William J. Pierce, professor of law, retired from active faculty status on May 31, 1989, after a distinguished career of teaching, research, and administration.

A native of Flint, Professor Pierce received his A.B. and J.D. degrees from the University of Michigan in 1947 and 1949, respectively. Following graduation, he worked with the New York Law Revision Commission, the Office of the United States Senate Legislative Counsel, and the Governor's Study Commission in Michigan.

Professor Pierce began his career at the University of Michigan Law School in 1951 as an assistant professor of law and assistant director of the Legislative Research Center. He was promoted to associate professor and associate director of the Legislative Research Center in 1954 and professor and director of the center in 1957. He served as associate dean from 1971-79.

In the field of legislation, Professor Pierce's work has been unparalleled, both in the sphere of scholarship and in the real world of legislative drafting. He has served on countless committees, commissions, and advisory groups, including having served as chair of the Juvenile Court Citizen's Advisory Committee, executive secretary of the Michigan Law Revision Commission, president and executive director of the National Conference of Commissioners of Uniform State Laws, and chair of the American Statutory Law Committee of the American Bar Foundation. Professor Pierce is also a co-author of the highly successful textbook, Materials on Legislation.

In addition to these outstanding accomplishments in the field of legislation, Professor Pierce has been in the forefront of newly emerging areas of law, as witnessed by his co-authored books, Atoms and the Law and Apportionment and Representative Institutions: The Michigan Experience. He also found time to serve on many committees in the Law School and the University, and he undertook a major share of the responsibility for planning the addition to the Law Library when he was associate dean. In 1989, the Law School Student Senate recognized Professor Pierce by awarding him the Francis Allen Award for outstanding contributions to legal education at the University of Michigan.

The Regents now salute this accomplished scholar and educator for his dedicated service to the University by naming William J. Pierce Professor Emeritus of Law.