Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan announced this week that he plans to nominate attorney Lawrence Garcia to succeed Butch Hollowell as the city’s corporation counsel. Hollow-ell announced last week that he plans to step down at the end of the year to become managing partner at the Miller Law Firm Detroit.Duggan said he will formally submit his nomination of Garcia in mid-December to ensure the newly-seated council will have the opportunity to vote on Mr. Garcia’s confirmation after they return from holiday recess. Pursuant to the Detroit City Charter, Council will have 30 days from the date of submission to confirm Garcia’s appointment.With more than two decades of courtroom experience, attorney Garcia, 47, is widely recognized as one of the most skilled litigators in Southeast Michigan. He has represented the City of Detroit, Detroit Public Schools, Wayne County and the Detroit Police Department.“In a city that faces an average of more than 700 lawsuits every year with claims of approximately $300 million, bringing in a corporation counsel with such extensive court-room experience is a tremendous asset,” Mayor Duggan said. “Lawrence Garcia is the attorney private companies and government entities turn to for cases that require expertise beyond what is in house. He will do an outstanding job representing the City of Detroit.”Garcia helped the Detroit Branch NAACP challenge the 2005 redistricting of Michigan as a violation of the Voting Rights Act. He also represented LA SED in litigation to ensure that the people of South-west Detroit were treated fairly in the development of the Gordie Howe Bridge.Garcia’s skill as both a litigator and leader have been recognized by his peers. He is a two-time president of the Hispanic Bar Association of Michigan and is one of the youngest members of the American Board of Trial Advocates.In addition to his work with private clients and government entities, Garcia has done extensive pro bono work in the city of Detroit. He’s represented indigent clients and Detroit nonprofits with a specific focus on civil rights, immigration and environmental issues.During the November 2016 presidential election, Garcia volunteered his firm to help Michigan United monitor polling places for civil rights abuses and voter suppression.Garcia is also a longtime supporter of the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion and board chair of the Cesar Chavez Academy in Southwest Detroit.“I am grateful to Mayor Mike Duggan for this nomination and excited about the possibility of serving this great city,” Garcia said. “Detroit is the key to Michigan’s future. I can not think of anything more important than assisting Mayor Duggan and Detroit City Council in their efforts to continue moving this city in the right direction to build a brighter future for Detroit”.Garcia was born in Memphis and spent most of his childhood in Birmingham, Alabama. He moved to Michigan in 1992 and has practiced law in the city of Detroit for almost his entire career. He launched his own law firm, Garcia Law Group, located in Detroit’s New Center, in 2011.
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