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Some might call law professors Steven Davidoff and Noah Hall a dual threat, but they are two of the most popular and respected teachers in WSU's Law School, according to faculty and students.
Davidoff, a 38-year-old Ann Arbor resident, is from New York and he has taught at Wayne State for two years. Currently, he teaches classes on mergers and acquisitions and securities regulation.
Davidoff was a history major at the University of Pennsylvania. After graduating, he attended law school at Columbia University and then went onto to receive his master's degree in finance at the London Business School. Davidoff practiced for 10 years before deciding it was time to move on and explore other things.
He doesn't think much has changed in how law students are educated since he graduated from law school.
"Students are much more focused on getting the foundation and less interested in theoretical issues," he said. "Not much has changed."
With three degrees behind him, one would think there would be a long list of proud accomplishments to follow.
"Professionally, my greatest accomplishment (was) when I represented a juvenile on death row and got their sentence reduced to life," Davidoff said. "And personally, getting engaged."
He plans for the wedding to take place July 6 in Columbus, Ohio.
When his fiancée is not complaining that he needs a hobby, Davidoff said he blogs for the New York Times, which he started doing in January. He also said that he's thinking of taking up golf.
"Part of being happy is learning that you make decisions," Davidoff said. "My career choices have worked out. I made mistakes, but I have no regrets."
Water law may not sound like a very interesting class but when Hall, 33, is teaching it, the subject can come to life.
Originally from Woodstock, N.Y., Hall came to Michigan in 1992 and completed his undergraduate and law school education at the University of Michigan. After graduating from law school, he worked as a clerk for the Minnesota Supreme Court, practiced environmental law and then went to work for a nonprofit environmental group in Minnesota. He then decided to venture into teaching and has been at Wayne State for three years, where he specializes in these subjects.
And just how passionate is Hall about the environment?
"I've always been committed to it," Hall said, an Ann Arbor resident. "I think it's fascinating we can solve major environmental problems through the legal system.
" I take the train from Ann Arbor to Detroit. There's an Amtrak. I also buy food from local farmers (and) producers. I try to ride a bike as much as I can. I carpool a lot and ride a bike to carpool."
Hall, who has been married more than 10 years, has two children and extended his interest in the environment over to his son, Miles River. Hall's enthusiasm for the law rubs off on his students.
Oday Salim, 29, a third-year law student, has been Hall's research assistant for two years and did two independent studies with him.
"He is one of the best professor's at Wayne I've ever come across," Salim said. "He's the best student advocate at the law school. I can't believe he's this good this early in his life."
Salim has taken environmental, water and administrative law classes from Hall. These are elective classes he could have easily taken with someone else or not taken at all. Salim said Hall is the reason he is now considering on embarking on a career in environmental law once he graduates in May.
Hall said students like Salim make the teaching experience rewarding although he doesn't find creating and grading final exams very exciting.
"I love teaching," Hall said. "It's energizing working with students. Students have so many new ideas. I like seeing my students use their legal education to solve environmental problems."
For about five years, Hall has been involved in the negotiation of the Great Lakes Compact, an agreement to protect the waters of the great lakes.
"In 10 years, I see myself doing the exact same thing; helping students solve environmental problems," Hall said.
