The 2025 Detroit Bar Legal Scholar Program
Call for Submissions
Drawing from the example of the Nobel Foundation in Sweden and its recognition of creative contributions in important professional and academic subject matter fields, the Detroit Bar Association has established the Detroit Bar Legal Scholar Program to recognize each year original legal work product that advances the field of law and offers the application of new ideas that address the social, educational, economic and/or human advancement of the State of Michigan.
We request submissions that address the following Mega Question for 2025:
“How could current legal/judicial tools and/or new ones be innovatively applied to optimize the equitable resolution of our State Court dockets and then serve as a model nationally?”
The criteria for evaluation of submissions shall consist of the following three elements:
- Is the submission original work product based upon erudite legal research and methodology?
- Does the submission engage in problem solving as to how the Mega Question may be pragmatically and constructively addressed?
- Does the submission advance creative thinking through the innovative application of existing or new means employed in Michigan, other US jurisdictions and/or globally?
The deadline for submission is October 15, 2025. Submissions shall only be accepted from members of the Detroit Bar Association in good standing. Submissions shall be electronically provided in a PDF format not exceeding 30 pages in length to Darlene Trudell at dtrudell@detroitlawyer.org. A submission fee of $25.00 US payable electronically here is required to begin the evaluation process. By way of providing a submission, the author(s) agree that Detroit Bar in its sole discretion may without restriction or expense reproduce, publish, and use in an electronic or written format any such submission.
Selection and Recognition of the Detroit Bar Legal Scholar
Based upon the submissions meeting the evaluation criteria above, we may select the author(s) of a specific submission to be awarded the designation of Detroit Bar Legal Scholar. The author(s) of the approved submission shall be recognized at the Archer Gala in fall. The biographical information of the selected Detroit Bar Legal Scholar, together with the successful submission, shall be published either electronically or in writing. Any other submissions may also be published electronically or in writing as references for public use.
LEGAL SCHOLAR COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Chair: James Allen, Schenk & Bruetsch, PLC
Tishia Browning, Attorney
Chris Merritt, Zausmer
2024 Detroit Legal Scholar Winner
We requested submissions that addressed the following Mega Question for 2024:
“How could current and/or new legal and dispute resolution best practices be innovatively applied, either before or during trials, to optimize the fair and expeditious resolution of civil court dockets and then serve as a model nationally?”
The Detroit Bar Legal Scholar for 2024 (awarded in 2025) is:
- Harshita Ram, Attorney, International Arbitrator & Mediator, President, Global Arbitration Mediation Academy, Optimizing Civil Court Dockets through Innovative Dispute Resolution Practices
2023 Detroit Legal Scholar Winner
We requested submissions that addressed the following Mega Question for 2023:
“How could current legal/judicial tools and/or new ones be innovatively applied to optimize the successful resolution of current and pending residential and commercial foreclosure cases for the betterment of key stakeholders including without limitation owners, tenants, landlords, lenders, utilities, law enforcement, and employers in Michigan and then serve as a model nationally?”
OR
“How could current legal tools and/or new ones be innovatively applied to optimize diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the employment and advancement of individuals in the private and public sectors for the betterment of our community and then serve as a model nationally?”
The Detroit Bar Legal Scholar for 2023 is:
- Henry A. Ballout, Attorney, Garan Lucow Miller P.C, Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Goals: Legal Tools in the State of Michigan as a National Model
2021 Detroit Legal Scholar Winners
We requested submissions that addressed the following Mega Question for 2021:
“How could current legal/judicial tools and/or new ones be innovatively applied to optimize the successful resolution of current and pending eviction cases for the betterment of key stakeholders including without limitation tenants, landlords, lenders, utilities, law enforcement, and employers in Michigan and then serve as a model nationally?”
The Detroit Bar Legal Scholars for 2021—and their submissions—are:
- Alfred Ashu, Assistant Corporation Counsel, City of Detroit, Betting Against the House: Michigan Should Establish the Right to Appointed Counsel in Eviction Proceedings and Expand Eviction Diversion Measures
- Zeina Baydoun, Executive Director, Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center, and Marc M Stanley, Executive Director, Southeastern Dispute Resolution Services, Integrated Eviction Diversion—Nonprofits & Courts Working Together
2020 Detroit Legal Scholar Winner
We requested submissions that addressed the following Mega Question for 2020:
“How could current legal/judicial tools and/or new ones be innovatively applied to optimize our current healthcare delivery systems to advance the wellbeing and betterment of the residents of Michigan and then serve as a model nationally?”
The Detroit Bar Legal Scholars for 2020—and their submission—are:
- Jamele Hage, in collaboration with Maria Young, Julia Nahle, and Sara Rashid, Michigan Should Adopt the Point of Care Model for Its HealthCare Delivery System to Secure Improved Health Care Outcomes for Michigan Residents and Reduce Health Care Costs for Michigan Taxpayers
2019 Detroit Legal Scholar Winners
We requested submissions that addressed the following Mega Question for 2019:
“How could current legal/judicial tools and/or new ones be innovatively applied to optimize investment for economic growth and advancement of the residents of Michigan and then serve as a model nationally?”
The Detroit Bar Legal Scholars for 2019 and their submissions are:
- Cheryl Verran Jordan, Legalizing Local Option Sales Tax for Public Transit Could Be the Key to Michigan Economic Growth
- Kaitlyn Mardeusz, A Balancing of Traditional and Modern Approaches to Strengthening Michigan’s Economy
2018 Detroit Legal Scholar Winner
We requested submissions that addressed the following Mega Question for 2018:
“How could current legal/judicial tools and/or new ones be innovatively applied to optimize the present and future well-being of our children at risk after being expelled from public schools in Michigan and then serve as a model nationally?”
The Detroit Bar Legal Scholars for 2018 and her submission is:
- Kaitlyn Mardeusz, A Multi-Layered Approach to Strengthening Michigan’s School System and Reducing Expuslion Rates
2017 Detroit Legal Scholar Winner
Our 2017 Mega Question addressed the application of creative legal tools to optimize the rebirth of neighborhoods within the City of Detroit:
“How could current legal tools and/or new ones be innovatively applied to assist in the redevelopment of Detroit’s neighborhoods?”
The Detroit Bar Legal Scholars for 2017 and their respective submissions are:
- Helen Marie Berg & Adam Kleven, Litigation Strategies for Blight Remediation in Detroit: Curbing Property Owners’ “Invest and Neglect” Scheme;
- Scott Hamilton, Urban Homesteading as a Method of Redeveloping Detroit’s Neighborhoods; and
- Emily Karr, Redeveloping Detroit City Neighborhoods through the Creation of Property Improvement Tax Incentive Zones.