Jack Davis is a long-time resident of Lansing, having lived all but 10 of his 76 years in the area. He graduated from Eastern High School, the University of Wisconsin and Harvard Law School. Davis first began practicing law at Kirkland & Ellis in Chicago, and in 1966, joined the law firm Snyder, Loomis and Ewert in Lansing.
In his practice, Davis specializes in advising clients in the areas of real estate, corporations, estate planning, and sports and entertainment. He has been a member of delegations sent to China (1987), the former USSR (1989), and other former Eastern Bloc countries (1990), to advise government leaders on trade and international tax matters for the development of a free market economy.
Davis, the recent recipient of the Outstanding Attorney Award from the Ingham County Bar Association, has been married to his wife, Sue, whom he met at the University of Wisconsin, for more than 50 years. They look forward to spending time with their children, Greg and Jennifer, and their four grandchildren, during the upcoming holidays.
By Jo Mathis
Legal News
Residence: Lansing.
What is your most treasured material possession? A collection of first edition books.
What advice do you have for someone considering law school? If you are going to succeed in private practice, recognize it is not a 9-5 job, and complicated issues are always going to be on your mind. Be certain that is the commitment you want to make if you are considering private practice.
Favorite local hangouts: Troppo; Coral Gables; Dusty’s Cellar; Hobies Café, Kewpee.
Favorite websites: Market Watch; New York Times.
Favorite app: Navigator.
Favorite CD: I listen to CDs to hear readings of books and literature. So far, my favorite is the History and Translation of the Old and New Testaments.
What is your happiest childhood memory? Playing softball at Mt. Hope Avenue School playground and baseball at Sycamore Park.
What would surprise people about your job? It is necessary to concentrate on issues all of the time, and not just in the work place. Also, the facts of the situation are often more important than the legal theories in trying to be successful in representing a client.
What has been your favorite year so far? 1964: the year I was married and the year I graduated law school.
What’s your most typical mood? “Let’s stop talking and get this done.”
Why did you become a lawyer? I was on the State of Michigan High School Championship Debate Team and thought I could analyze and express myself well.
What’s the most awe-inspiring place you’ve ever been? Mt. Sinai in the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt (Moses-Ten Commandments) when we woke up at 2 a.m. and rode a camel to the mountain top where we arrived in time to see the breathtaking sunrise.
What did you do last weekend? Attended my Harvard Law School 50th Reunion.
If you could have one super power, what would it be?
Mind-reading.
What would you say to your 16-year-old self? Get a broad-based education studying history, the arts, philosophy, science, economics, and world literature from the beginning to the present so you can learn how various cultures have evolved and you can have an educated opinion on how cultures and society should move forward in the future.
What’s your proudest moment as a lawyer? Looking back at approximately 50 years of practicing law and seeing all the success stories and the close personal relationships that still exist with clients, partners, friends from high school days and other community members, other professionals, and staff members—some of whom have been with our Firm for 30 years or more,
Favorite joke: About a week ago I listened to A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor, and the annual Joke Show. To me, that is the best place to hear jokes that range from the simple to the sophisticated. An example: Grandson comes up to the Grandfather and asks: “Can you make a sound like a frog, Grandpa?” “Certainly, why do you ask?” said the Grandfather. “Because Grandma says that as soon as you croak, we all are going to Disneyland.”
What do you do to relax? Bicycle rides.
How would you describe your home? Unpretentious and relaxing, with wonderful memories since 1972.
If you were starting all over again and couldn’t go into law, what career path would you choose? A history professor.
What’s your biggest regret? I have been active in many efforts to improve the condition of the at-risk population (Legal Aid Board, Lansing Board of Education, Ready to Succeed, Ingham County Health Care Initiatives) and the efforts have not usually attained the desired goals.
What word do you overuse? “OK.”
What’s one thing you would like to learn to do? Play the piano.
What is something most people don't know about you? There are a few. I rode a bike on the Tour De France route three different years. Also, I was the “celebrity” guest selected by Colgate Palmolive as a high school senior to be interviewed on the Dave Garroway Today Show and the Queen for a Day show. On the same trip to New York, I was also guest contestant on Strike It Rich. In college, I was chair of the Forum Committee of the University of Wisconsin and served as a host for many famous speakers, including Eleanor Roosevelt, Frank Lloyd Wright, William F. Buckley, Jacqueline Kennedy, and President John F. Kennedy.
If you could have dinner with three people, living or dead, who would they be? Moses, Voltaire, Thomas Jefferson.
What’s the best advice you ever received? Don’t burn your bridges.
If you can help it, where will you never return? Ft. Riley, Kansas, for military training.
What do you drive? A Cadillac XLR.
What would you drive if money were no object? A Cadillac XLR.
Favorite place to spend money: Vacationing in Europe.
What is your motto? Don’t relax. Take advantage of every minute of the day to advance toward achieving your goals.
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