News Listing
Judge Michelle M. Rick '91 aspires to be a servant leader. “For me, this requires leading from the heart and valuing the contributions of all members of the team. It is critical to see that every person has skills that can benefit the task at hand.”
Students Leah DeVries, Dual 3L, Mariane Karkaba, 2L, and Tori Conklin, 2L are part of the ODEIB Student Feature for Women's History Month. Karkaba is President and Conklin is Vice-President of the Women’s Law Caucus (WLC).
Cheryl Porter '02 began her career as a chemist, but it wasn’t until she was in law school that she realized the impact the work she was doing had on her community. Now serving as the Chief Operating Officer of Great Lakes Water Authority, Porter sees her role as building bridges and bringing teams together while advocating for everyone.
University of Detroit Mercy School of Law relaunched the Housing Law Clinic in partnership with the Coalition for Property Tax Justice to help Detroit homeowners reduce over-assessed residential property taxes through the Detroit Property Tax Appeal Project. Detroiters with a primary residence worth less than $200,000 in the City of Detroit are invited to apply for a free evaluation of their taxes at https://app.propertytaxproject.com/detroit by March 5, 2025.
Akeem Pack '19 advocates for over 2 million service employees across the United States and Canada. His mission in practice is to bring about change to systemic structures that disenfranchise people.
Justice Kyra Harris Bolden '14 made history when she was sworn in as a Michigan Supreme Court Justice on January 1, 2023. As the first Black woman to serve on the highest court in Michigan, she recognizes the importance of her leadership on the bench. “Representation is beyond important,” she said. “It is an honor to serve and to be an inspiration to others who look like me.”
Students Stephanie Thomas, 3L, Mecca Muhammad, 3L, and Andre Williams, 2L are are part of the ODEIB Student Feature for Black History Month.
Ponce Clay '15 is a first-generation Detroiter and proud of his success in the city. He now owns and operates his own firm, working across different areas of the law, including probate, juvenile defense, and real estate.
During her time at Detroit Mercy Law, Tuktom Albdair ’24 was the president of the Muslim Law Students Association and Parents in Law.
University of Detroit Mercy School of Law announced that Erin Archerd, Associate Professor of Law, will serve as the next Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. She began this appointment at the beginning of the Winter 2025 term.
February is Black History Month, and University of Detroit Mercy will celebrate with a series of enlightening events across all campuses.
University of Detroit Mercy named Nicholas Schroeck the next dean of the School of Law. While the University conducted a national dean search, Schroeck served as interim dean. He is a leader in legal education, a sought-after environmental law expert, and a member of the State Bar of Michigan.
Students Nabil Hamka, 2L, and Zaineb-Stalene Al-Dhalimi, 2L are part of the ODEIB Student Feature for Muslim American Heritage Month. Nabil is President and Al-Dhalimi is Vice-President of the Muslim Law Students Association (MLSA).
Detroit Mercy Law unveiled portraits of the Jesuit and Mercy religious founders—St. Ignatius of Loyola (founder of the Society of Jesus) and Venerable Catherine McAuley (founder of the Sisters of Mercy)—on Thursday, November 7, 2024.
Military Veteran students Brandon Rush, 1L, and Gregory Simmons, 2L are part of the ODEIB Student Feature for Veterans Day.
Jordan Miletti, 3L, was named a winner of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel’s (ACTEC) 2024 Mary Moers Wenig Student Writing Competition. Miletti received the honorable mention award along with a cash prize. Her paper titled “Testamentary Freedom and Forced Heirship: Two Sides of the Same Inheritance Coin?” will be published online on the ACTEC Foundation’s website and may also be included in the ACTEC Law Journal.
First-generation students Kayla Zikic, Dual JD 1L, and Danajha Tate, 2L are part of the ODEIB Student Feature for first-generation students day.
Mariana Palushaj, 3L, is a first generation Albanian American and is the President of the Albanian American Law Student Association (AALSA). She shares how important is was to start AALSA at Detroit Mercy Law with the Office of DEIB.
Detroit Mercy's School of Law will continue its work helping address wrongful convictions thanks to a $15,000 grant from the Oakland County Bar Foundation.
Jennifer Ruiz (3L) serves as President of the Hispanic and Latino Law Student Association (HiLLSA), Osvaldo Vega (2L) serves as Social Media Coordinator of the Hispanic and Latino Law Student Association (HiLLSA) and Marva DeArmas ‘15 opened her own firm in 2020 specializing in working with the Cuban community. All are part of the ODEIB Student Feature for Hispanic Heritage month.
The 2025 Wall Street Journal/College Pulse ranking has put UDM at No. 43 in the nation, nine places higher than it ranked the University last year.
University of Detroit Mercy School of Law’s Veteran’s Law Clinic (VLC) had its first fully Honorable Discharge upgrade granted for a U.S. Navy veteran. Professor Holly Christian, Director of the VLC, expanded the clinic’s practice to include record corrections when she joined the law school in 2021. Nachiket Sarvaiya, Dual 3L, wrote the memorandum that was presented to the Board of Corrections for Naval Records.
Nicholas Carroll '24 is proud to wear his identity as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community on his sleeve. He is the most recent past-President of OUTLaws, a student organization at Detroit Mercy Law dedicated to advancing the inclusion of LGBTQIA+ perspectives within the law school, and works with allies, with the school, and beyond to end discrimination in all forms.
The University of Detroit Mercy School of Law Immigration Law Clinic recently secured a grant of asylum status for an opposition activist from a West African country.
University of Detroit Mercy School of Law awarded Voice for Justice Fellowships to Alexis Farmer and Nachaat Salami, both rising 2L students. Detroit Mercy Law strives to teach students to be both skilled practitioners and compassionate professionals. This Fellowship upholds the long-standing tradition at Detroit Mercy Law of service to the community and provides students with the opportunity to succeed while making a difference in the community. Fellowship recipients work over the summer as interns at nonprofit organizations.
Jillian Jones, 2L, was excited to find out that she didn’t need to create an LGBTQIA+ student organization when she started law school at Detroit Mercy Law.
University of Detroit Mercy School of Law’s Conviction Integrity Clinic (CIC) recently assisted in vacating a man’s life sentence. The CIC is a partnership between Detroit Mercy Law, the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU), and the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Conviction Integrity Unit. The Clinic is directed by Valerie Newman, Director of the Wayne County CIU, and Beth Greenberg Morrow, Director of the Oakland County CIU.
Kumar Palepu '10, currently serves as a commissioner for the State of Michigan’s Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission, whose mission is to be a vocal advocate for these communities, ensuring their fair access and active involvement in crucial sectors like government, business and education.
The world welcomed new Titans with more than 1,000 University of Detroit Mercy graduates receiving their diplomas across four Commencement ceremonies May 10-11 on the McNichols Campus.
University of Detroit Mercy School of Law graduate Evelyn Galvan ’24 was awarded the 2024 Vivere Ex Missione Award. Each year, Detroit Mercy presents the Vivere Ex Missione-- “To Live Out the Mission”--award to four graduating students, including one from the School of Law. This award is presented as a surprise at the commencement ceremony.
Ian Wendrow, 2L, worked as a freelance journalist reporting on environmental justice before deciding to pursue a law degree. “I felt like I wasn’t making as much of an impact as I could just reporting on environmental issues. Even if, in the future, I’m just representing one person, I’ll be able to see the tangible difference I’m making in people’s lives.”
University of Detroit Mercy School of Law announced that Nicholas Schroeck will serve as Interim Dean as of June 1, 2024. Dean Schroeck joined Detroit Mercy Law in 2018 as the Director of Clinical Programs and Associate Professor of Law. He was appointed Associate Dean of Experiential Education in 2019.
After nearly a decade working in human resources, Kevin Lynch made the decision to become the latest member of his family to attend law school. His University of Detroit Mercy School of Law experience and all that has come from it has been beyond his wildest dreams.
Kevin Lynch spent nearly a decade in human resources before going to law school. He graduates from Detroit Mercy Law ready to become an attorney like so many family members before him.
University of Detroit Mercy School of Law 2023 graduates achieved a 91 percent employment rate in legal and professional positions. Graduates secured employment in various positions including at top law firms, competitive judicial clerkships, and government, business, and public interest organizations.
Two UDM graduate programs were ranked in the top 20 in the nation and several other programs were included in the 2024-25 U.S. News & World Report's Best Colleges edition.
Medina Elzayat (3L) serves as President of the Arab American Law Student Association (AALSA), Tina Toma (3L) serves as President of the Chaldean American Law Student Association (CALSA) and Simon Alnajjar (3L) is a Dean’s Fellow at Detroit Mercy Law. All are part of the ODEIB Student Feature for Middle Eastern, Arab, and Chaldean Heritage month.
Judge Michelle M. Rick '91 aspires to be a servant leader. “For me, this requires leading from the heart and valuing the contributions of all members of the team. It is critical to see that every person has skills that can benefit the task at hand.”
An all-woman team of Detroit Mercy Law students placed third in the 2023 National Patent Application Drafting Competition hosted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) after winning the regional competition. Across the nation, 55 teams competed in regional rounds for an invitation to advance to the national competition in Washington, D.C. to present in front of a board of USPTO patent examiners.
Jessica Holmes ’15 continues the legacy of Black, women attorneys in her family.
University of Detroit Mercy School of Law students won the Midwest Regional Patent Drafting Competition hosted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for the second year in a row.
Micaela Dalrymple (3L) serves as President of the Women’s Law Caucus (WLC) at Detroit Mercy Law. The WLC empowers members to succeed in law school and in their careers, and works to improve the quality of life for women in the community through fundraising and outreach.
Rita Soka '22 remembers the day her daughter’s words inspired her to pursue law school. “Mom, you know, you can be a really good lawyer, and I can see you doing it.”
Jazmine Goode (2L) serves as the executive treasurer of the Student Bar Association (SBA)—the governing body that represents students, liaises with the school, and oversees all other student organizations. In addition to her leadership with the SBA, Goode is as an active member of the Black Law Students Association (BLSA)—the organization responsible for one of her fondest moments at Detroit Mercy Law and her very own designated parking spot.
Robbie Gaines '15 is President-Elect of the Wolverine Bar Association (WBA). When he assumes the role of President during the 2024-2025 year, he will promote and adhere to the principles the WBA has stood for since it was established in the 1930s—justice for all, diversity in the legal profession, and community leadership. Through this influential role, he will join the ranks of the many distinguished attorneys who have served as past presidents of the WBA over the years.
Christin DewBerry (3L) is a leader at Detroit Mercy Law. Her classmates elected her to serve as their executive president of the Student Bar Association (SBA)—the governing body that represents students, liaises with the school, and oversees all other student organizations.
University of Detroit Mercy has recently received more than $2 million in grants to help educate students and their work in the community.
Judge Terrance A. Keith ‘84, a distinguished alumnus and founding-president of the Association of Black Law Alumni (ABLA), is generous with his time and talent in support of Detroit Mercy Law and the legal community. In 1981, on his first day of classes at Detroit Mercy Law, he learned the value of preparation—a lesson that he still uses on the bench today.
Sydney Jackson (3L) serves as president of the Black Law Students Association (BLSA). In addition to her work with BLSA, Jackson worked as a summer associate at Plunkett Cooney and as a judicial intern with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. She encourages students to find a mentor at all points of their educational journey—from high school, to undergrad, to law school.
Justice Kyra Harris Bolden '14 made history when she was sworn in as a Michigan Supreme Court Justice on January 1, 2023. As the first Black woman to serve on the highest court in Michigan, she recognizes the importance of her leadership on the bench. “Representation is beyond important,” she said. “It is an honor to serve and to be an inspiration to others who look like me.”