SBM YLS

YLS Past Chairs: Not Your Average Where Are They Now? – The Marc K. Shaye Edition

The year was 1979.  The Sony Walkman revolutionized personal music, voicemail changed communication, McDonald’s introduced the iconic Happy Meal, and a young attorney named Marc K. Shaye stepped into the leadership role of the State Bar of Michigan’s Young Lawyers Section (YLS) Chair. 

We caught up with Shaye to see what stories and wisdom he could share with us.  For this article, we delved into how YLS was incorporated into Shaye’s career path—a remarkable one that spans decades and continents; advocating for environmental protection and shaping the legal landscape.  However, his path to becoming a leading environmental lawyer was far from predictable. “I had no inclination in practicing law,” Shaye recollects.

Ready to graduate Wayne State University Law School in 1969, he initially set his sights on joining his family’s wholesale grocery business.  Towards the end of his last year at Wayne Law, he developed a friendship with Professor Michael Josephson, which changed Shaye’s trajectory.  In addition to playing a good deal of tennis with one another, Shaye shared with Professor Josephson that he was leaning towards a career in corporate business.  In a twist of fate, Professor Josephson invited Shaye out to a law school recruiting trip in Washington D.C. where Shaye ultimately found himself interviewing and accepting a job offer with the then-10-person law firm of Keller & Heckman.  Shaye recalls:

“I had by then gained admission to the Michigan Bar and found acceptance of the D.C. bar as an attractive option.  The years in D.C. starting in 1970 were exciting and I had developed a strong practice area focusing on administrative law.  My areas of law including food and drug, transportation, industrial radio regulations, and occupational safety and health were complemented with a growing interest in environmental law, especially work in the American Petroleum Institute, industrial trade associations, and concerns with oil and chemical releases into the atmosphere.“

His time in D.C. coincided with the birth of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under President Nixon.  He was introduced to an entirely new and growing industry of firms focused on the response to and cleanup of releases of oils and chemicals.  He quickly became a pioneer, forming and leading a new trade association dedicated to environmental response and cleanup.  Shaye acted as its general counsel for more than 30 years.  He has also represented a similar international entity based in Great Britain with membership in more than 50 countries. 

Taking advice from his father, Shaye sought opportunities in which the people and work he encountered were both interesting and challenging.  Each step included individuals with unique personalities dedicated to professional excellence.  Enter the State Bar of Michigan Young Lawyers Section.  Shaye recalls, “[i]n 1973, I returned to Michigan and soon found value in being part of YLS.  Those who made up the YLS during my tenure all exemplified young lawyers of inspiration.”

Those who made up the YLS during my tenure all exemplified young lawyers of inspiration.

Marc K. Shaye

His involvement deepened as he progressed through the YLS ranks, eventually serving as Chair from 1979 to 1980.  Shaye fondly remembers the YLS’s successes during his Chair year, including receiving two American Bar Association Awards of Achievement for their outstanding activities and accomplishments. 

Shaye’s journey exemplifies the power of embracing unexpected opportunities and the importance of pursuing one’s passions.  Reflecting on his experiences, like his father encouraged him, Shaye would also encourage young attorneys starting out today to seek opportunities where the persons and work encountered are interesting and challenging. 

Former YLS Chair Marc K. Shaye’s story is a reminder that even the most successful careers can begin with a simple invitation to an event. These days, Shaye can be found acting as Of Counsel at the law firm of Lippitt O’Keefe.  A big thank you to Mr. Shaye for his time and recollection of his journey, which served as the basis for this article. 

This article was drafted by current SBM YLS Chair-Elect and Foley, Baron, Metzger & Juip, PLLC health care advocate Silvia A. Mansoor, which was based upon the information provided to her by Marc K. Shaye. She thanks him for his service to the YLS and his time dedicated to this article.