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Michigan Alum & Legal Legend
Michigan Alum & Legal Legend
Jason L. Honigman portrait. Oil on Canvas. Image courtesy UM Library Digital Collections.
by Michael Xiang
Walking among the hallowed halls of the University of Michigan Law School, you might overlook the Jason L. Honigman Auditorium. Named after a man who reshaped Michigan's legal landscape, alumnus Jason Honigman was the founder of one of Michigan’s most powerful law firms and a visionary leader deeply committed to philanthropy (“Jason L. Honigman”).
The 372-seat auditorium (room 100 in Hutchins Hall) is the largest classroom at the Law School (“UM Law School”). It appears to be grand and bright once you open the doors, and the setup looks exactly like a courtroom. A podium emblazoned with the words Michigan Law stands front and center, reflecting the influence of Honigman on the Michigan legal system and sets the tone of seriousness and gravity of the room. Honigman and his family foundation donated funding for the room, and in response to their generosity, UM named the auditorium after the great lawyer and philanthropist (“Michigan Lawyers").
Inside the Jason L. Honigman Auditorium, Sept. 20, 2024. Photo by Michael Xiang.
Jason L. Honigman Auditorium bronze plaque nameplate (Sept 20, 2024) by Michael Xiang.
Jason L. Honigman was born on October 25, 1904, in Minsk, Russia, and moved to New York with his parents in 1911 (“Michigan Lawyers"). At the University of Michigan, he was the “top of the class and worked as a student editor of the Michigan Law Review” (“Michigan Lawyers”), graduating with his bachelors in 1924 and his law degree in 1926 ("Honigman Auditorium"). Jason argued his first case before the Michigan Supreme Court at the age of 23 and expanded his stage in front of the United States Supreme Court in less than 10 years. After his legendary performance on the court, his name became well-known around the legal world, and went on to co-found the Detroit-based law firm Honigman LLP, which grew into one of the largest and most respected law firms in Michigan (“Jason L. Honigman”).
A 1989 letter from Judge William H. Rehnquist, Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court to Charles W. Joiner, Michigan U.S. district judge, perhaps sums up Honingman's legacy best: "In my judgment, Jason Honigman is, if not the best lawyer in the State of Michigan, certainly one of the very best and this would be true in the United States as well... [H]e has demonstrated the kind of public commitment to law and the processes of administering justice that is equaled by no one" ("Honigman Auditorium").
The Honigman family name itself carries a rich historical meaning. The surname "Honigman" is of Jewish origin from the 14th and 15th centuries, derived from the German word honig, meaning honey. A person with the surname Honigman was often referred to as “honeyman,” suggesting an occupational origin related to beekeeping or honey production (“Honigman Last Name”). The name hinted at the path for Jason Honigman’s career with prosperity. Across the world in various cultures, honey is considered a symbol of strength, truth and knowledge ("Pure"), something Jason Honigman's career also reflects. In the six decades of Jason’s career, he played pivotal roles in various legal reforms and served as the vice chairman of the Joint Committee on Michigan Procedural Revision. This committee was instrumental in modernizing and simplifying Michigan's court procedures, making them more accessible and efficient for both legal professionals and the public (“Michigan Legislative”). Jason’s vision allowed him to modernize the judicial process and transform Michigan's legal system (“Michigan Lawyers").
In many ways, Jason L. Honigman’s legacy is like the honey the forbearers of his name once produced—sweet, enduring, and created to be shared. The Honigman Auditorium, with the courtroom-like design and the gravitas of its wooden stand, is more than just a lecture hall, but serves as a daily reminder of Honigman’s life’s work—where the next generation of legal minds will debate, argue, and innovate, just as he did.
Work Cited
"Honigman Auditorium (Room 100), Hutchins Hall; Unknown; Jason L. Honigman; 1990." In the digital collection University of Michigan Ann Arbor Campus Paintings and Portraits. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/h/hist265painting/x-41/honigman.jpg. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed 3 Nov. 2024.
“Honigman Last Name Popularity, History, and Meaning.” Name Cencus. namecensus.com/last-names/honigman-surname-popularity/. Accessed 20 Oct. 2024.
“Jason L. Honigman; Founder of Large Michigan Law Firm.” Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 10 Aug. 2021, chicagotribune.com/1990/09/16/jason-l-honigman-founder-of-large-michigan-law-firm/.
“Michigan Lawyers in History: Jason L. Honigman.” MichBar.org, State Bar of Michigan, michbar.org/file/journal/pdf/pdf4article2348.pdf. Accessed 20 Oct. 2024.
“Michigan Legislative Council Appoints Honigman Partner Peter B. Ruddell as Chair of Michigan Law Revision Commission.” Honigman.com, Honigman LLP Attorneys and Counselors, honigman.com/pressrelease-1912. Accessed 20 Oct. 2024.
Photo of portrait of Jason Honigman. Published in "Honigman Auditorium (Room 100), Hutchins Hall; Unknown; Jason L. Honigman; 1990." In the digital collection University of Michigan Ann Arbor Campus Paintings and Portraits. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/h/hist265painting/x-41/honigman.jpg. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed 3 Nov. 2024.
"Pure and Natural Honey: A Global and Ancient Symbol of Sweetness and Pleasure." Elias Honey, 14 Apr. 2023, eliashoney.ca/blogs/news/pure-and-natural-honey-a-global-and-ancient-symbol-of-sweetness-and-pleasure Accessed 3 Nov. 2024.
“University of Michigan Law School Self-Guided Walking Tour.” About the Buildings, 15, 2007 Law School, University of Michigan, repository.law.umich.edu/about_buildings/15/ Accessed 3 Nov. 2024.
Xiang, Michael. Jason L. Honigman Auditorium bronze plaque. 20 Sep. 2024. Author's Personal Collection.
Xiang, Michael. Inside the Jason L. Jason L. Honigman Auditorium. 20 Sep. 2024. Author's Personal Collection.
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