MARCH 16 • 2023 | 43

NEXT DOR

D

etroit Jewish News 36 under 36 
winner and attorney Jacob Gordon 
was inspired by his father, attorney 
Merrill Gordon, to go into the field of law.
“I’ve always loved the idea of rules and 
how to find the most success while staying 
within them,
” says Gordon of Birmingham. 
Gordon, 27, who works for Honigman 
LLP
, a business law firm, specializes in real 
estate law with a focus on commercial real 
estate transactions. He handles legal matters 
for buying and selling commercial proper-
ties such as shopping centers, mobile home 
parks, apartment buildings and residential 
living areas, among others.
While his father, Merrill, instilled a love 
for law into his son, Gordon also pulled 
inspiration from his grandfather, Bert 
Gordon, who was a real estate broker.
“I enjoy the tangibility of it,
” Gordon says 
of real estate. “I love being able to drive 
around town and look at a property and 
be like, ‘We sold that property.
’ I can look 
around my immediate surroundings and see 
the impact of what I am doing.
”

INSPIRATIONAL SURROUNDINGS
Prior to beginning his work in real estate law 
in September 2021, Gordon built the early 
part of his legal career at a law firm called 
Cannabis Counsel PLC. There, he focused 
on helping people get licensing to sell and 
grow recreational and medical cannabis.

It’s a challenging career path, he explains, 
but one that’s immensely rewarding.
“There are long hours,
” Gordon says. 
“Having something be really easy and fall 
into your lap is nice, but having the oppor-
tunity to work really hard at something and 
have it work out is enormously satisfying to 
me.
”
While Gordon isn’t required to be in the 
Honigman office five days a week, he choos-
es to come in nonetheless because he enjoys 
being with his coworkers and clients.
“You learn very little about practical appli-
cations of law in law school,
” he explains. 
“Being surrounded by the right people who 
are willing to teach you in your professional 
setting is important to grow as an attorney.
”
After attending Washington University in 
St. Louis School of Law from 2018 to 2021, 
Gordon could have launched a legal career 
anywhere, but decided to return home to 
grow his legal roots.
“There are really good friends of mine 
[from law school] that I keep in touch with 
daily,
” he says. “The city was great and a 
phenomenal experience, but it did ultimate-
ly show me that there were things I wanted 
here in Michigan.
”
More particularly, Gordon says, he missed 
 
the Metro Detroit Jewish community.
“There’s something really unique and spe-
cial about what’s going on here in Detroit,
” 
he continues, “and that’s what I wanted.
”

GIVING BACK
Now, Gordon is a first-year board member 
of NEXTGen Detroit, an arm of the Jewish 
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit that 
focuses on building a vibrant community for 
young Jewish adults.
He sits on the NEXTWork committee, 
which plans professional networking events 
and assists with other event planning as well.
Through his undergraduate education 
and law school, Gordon was also involved in 
Jewish organizations. He was the vice presi-
dent of MSU Hillel and Philanthropy Chair 

of the Jewish Law Society at Washington 
University in St. Louis School of Law.
It’s a commitment and community that 
Gordon feels compelled to contribute to.
“I’ve taken a lot and I’ve benefited 
immensely from the Jewish community, 
relationships and resources that have been 
available,
” he says. “I’m constantly chasing 
this challenge of giving back, but my 
experiences continue to give me so much 
more.
”
For Gordon, building and sustaining a 
vibrant Jewish community is his way of 
“paying back what I owe.
” He also recently 
embarked on a JDC Entwine trip to 
Argentina in December 2022 with other 
young Jewish adults from Metro Detroit and 
the greater Midwest region to learn about 
the equally vibrant Jewish community of 
Buenos Aires.
“The community is thriving down there,
” 
he says. “It was really eye-opening.
”
Seeing the work JDC does on a global 
level, Gordon explains, further reinforces his 
passion and commitment to giving back to 
the Jewish community.
“Getting to see these dollars at work 
helped me feel more confident in my giving,
” 
he says. “I can now explain to my friends 
and family the impact that their efforts here 
at home can have globally.
” 

This is the first in a series about young adults who left 

Michigan and have decided to come home and plant 

their roots in Metro Detroit. If you or someone you know 

want to be featured, send an email to jheadapohl@ 

thejewishnews.com.

NEXTGen Detroit board member Jacob Gordon is 
committed to giving back to our Jewish community.
Back from St. Louis

ASHLEY ZLATOPOLSKY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

HOME AGAIN IN MICHIGAN

Gordon at Little Caesars Arena 
for the “Nothin’ but NEXT” event 
in November 2022

Jacob 
Gordon

