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Wayne County Judge a Champion of Justice
Nadia Fadel was a recent graduate of the University of Detroit Mercy Law School in 2005 and was feeling overwhelmed by life and her uncertain future.
So she turned to her mentor, Wayne County Circuit Judge David Allen, an adjunct professor at the law school.
“He took me into his chambers, and we talked. He was wearing his robe, and there were children there. He was taking his kids to the Tiger game,” said Fadel, now the director of policy for the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee Michigan. “But he found time to help me with my situation.
“He is a humble man, and he gives a new dimension to that power. I still carry that day with me.”
Allen, 43, has been recommended for a federal judgeship by Michigan Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin, for his contributions on and off the bench.
Like other candidates for federal appointments, Allen declined to comment while undergoing the routine vetting process by the U.S. Department of Justice. President Barack Obama is strongly expected to nominate him to U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan later this year.
In 2007, Allen was awarded the Champion of Justice citation by the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee, in part for his upholding of civil rights in his rulings and the way he conducts his courtroom.
Allen has served on the Wayne County bench since 2003. Prior to that, he worked in private practice, specializing in commercial litigation. He graduated from University of Detroit Mercy Law School in 1993.
L.L. Brasier
Detroit Free Press