James J. Blanchard, the first MSU alumnus elected as a governor of Michigan and his firm DLA Piper has been engaged to represent MSU in Washington, D.C.
DLA Piper and Blanchard, who is a long-time partner in the firm, will represent MSU before various federal departments and agencies of the Executive Branch and before Congress. They will lead the MSU response to at least three separate congressional inquiries stemming from the crimes committed by Larry Nassar while a member of the faculty.
DLA Piper has signed a one-year agreement with MSU that runs Feb. 1, 2018 through Jan. 31, 2019.
“DLA Piper will be prepared to assist MSU in answering the numerous inquiries concerning Title IX and sexual assault policies on campus from congressional members and committees. I will help MSU coordinate and cooperate with any inquiry so that all issues are resolved promptly, that action will restore confidence in a great university that is my beloved alma mater,” Blanchard said. “It will be a pleasure and an honor to work on these matters with Interim President Engler.”
“I am very pleased that MSU has DLA Piper and Jim Blanchard representing us in Washington on the substantive issues before Congress and the Executive Branch,” Engler said. “His professionalism and that of his firm will be a great asset for Spartan nation.”
Born in Detroit, Blanchard earned a bachelor’s degree in social science in 1964 and an MBA in 1965 from MSU, as well as a juris doctorate from the University of Minnesota in 1968. He served two terms as governor (1983-1991) and four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. Blanchard also served as U.S. Ambassador to Canada from 1993 to 1996.
In 2015, Blanchard and his wife, Janet, donated $1 million to MSU to create the Spartan Statesmanship Award for Distinguished Public Service and a related lecture series called the Governor Jim Blanchard Public Service Forum. Speakers have included former President Bill Clinton, filmmaker Ken Burns and author Evan Thomas.