Barry LaKritz, J.D. ’72, first developed an appreciation for Wayne State University as a high school senior. “I had just been accepted to the University of Michigan when Wayne State University contacted me and offered a scholarship to the WSU Honors Program…back then, that kind of money really meant something,” LaKritz said.

His sense of appreciation also applies to Wayne Law, where LaKritz was accepted after graduating as a Phi Beta Kappa from WSU’s Honors Program in 1969. Given the Vietnam-infused political situation at the time, Barry requested delayed entry so that he could serve in the U.S. Army Reserve. “My legal education was outstanding in itself, but special credit goes to Wayne Law, which unlike many other law schools, had a program where I could graduate in two and a half years – allowing me to make up part of the time I spent in the military and not further delay either graduation or my marriage plans,” LaKritz said. Clearly, Wayne Law’s accommodation for both delayed entry and early graduation added to LaKritz’s appreciation and a growing sense of obligation, as well.

After graduating cum laude and passing the bar, Barry joined an insurance law practice for ten years and then established his own firm in 1982 – now known as LaKritz Law – specializing in personal injury. To make it a family affair, he was joined in the practice by his daughter Dana LaKritz Marcus, Wayne Law J.D. ’98 and Order of the Coif. Making it a Wayne Law trifecta is Dana’s spouse, Scott Marcus, J.D. ’98, who opted for an entrepreneurial career after law school, co-founding RSM Development and Management LLC in 2000.

The Law School’s curricular flexibility benefited Barry LaKritz, so it shouldn’t be surprising that Wayne Law’s policies also benefited Dana and Scott. As did Barry, Dana and Scott were able to graduate in two and a half years, and they both took advantage of enrolling in a criminal law course during the summer prior to their first-year law (1L) term. That small class experience offered a more hands-on and less stressful introduction to law school and later provided the time for Dana and Scott to participate in Moot Court.

In recognition of their Wayne Law education and appreciation for the School’s excellence, the student-centric accommodations it provided (and continues to offer students), and its growing state and national acclaim, the LaKritz-Marcus family have established a continuing scholarship (with a 10-year renewable commitment) that will be directed toward a member of the School’s Jewish Law Student Association (JLSA). The gift will initially provide an annual $2,500 stipend for the deserving student.

"Thanks to the generous contributions of the LaKritz-Marcus family, our vision – to ensure a lasting presence and vibrant Jewish life on Wayne’s campus for years to come – is becoming a reality,” said second-year law student Cole Levine, who spearheaded reestablishing Wayne Law's JLSA in 2023. “The launch of this scholarship will not only support individual students’ success but also empower Jewish law students, future attorneys, and engaged community members to make a meaningful impact both on and off campus.”

As Scott Marcus reflects on the significance of the scholarship, he emphasizes the long-term impact they hope to achieve for future recipients. “It’s by no means life-changing money,” Scott Marcus added, “but we hope that in ten or twenty years these recipients will look back on the award with the kind of appreciation Barry, Dana, and I now have for our Wayne Law experience and the professors who made it possible.”

For information on endowing a gift at Wayne Law, please contact Rob MacGregor, Senior Director of Philanthropy, at 313-577-4141 or rmacgregor@wayne.edu. You can also visit giving.wayne.edu. Other types of gifts include one-time or current-use gifts, hybrid gifts (endowment plus current use), and naming opportunities.