Legal News
State Bar President Joe McGill admits to having few regrets in life, especially considering that he has enjoyed a successful and fulfilling legal career as one of the Members at Foley Baron Metzger & Juip, a Livonia law firm that focuses on high-stakes civil litigation across a spectrum of practice areas.
And yet, McGill wishes that he had fast-tracked his involvement with the State Bar once he earned his juris doctor degree from the University of Detroit School of Law in 1990 and before joining a prominent Detroit firm.
“I wish I had known then what I know now about how valuable and enriching it is to become involved in State Bar activities,” said McGill, who was sworn in as president last September by Michigan Supreme Court Justice Brian Zahra during the annual Presidential Inauguration and Awards Ceremony in Troy. “The people I have met since I got involved with the State Bar and the lessons that I’ve learned from them have been instrumental in my growth as a lawyer and as a person. I’m indebted to all of them, and feel incredibly fortunate to be part of such an important organization.”
As president, McGill is in the midst of a one-year term at the top of the State Bar, which serves all 46,000 attorneys in Michigan while also promoting professionalism; advocating for an open, fair, and accessible justice system; and providing services to members so that they may best serve their clients.
“Admittedly, it’s a big job, but it’s one that I’m truly enjoying as I’ve been able to attend meetings and gatherings around the state,” McGill said. “I’m blessed to work with a number of talented and dedicated people on staff at the State Bar and to collaborate with members of the Board of Commissioners in the advancement of the legal profession.”
The current leadership team on the Board of Commissioners includes President-elect Lisa Hamameh, a municipal law attorney in Farmington Hills; Vice President Erika Bryant, a sole practitioner in Detroit; Treasurer Tom Howlett, managing partner of the Googasian Firm in Bloomfield Hills; and Secretary David C. Anderson, a shareholder with Collins Einhorn in Southfield.
“Fortunately, I’m surrounded by a great group on the board, all of whom are dedicated to the work of the State Bar and various other worthy causes in the community,” McGill declared.
The youngest of 11 children, McGill grew up in Oak Park, where his father, William, was a family physician. McGill’s mother, Betty, was a music teacher before rearing her family,.
McGill earned a bachelor’s in finance from Michigan State University.His thirst for learning then continued at the University of Detroit, where he simultaneously earned his law degree and MBA.
“I knew I wanted to be a lawyer from the time I was 10, mostly because my oldest brother, Liam, graduated from U of D Law School then,” McGill related. “His graduation from law school stuck in my memory and I wanted to be like him when I grew up.”
Four years after beginning his legal career in Detroit, McGill added yet another master’s degree to his impressive academic resume, obtaining an advanced degree in Corporate and Finance Law from Wayne State University Law School. Seven years later in 2001, he was awarded a Master of Laws in Taxation from Wayne State, perhaps putting a bow on his graduate studies.
“I’m not sure my wife would look kindly on any plans to pursue another degree,” McGill said with a grin.
His wife, Lauren, is an accomplished attorney in her own right, practicing law for nearly 35 years after graduating from the former Detroit College of Law (now Michigan State University College of Law) in 1990. A Michigan State alumna, Lauren has been a sole practitioner for the past 15 years after working as a partner specializing in commercial litigation for a Detroit area firm.
His busy law practice involves litigation and transactional work handling commercial disputes, probate, estate planning, and corporate and real estate matters. He has a national practice defending product liability claims and prosecutes and defends insurance coverage disputes. His environmental law experience includes the defense of mold-related injury claims, lead contamination litigation, and municipal sewage defect claims. He also consults with clients across the country in matters related to religious land use issues.
A member of the State Bar Board of Commissioners since 2015, McGill also serves on the Board of Directors for the Michigan State Bar Foundation.
With strong Irish roots, McGill helped found the Michigan Irish American Chamber of Commerce, now known as the Irish Network Detroit.
He also is a past president of the Catholic Lawyers Society Detroit and the Incorporated Society of Irish American Lawyers.
All that community and professional involvement would seem daunting to some, but McGill prefers to look at his volunteer roles in a different light. “It gives me energy and offers so many
opportunities to meet interesting and inspiring people,” he said.
“As the saying goes, the more you give, the more you receive. It serves as a powerful motivator for me.”
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