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DLN Front Apr23-18.qxp_Layout 1 4/20/18 3:02 PM Page 1 News you cannot get anywhere else. www.legalnews.com Vol. CXXIII, No. 81 Monday, April 23, 2018 75 Cents DAILY Local Voice DANIEL G. BEYER BRIEFS Kerr Russell Ramifications with Area law firm helps ‘re-purpose’ historic self-driving vehicles Self-driving vehicles, Durfee School facility also known as autonomous Goodman Acker, P.C., a personal injury law vehicles, are the subject of firm in Southfield, has joined forces with Life Michigan legislation amend- Remodeled to support upgrades to the historic ed in late 2016, specifically Durfee School building in Detroit. MCL 257.665, 665a and Life Remodeled, a nonprofit organization, 665b. This memorandum, invests approximately $5 million in cash, labor, among other things, makes and materials into one Detroit neighborhood each observations on this legisla- year. This year’s project involves renovating and tion and potential interplay re-purposing the former Durfee School into a with the Michigan No-Fault Community Innovation Center. The Center will Act, MCL 500.3101 et seq. focus on entrepreneurship, employment, educa- Under MCL 257.401, a person may bring a tion, and community activities. civil action against an owner or operator of a In addition to a financial contribution, Good- motor vehicle, or his or her agent or servant, to man Acker will bolster its support for the project recover damages for injuries or death. The with participation in the Grand Opening event owner of a motor vehicle remains liable for the being held on April 27 and an office-wide Volun- Attorneys and students gathered for a mixer in March to celebrate and officially introduce the Wayne State University Journal of Business injury caused by the negligent operation of the teer Day on May 18. Law to the legal community. 2017-18 members are (standing, l-r) Paul Rzepka, Nick Voran, Eric Boelstler, Charles Roarty, Alex Daar, motor vehicle when the vehicle is driven by The April 27 grand opening will take place Catherine Ferguson, Micah Rogalski, Jaclyn Culler, Brennan Ackerman, Associate Professor Eric Zacks; and Adomas Rauckis; (sitting, l-r) another with the owner’s consent. Thus, the from 3-5 p.m. at 2470 Collingwood Street, Brett Garwood, Joseph Zannetti, Monica Batsford, Danielle Chidiac, Linda Mifsud, and Arthur Griem. owner of a self-driving vehicle would remain Detroit. The event will include an open house liable under this statute in the context of self- with games and tours for local students and com- driving vehicle operations. munity residents. Goodman Acker representatives Or not? will be at the grand opening, giving out items Wayne Law adds new scholarly journal on business law Setting aside the issue of long-term lease such as children’s coloring books, business card holders, one could argue that a self-driving holders, and more to those who attend. The Wayne State University Journal of Business Law is a new addi- 2017-18 academic year. “The Journal’s membership includes some of vehicle owner is not embraced by the statute The May 18 Goodman Acker Volunteer Day tion to the law school’s scholarly journals. the hardest working Wayne Law students. Because of their dedication to because liability under MCL 257.401(1) only will run from 1-4 p.m. at the Durfee Community “The new Journal is a student-managed publication seeking to pro- business law, Journal members are armed with a unique ability to not attaches if the vehicle “is being driven” with Innovation Center. The firm’s entire staff will be vide a collection of scholarly articles and notes by academics, practition- only edit the articles, but also learn from and work with the authors.” the owner’s express or implied consent; consent lending their hands to do on-site work, including ers and students on a broad range of business law topics affecting the The Journal was conditionally approved during the 2016-17 academic is presumed if it is being driven by a spouse or outdoor beautification and gardening, painting, Michigan legal community,” said second-year student Linda Mifsud of year and has gained significant traction and support from faculty and various family members. The statute was enact- and organizing classroom spaces. Livonia, the Journal’s newly elected editor-in-chief. students. Members have spent the last year reviewing and revising arti- ed well before autonomous vehicles entered the “We are proud to partner with Life Remodeled The Journal comprises an executive board, senior, junior and first- cles, as well as meeting with local business law practitioners and accu- picture. The language contemplates an to help transform the Durfee School into a Com- year members, and students are advised by Associate Professor Eric mulating more articles for publication. 2017-18 senior members are assigned or consented to human being doing munity Innovation Center,” said Jordan Acker, Zacks. Senior members work with junior members to publish the jour- Brennan Ackerman of Charlevoix; Monica Batsford of Warren; Jaclyn the driving. partner at Goodman Acker and director of Busi- nal, and the executive board directs and approves the publication. Begin- Culler of Dearborn; Ferguson; Mifsud; Charles Roarty of Grosse Pointe The No-Fault Act includes provisions that ness Development. “Durfee School means a lot to ning in academic year 2018-19, participating students will be eligible to Shores; and Micah Rogalski of Rochester, New York. prioritize insurance coverage for first party my family – my grandfather graduated from there, receive academic credit. Members of the 2018-19 executive board are: PIP benefits. For example, MCL 500.3114 and my grandmother graduated from Center High “This year we all worked together to develop the Journal’s vision for Linda Mifsud, editor-in-chief establishes insurers’ coverage priorities for School next door. Revitalizing the neighborhood the coming years, while establishing relationships with the contributors Nick Voran of Flat Rock, managing editor occupants of motor vehicles involved in an with a building that builds a future for this neigh- and the Michigan business law community,” said third-year student Paul Rzepka of Saline, executive editor accident causing accidental bodily injury. The borhood is something that all of us at Goodman Catherine Ferguson of Woodhaven, who was editor-in-chief for the Eric Boelstler of Clinton Township, publication editor first priority is the insurer of the owner or reg- Acker are extremely proud to participate in.” istrant of the vehicle and the next priority is the insurer of the operator of the vehicle. Can the “system” employed in a self-driving vehi- OCBF to boost support cle be deemed the “operator” of the motor vehicle under this analysis? Must this system for legal aid programs Student funded fellowships: for the students, by the students operator be insured? A similar issue arises with MCL 500.3115, which establishes the through Signature Event BY ALLISON HIGHT on items donated by professors and alumni. nah Rubashkin, described the planning for the insurance priorities for injured persons who The Oakland County Bar Foundation, a non- U-M Law Excitement always runs high at the auction, auction as a yearlong endeavor. “We fundraise are not occupants of a vehicle, such as pedes- profit organization serving the citizens of Oak- and this year was no exception. The evening from alumni and law firms; solicit donations trians. As is the case with MCL 500.3114, the land County and the legal profession, will host its An old edition of the University of Michi- kicked off with a performance by the Law from faculty, students, and alumni; pick a first priority is the insurer of the owner or reg- 19th Annual Signature Event to continue a long gan Bulletin notes that Student Funded Fel- School’s a cappella group, the Headnotes, and theme; and then find faculty to serve as auc- istrant of the motor vehicle and the operator is tradition of support for Michigan-based legal aid lowships (SFF) originally was founded to a screening of the annual SFF video—a humor- tioneers and students to serve as emcees,” next in priority. and education programs on Thursday, April 26 at help students “who wished to explore careers filled glimpse of life at the Law School— Rubashkin explained, describing just a few of Is a person behind the wheel in an 6:30 p.m. at the Oakland Hills Country Club in alternative to traditional corporate practice” before the bidding began. Many auction items the many tasks that the SFF board performed autonomous vehicle an “operator?” Inasmuch Bloomfield Hills. and to provide funds to allow them to work offered students opportunities to spend time throughout the year. Itzkowitz added, “We as the “operator” of a self-driving vehicle may Proceeds from past events have assisted the “with legal services organizations, public with professors outside of class, such as skiing never really stop planning the auction.” not be a human being as contemplated by the important work of the CASA Program [Court- defenders and prosecutors’ offices, and civil with Professor Julian Mortensen, a trip to the One of the most popular items of the night Michigan No-Fault Act, one issue is how insur- Appointed Special Advocates] through CARE liberties groups.” Forty years after its found- Detroit Opera House with Professor Sherman was the chance to sing karaoke with Professors ance rates will be affected if there is one less House, the Family Law Assistance Project, Legal ing, SFF still is strongly supporting that mis- Clark, and a trivia night with Professor Kyle Maureen Carroll, Sonja Starr, and John Pottow. insurer within the hierarchy of priority under Aid for Children and Families, Michigan Center sion.