by Douglas Levy
Dolan Media Newswires
DETROIT, MI -- (November 26, 2013) Aaron D. Lindstrom has been appointed Michigan Solicitor General by Attorney General Bill Schuette, effective Dec. 7.
He succeeds John J. Bursch, who announced his resignation in October.
Lindstrom, who served as assistant Solicitor General, told MiLW he’s excited to be involved in “so many of the interesting issues that come up through the appeal process for the state, defending statutes the Legislature has passed, and defending the constitutional provisions that the people have passed, and also getting to potentially argue in the U.S. Supreme Court.”
He added that the Detroit Chapter 9 bankruptcy could end up in the appeals process, “so that’d be one thing we’d expect to be confronting.” In addition, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled recently that City of Pontiac Retired Employees Ass’n v. Schimmel will be reheard en banc, so Lindstrom will be preparing for possibly being involved in that, too. That case concerns the constitutionality of the way the Legislature made the emergency manager law effective immediately.
Lindstrom has been in the Solicitor General Bureau for a year, and previously worked in the appellate practice group at Warner Norcross & Judd LLP in Grand Rapids. He’s a University of Chicago Law School graduate, and clerked for 6th Circuit Judge Jeffrey S. Sutton.
In addition, he graduated from U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and served in the Army for five years on active duty as a cavalry officer.
Lindstrom explained that such background helps with oral argument: “You learn how to handle pressure and remain calm under pressure. Obviously discipline is a huge part of West Point and working had, preparation and planning. The value of time management is a valuable skill I learned there.”
Speaking of time management, Lindstrom said he knows that there are long hours involved with the post, especially considering he lives just outside of Grand Rapids and has an hourlong commute to Lansing.
But he said he listens to U.S. Supreme Court oral arguments and law-related podcasts in the car on way to and from the state capital.
“There are things I’m able to do to try to make that productive time,” he said with a laugh.
As much as he’s looking forward to being the state’s top appellate attorney, he noted that it’s a team effort.
“By the time a case gets to the solicitor general bureau, there have been a number of attorneys who have worked on it, contributed ideas, helped develop legal theories and prepared the case. I’m just thrilled to have the opportunity,” he said.
Entire contents copyrighted © 2013 by The Dolan Company.
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