Detroit Mercy Law student Louis Magidson (second from left) is pictured with his siblings on a vacation in Saint Martin (left to right) Jordan, Ariel, and Josh.
By Sheila Pursglove
Legal News
It was perhaps inevitable that Louis Magidson would follow in his parents’ footsteps. His mother, Rochelle Lento, practices real estate transactional law in a large corporate firm, with a focus in affordable and senior housing; and his father, Mark Magidson, is a sole practitioner out of Detroit practicing criminal defense.
“Each offered me a very particular perspective of the legal field and showed me just how diverse the opportunities are within it,” their son says. “This myriad of practice fields and seemingly endless choice of professions in the legal realm is likely what drew me to study law. I’ve always been drawn to law or at least the analytical, pragmatic way law reduces a problem.”
But before attending the University Detroit Mercy School of Law, where he is now a rising 2L, Magidson earned his undergrad degree in international relations from James Madison College at Michigan State University.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to many regions of the world from Chile to China and many places in between,” he says. “My early interest in history made me very interested in the present and the future as I grew older—the present and the future are both very international concepts. I also studied Chinese for about 6 years and imagined I would pursue a Chinese specialization in my studies.”
After his freshman year, Magidson worked as an administrative assistant in the accounting department of Dykema, with some work in the marketing branch. He enjoyed going to the Renaissance Center every day and being in Detroit; and the experience re-inspired his passion for Detroit and an interest in returning to it after college.
During his MSU junior year, he interned for Rep. Alex Garza, at the time a freshman Democratic legislator representing District 12.
“It was a very fast paced environment with all sorts of organizations looking to meet with the representative and gain his vote,” Magidson says. “I enjoyed shadowing Rep. Garza in his various committee hearings as well as the general session, while interacting with his wide array of constituents seemed to be good client interaction prep.”
A final undergrad job was as a summer law clerk for Racine & Associates in Detroit, providing insight into how a small law firm functions.
“I was able to observe a few probate hearings as well as handle a large amount of client communication,” he says. “I did have an inkling I’d be pursuing law school, so it was definitely good preparation for what was to come.”
He also did a five-week MSU undergrad study abroad program in Brussels, capital of the European Union, with studies focused on EU origins, structure, security, and future.
“We visited every EU government center building from the commission to the courts, as well the NATO headquarters in Brussels,” he says. “The weeks flew by, and my funds dwindled just as quickly but the program was an unforgettable experience.”
He also traveled with a fellow MSU student to Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Bruges, Paris, Versailles, and Prague; the two attended the Architecture Film Festival of Rotterdam, spent Bastille Day in Paris, and witnessed the end of the Tour de France in Brussels.
Despite the challenges of the pandemic and remote studies, Magidson is enjoying Detroit Mercy Law.
“So far, I’ve enjoyed my limited experience with the deans and higher-level administration of the school,” he says. “It’s not been often, but whenever I’ve sought their assistance, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the swiftness of their replies and the actions they take to help me.”
After his undergrad studies and experiences, he has an underlying interest in policy, but also is intrigued by commercial real estate work.
“I’m essentially open to any legal field I can get some experience in and determine my interest in it,” he says. “I don’t have a specific preference other than leaning towards transactional work as opposed to litigation, but even this may change with more exposure and practice in litigation.”
His career goals, he adds, are very Detroit-oriented and he hopes to work and live in the Motor City for the foreseeable future.
“Without a specific field of law, I’m particularly passionate about I don’t know where my career will take me, but I do know Detroit will remain at the forefront of my priorities,” he says. “I thoroughly enjoy Detroit and I hope to never stop letting the city inspire me.”
A recent four-month externship at Beaumont Health in Southfield was educational, he says.
“I learned of the intricacies of the corporate compliance field as it relates to the health industry and how those intersect with aspects of the law. It was a difficult position to grasp in a remote setting, but I believe the research conducted and the things I learned about corporate office communication will definitely benefit my legal career.”
He was still clerking in his summer job for Scott F. Roberts Law, located in the Masonic Temple in Detroit.
“I’m enjoying the small firm environment and the fast-paced work that goes along with it especially in the commercial real estate business,” he says. “The firm is also one of the leading boutique practices in the Detroit area providing full legal services to cannabis business owners.”
Remote studies during the pandemic went fairly well for Magidson, who lived at home with his attorney parents in Palmer Woods.
“The house became a sort of legal thought incubator,” he says. “We’re fortunate to have just enough space for everyone to have had their own office/study area, so we were able to feel as if our days proceeded separately even if the separation was only a few walls. I’m even more fortunate to call my parents some of my best friends, so it wasn’t too difficult at home during the pandemic.”
A proponent of fitness and health consciousness, Magidson is a member at the Detroit Athletic Club and tries to exercise four to five times a week.
“I’m hoping to get back into hockey within the DAC and also return to the pottery wheel, both of which were childhood interests of mine that I’ve lost over the years,” he says.
He also has been a long-time volunteer at People for Palmer Park, founded in 2011 when the city was contemplating closing Palmer Park as one of its belt-tightening efforts following the bankruptcy.
“The surrounding communities of the University District, Green Acres, Sherwood Forest, the Detroit Golf Club, and Palmer Woods, my lifelong home, banded together and prevented the city from abandoning Palmer Park,” he says. “In the wake of that movement, a dedicated group formed People for Palmer Park which, in partnership with those communities as well as the city, has sent the park on an increasingly productive trajectory. Between the overall cleanup and improved safety, the splash pad, log cabin renovations, new playscapes, the urban farm, and all-new tennis courts People for Palmer Park has assisted with an ongoing revitalization of the park.”
A lifelong resident of the Detroit area, Magidson attended grade school at the Friends School in Detroit, which closed in 2015, and then journeyed to the suburbs of Bloomfield Hills for high school at Cranbrook Kingswood.
“These educational experiences offered me a very particular perspective on the metro Detroit area and a recognition that despite much work needing to be done, Detroit’s near future is going to remarkable,” he says.
“My choice of law school is no small reflection of my passion for the city—UDM Law’s downtown location and Detroit centric environment made my choice clear. I’m excited to pursue my career in the city and continue to watch it grow and thrive in the coming years.”
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