Lansing, August 10--Detroit Mayor Dennis W. Archer and Michigan Attorney General Jennifer Granholm joined State Bar leaders and the Access to Justice Corporate and Law Firm Committee in thanking the Access to Justice donors at a reception hosted on Thursday August 9th, by Thomas Gottschalk, Executive Vice President of General Motors Corporation.

The reception, attended by approximately 50 invited guests, was held to acknowledge and thank corporations and law firms in southeast Michigan for their generous response to an appeal for support made last August by the Corporate Committee. The Corporate and Law Firm Committee currently consists of Gottschalk, George Madison of Comerica Bank, Inc. and Bob Gilbert of Miller, Canfield Paddock & Stone. Miller Canfield was acknowledged as one of the strongest law firm participants in the Campaign to date.

Also addressing the guests was state Representative Marc Shulman, a lawyer and Chair of the Michigan House Appropriations Committee, and James Alexander of Governor Engler's southeast Michigan office, recently appointed to the Oakland County Circuit Court bench.

Special recognition was given to Ford Motor Company for the $100,000 leadership gift it made last year, and for the support of the ATJ Fund and strong pro bono work undertaken by Ford legal staff. Dennis Ross, recently named Ford Motor Company General Counsel, attended to accept the award.

Also recognized for leadership gifts of over $25,000 were General Motors Corporation, and the law firms of Thomas, Garvey, Garvey & Sciotti, P.C.; Bodman Longley & Dahling, L.L.P.; Clark Hill, P.L.C.; Howard & Howard, P.C.; Johnson, Rosati, LaBarge, Aseltyne & Field, P.C. and Weiner & Cox, P.L.C.

Special note was made of the most recent leadership gift of $37,500 made by Butzel Long, one of Michigan's leading law firms, with 180 lawyers and seven offices in Michigan and Florida. Butzel Long represents more than 8,000 clients with a wide range of business, government, education and individual interests. Butzel's managing partner Richard Rassel said "I am proud that Butzel Long can express its support of both the community and the profession by making a substantial contribution to the Access to Justice Fund." The ATJ Fund supports civil legal aid programs that provide representation to low-income people in Michigan.

All gifts made to the ATJ Fund by August 31 will be formally acknowledged again at the State Bar of Michigan Annual Meeting in Lansing in September. Gifts made by December 31 will be counted toward the goal of raising 2 million dollars by December 31. For more information on the Access to Justice Fund and the Access to Justice programs, see www.michbar.org.

Cutlines:

	Tom Gottschalk of General Motors, Bob Gilbert of Miller, Canfield, Paddock & Stone, State Bar President Tom Ryan, Attorney General Jennifer Granholm and State Bar Vice President Reginald M. Turner, Jr., gather at the August 9th reception hosted by the Access to Justice Corporate and Law Firm Committee Photo by Monica Morgan
	Dennis Ross, General Counsel of Ford Motor Company, and Mayor Dennis W. Archer Photo by Monica Morgan