JOHN J. SMITH – RETIRED

Before his retirement, John Smith was obviously a mainstay of our firm. He worked with countless clients through his 30-plus year career. His dedication and steadfastness were legendary. The tenure of many of his clients nearly equaled his own. They stayed with him because he was always here for them.

For the firm, John was a skillful mentor. Every attorney, whether they worked directly with him or not, could not help but learn by his example. Invariably, John was one of the first to the office in the morning and one of the last to leave in the evening. Beyond learning the value of hard work, his colleagues also learned the value of an even temper and patient perseverance. Facing a difficult case, John may have displayed intensity, but never anger, and he never gave up on getting the deal done. That dedication equaled another of John’s traits: optimism. He was always certain that given a little time and hard work, the deal would come together, and the client’s goals would be achieved. All of this was done with a generous spirit, good humor and a sense of perspective.

John’s dedication to his career is only rivaled by his sincere devotion to his family (and his love of the University of Michigan athletics).