Concerned alumni amicus brief filed in Harbaugh v. Big Ten litigation

California-based litigation firm Rushing McCarl LLP filed an amicus brief today on behalf of Ryan McCarl and other concerned University of Michigan alumni in the Harbaugh v. Big Ten litigation. The brief supports the university and Coach Jim Harbaugh in the lawsuit between the University of Michigan and the Big Ten Conference. Rushing McCarl was supported by local counsel Carlson, Gaskey & Olds, P.C.

You can read the brief and its supporting documents here. The attorneys who wrote it can be reached at goblue[at]stun-call.weavers-web.com.

Ryan McCarl, an attorney who co-founded Rushing McCarl with John Rushing and wrote the forthcoming book Elegant Legal Writing, is a University of Michigan alum (M.A. 2010) and lifelong fan of the football program. McCarl was born in Ann Arbor the week legendary coach Bo Schembechler and quarterback Jim Harbaugh led Michigan to a 27-17 victory over Ohio State. McCarl’s father Kip was a student-trainer for the football team, so McCarl was often brought to games in a backpack and continued attending games throughout his childhood.

McCarl volunteered to write an amicus brief representing the perspective of Michigan alumni who love the football program, and the response was overwhelming. Around 1,700 degree-earning Michigan alumni (ranging from the Class of 1959 to the Class of 2023) signed the brief, offering support and encouraging Rushing McCarl LLP to share their perspective with the Court. The signatories included many former athletes, season ticket holders, donors, fellow attorneys, and other members of the alumni community across the world. These alumni were outraged at the Big Ten’s failure to provide Michigan due process before suspending Head Coach Jim Harbaugh, who restored Michigan Football to its historic greatness. Coach Harbaugh ought to be on the field as Team 144 earns the 1,000th program victory and defeats Ohio State en route to a third straight Big Ten title.

Michigan alumni are deeply invested in the outcome of the Plaintiffs’ motion for interim relief because the reputation of an institution and football program they love has been unfairly impugned without the benefit of a full investigation and due process. Rushing McCarl is honored to have been trusted by so many Michigan alumni around the world to make their point of view heard. Go Blue!

[1]     Alumni who signed up through our online form were required to attest that they are degree-receiving alumni, sign in through Google, and provide their full names, email addresses, degrees, and class years, with the option to include other information to help with verification. 1,163 signatories were verified and 527 spot-checked by a contact at the University of Michigan Alumni Association, who did not release any alumni information but did help us identify mistaken entries (of which there were very few). Another 25 signatories could not be verified in time for filing and have been omitted from the signature page.

Photo credit: Dylan Buell, Getty Images (licensed)