William Jack, Jr.
Adjunct Professor
Law College Building
648 N. Shaw Lane Rm
East Lansing, MI 48824-1300
Degrees
J.D. 1973, with honors, George Washington University National Law Center; B.A. 1969, Denison University
Bar Admissions
Michigan
Courses
Trial Practice Institute: Pre-Trial I
Biography
Professor William Jack is a shareholder at Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge, where he specializes in general litigation, health law, and defense of professional liability actions. He served as chief executive officer of the firm from 1991 to 1997, was president of the firm from 1997 to 2009, and currently chairs the firm's diversity committee.
Professor Jack is on the faculty of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) and has trained lawyers in advocacy skills for NITA regional and national programs, law firms in several states, and litigation counsel for a number of national insurance carriers. He also serves on the faculty and steering committee of the Western District of Michigan Hillman Advocacy Program. He is certified as a facilitative mediator by the U.S. District Court fo rhte Western District of Michigan and a number of state circuit courts, and has mediated several hundred matters.
He is past president of the Western Michigan Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, former president of the Michigan Defense Trial Counsel, past president of the Grand Rapids Chapter of the American Inns of Court, and past president of the Grand Rapids Bar Association. He currently serves on the State Bar of Michigan Judicial Qualifications Committee.
Professor Jack is the recipient of the 1998 Service and Mentoring Award presented by the Young Lawyers Section of the Grand Rapids Bar Association, the 1999 Boss of the Year award presented by the Grand Rapids Association of Legal Support Professionals, the Michigan Defense Trial Counsel 2002 Excellence in Defense Award, and the 2009 Michigan Association of Justice Respected Advocate Award.