After serving 12 years as Detroit's mayor and pursuing — and dropping — a bid for Michigan governor as an independent candidate, Mike Duggan is headed to the private sector.
Duggan is joining Honigman, a prominent business law firm headquartered in Detroit, as partner in the government relations and public policy practice group. Duggan told the Free Press his role is not yet well-defined, but he expects to help businesses solve issues and flesh out deals. Part of his decision stemmed from his and his wife Dr. Sonia Hassan's desire to stay in Detroit. Plus, Duggan said he is "not planning to ever be heavily involved in politics."
"If it's somebody who I really feel strongly about, I’ll get involved. But I’ve done the public sector for a long time,
I'm really looking forward to being back in the private sector. But mostly, Sonia and I are just really happy that we’re gonna be able to stay in the city of Detroit," Duggan said.
Honigman announced Friday, Aug. 14 that Duggan's role will entail "drawing on his extensive experience and deep understanding of Michigan’s government and legislative landscape" and advising on "matters involving alternative dispute resolution, internal and external investigations, infrastructure and economic development initiatives, public-sector approvals, crisis response and sensitive matters, and complex political and community relations issues."
Duggan said that Honigman approached him.
"Honigman is as fine a firm as there is in the country. They've got great lawyers and a great reputation. I wasn’t really thinking about law firms, but when they came, and they really recruited me hard, I looked at it and said, 'This is perfect, I could work for a great firm, I can stay in the city of Detroit.' I'm sure I'll be part of helping them grow that practice," Duggan said. "I don't know if it'll be the city, state or nationally. But I started off as a corporate attorney at the beginning of my career in the Buhl Building a block or two away. It's come full circle and I've got a free hand to build a practice. Honigman has got a lot of great clients. I'm gonna be helpful where I think I can be. We’re gonna define it as it goes along."
Duggan received a bachelor's degree and law degree from the University of Michigan, spending the early part of his career as Wayne County's assistant corporation counsel, deputy county executive and was then elected as Wayne County prosecutor before leading Detroit Medical Center. Speculation circulated that Duggan dropped out of the governor's race to lead the University of Michigan as president.
"I've talked to a lot of people, that didn’t come from me. I got a chance to get away and I thought about it, and I wanted to stay in Detroit, and I wanted to go to the private sector. I wanted to do something where I could contribute," Duggan said.
David Foltyn, Honigman's chairman and chief executive officer, donated at least $4,000 to Duggan's mayoral campaigns since 2013.
In a statement announcing the role, Foltyn said Duggan's insights will boost the firm's ability to "help clients navigate complex matters, conduct sensitive investigations, manage difficult stakeholder issues, and capitalize on emerging opportunities.”
“Throughout his career, Mike has demonstrated a remarkable ability to solve complex problems, lead large organizations, build consensus among diverse stakeholders, and drive meaningful economic growth. His experience spans government, healthcare, law enforcement, economic development, and public policy, giving him a unique perspective that will benefit clients facing critical business and strategic challenges," Foltyn said in a statement.
Dana Afana is the Detroit city hall reporter for the Free Press. Contact: dafana@freepress.com. Follow her: @DanaAfana.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Mike Duggan joins Honigman, no plans to be 'heavily involved in politics'
