Leonard M. Niehoff joined the Michigan Law faculty as a Professor from Practice in 2010 after eight years as an adjunct faculty member. In June 2011, he also became of counsel to Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP. He practices in Honigman’s litigation department, co-chairs its appellate practice group, and chairs its higher education law practice group. Prof. Niehoff previously practiced with the Butzel Long law firm for 26 years, at various times chairing its appellate, media, and higher education practice groups.

Prof. Niehoff has handled libel, privacy, and access matters for such media clients as The Detroit News, CBS, Scripps-Howard, and "60 Minutes." He has also represented many institutions of higher education, including the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Wayne State University, and Yale University. This included service on the team that defended the University of Michigan's use of affirmative action in its admissions policies. Over the years, Prof. Niehoff also has maintained an active pro bono docket, representing individuals in free speech cases and working in cooperation with such organizations as the ACLU, the Anti-Defamation League, and the NAACP. Publications such as The Best Lawyers in America and Chambers USA have long recognized Prof. Niehoff as a leading trial and appellate advocate. In 2010, he was elected to the board of directors of the National Association of College and University Attorneys and to the board of governors of the American Bar Association Forum on Communications Law.

Prof. Niehoff also has a deep interest in legal scholarship. He is the author or coauthor of more than 100 publications, including a treatise on the rights of publishers and reporters, a monograph on the attorney-client privilege, several book chapters, and dozens of law review and bar journal articles on wide-ranging issues. He frequently contributes guest editorials and letters to online and print publications. And he communicates about current legal issues through a variety of social media, including randomverdicts.blogspot.com. His research interests span the fields of civil procedure, ethics, evidence, First Amendment, higher education law, legal philosophy, and Supreme Court history.

Prof. Niehoff received his BA and JD degrees from the University of Michigan. He has also pursued post-graduate study in philosophy and theology.