'Outstanding 3L' MSU Law grad aims for litigation career

By Sheila Pursglove Legal News A self-termed "blue-collar guy with a chip on my shoulder," Broc Gullett loves that Detroit has the same qualities. "Because I identify with the city, I want to dedicate my career to helping Detroit return to becoming the fierce, bustling metropolis everyone knows it can be," he says. "If, at the end of my career, I'm a well-respected attorney in a robust, economically thriving Detroit, I will deem that a success." Gullett is well on his way to achieving that success. Recently honored as "Outstanding 3L" by the Michigan State University College of Law Student Bar Association, he will start work this fall as a litigation associate at Kerr Russell, where he spent four months last summer. "I was so lucky to have been hired on as a summer associate at Kerr Russell," he says. "I met so many talented, experienced, and friendly attorneys who showed me what it meant to be an attorney and a true professional. I could not be more excited to begin my career in October. My main focus and interest is civil ­litigation I love the competition of litigation, and I will be happy to contribute to that process in whatever way Kerr Russell needs me. "I've always been attracted to the unique power lawyers have to help people solve their problems," he adds. "Also, I'm super competitive, and I love the idea that I'll be able to help people solve their problems by taking part in large-scale brain fights." He will bring to the job extensive experience from MSU Law, where he worked as a research assistant for professors Frank Ravitch and Michael Sant'Ambrogio. "It was great as it reflected the work I would be doing as a young associate at a law firm," he says. In four months as a judicial intern for Michigan Supreme Court Justice Bridget Mary McCormack, Gullett got to see how much work goes into reviewing every appeal. "It made me feel like justice was truly being served because everyone there made such strong efforts to ensure the courts had come to the right conclusions," he says. The MSU Civil Rights Clinic was another highlight. "This experience helped me to see, first-hand, the problem the legal profession has with access to justice," he says. "I will take this problem personally during my career, and I will take on as much pro bono work as possible to ensure that everyone has access to the American justice system." After receiving a great deal of advice from 2Ls and 3Ls during his first year, Gullett served as a teaching assistant in Professor Tiffani Darden's Civil Procedure class in his 2L and 3L years. "I really enjoyed being a TA because it gave me a chance to pay it forward," he says. "It also made me feel cool because a lot of the 1Ls tend to erroneously think that TAs possess some uncommon level of genius." A regular on the Dean's List, Gullett won three Jurisprudence Achievement Awards in his first year, in Contracts, Civil Procedure, and Appellate Advocacy; was named Law Review Best Brief Finalist in Spring 2014; and won the Moot Court Competition Class first-place Appellate Brief in Fall 2014. He also served as articles editor on the Law Review. Above all, he enjoyed the people at MSU Law. "I've made life-long friends, and that's much more important to me than any degree," he says. "My close friends and I would typically go to a bar called Buddies every Thursday for a few drinks to unwind I'll miss that." In his leisure time, Gullett listens to podcasts about science and psychology two favorites are "RadioLab" and "You Are Not So Smart." Passionate about sports, he particularly enjoys football, and played on the Coyote's NCAA Division 1 football team during undergrad years at the University of South Dakota. "In Detroit, I'm hoping to find time to coach youth football in some capacity," he says. "If I'm not able to do that, I'll find another way to volunteer. I'll be happy as long as I find a way to contribute to Detroit's positive momentum." Gullett is moving to the Motor City a far cry from his hometown of Buckeye, Ariz., a rural town with a buffalo herd living across the street from his family home. The middle of three children, in his youth Gullett had many opportunities to work with his hands outside. "My parents always preached hard work. Growing up, I saw how hard my parents worked at blue-collar jobs to ensure we had everything we needed," he says. "My biggest fear about becoming a lawyer is that my family will make fun of me if I let my hands get too soft although, it may already be too late," he says with a smile. Published: Thu, Jun 30, 2016

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