Former State Barpresident to be roasted at dinner

W. Anthony Jenkins, member and chief diversity officer at Dickinson Wright, is always thinking about how he can make a lasting contribution to those who may need legal services the most, but can't afford it. It is the main reason that his colleagues will get together to honor him with a "roast" at the State Bar of Michigan's A Lawyer Helps Dinner on April 24 at Ford Field. "Tony is a tremendous asset to the firm and to our community," said William T. Burgess, CEO of Dickinson Wright. "He always is willing to go the extra mile to ensure that individuals in need receive the best possible advice and legal assistance. We are proud of Tony's contributions, and it is a great thrill to see him honored by the larger legal community and by his clients and friends." Jenkins is a well known and beloved attorney who has worked to build a practice in Detroit that includes corporate and public finance transactions, real estate, and minority-certified joint ventures. He has represented the City of Detroit Downtown Development Authority in the development and financing of Comerica Park, Ford Field, and the PricewaterhouseCoopers office building complex. He is a nationally recognized expert in certification of companies as minority-owned business enterprises, and structuring and documenting MBE joint ventures and strategic alliances. Jenkins was the 76th president of the State Bar of Michigan and while there he worked to increase diversity in the legal profession, among other initiatives. He is an active writer and speaker on the topic of diversity with speaking engagements to a variety of organizations across the nation. He has been honored with the Augustus B. Straker Trailblazer Award, Michigan Chronicle's Men of Excellence Award, and Corp! Magazine's Diversity Leadership Award. On April 24, Jenkins' friends and family will gather to honor him, including: Theodore M. Shaw, Larry H. Sherman, Steve Fishman, Wilson A. Copeland, Reuben Munday, and Dr. Eugene Marion Pruitt. James Brown, a former basketball teammate at Harvard University, will serve as Emcee and there will be a special video tribute from Tom "Satch" Sanders, former Boston Celtic and Harvard Basketball Coach. Proceeds from the dinner will go to The Access to Justice Campaign in honor of Jenkins' commitment and leadership for access to justice for all. The Access to Justice Campaign is a partnership of the State Bar of Michigan, the Michigan State Bar Foundation and Michigan's civil legal aid programs to increase resources for civil legal aid to the poor in Michigan. To learn more about The Access to Justice Fund, please go to www.atjfund.org. Published: Tue, Apr 17, 2012