Legal News
Whether guiding clients through complex legal landscapes or mentoring the next generation of attorneys, Carey DeWitt is committed to a lifelong calling that now spans four decades with Butzel, the prominent Detroit law firm that marked its 170th anniversary in 2024.
Now in his 40th year with Butzel, DeWitt has earned a reputation as a consummate legal professional whose impact is felt across industries, educational institutions, and generations of lawyers in Michigan, where he currently serves as co-chair of the firm’s Education Industry Team.
As such, DeWitt has kept close tabs on the rapidly evolving area of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) in collegiate athletics.
“The NIL era has brought new opportunities and challenges for athletes and colleges,” said DeWitt, pointing specifically to the terms of a $2.78 billion settlement that the NCAA agreed to last year in a class action case (House v. NCAA) brought by a group demanding back pay. “The settlement has not received final approval yet. The date for that is April 7, 2025. If it is approved, and that is unclear at this time, schools will be permitted directly to compensate athletes, and those athletes will be seeing some lucrative opportunities. Schools would be allowed to pay athletes directly through a revenue share structure where schools can distribute money to athletes up to 22 percent of the average Power 5 school’s annual athletic revenue (expected to be $20.5 million in year 1).”
In some cases, DeWitt noted, the amounts paid can be staggering under the existing system allowing supporters to help secure an athlete for a particular school, such as the reported $10 million package that wealthy supporters of the University of Michigan put together to entice star Belleville quarterback Bryce Underwood to play football for the Wolverines during his collegiate career.
Down the Big Ten road at Ohio State, the recently crowned national championship team reportedly was stitched together to the tune of $20 million, funds that were earmarked for a slew of star players on the Buckeye squad.
In the wake of that kind of deal-making, DeWitt said that how the new system of doling out payments to players is structured and administered as yet remains unresolved.
“It was originally thought that the majority of those funds would go to players whose sports generate the most money, such as football and basketball,” said DeWitt “Nonetheless, even if the House v. NCAA settlement is approved, that has been called into question because of how that might be impacted by Title IX rules that ensure equal opportunities for female athletes. This remains to be seen, but paying an outsized portion of funds to those competing in men’s sports may or may not be found to run afoul of Title IX. In effect, it could generate even more litigation to address the question of equitable distribution of funds.”
If that indeed happens, expect DeWitt to become somehow involved on the legal front as the many stakeholders in the world of NIL attempt to erect guardrails and define boundaries.
DeWitt’s expertise also extends to counseling colleges and universities on sensitive legal matters, particularly those involving employment issues.
“Situations involving alleged workplace misconduct are best addressed before they become headline news,” indicated DeWitt, the past chair of Butzel’s Labor and Employment Practice Department. “Our team at Butzel is equipped to guide clients through these challenges, ensuring they’re prepared to handle policy matters involving employee relations, freedom of speech issues, and the campus protests that took place at many universities over the past year.
“We all have a deep respect for the principles of free expression,” DeWitt noted. “Colleges and universities are places where ideas should be exchanged freely, but it’s essential to ensure that such speech and conduct do not infringe upon the rights of others.”
Born and raised in Ferndale, DeWitt was one of nine children in a working-class family. His father, Harry, was a driver and a tool and die worker, while his mother, Geraldine, was the heart of a bustling household.
“I look back in amazement at their raising a large family with limited financial means,” DeWitt said. “They were both smart and funny, and they were proud of our education and accomplishments.”
DeWitt’s industrious nature was apparent from an early age.
“I probably had 25 jobs while growing up and through college and law school,” he said.
From raking lawns and shoveling snow at age 8 to delivering handbills for a local pizza shop when he was 10, DeWitt embraced hard work. In college, he juggled jobs painting dormitories, working retail, and serving as a security guard to help pay for his education.
“My siblings were equally committed to hard work. I took a good example from my three older siblings, Shane, Lisa, and Toby. They all had a lot of jobs, from delivering papers, selling various things for retail stores, painting, cutting lawns, and babysitting. My younger siblings all later did the same thing. That’s just what you did. Toby is now a psychiatrist in North Carolina after earning his medical degree from the med school at Michigan State and my oldest brother Shane spent 35 years in computer roles with Chrysler/Stellantis in the UAW technical/computer unit, retiring from the Chrysler Technology Center in Auburn Hills last year. He’s the kind of guy who can fix anything. As a boy, I was kind of Shane’s apprentice, and he taught me how to fix cars, do plumbing, hang drywall, solve problems, and above all not to quit, skills that have benefited my understanding of our many auto-related and other clients.”
A 1981 graduate of Michigan State University, DeWitt earned his juris doctor from the University of Michigan Law School in 1984. While at U-M, he gained valuable experience working for the legal department at General Motors and as a summer associate at Butzel. Upon graduation, DeWitt faced a choice between job offers from GM and Butzel. He chose the latter, driven by his desire to become a trial lawyer.
“I knew at 10 years old that I wanted to be a lawyer,” DeWitt said. “I had a talent for writing and public speaking, and the idea of advocating for others resonated with me.”
Based in Butzel’s Troy office, DeWitt has over the course of his career represented clients in litigation across circuit, appellate, and federal courts, while also handling commercial and labor arbitration matters. His diverse client base—ranging from colleges and universities to auto suppliers and health care institutions—reflects the breadth of his expertise.
Despite his demanding career, DeWitt takes immense pride in his family. He is the father of four children, ranging in age from 29 to 38. His youngest, Connor, is pursuing a career in cybersecurity, while Timothy runs a tutoring business tailored for high school and college students. Alex, a former Butzel attorney, is now working in the crypto finance industry, while Renee works in retail services.
DeWitt’s journey, he acknowledged, has been shaped by his own upbringing and the values he’s passed on to his children.
“I’ve always encouraged them to find their passions and work hard to achieve their goals,” he said.
As DeWitt reflects on his 40-year career, he remains energized by the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
“The legal profession is ever-evolving, and I’m fortunate to work at a firm like Butzel that values innovation and collaboration,” he said.
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