Message from the Dean

Alumni of Michigan Law know they have benefited from receiving an unparalleled legal education, and that privilege brings the responsibility of giving back to their communities, their countries, and the world.

Thousands of our graduates have given back in amazingly generous ways, working as leaders and volunteers with organizations that feed the hungry, house the homeless, showcase the arts, champion green spaces, and care for the youngest, the oldest, and the sick—indeed, all the functions that distinguish a civilized and caring people.

For more than 15 years, we have tried to inculcate a sense of that responsibility in our 1Ls during their orientation week. On Service Day, summer starters and fall starters spend a day working in teams as volunteers for non-profit groups all over southeastern Michigan. They put in a total of hundreds of hours helping out with the simple day-to-day chores that keep these organizations alive. As the new 1Ls get to know their new classmates better, they also get a sense of the strong tradition of service that is such an important part of Michigan Law’s proud heritage.

I am thrilled that our annual Alumni and Friends Service Day—an extension of the campus Service Day program that goes far beyond the Law Quad—has become so popular. But I can’t say I’m surprised. Michigan Law alumni have always enjoyed getting together. And they have always enjoyed doing good works. The Alumni and Friends Service Day is an unbeatable combination of the two, offering alumni, their families and friends to make a difference while working together.

But don’t take my word for it. To get a real flavor for the program, read the testimonials on this website from Service Day leaders and participants. And on the next Service Day, join in the fun and the satisfying work. Whether this is your first Service Day or whether you’re a seasoned volunteer, we hope to see you there.

Evan H. Caminker
Dean and Branch Rickey Collegiate Professor of Law