DETROIT — American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan Legal Director Dan Korobkin will be leaving the ACLU after devoting more than 16 years of his outstanding career to leading one most prestigious civil rights legal programs in the nation. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer appointed Korobkin to serve as a judge on the Michigan Court of Appeals.
“While we are deeply saddened to see Dan leave, we could not be prouder of his contributions to the ACLU of Michigan and his appointment to the Michigan Court of Appeals,” said ACLU of Michigan Board President Nathan Triplett. “Dan’s brilliance, leadership, and commitment to civil liberties has not only made our legal program one of the strongest in the nation but has improved the lives of Michigan residents with his devotion to protecting and expanding our rights with a focus on those most vulnerable to civil rights attacks.”
Korobkin began at the ACLU of Michigan as a staff attorney in 2008, and served as deputy legal director for five years before becoming the legal director in 2019. He has led the legal efforts on some of the most pressing civil rights and civil liberties issues in our state, including juvenile justice reform, freedom of speech, government transparency and accountability, public education, and LGBTQ rights.
"I am truly humbled and honored by this incredible opportunity for public service, and I am immensely grateful to Governor Whitmer for this appointment,” said Korobkin. “This transition is necessarily one I will navigate with mixed emotions, of course, as I will miss my wonderful colleagues at the ACLU of Michigan, my legal home for so many years.”
“It is difficult to imagine an attorney more deserving of this appointment than Dan,” said ACLU of Michigan Executive Director Loren Khogali. “Dan has earned the respect of the legal community through his service as the Legal Director at the ACLU of Michigan, the thought partnership to attorneys statewide, his volunteer service with the State Bar of Michigan, and most importantly, his steadfast commitment to ensuring that the rule of law protects the people in Michigan most vulnerable to attacks on their civil liberties and rights.
“In addition to the respect Dan has garnered as an attorney and legal director, we at the ACLU of Michigan, also know him as a thoughtful, clear-eyed and empathetic colleague who navigates the many challenges of leadership with grace, constructive contributions and a willingness to learn and grow,” added Khogali. “He will carry all of those qualities into his new role, strengthening our state appellate bench at a time when our state courts are more important than ever.”