Permit me a personal word this Friday afternoon about what is happening in our beloved country.

The images we have seen over the past 10 days have been horrific. It is appalling to watch acts of violence being committed, whether by private individuals or by the officials whom we charge to serve and protect us. It almost is more than one can bear. One is tempted to simply turn away, to say that’s not us, that’s not who we are. Can’t we just arrest and punish the wrongdoers, and move on?

We are proud to be one of the law firms pioneering the Mansfield 2.0 rule to close the gap in leadership roles for women and minorities in law firm hiring. In 2017, we were among several dozen of the nation's leading firms to adopt the original Mansfield Rule, named for the first woman admitted to practice law in the United States, Arabella Mansfield.

“If you move here, you move the world.”

That is the message in Detroit’s bid to attract Amazon to the vibrant city that has been our headquarters for 165 years. And we wholeheartedly agree.

We understand the appeal for those who want to come to Detroit and to all of the downtowns we call home. In fact, the appeal is so strong that we never left. We welcome the wave of new businesses that have opened in Detroit in recent years, and are excited to continue our relationship with the city that has always been our home and has shaped who we are as a firm.