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Welcome Days for Fall 2009 1Ls
Letter from Dean Semple
Dear First Years:
As the new dean of the University of Detroit Mercy School of 
Law, I write to congratulate you on your admission to the School of Law for Fall 2009. For the past several years, my faculty colleagues and I have written to future UDM students, about my second career in the law as a Distinguished Visiting Professor at UDM. Beginning April 18, 2009, I now have the privilege of writing to you as dean of what I consider to be an outstanding law school with energetic and creative faculty, dedicated alumni and administrators and, most importantly, engaging and engaged students.
I came to UDM in 2004 at the request of Dean Mark C. Gordon to join the law school as a Distinguished Visiting Professor–a DVP. As the former Chairman and CEO of Dykema Gossett, Michigan’s largest law firm, I was winding down a very fulfilling career as a corporate transactions attorney, and Dean Gordon’s invitation was very appealing. From the very first class in Corporate Transactions to my work with what is now our nationally recognized Law Firm Program, I have become very attached to and proud of this law school.
You are well aware of the recent transformation of UDM with Dean Gordon’s leadership: our enrollment has doubled, the National Jurist refers to UDM as one of the ten most innovative law schools in the nation, our moot court team won the first national moot court invitational competition, the launch of our Law Firm Program, and of course, our national veterans clinic, Project SALUTE, along with several other new clinics. With the Dean’s Advisory Board and a very experienced and professional Career Services staff, we have seen an increase in the number of national law firms interested in UDM graduates.
I could go on. As I begin my tenure as dean, I am ready and eager to continue our mission as a law school that redefines legal education to prepare you for the challenges of the future, a law school at which you will receive an education that focuses on today’s changing realities even as it enhances your opportunities for tomorrow. I look forward to my “first” first-year class at UDM–and to getting to know each one of you as one of our first-year law students. Welcome to UDM.
Sincerely,
Lloyd A. Semple
Dean and Professor of Law
