofMichigan in 1979. Bill Mitchell is one ofMichigan's well known
and highly regarded trial lawyers. He has been counsel in both civil and criminal cases to a
multitude of corporate and celebrity clients including Ford Motor Company, Rite-Aid,
Walmart, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and many others. Bill became a Lawyer because
he enjoyed the diversity ofsubject matter presented in the practice oflaw. Finding the
simplest common denominator is most often the key to success in life and litigation.
Professional Associations and Memberships:
- Oakland County Bar Association
- Wolverine Bar Association
- Black Judges of Michigan
- Straker Bar Association
- National Association ofBond Lawyers
Harold D. Pope
Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss, P.C.
New Jersey -1980
Michigan - 1982
As Chair ofthe National Bar Association's Commercial Law Section I implemented a
strategy to compel the FDIC to comply with its responsibility to do business with Minority
and Women Owned Law Firms ("MWOLFs) in 1991 by sending a detailed FOIA to FDIC to
discover what work was being sent to whom. That resulted in a meeting with the General
Counsel ofboth the FDIC and newly created RTC to discuss the fact that less than 1% ofthe
work was going to MWOLFs. The NBA agreed to work with the other bar associations of
color to put on a conference modeled after the Commercial Law Sections' Corporate Counsel
Conference. The end result was that MWOLFS were doing 9"10 ofthe FDIC and RTC's
outside counsel work by 1994, and the Coalition ofBar Associations ofColor was organized
and began annual meetings every Mayas an outgrowth ofthatjoint effort.
I became a lawyer because at the age of 12 I read 2 books, Manchild in the Promised Land
by Claude Brown which was written by a lawyer who had grown up in Harlem, been through
reform school, and straightened out his life to become an attorney, and The Autobiography of
Malcolm X. Malcolm grew up in Mason, MI in iI small town like the one that I grew up in
with an overwhelmingly white population: He was near the top of his class and told his 7th
grade teacher that he wanted to be a lawyer and the teacher told hlIn. he couidn't,basically
because he was black. He ofcourse acted out and used his mind fer criminal purposes until
he became a leader, at first· misguided,. but then enlightened. following. his pilgrimage to
Mecca where he met pilgrims of all colors. I wanted to become a lawyer to effect positive
change in our countrY.
My advice to young lawyers is to always do your best. They shQuld understand that evliyone
that you encounter in life, and in the. work setting hasthmgs that they can conttibjltC to you,
so ali people must be respected. Finally, please give back to. your com:m.unity and your
profession, because we have skills that milke Us .uniquelY qualified ~ do so.
Reginald Turner is a member ofthe Executive Committee of the Clark Hill law fum, where
he is a successful litigator in federal and state courts, a skilled negotiator oflabor and em­
ployment contracts in the private and public sectors, and a highly regarded advocate for cli­
ents on important matters of public policy, on government procurement and on economic
development resources. Turner is also a member of the Board of Directors of Comerica,
Inc., one ofAmerica's largest financial institutions.
A noted leader in civic and legal circles, Turner completed a term as President of the Na­
tional Bar Association in August 2006. In 2002-2003, he served as President ofthe State
Bar of Michigan. Turner is listed in the peer review guides "The Best Lawyers in America"
and "SuperLawyers" (Michigan Top 100) and he is a Fellow of the American Bar Founda­
tion, reserved to less than one percent oflawyers in each state. He was one named by
Crain's Detroit Business as one of 10 Power Lawyers for 2009 and as a Michigan Lawyers
Weekly Lawyer of the Year for 2005.
Turner serves as Chair of the American Bar Association Conference of Minority Partners,
and as a member of the ABA Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession.
He is also a Director of the National Bar Institute, the 501(c)(3) affiliate ofthe National Bar
Association.
1. I became a lawyer because I want to make our community, our nation and the world
more egalitarian, less violent, cleaner and safer, with limitless opportunity for all to reach
their true potential.
2. I encourage those who aspire to be great lawyers to read the Lawyers' Oath, and then
breathe life into it. Especially this portion: "I will never reject, from any consideration per­
sonal to myself, the cause of the defenseless or oppressed ...."
Michelle A. Carter: Moderator
Michelle A. Carter specializes in complex commercial litigation with Detroit-based
Bodman LLP, where she was named partner in January 2010. Carter represents clients in­
volved in a variety of complex commercial litigation matters.
Since becoming an attorney in 2002, Carter's mission has been to give back to her commu­
nity and to provide service and justice to all members of society. As a young attorney she
joined the National Bar Association and served one year as the Young Lawyers Division's
"National Representative." She then moved on to become the President, ofthe Wolverine
Bar Association, an organization with an impressive membership roster including numerous
attorneys, judges and other leaders. She was recently elected to serve as a Director of the
Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association.
In recognition of Carter's legal and professional accomplishments, Chief Justice Marilyn J.
Kelly appointed Carter to serve on the Supreme Court ofMichigan's Solutions on Self-Help
TaskForce (SOS) in April 2010. As a.member of the SOS Task Force, Carter works with
the Chief Justice and other prominent leaders across the state to develop, create and imple­
ment centralized resources that can better help local communities and courts assist and sup­
port self-represented litigants in Michigan. The peer-review journal Michigan Super Law­
yers named her a "Rising Star" for two consecutive years under Business Litigation.
Detroit's Premier Business Journal, dBusiness, recently named Carter as among Michigan's
"30 In Their Thirties ...Business Leaders ofTomorrow, Today" for her exceptional profes­
sional achievement..
Carter attributes her success as an attorney to her mentors and those who have provided
their wisdom and guidance along the way. All young, aspiring attorneys must make it a pri­
ority to find mentors that will provide encouragement, knowledge, and experience.
10
:
The Honorable Edward Ewell
Judge Edward Ewell, Jr. completed his undergraduate studies at the University ofMichigan
and his Master's ofScience through Atlanta University prior to his internship to Georgia
Senator, Julian Bond. In 1985, he graduated from Wayne state University Law School and
after his admission to the Bar, clerked for the Honorable Damon J. Keith ofthe Sixth Cir­
cuit ofAppeals for two years.
Judge Ewell was an associate at the law firm ofPepper, Hamilton & Scheetz befure work­
ing as a Criminal Prosecutor in the United States Attorney's Office, Eastern District of
Michigan. During his tenure in the U. S. Attorney's Office, he was also responsible for all
Criminal Civil Rights violations. In 1997, Judge Ewell became General Counsel for Wayne
County. Governor Jennifer Granholm appointed Judge Ewell to Wayne County's Third Ju­
dicial Circuit Court in Detroit, Michigan, Criminal Division in August 2003. He was re­
tained in November 2006.
He became a lawyer because as a young person I became all of my teachers told him that he
should become a lawyer because he constantly questioned them. He later wanted to become
a lawyer because he knew he could help people.His advice to young attorneys and those
who aspire to be attorneys: Their is no substitute for hard work and always giving 100 per­
cent. You never know who is watching and as a young professional building your reputation
will help you in the long run.
The Honorable Ulysses Boykin
ULYSSES WHITIAKER BOYKIN, Judge Third Circuit ofMichigan, Criminal Division,
since May 1999. Admitted to Michigan Bar January 26,1971. J.D. 1970 Harvard Law
School. B.A. 1%7 Hampton University. Following graduation from law school he became
the first African-American attorney to practice at the firm ofDickinson, Wright. After a
brief service as an Army Officer, he joined the firm ofPatmon Young and Kirk practicing
corporate law, civil litigation, taxation and entertainment law. In 1983, he became a
member ofLewis, White & Clay, A Professional Corporation, practicing civil litigation,
governmental law, education law, commercial law and entertainment law. He has served on
the Michigan Crime Victims Compensation Board and the Michigan MilitaIy Appeals
Tribunal,as well as Chairman ofthe Detroit Civil Service Commission.
He became an attorney because ofa strong interest in constitutional law developed while in
college and to furnish high quality legal services to his community. He adviseS those who
aspire to be attorneys and attorneys not to fear hard work and becOme involved in profes­
sional and community organizations. Carefully monitor your conduct in the adv,ersarial
process so that y()l,l build a positive professional reputation.
DENISE PAGE HOOD, United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan,
was nominated by President William Jefferson Clinton and confirmed by the Senate in
1994. She became the first African American judge to join the Eastern District of Michigan
bench in 13 years. She has served on the Michigan state court benches of the 36th District
Court, Recorder's Court, and Wayne County Circuit Court, and worked as Assistant Corpo­
ration Counsel in the City of Detroit Law Department. Judge Hood is an active member of
several professional organizations: Chair ofthe Michigan State Planning Body for legal ser­
vices; the State Bar Pro Bono Initiatives Committee; and the Detroit Metropolitan Bar As­
sociation Foundation Board. She is past president ofthe Detroit Bar Association and the
Association of Black Judges of Michigan. In addition, she serves as a volunteer in various
community groups including: Vice President ofthe Olivet College Board ofTrustees; the
Harper-Hutzel Hospital Board of Trustees; and Chair ofthe InsideOut Literary Arts Project
Board. She has received numerous honors including: the Olivet College 2009 Leadership
in Individual & Social Responsibility Award; the 2008 "Powerful Woman of Purpose"
Award presented by the Rhonda Walker Foundation; the Michigan Women's Foundation's
2008 Women ofAchievement and Courage Award; the 2008 Thurgood Marshall College
Fund's Award of Excellence; and the 2005 Michigan Anti-Defamation League's Women of
Achievement Award. Judge Hood is a graduate of Yale College and the Columbia Univer­
sity School of Law.
Judge Denise Page Hood became a lawyer because of a deep commitment to the
Constitution and to fairness in all aspects oflife. She also believes that, because ofthe type
oftraining a lawyer receives, it prepares an individual for success in many careers. Judge
Hood's advice to new attorneys is to commit themselves to the oath they take when
admitted to the bar. They should always remember to treat their clients with dignity and
respect,representing the cases before them, however big or small, with fairness and
diligence.
The Honorable Denise Langford-Morris
Oakland Circuit Court Judge - Admitted 2/1/83
Career Highlights:
1990 - A Founding member D. Augustus Straker Bar Association
1992 - Appointed by Governor Oakland Circuit Court, First African American
1994 - Won election- First African American to win contested county wide race, re-elected
2000. Re-elected 2006
1997 - Oakland County Bar Association Civility Award
1998 - D. Augustus Straker Trailblazers Award
2007 - State Bar Champion of Justice Award
2008 - American Bar Association CLEO Legacy Judge Award
2010 - Candidate for Justice Michigan Supreme Court
Why I becarnea lawyer;
I became a lawyer so that I could help people and have more of an impact than I could in
my first profession as a social worker. I saw the ills of society and wanted to work to im­
prove our community. The law is an opportunity for those who want to make a difference
to do so. Advise to young lawyers and those who aspire to be lawyers- DREAM BIG! If
you want to become a lawyer YOU CAN! Do not let anyone tell you that there are too
many lawyers because there is always room for great lawyers! The desire to give back to
one community while practicing should be a primary goal whether its work in the local or
national bar association or work as a pro bono attorney. The world is dependent upon law­
yers to uphold justice and correct wrongs and ills in our society. However, it is imperative
that you remember that your reputation is all you really have in life. Your P number is
precious and its up to you to protect it! Remember to follow the .golden rule and treat
others in the marmerin which you would want to be treated at all times.
12
.
Vernon Baker
Vernon Baker is senior vice president and general counsel ofArvinMeritor, Inc.
Prior to the July 2000 merger ofArvin Inc. and Meritor Automotive, Baker was senior vice
president, general counsel and secretary for Meritor Automotive. Before joining Meritor in
1999, Baker spent 17 years at Hoechst Celanese Corp., where he was vice president and
general counsel, Corporate Research and Technology. Prior to that, he served as associate
general counsel for Hoechst's Advanced Material Group. Baker began his professional
career in 1978 as an associate with the law firnl ofSchnader, Harrison, Segal and Lewis.
Two years later, he joined the Corporate Law department of Scott Paper Co.
Baker pursued a career in the law because he wanted to become a change agent. He has de­
voted a considerable amount of time promoting diversity in the legal profession. Baker's
efforts were recognized by his peers in 2003 when he received the Trail Blazer Award from
the Minority Corporate Counsel Association. Baker's advice to the up-and-coming, "Listen
to those that have come before you, but charter your own course."
Baker holds a bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H., and a Juris
Doctorate from American University, Washington College of Law, in Washington, D.C.
Roderick Gillum
Roderick D. Gillum is a Partner in the Detroit office ofJackson Lewis LLP and a member
of the Firm's Corporate Compliance/Governance and Corporate Diversity Counseling Prac­
tice Group. Prior to joining Jackson Lewis, Mr. Gillum was a senior member of the General
Motors Company (GM) Legal Staff, where he rose to become Secretary to the GM Board
of Directors, and later Vice President, Corporate Responsibility & Diversity. In this. dual
role, Mr. Gillum was at the forefront ofthe company's diversity strategies relative to both
internal human resources as well as external relations with vendors, minority dealers, and
national civil rights and political leaders. Previously, Mr. Gillum was Chief Personnel,
Benefits and Labor Attorney at GM's Legal Staff. He also served as Vice President and
General Counsel for GM's Saturn Corporation. Before joining GM, Mr. Gillum was an At­
torney with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Prior to law school, he was Ad­
ministrative Assistant to State of Michigan Senator Arthur Cartwright.
Mr. Gillum is a Fellow in the College ofLabor and Employment Lawyers. He is a member
of the State Bar of Michigan (1975), and has been admitted to practice before various Fed"
eral District and Appeals Courts, including the U.S. Courts ofAppeals for the Third, Fourth
and Sixth Circuits. Mr. Gillum received his B.A. from Michigan State University (1972)
and his J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law (1975). He later earned his M.S.
in Management in 1985 from the Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology (MIT), where he
was a Sloan Fellow.
.
.
Why law? I've always balanced·an interest in law and public policy; which in itssnnplest
form is a willingness to take on challenges and a desire to make a meaningful difference.
Advice to attorneys who are early in their career: Never compromise your integrity. Once
you lose it, it is impossible to regain.
M~i~(Joffitey i~president of Shared Vision Associates. Shared Vision's mission is to provide consulting in corporate social and professional responsibility and crisis manage­
ment. (Joftheyhas held nwnerous senior level corporate legal positions. Most recently, Gofthey was vice president, secretary and genei-aJ. cOWisel ofYazaki North America, a multi-billion dollar, Japanese-based automotive supplier with operations throughout North and South America, Canada and Mexico. She has served as a director ofthe Straker Bar As­
sociation and on the American Bar Association Professional Resp<>nsibility Committee. She is a director for the 30,000 member Association ofCorporate Counsel. (Jofthey has been recognized for her commitment to inclusion in the legal profession. She co-foWided Charting Your Own Course Career Development Conference·in 1999. Thousands oflaw­
yers attended during the ten year tenure. (Jofthey has received many awards including the Association ofCorporate Counsel Diversity Award and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund Award She was named one ofCrain's "100 most powerful women." What is my career "high''? I have experienced too many to select one. Being sworn in as the first African American female lawyer in Saginaw, being the "first" in many meetings and board rooms, being named an ACC director are some. Why did I become a lawyer? I wanted to know and protect rights. I enjoy advocating on behalfof others What is my advice to young lawyers? See it! Believe it! Prepare for it! Claim it! Then, be passionate about what you do and keep your word to yourself and others. Learn and experience as many life experiences as possible so that you can visualize your goal. You can't dream what you can't imagine. Ifyou do all these things, you will achieve success as well as excellence. E. Christopher Johnson
E. Christopher Johnson Jr. joined the Thomas M. Cooley Law Sch()()l in 2009 as a Visiting
Professor and Director ofCooley's LL.M. program in COl'POrate Law and Finance, which
he laWiched in September of2009. Professor Johnson formerly served as Vice President
and General Counsel ofGeneral Motors North America since 200 I. He was formerly Assis­
tant General Counsel, Global Policy and Planning, and, from 1994-200 I, served as Practice
Area Manager, Corporate Law & Transactions. He was in the U.S. Army from 1973-1978,
attaining the rank ofCaptain
He is a national leader in efforts to increase access to law school and diversity in the legal
profession. He is Chairman ofthe COWicil for Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Educa­
tional Pipeline, and a past chair of the ABA Africa Law COWicil. He is the recipient of
many awards for his work in this and other areas, including the ABA Spirit ofExcellence
Corporate Award, the State Bar ofMichigan Michael FranckAward and Champion ofJus­
tice Award, and the National Bar Association Clyde Bafley Award for Corporate Leader­
ship. He was also inducted into the National Black Law Students Association HaIl of Fame.
He received his B.S. United StatesMili~ Academy at West Point 1973 and J.D. cwn
laude New York Law School 198); He was admitted to the bar in 1982 in NY and 1989 in
Michigan. Johnson says he went to La", School becausebe wanted tl) be in a profession,
like the Mili~, that I would be proud to be part or. and that wouIdotfer me both profes­
sional challenges and the ability to help people. His advice for yoUng lawyers or those as­
piring to be lawyers is to never lose faith in God or yourself you pursue your goals; don't
be afraid to take prudent risks with your ~r; maintain your integrity at all costs; be pre­
pared to work hard; remember where you came from and give back to the community and
those coming behind you.
as
Alex Parrish
Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss, P.C.
New Jersey - 1980
Michigan - 1982
As Chair ofthe National Bar Association's Commercial Law Section I implemented a
strategy to compel the FDIC to comply with its responsibility to do business with Minority
and Women Owned Law Firms (ltMWOLFs) in 1991 by sending a detailed FOIA to FDIC to
discover what work was being sent to whom. That resulted in a meeting with the General
Counsel ofboth the FDIC and newly created RTC to discuss the tact that less than 1% ofthe
work was going to MWOLFs. The NBA agreed to work with the other bar associations of
color to put on a conference modeled after the Commercial Law Sections' Corporate Counsel
Conference. The end result was that MWOLFS were doing 9"10 of the FDIC and RTC's
outside counsel work by 1994, and the Coalition ofBar Associations ofColor was organized
and began annual meetings every May as an outgrowth ofthat joint effort.
_ _......;......;......;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;-.,. I became a lawyer because at the age of 12 I read 2 books, Manchild in the Promised Land
by Claude Brown which was written by a lawyer who had grown up in Harlem, been through
reform school, and straightened out his life to becoine an attorney, and The Autobiography of
Malcolm X. Malcolm grew up in Mason, MI in a small town like the one that I grew up in
with an overwhelmingly white population. He was near the top of his class and told his 7th
grade teacher that he wanted to be a lawyer and the teacher told him he couldn't, basically
because he was black. He ofcourse acted out and used his mind for criminal purposes until
he became a leader, at first misguided, but then enlightened following his pilgrimage to
Mecca where he met pilgrims of all colors. I wanted to become a lawyer to effect positive
change in our country.
My advice to young lawyers is to always do your best. They should understand that everyone
that you encounter in life, and in the work setting has things that they can contribute to you,
so all people must be respected. Finally, please give back to your community and your
profession, because we have skills that make us uniqnely qualified to do so.
Lionel Anderson: Moderator
Lionel Anderson is an Intellectual Property (IP) attorney for General Motors Company.
Lionel has a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering (1997) and Juris Doctorate (2002)
from Wayne State University. Before becoming an IP lawyer, Lionel worked as an electri­
cal engineer for GM approximately five years and thereafter practiced IP law in two
Metro-Detroit IP firms for approximately six years. Lionel also served six years in the
Michigan Air National Guard as an Avionics Technician.
At GM, Lionel practices several aspects ofIP law including obtaining patent protection for
automotive innovations conceived by GM engineers and scientists in various regions
throughout the world, preparing and negotiating technology license agreements, and pro­
viding sound legal advice relative to patent infringement and other IPntatters to GM busi~
ness units.
Lionel is admitted to practice before the State Courts ot'Michigari and is registered to pi8C­
tice before the United States l>atent and Trademark Office. He is ameinher QftheState BI!l'
ofMichigan, 2008-09 Attendance Chairfot the Michigan IntellectUal Property Law AssQ~
dation, and a member ofthe NanonalBar Association.
. ...
~ 15
.'
. . .-,
LeRoy C. Richie has a broad ranging experience with business law, business related mat­
ters, includitlg ~mployment matters, and securities offerings, as a private practitioner at one
ofNew York City's most prominent national and international law firms, as Director ofthe
New York Regional Office ofthe Federal Trade Commission, as a member ofsenior
management at a Fortune Seven corporation, as a mutual fund trustee and as a member of
boards ofdirectors of various corporations. Practice includes advising major business
organizations on corporate and employment relationships, and on transactional business
matters, including mergers, acquisitions, procurement offinancing from banks. private
equity firms, sub-debt and asset-based lenders, and corporate organization and
restructuring; and representing public and private entities in connection with their
investments in private equity ventures.
He began his career at White & Case, where he gained extensive experience in structuring
and evaluating public and private equity and debt offerings. He then served as a Federal
Trade Commission Director where he had responsibility for antitrust and trade regulation
enforcement for the northeastern United States, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. He then
had a fourteen-year career in the Chrysler organization with the last eleven years as vice
president and general counsel for automotive affairs for Chrysler Corporation. He serves
on the Board ofDirectors for ColumbialRiver Source Funds, OGE Energy, Inc, Infinity
Energy Resources, Inc. Digital Ally, Inc, Great Lakes Assemblies, LLC ,Gulf Shore
Assemblies, as well as several community and educational organizations.
State Bar of Michigan Young Lawyers Section
& The Platinum In The Profession Committee
In conjunction with the D. Augustus Straker Bar Association, The Wolverine Bar Association and the Barristers of the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association Special Thanks to: State Bar of Michigan Employees Heather Anderson, Candance Crowley, Gregory Conyers, Karla Eubank, Danon Goodrum-Garland, Anne Smith and Nasseem Stecker 16
'
As a premier supplier to the motor vehicle industry, ArvinMeritor is passionate about
investing in the communities where we live and work. We proudly support this cause,
along with many others that are close to our hearts. And close to our homes.
Fall 2010
Among Other Things
Inter Alia
Platinum in the Profession Conference a
Resounding Success!
By Angelique Strong Marks and Brandy Y. Robinson
O
W. Anthony Jenkins, SBM President
n Friday, October 22, 2010, the Young Lawyers Section was proud to
host more than 125 guests at “Platinum in the Profession: A Conference
Highlighting African-American Leadership in the Law.” The all-day conference took place at the Doubletree Guest Suites Fort Shelby Hotel in the heart
of downtown Detroit, and was designed to celebrate some of Michigan’s most
outstanding African-American attorneys and judges. In the words of the Oakland County Legal News, the list of panelists for the event read like a “literal
‘Who’s Who’ among African-American attorneys in the state.”
The Platinum Conference was developed partially in response to the startling lack of diversity in the legal profession. Studies consistently show that
fewer than 10% of all lawyers nationally are people of color, and in Michigan,
African-Americans are one of the most underrepresented groups amongst lawyers and recent law graduates. The purpose of the event was to highlight the
accomplishments of African-American attorneys and judges in Michigan and
encourage the attendees to make a difference through a career in the law.
And the Platinum Conference delivered.
The event began with opening remarks from State Bar President W. Anthony Jenkins and Platinum Conference Co-Chairs Angelique Strong Marks and
Brandy Robinson. It then featured panel discussions showcasing the legacy of
some of the region’s most outstanding African-American attorneys working in
government, politics, and public service, at law firms and in solo practice, in
the judiciary, and in Corporate America.
The first panel discussion, “Legacy in Government, Politics and Public
Service,” was moderated by Solon Phillips and included accomplished practitioners like Lorray Brown, Jeffrey Collins, Jenice Mitchell Ford, Saul Green
and Terrance Keith.
The second panel discussion, “Legacy in Law Firms and Solo Practices,”
was moderated by Michelle A. Carter and featured Jeffrey Edison, Sherrie
Farrell, Shirley Kaigler, Bonnie Mayfield, William Mitchell, Harold Pope, and
F
Reginald Turner, all trailblazers in their own right.
R
Guests then heard dynamic luncheon remarks from keynote speaker Micchelle Alexander, who is a graduate of Stanford Law School, a former law
cclerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun, and former director
oof the Racial Justice Project for the ACLU of Northern California. Professor
Alexander holds a joint appointment at the Kirwan Institute for the Study of
A
Race and Ethnicity and the Mortiz College of Law at Ohio State University,
R
aand delivered an eye-opening presentation based on her book, “The New Jim
Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness.”
C
Following Professor Alexander’s compelling remarks, the panel discussions
resumed with a focus on the “Legacy in the Judiciary” and featuring several
distinguished jurists, including the Honorable Ulysses Boykin, the Honor-
previous
Page 4
Fall 2010
Among Other Things
Inter Alia
Platinum in the Profession . . .
continued from page 7
able Edward Ewell, the Honorable Denise Page Hood and the
Honorable Denise Langford-Morris.
The final panel was a lively discussion with an illustrious
group of lawyers leaving a “Legacy in Corporate America.” It
was moderated by Lionel Anderson and featured Vernon Baker,
Roderick Gillum, Marcia Goffney, E. Christopher Johnson,
Alex Parrish and LeRoy Richie.
The audience, which reflected a mix of law students, young
lawyers, academics and seasoned practitioners, heard a consistent message about how to distinguish themselves by being
prepared, focused, confident, prompt, and committed to excellence. Presenters also emphasized the need for civility, integrity
and extraordinary work ethic, and underscored the importance
of making a difference in the community.
The event concluded with a closing reception that allowed
those in attendance to meet, talk, and continue building relationships. By all accounts, the event was a huge success!
Afterwards, two guests who attended offered the following
feedback:
“I just wanted to thank you for putting on the Platinum in the Profession Conference (I love that name). This program was greatly
needed. My fellow law students and I enjoyed and appreciated the forum and all of the speakers. It’s wonderful to have so many
great people in one room and to be able to benefit from their experience, knowledge, insight and wisdom. . . . Conferences such
as these help us law students gain greater understanding on the essentials of a successful career in law.”
*******************************************
I just wanted to take the time to thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of the seminar this past Friday. To describe it
as amazing would be an understatement. It was very informative, motivational and inspirational! I feel privileged to have been
apart of it and among so many OUTSTANDING professionals.
The Young Lawyers Section and the Platinum Committee extend a special thanks to the other partners and co-sponsors of
this event, including the Barristers of the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association, the D. Augustus Straker Bar Association, the
Wolverine Bar Association, Arvin Meritor, Butzel Long, Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn, Thomas Cooley Law School,
Behr America, Dickinson Wright PLLC, Michigan State University College of Law, Sommers Schwartz, Clark Hill PLC, Damon
J. Keith Center for Civil Rights, Dykema, Jackson Lewis LLP, and Wayne State University Law School.
previous
Page 5
Platinum in the Profession-- Conference to highlight African-American Leadership in the ... Page 1 of 3
legal News +
Home
public Notices
Calendar
Statistics
Motion Magazine
Courts
Articles
Blogs
Classifieds
Mug Shots
Events
Videos
about Us +
Classifieds
Notices
Columns
Archives
Contact
Us
Posted October 13, 2010
Tweet This | Share on Facebook
Platinum in the Profession-Conference to highlight AfricanAmerican Leadership in the Law
By John Minnis
Legal News
Young and would-be attorneys--as well as veterans--only have through this Friday,
Oct. 15, to register for what will be the premier law symposium this year: "Platinum in
the Profession: A Conference Highlighting African-American Leadership in the Law."
headlines Oakland County
Portrait presented
Adult Treatment Court celebrates
100th graduate
Four Drug Court graduates win
Joshua Charles Short scholarships
New jury reform rules aimed at
greater engagement by jurors
Firm gives back
Scheduled for Friday, Oct. 22, at the Doubletree Guest Suites Fort Shelby, 525 W.
Lafayette in Detroit, the conference will highlight the accomplishments of some of
Detroit and Michigan's most outstanding African-American attorneys and judges. The
panelists represent a literal "Who's Who" among African-American attorneys in the
state.
"As you know, diversity remains a critical issue in the legal profession," according to
Platinum Committee Co-chairs Brandy Y. Robinson and Angelique Strong Marks. "In
fact, African-Americans are one of the most underrepresented groups of attorneys in
Michigan. The purpose of the Platinum Conference is to highlight the
accomplishments of African-American attorneys and judges in the Michigan area and
encourage the attendees to make a difference through a career in the law."
The Platinum Conference is being presented by the State Bar of Michigan Young
Lawyers Section in conjunction with the D. Augustus Straker Bar Association,
Wolverine Bar Association and Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association. Supporting
sponsors include Behr America Inc., Dickinson Wright PLLC, Michigan State
University College of Law and Sommers Schwartz. Table sponsors include Clark Hill
PLC, Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights, Dykema and Wayne State University Law
School.
Strong Marks, general counsel and corporate secretary with Behr America Inc. in
Troy, said she came up with the Platinum Conference idea after realizing that when
she became a lawyer she had strong African-American role-model attorneys to up look
to such as Dennis Archer, Victoria Roberts and Damon J. Keith. Media accounts of
African-American leaders today are not so luminous.
headlines National
Former Ropes & Gray Lawyer gets 30
Months for Insider Trading
Prof: Some May Balk at Their Tone,
But ‘Scambloggers’ Put National
Spotlight on Problems in Legal Ed
In first appellate ruling, 6th Circuit
upholds health care reform law
With DLA Out of the Fight, Facebook
and Gibson Dunn Are Firmly in
Control in Ceglia Case
Term review: A more activist Court
Opinion analysis: No jurisdiction over
foreign companies
By showcasing Detroit and Michigan's top African-American lawyers and leaders,
Strong Marks hopes to show young people that there are outstanding African-
http://www.legalnews.com/oakland/730488/
6/30/2011
Platinum in the Profession-- Conference to highlight African-American Leadership in the ... Page 2 of 3
American attorneys who also give back, who make a difference.
"We were trying to get the best of the best to talk to our young people at one place at
one time," she said.
Unfortunately, Archer and Keith were not able to attend due to other commitments.
At the conference, following registration at 7:30 a.m., welcoming remarks will be
made by State Bar President W. Anthony Jenkins and other honorables.
"Legacy" panel discussions will include the best African-American practitioners in
their fields, those who have left marks in the areas of government and politics, firms
and solo practices, the judiciary and Corporate America.
The first panel discussion, "Legacy in Government, Politics and Public Service," will be
moderated by Solon Phillips. Panelists will include Lorray Brown, Jeffrey Collins,
Jenice Mitchell Ford, Saul Green and Terrance Keith.
Michelle Carter will moderate the second panel, "Legacy in Law Firms and Solo
Practices." Her panel will include Jeffrey Edison, Sherrie Farrell, Shirley Kaigler,
Bonnie Mayfield, William Mitchell, Harold Pope, and Reginald Turner.
The lunch keynote speaker will be Michelle Alexander, a graduate of Stanford Law
School and Vanderbilt University and former law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice
Harry Blackmun. For several years, Alexander served as the director of the Racial
Justice Project for the ACLU of Northern California, which spearheaded a national
campaign against racial profiling by law enforcement. While an associate at
Saperstein, Goldstein, Demchak & Baller, she specialized in plaintiff-side class action
suits alleging race and gender discrimination. Alexander now holds a joint
appointment at the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity and the
Mortiz College of Law at Ohio State University, and is the author of "The New Jim
Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness."
Strong Marks said she read Alexander's book and was so impressed she called her and
asked if she would speak to young people at the Platinum Conference. The author
agreed.
"She used what she learned in her work," Strong Marks said of Alexander, "and did
something to change the world. A lot of us don't know what it is to be agents of
change. Sometimes we can be change agents by just doing our jobs well."
After lunch, Co-Chair Robinson will lead a discussion on Legacy in the Judiciary with
judicial panelists Ulysses Boykin, Edward Ewell, Denise Page Hood and Denise
Langford-Morris.
"Legacy in Corporate America, moderated by Lionel Anderson, will round out the day
with panelists Vernon Baker, Roderick Gillum, Marcia Goffney, E. Christopher
Johnson, Alison Nelson, Alex Parrish and LeRoy Richie.
A reception will follow from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Those wishing to attend the free conference must register on or before Friday, Oct. 15,
by e-mailing Karla Eubank at [email protected]. Space is limited.
For additional information, call Strong Marks at (248) 470-1822.
Published: Wed, Oct 13, 2010
Comments
http://www.legalnews.com/oakland/730488/
6/30/2011
Platinum in the Profession-- Conference to highlight African-American Leadership in the ... Page 3 of 3
No comments
Sign in to post a comment »
You are here: Home
OAKLAND COUNTY
>
PLATINUM IN THE PROFESSION-- CONFERENCE TO HIGHLIGHT AFRICAN-AMERICAN
LEADERSHIP IN THE LAW
Newspapers
Motion Magazine
Legal News
Contact Us
Detroit
Flint-Genesee County
Grand Rapids
Ingham County
Jackson County
Macomb
Muskegon
Oakland County
Washtenaw County
Current Issue
Photo Albums
Blogs
Events
Classifieds
Videos
Advertise With Us
Subscriptions
Forms
About Us
Contact Us
Newstands
Vade Mecum
Detroit Legal News
1409 Allen Rd, Suite B
Troy, Michigan 48083
Phone: (248) 577-6100
Toll Free: (800) 875-5275
Fax: (248) 577-6111
PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS OF USE | FEEDBACK
http://www.legalnews.com/oakland/730488/
6/30/2011