St. Joseph attorney Alfred M. Butzbaugh was sworn in as the State Bar of Michigan's 65th president on Friday, September 17 during the Bar's Annual Meeting in Grand Rapids.

Butzbaugh will serve as president of the 33,000-member organization for the 1999-2000 Bar year. He succeeds Immediate Past President J. Thomas Lenga of Plymouth. Retiring Michigan Supreme Court Justice James H. Brickley presided over Butzbaugh's Swearing-in ceremony and was later presented with a resolution honoring his seven years of distinguished services on the Michigan supreme Court.

As a senior partner with the five-lawyer St. Joseph firm of Butzbaugh & Dewane, Butzbaugh's practice focuses on civil litigation, business transactions and estate planning.

He has served on the State Bar's Board of Commissioners since 1992 and rose to the rank of Bar president after serving as Treasurer (1996-1997), Vice President (1997-1998) and President-elect (1998-1999).

Butzbaugh is an advocate for assuring equal access to justice for all people and served as chairperson of the State Bar of Michigan's Access to Justice For All Task Force from 1996 to 1999. He has served on the Representative Assembly representing Berrien County from 1973 to 1979 and from 1996 to present.

Butzbaugh served as president of the Berrien County Bar Association from 1982 to 1983. He is a fellow of the Michigan State Bar Foundation and the American Bar Association Foundation. He is also a member of the State Bar of Texas, American Bar Association and the Federation of Insurance and Corporate Counsel.

Butzbaugh is involved in many civic activities and was responsible for initiating the Youth Sports for Benton Harbor endowment program to establish and maintain sports programs for the children of Benton Harbor. He has also served as a mentor for the Benton Harbor Area Schools and initiated and taught a Chess Club at the Gifted and Talented Academy in the Benton Harbor Area Schools.

Butzbaugh received his B.A. and J.D. degrees from the University of Michigan and his M.B.A. from the University of Chicago. He and his wife Tiffany L. Butzbaugh have three daughters, Currie, Alexa and Mia and one granddaughter, Rylie Moore Butzbaugh-Patrick.

J"65th State Bar President Alfred M. Butzbaugh holds the gavel passed on by Immediate Past President J. Thomas Lenga. Butzbaugh was sworn-in by Michigan Supreme Court Justice James H. Brickley during the State Bar's 64th Annual Meeting September 15-17 in Grand Rapids." Also shown in the photo (left to right) are: Attorney General Jennifer M. Granholm, State Bar Executive Director D. Larkin Chenault (rear), Michigan Supreme Court Justice James H. Brickley and State Bar Immediate Past President J. Thomas Lenga (rear).

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