Two of three public service awards and a Champion of Justice Award given this year by the State Bar of Michigan will go to Wayne State University Law School alumni.
Wayne Law alumni Timothy A. Baughman, class of 1974, and Adam A. Shakoor, class of 1976, will be honored with the Frank J. Kelley Distinguished Public Service Award. Alicia J. Skillman, class of 2000, will be among three honored with the Champion of Justice Award.
The awards will be given during the State Bar's annual meeting Oct. 7, 8 and 9 at the Suburban Collection showplace in Novi. Wayne Law also will recognize these alumni at its annual Alumni Reception hosted by the law school from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Oct. 8 at the Suburban Collection Showplace. Incoming State Bar President Lori A. Buiteweg, Wayne Law class of 1990, will be sworn in during the Inaugural Luncheon from noon to 2 p.m. Oct. 8. She is a partner in Nichols Sacks Slank Sendelbach and Buiteweg PC.
Register for the alumni reception at law.wayne.edu/statebar2015. For more information, email duc.abrahamson@wayne.edu or call 313-577-6199.
Baughman retired from his position as chief of research, training and appeals with the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office in April, although he remains on staff part time offering legal advice and work on appellate briefs. He held the position for 30 years and served 40 years with the prosecutor's office.
He has appeared seven times in the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing successfully on all but one occasion. He also supervised the briefing and argument of four other cases in that court, as well as appearing more than 70 times in the Michigan Supreme Court. He served for eight years as an adjunct professor at Wayne Law, teaching criminal procedure.
He was appointed as reporter by the Michigan Supreme Court for its Committee to Revise the Rules of Criminal Procedure and lectures for the National College of District Attorneys, Michigan Judicial Institute, State Bar of Michigan, Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan and various state prosecutors' offices around the country.
In 2013, the Federal Bar Association honored Baughman with the Leonard Gillman Award, given annually to an outstanding practitioner of criminal law who exemplifies excellence, professionalism and commitment to public service.
Shakoor, founding partner of law firm Adam Shakoor & Associates PC, served the city of Detroit as deputy mayor and chief administrative officer from 1989 to 1993 and served as judge of 36th District Court in Detroit from 1981 to 1989. He was chief judge of the court for two terms, overseeing its judicial and administrative operations. The court is the largest of its kind housed under one roof in the United States and annually processes more than 500,000 cases. As chief judge, Shakoor is credited for many innovations, including establishing a Drug Docket and setting up an Environmental Court to clear up a backlog of cases. He also set up a Saturday Court to make the court more accessible.
As deputy mayor, Shakoor developed a Boot Camp After Care Detention Program for young adult males. The project was adopted as a model by the state of Michigan. Known as Detroit's "Crime Czar," Shakoor also helped develop various crime-fighting strategies for the city.
He was a partner with the law firm of Ashford Cannon Lumumba and Shakoor PC from 1979 to 1981 and was active with the firm in challenging racial injustice.
Shakoor has been active with community organizations for four decades and has received more than 100 honors from federal, state and local branches of government and various community groups. He also has served as a master for the Michigan Supreme Court in various cases and has taught business law, criminal justice and African-American studies at Wayne County Community College District for more than 40 years.
Skillman is principal attorney with AJ Skillman & Associates PC. She is a former executive director of Equality Michigan (formed in 2010 when Triangle Foundation and Michigan Equality merged) and Prevailing Community Development Corp. and former board member of Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion.
Skillman's legal practice includes estate planning, real property, trademark and copyright, as well as other areas of specialty, and also provides discussion and seminars on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues.
From 2007 to 2008, she was director of the Fair Housing Center of the Legal Aid Defender Association Inc. She was a staff attorney with the association from 2004 to 2006.
Published: Fri, Sep 04, 2015
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