September 14, 2005

LANSING – First Gentleman Daniel G. Mulhern has been selected to receive the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association Foundation’s Dennis W. Archer Public Service Award. The award recognizes outstanding contributions by a member of the legal profession who serves the Metro Detroit community.
 
“I went to law school to gain skills that would help me work for justice and peace,” said Mulhern. “I’m humbled to have my work recognized by my peers.”
 
The award will be presented to Mulhern on Thursday, September 15, at 7:30 p.m. at the Compuware World Headquarters, 1 Campus Martius, Woodward Ave., Detroit. Governor Jennifer M. Granholm and Dennis Archer, former mayor of Detroit and the first recipient of this award, will speak at the ceremony.
 
Mulhern is being recognized for his commitment to volunteerism, community service, and youth initiatives. He serves as chair of the Michigan Community Service Commission where he focuses on strengthening communities through volunteerism. In addition, Mulhern is leading Mentor Michigan, a program that works to ensure that all of Michigan’s children have ongoing relationships with stable, caring adults. Both the First Gentleman and Governor Granholm are mentors through the Capitol Area Big Brothers Big Sisters organization.

Mulhern is an accomplished leadership coach and organizational development expert and is using those skills to guide the Office of Great Workplace Development, whose aim is to make the state government a “great place to do great work.”  He also writes and publishes a weekly e-column called “Reading for Leading” that stimulates the thought and development of leaders around the country, which he offers to individuals free of charge to anyone with an interest in leadership. 
 
Mulhern is a native of the Detroit metropolitan area. He received his degree in religious studies at Yale and his law degree from Harvard Law School and later practiced law in Detroit.

The award reception benefits the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association Foundation’s Access to Justice and Public Service programs. These programs improve the quality of life and help meet the legal needs of the underserved by funding educational opportunities for the community and also the legal profession.