Also in this issue: Remembering our Colleague - Mike May | Remembering Mike May | Ikigai | Mike's Gal | A Municipal Law Tour de Force
Making a Difference
Steve Zach | 01.05.23
Mike hired me in 1981 as a law clerk for Boardman when he was in charge of that program for the firm. He and I were associates, partners, and senior counsel at Boardman since, except for his stint with the City of Madison at which time I was his client. To say he was an excellent attorney is an understatement. He had that rare combination of raw intelligence, practical sense, and people skills which made him perfect for navigating the legal terrain of municipal law. It did not hurt that he really liked working for municipalities and their electric utilities and his passion and skills made him one of the best practitioners in that field.
Mike and I talked when he was contemplating a move to become City Attorney for Madison, a switch that was financially significant for him, but, as he put it, gave him the opportunity to make a difference. Which he did.
Mike made a difference in a lot of people’s lives, both those with whom he worked professionally, and those of us who got to know him personally, even when he was wearing his kilt and beret. His zest for municipal law and the clients he served was second only to that he had for life, which he lived fully and with few regrets. The outpouring of well wishes to his wife, Briony, and to those of us at Boardman was amazing and a fitting testament to a great lawyer and person.
This newsletter is published and distributed for informational pur-
poses only. It does not offer legal advice with respect to particular
situations, and does not purport to be a complete treatment of
the legal issues surrounding any topic. Because your situation
may differ from those described in this Newsletter, you should
not rely solely on this information in making legal decisions.