Michigan vs. MSU Referee is a Harvard Law School Alum

Posted by Jeff Lipshaw

I am not delighted that Michigan State just scored, but I was delighted to see just now that an old friend, Ron Torbert (left), is the referee.  He was a first year associate at Dykema Gossett in Detroit (out of Harvard Law School and Michigan State), and wrote the brief in Borman's v. MPCGA, a reported 6th Circuit decision.  He was one of the star young litigators at Dykema until I cheesed off some of my former partners when I hired him as the General Counsel of the AlliedSignal Safety Restraints Division (I only hired the best).  Ron eventually returned to Dykema as a partner, and I believe is now the general counsel of Barton-Malow, a large construction firm in the Detroit area.

I knew that Ron had started refereeing high school football many years ago, and had moved up through the ranks of small colleges, then the MAC, and now is at the pinnacle of college refereeing.  Many Big Ten referees (Jerry Markbreit, for example) have gone on the NFL.

Great job, Ron, and call a few more penalties on your alma mater.