Butzel attorney and former Michigan Supreme Court Justice Kurtis T. Wilder’s portrait dedication occurs November 29 in Lansing
DETROIT, Mich. – Butzel attorney and former Michigan Supreme Court Justice, Kurtis T. Wilder, has been an innovator and thought leader throughout his legal career. Notably, a portrait dedication will take place during a special session of the Michigan Supreme Court on Wednesday, November 29, 2023 at 4:00p.m. (The public can watch the ceremony on the Court’s streaming page). The event is hosted by the Michigan Supreme Court Historical Society. The portrait was created by Charleston, SC based artist Rob Maniscalco.
Wilder is a shareholder with Butzel. He concentrates his practice in litigation, appeals, and mediation and facilitation. He serves as a Neutral Mediator/Arbitrator with New Era ADR, a digital advanced dispute resolution platform. He has been a Senior Lecturing Fellow at Regent University School of Law and has appeared as a commentator on Dan Abrams Live.
At the same time, Wilder is serving a one-year term as Chair of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Last year, he was named to the Executive Committee. The Michigan Chamber of Commerce is Michigan’s leading statewide business advocacy organization with more than 5,000 members.
He served on the Michigan Supreme Court following his appointment by Governor Rick Snyder on May 9, 2017 through December 31, 2018. Prior to that time, Wilder served as a judge for 25 years on both the Michigan Court of Appeals and the Washtenaw County Trial Court.
Wilder, the 112th Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, graduated from the University of Michigan with an A.B. degree in Political Science in 1981, and from the University of Michigan Law School with a Juris Doctor degree in 1984.
He was named to Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s Hall of Fame Class of 2021. He also is included in The Best Lawyers in America, Appellate Practice, 2021-2023 and DBusiness magazine’s Top Lawyers in Metro Detroit, Appellate Law, 2020-2024; Arbitration, 2020-2022.
In 2021, Wilder was elected Chair of the Interlochen Center for the Arts Board of Trustees. Previously, he served as First Vice-Chair and Chair-Elect. He also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Alumni Association of the University of Michigan.
Wilder has memberships in the Fellows of the Michigan State Bar Foundation; the Association of Black Judges of Michigan; the Federalist Society, Board of Advisors, Lawyers Division-Michigan Chapter; Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, Gamma Rho Boule; and the Wolverine Bar Association.
Wilder served as President of the Michigan Judges Association, Chairman of the State Bar Judicial Conference, and President of the Ingham County Bar Association Young Lawyers Section. He was an active member of numerous State Bar of Michigan committees and Michigan Supreme Court taskforces. While on the Supreme Court, he was the Court’s liaison to the Judicial Tenure Commission and for issues related to courthouse security.
He has been active in many civic and philanthropic endeavors during his career. He is a former board chair of the State of Michigan Community Corrections Advisory Board, National Kidney Foundation of Michigan, and Nonprofit Enterprise at Work.
Moreover, Wilder is an Elder and Chancel Choir member at First Presbyterian Church of Plymouth.
