MEMORIAL RESOLUTION CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF RICHARD A. MICHAEL
WHEREAS, Professor Richard "Dick" A. Michael, a pillar in the Illinois legal community, passed away on August 22, 2022 in Summerville, South Carolina at the age of 89; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of Professor Michael's passing by the Honorable Brendan Reilly, Alderman ofthe 42nd Ward; and
WHEREAS, Whether it was writing the Illinois Rules of Civil Procedure or teaching them to generations of law students, Professor Michael has left an indelible impact on the Illinois legal community; and
WHEREAS, Affectionately known by his colleagues and students as "the RAM" - not only for his initials, but also for his ability to drill the standards for a 12(b)(6) motion into his students' heads -Professor Michael's teaching style often caused many a 1L to perspire, but his friendly demeanor lives in all of their memories anytime they hear the words "sorry Charlie"; and
WHEREAS, Professor Michael, always a north sider at heart, grew up on Balmoral Avenue and graduated from St. George's High School before receiving his Bachelor of Science from Loyola University in 1955 and graduating from Loyola University Chicago School of Law in 1958; Professor Michael subsequently obtained a Master of Laws from the University of Illinois in 1960; and
WHEREAS, Professor Michael answered his nation's call, serving honorably in the U.S. Army as a Second Lieutenant and later in the Army Reserves; and
WHEREAS, He began his teaching career at the Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, recruited to New Orleans by Father William Kenealy, an outspoken integrationist; while in New Orleans he advised the Louisiana legislature as it took on desegregation in the early 1960s; and
WHEREAS, In the 1960s, Professor Michael returned to Illinois and ultimately led the Appellate Division of the Illinois Attorney General's Office under then Attorney General William Clark; he frequently argued before the Illinois Suprem...
Click here for full text