By Sheila Pursglove
Legal News
As a kid, Russell McIntosh disliked seeing people get picked on.
“I don’t like it as a young adult either,” he said.
This outlook has shaped McIntosh’s passion for the law.
“I see the law as a powerful tool that can hold accountable those who do illegal things to target the most vulnerable in our society,” McIntosh said. “I also believe it can play an essential role in beginning to rectify some of the harm done to victimized individuals and communities.”
Now a 1L and a Dean’s Fellow at Detroit Mercy Law, McIntosh is interested in becoming an employment attorney working alongside employees in disputes with their employers.
“What just about all of us have in common is that we have a job or are seeking one. Our employment is how we support ourselves and our families and how we attempt to build generational wealth,” he said. “So, when an employer violates our rights guaranteed by law, they must be held accountable just as anyone else would be.
“I want to be one of many who ensure employee rights are respected and protected.
McIntosh said he was attracted to UDM due to its “commitment to bringing about social justice in our society, its extensive involvement in service to the Detroit community, and its reputation for creating some of the best and brightest lawyers,” he adds.
McIntosh — whose father is a Detroit Police lieutenant and mother an educator with Detroit Public Schools Community District — earned his undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Michigan.
“History, government, politics, and the law have always been core interests of mine, so I saw a major in political science as the perfect opportunity for me to learn about each of these topics at a deeper level,” he said. “As an aspiring attorney, I also knew the major would help me improve my writing process and practice comprehending dense texts.”
At U-M, McIntosh was a member of the Student Advisory Board of the Division of Public Safety and Security (DPSS); a leader in the Cru Trotter BIPOC Bible Study/Community Group; and Political Actions Chair for the Black Student Union, playing a key role in making the school a more equitable place for Black students and a place where they can thrive.
“Our team spent a lot of time in conversation with our campus community to determine how best to achieve our goals,” McIntosh said. “We regularly met with university administrators to identify actionable steps that would ensure long-term change.
“And while there’s still so much work to be done to make our goals a reality, I’m proud of the work we did and the things we accomplished. I’m even happier that the work is continuing under BSU members today.”
During undergraduate studies, McIntosh spent the fall of 2021 as a policy analyst in the office of former Detroit City Council President Brenda Jones.
The following summer, he interned in the Civil Division/Civil Rights Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, which investigates and seeks remedies for violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act and other civil rights statutes.
“I witnessed firsthand the work they did behind the scenes to combat discrimination, and I really enjoyed interacting directly with members of the public,” McIntosh said. “Many had issues that, unfortunately, the office could not handle — at least at that point in time. I was, however, glad that I could provide an ear for community members to vent about their issues.
“I was also happy to experience taking the information I’d gathered from my phone calls with them and, based on my limited knowledge, make recommendations to my supervising attorneys on whether they should pursue a community member’s matter further. It was both exciting and humbling to participate in this process.”
After graduation, McIntosh gained law firm experience with two years at Honigman LLP as an administrative assistant, and as an innovation specialist, managing organizational aspects of the “Mind Your Matters” campaign, an internal Continuing Legal Education (CLE) initiative.
“I enjoyed working for Honigman because the firm’s commitment to top-notch client service and maintaining its reputation as the best in the legal industry was always evident,” he said. “I would love to follow Honigman’s example when I have my own practice.”
A Detroit native and graduate of Renaissance High School in Detroit, McIntosh currently makes his home in Royal Oak.
Legal News
As a kid, Russell McIntosh disliked seeing people get picked on.
“I don’t like it as a young adult either,” he said.
This outlook has shaped McIntosh’s passion for the law.
“I see the law as a powerful tool that can hold accountable those who do illegal things to target the most vulnerable in our society,” McIntosh said. “I also believe it can play an essential role in beginning to rectify some of the harm done to victimized individuals and communities.”
Now a 1L and a Dean’s Fellow at Detroit Mercy Law, McIntosh is interested in becoming an employment attorney working alongside employees in disputes with their employers.
“What just about all of us have in common is that we have a job or are seeking one. Our employment is how we support ourselves and our families and how we attempt to build generational wealth,” he said. “So, when an employer violates our rights guaranteed by law, they must be held accountable just as anyone else would be.
“I want to be one of many who ensure employee rights are respected and protected.
McIntosh said he was attracted to UDM due to its “commitment to bringing about social justice in our society, its extensive involvement in service to the Detroit community, and its reputation for creating some of the best and brightest lawyers,” he adds.
McIntosh — whose father is a Detroit Police lieutenant and mother an educator with Detroit Public Schools Community District — earned his undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Michigan.
“History, government, politics, and the law have always been core interests of mine, so I saw a major in political science as the perfect opportunity for me to learn about each of these topics at a deeper level,” he said. “As an aspiring attorney, I also knew the major would help me improve my writing process and practice comprehending dense texts.”
At U-M, McIntosh was a member of the Student Advisory Board of the Division of Public Safety and Security (DPSS); a leader in the Cru Trotter BIPOC Bible Study/Community Group; and Political Actions Chair for the Black Student Union, playing a key role in making the school a more equitable place for Black students and a place where they can thrive.
“Our team spent a lot of time in conversation with our campus community to determine how best to achieve our goals,” McIntosh said. “We regularly met with university administrators to identify actionable steps that would ensure long-term change.
“And while there’s still so much work to be done to make our goals a reality, I’m proud of the work we did and the things we accomplished. I’m even happier that the work is continuing under BSU members today.”
During undergraduate studies, McIntosh spent the fall of 2021 as a policy analyst in the office of former Detroit City Council President Brenda Jones.
The following summer, he interned in the Civil Division/Civil Rights Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, which investigates and seeks remedies for violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act and other civil rights statutes.
“I witnessed firsthand the work they did behind the scenes to combat discrimination, and I really enjoyed interacting directly with members of the public,” McIntosh said. “Many had issues that, unfortunately, the office could not handle — at least at that point in time. I was, however, glad that I could provide an ear for community members to vent about their issues.
“I was also happy to experience taking the information I’d gathered from my phone calls with them and, based on my limited knowledge, make recommendations to my supervising attorneys on whether they should pursue a community member’s matter further. It was both exciting and humbling to participate in this process.”
After graduation, McIntosh gained law firm experience with two years at Honigman LLP as an administrative assistant, and as an innovation specialist, managing organizational aspects of the “Mind Your Matters” campaign, an internal Continuing Legal Education (CLE) initiative.
“I enjoyed working for Honigman because the firm’s commitment to top-notch client service and maintaining its reputation as the best in the legal industry was always evident,” he said. “I would love to follow Honigman’s example when I have my own practice.”
A Detroit native and graduate of Renaissance High School in Detroit, McIntosh currently makes his home in Royal Oak.
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