More than 200 law students, faculty, staff and alumni attended the Law Centennial Kick-off event,
which featured a food truck rally and Motown music.

School of Law celebrates 100th anniversary

“Educating and Inspiring Since 1912” is the theme for the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law’s centennial anniversary. The law school has planned a yearlong series of events to commemorate the School’s numerous achievements.

Approximately 210 students, faculty, staff and alumni kicked off the anniversary year with an outdoor party in the student parking lot, Aug. 24. The event featured a food truck rally and Motown band. On Sept. 25, the School of Law hosted the 100th Red Mass at Ss. Peter & Paul Jesuit Church for about 200 members of Detroit’s legal community.

Other Centennial events during the fall included the Centennial Gala on Saturday, Oct. 27 at the Detroit Athletic Club. The evening’s program recognized the Hon. Michael Talbot ’71 with the Alumnus of the Year Award and Michael Costello ’85 with the Time and Talent Award. A Centennial Mass was held on Sunday, Oct. 28 at Ss. Peter & Paul Jesuit Church, followed by a continental breakfast in the law school’s atrium and tours of the recently renovated Dowling Hall.

Also this fall, the School of Law will dedicatee the historic No. 2 firehouse on Larned Street as the George J. Asher Law Clinic Center in the Walter Buhl Ford III Hall. The building, which will house the law school’s 10 legal aid clinics, was purchased from heirs of Walter Buhl Ford III at a special price given its intended use. UDM alumnus Anthony Asher ’61, ’65 of Sullivan, Ward, Asher & Patton PC of Southfield provided the lead gift in honor of his brother. Additional funds from the McGregor Fund also supported the building’s renovations. (See related article on In-kind Gifts.)

The refurbished firehouse complements the recent $8 million renovation of the law school’s Dowling Hall on E. Jefferson Avenue, which opened in 1890 to serve as the main curriculum building for what was then Detroit College. Today, these buildings serve as historic landmarks for the study of law and access to legal assistance for students and clients well into the 21st century.

For more information on these and future Centennial events, please visit http://www.law.udmercy.edu/index.php/law100. To become a Centennial sponsor, please contact Denise Hickey, assistant dean for Alumni and Annual Giving at 313-596-0202 or hickeydp@udmercy.edu.

To make a gift for the firehouse renovation project, contact Ginger Hrtanek, assistant dean for Development at 313-596-0274 or hrtaneva@udmercy.edu.