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Dedicated To The Law

LEONARD POGER

Copy Editor

E

arly in his law career, Stanley S.
Schwartz represented a family
whose child suffered a birth trau-
ma. He never forgot that experience, and
it led him to become a medical malprac-
tice trial attorney.
Mr. Schwartz went on to be a major
battler in the medical-malpractice spe-
cialty. He gained national recognition for
his work and wrote several books on the
topic, including How to Handle Birth

Trauma Cases, The Anatomy of a Lawsuit

and Michigan Malpractice Law.
Mr. Schwartz, 74, of Franklin, died
unexpectedly of a heart attack Aug. 16,
2004, while doing his daily exercises on
his home treadmill.
He woke up that morning in great
spirits, said his wife, Ilene. The couple
were celebrating their 51st wedding
anniversary that day.
While her husband had several hobbies
such as tennis and glider piloting, "the
law was his life," she said. "He loved the
practice of law" and was active in his
practice up to the time of his death.
He was also a very compassionate man
who gave to many causes and groups —
but always anonymously. "He never
wanted publicity," she commented. She
recalled one time when "he read about a
family in need and then sent a check."

He had a wonderful relationship with
his sons and grandchildren, she added.
Showing another side of his personali-
ty, Mr. Schwartz decided about 10 years
ago to do stand-up comedy at the
Comedy Castle in Royal Oak. He did it
a couple of times and enjoyed it, said his
wife.
Mr. Schwartz was well read and had a
photographic memory, she added. One
of his law practice partners, Richard Fox,
praised his legal skills and dedication.
"Stan was a lawyer's lawyer, a great
mentor and friend," said Fox, who knew
him for 31 years at the firm. "He will be
a loss to the profession."
Mr. Schwartz became involved in
medical malpractice as an intellectual
challenge, seeing the combination of
both law and medicine, said Fox. He
knew of the impact of a birth trauma on
the child and family, Fox added.
"His level of preparation was unparal-
leled," Fox continued. At depositions,
"he anticipated every question and argu-
ment of which 90 percent were not
raised." A physician on the other side of
the case commented that he wished his
fourth-year residents knew as much as
Schwartz, Fox recalled.
Born and raised in New York City, Mr.
Schwartz decided to attend the
University of Michigan because he knew
he could get a good education there, his
wife said.

A Long, Beautiful Life

SY MANELLO
Editorial Assistant

EE

e was an "upbeat man" who
had a "life is beautiful" atti-
tude, said Jerome Halperin of
his father.
Herman Jack Halperin of Southfield
died Aug. 17, 2004. He was 108.
Mr. Halperin was born in Russia in
1896, and his family immigrated to the
United States in 1904, moving to
Detroit in 1914.
In 1916, Mr. Halperin, known as
Jack, and his three brothers and a
brother-in-law opened a men's clothing

8/20
2004

90

store,
Halperin
Brothers and
Davis
Clothing.
He retired
from the
clothing
business in
1963, but
Jack Halperin
this did not
mean that he
became inac-
tive. Never one to just sit, Mr.
Halperin worked part time in other
men's shops, played golf and frequent-

He was a founding and senior partner
of Sommers, Schwartz, Silver &
Schwartz, PC, an 85-lawyer firm in
Southfield's Town Center. A professor at
the U-M Law School's Seminar on Trial
Advocacy and Law and Medicine, he
wrote numerous articles about his work.

National Recognition

Mr. Schwartz was a frequent lecturer at
law schools
and legal con-
ferences. He
was a member
of the trial
lawyers associ-
ations in
Michigan,
New York,
California,
and Louisiana
as well as the
American Trial
lawyers
Association.
He was a fre-
quent contrib-
utor to the
Institute of
Continuing
Legal
Education
Stanley S. Schwartz
(ICLE) and
lecturer at
medical associations and bar associations
throughout the country.
He has been recognized in The Best
Lawyers in America since its inception,
voted one of the 20 Most Influential
Lawyers in Michigan, listed in the top

ed Florida as a snowbird.
ML Halperin's first wife, Bessie, died
in 1981; they had been married for 57
years. In 1990, at age 94, he married
Harriet Kirshner, a neighbor in his
apartment building. The couple trav-
eled extensively, including many visits
to Israel.
Jerome Halperin regularly accompa-
nied his father to Knollwood Country
Club in West Bloomfield, where he
had been a member for over 70 years,
and to High Holiday services at
Congregation Shaarey Zedek.
When interviewed by the Jewish
News on the occasion of his 106th
birthday, Mr. Halperin attributed his
longevity to "clean and honest living.
I'm thankful for every day of my life."
Mr. Halperin is survived by his son

five "most substantial personal injury
jury verdicts in Michigan" and recog-
nized in a Forbes magazine story on the
"Most Successful Lawyers in the U.S."
Mr. Schwartz is survived by his wife,
Ilene; sons and daughters-in-law, Steven
and Mary Schwartz, Robert and Robin
Schwartz; grandchildren, Anna, Zachary,
Adam and Amy Schwartz; brother,
Leonard Schwartz; brother-in-law and
sister-in-law
Edward and
Muriel Purdy.
He was the
son of the late
Morris Schwartz
and the late Fay
Schwartz.
Interment
was at Clover
Hill Park
Memorial Park.
Contributions
may be made to
the Crohn's and
Colitis
Foundation of
America, 31313
Northwestern
Hwy, Suite
209,
Farmington
Hills, MI
48334; the ALS
Foundation of Michigan, 21311 Civic
Center Drive, Suite 200, Southfield, MI
48076; or the University of Michigan
Law School, 625 S. State, Ann Arbor,
MI 48109. Arrangements by Ira
Kaufman Chapel. 111

and daughter-in-law, Jerome and
Margot Halperin of Birmingham;
grandchildren, Dr. Andrew Halperin,
John and Missy Halperin, Mark Kahn;
great-grandchildren, Brett, Grant,
Lauren, Jillian and Ryan Jack Halperin,
Amanda and Matthew Spector, Alex
and Ilyssa Kahn; stepdaughter-in-law,
Suzanne Kirschner.
He was the beloved husband of the
late Bessie Halperin and the late
Harriet Kirschner Halperin; grandfa-
ther of the late Gayle Halperin Kahn;
stepfather of the late Gerald Kirschner.
Interment was at Machpleah
Cemetery Contributions may be made
to the Jewish Women's Foundation or
the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit. Arrangements by Ira Kaufman
Chapel.

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