Ilene P. Schwartz, of Franklin, Michigan, together with her sons Steven of Ann Arbor and Bob of Huntington Woods, have made a gift to establish a scholarship fund in memory of their husband and father, Stanley S. Schwartz, ’55, who died in 2004.
The Stanley S. Schwartz Scholarship Fund will assist students on the basis of both need and merit.
“We are attempting to honor him and to honor the scholarship recipients who embody his passion for the law and his desire to use his legal acumen to help individuals and families in their greatest time of need,” said the Schwartz family in making the gift. “My husband was a legendary trial attorney and recognized as one of the country’s preeminent litigators in the field of tort law, as well as a pioneer in the field of birth trauma litigation,” said Ilene Schwartz. “His deft and brilliant skills at depositions and in the courtroom were well known and he was famed for his meticulous attention to preparation. He was also an accomplished author.”
A New York City native, Mr. Schwartz was born in the Bronx and attended undergraduate school at the University of Michigan where he earned a B.A. with honors in English in 1952. He went on to graduate with honors from the Law School and began his career with the Detroit law firm of A. Albert Sugar. He was a founding partner, along with his brother Leonard B. Schwartz, ’59, in the prestigious firm of Sommers, Schwartz, Silver & Schwartz.
He wrote five books on medical malpractice law, including The Anatomy of a Lawsuit, Michigan Malpractice Law, and Handling Birth Trauma Cases: Volumes I and II. Mr. Schwartz was also an adjunct professor at the University of Michigan Law School, where he taught an advanced seminar on trial advocacy and medical malpractice.
He was active in many professional associations, including the American Bar Association, the American Trial Lawyers Association, the Michigan Trial Lawyers Association, the Michigan Bar Association, the California Trial Lawyers Association, and the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association. He lectured regularly at trial associations, bar associations, and other professional organizations throughout the United States, and was also involved in various charities, including the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Michigan and the ALS Association.
The $1 million gift comprises an $810,000 commitment from the Schwartz family and a gift of $190,000 made by Stanley Schwartz during his lifetime. The new gift made by the family received a $405,000 match from President Mary Sue Coleman through her Donor Challenge initiative to encourage support for scholarships for professional and graduate students.