Maddin Milestones: Celebrating 100 Years With Craig Zucker
In 2025, Maddin Hauser proudly celebrates its 100th anniversary. Since 1925, Maddin Hauser has flourished and been inspired by Detroit’s impressive staying power as an influential American city. In honor of a century of service to clients and our greater Michigan communities, we sat down with some of our attorneys to discuss Maddin Hauser’s history, their professional journeys, and what the future holds for the firm and its clients.
Today, we chatted with Craig Zucker, a shareholder, member of Maddin Hauser’s Executive Committee, and co-chair of the firm’s Bankruptcy, Restructuring, and Debtor-Creditor Rights group.
Q: How long have you been with Maddin Hauser, what attracted you to the firm, and what do you value or appreciate most about working at MH?
A: I joined Maddin Hauser in 2018 along with several attorneys from the boutique bankruptcy/insolvency firm where I was a partner and practiced for over 28 years, Erman, Teicher, Zucker & Freedman, P.C. We were looking for a larger platform to not only continue the work that had made us one of the premier firms in that practice area, but also to offer our clients counsel on a broader range of business matters. Personally, I wanted to be able to expand my own practice and become more of a full-service business attorney. Maddin Hauser had earned a reputation as a top-tier business law firm with national reach but with smaller (but excellent) bankruptcy capabilities ready for expansion, so our goals and their needs were a perfect fit.
But that practice alignment, as crucial as it was to our decision to join the firm, was really secondary to the fact that we all shared the same culture, values, and identity. A commitment to integrity and providing best-in-class representation, a focus on building enduring relationships, and the respect of colleagues, adversaries, and judges alike – it was thoroughly in sync and made for a seamless transition. Additionally, we were extremely impressed with the firm’s prudent and fiscally sound management. All of these qualities remain cornerstones of Maddin Hauser today and serve as a testament to the core values shared by the people here now and those who came before.
Q: As Maddin Hauser celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2025, what would you see in the firm’s future if you had a crystal ball?
A: As I noted, Maddin Hauser is an exceptionally well-run firm with sound fiscal management. It has also always maintained a thoughtful perspective about growth, innovation, and the adoption of new technologies and approaches. The former facilitates the latter, allowing us to grow and evolve with intention and purpose. The firm has been able to adopt and implement cutting-edge IT solutions across a broad spectrum of our operations and representation, which helps the firm better and more efficiently serve its clients. We moved into the premier office tower in Oakland County just over one year ago, with a state-of-the-art space designed specifically to accommodate new technology and further growth.
The forward-looking actions by the firm’s management has laid the groundwork for the decades ahead. It is the foundation upon which Maddin Hauser is building for the future, one that continues to attract and retain top legal talent, including both experienced practitioners and the most promising newly minted attorneys from the nation’s best law schools. On that note, the firm and I have always shared a deep and abiding commitment to mentorship and encouraging professional growth among our lawyers. I was fortunate to have had supportive, insightful mentors when I was a young attorney, and I want to pay that forward. Developing our attorneys, paralegals, and support staff is not an afterthought here – it is a top priority, and another reason the firm’s future is rock solid.
Q. One hundred years is a tremendous milestone for the firm to achieve. What do you feel has been the most significant influence on its longevity, and what sets the firm apart?
A: Everything I just discussed – our values, our vision, our stewardship – has been key to our longevity. But as a client-centric firm, all of that, while admirable, wouldn’t get us very far if we also didn’t consistently deliver excellent results and value for the businesses and people we represent. We are able to do so because of our complementary practice groups, the depth of our talent and resources, and the alliances and relationships we have built with equally accomplished firms across the country and around the world. This arms us with the firepower of a large firm while still honoring our Detroit roots and the importance we place on client relationships unburdened by bureaucracy or inflated billing. That is what keeps Maddin Hauser in the sweet spot and explains why this past century is only the first chapter in our ongoing story.
Q: Technology and how we work and communicate have changed dramatically in the last 100 years. How has innovation influenced your practice?
A: Technology is a tool, a facilitator, and a force multiplier for us. It facilitates better, quicker, and more efficient communications, legal research, and work-product. Staying ahead of the tech curve has always been a priority at Maddin Hauser, but by the same token, we don’t just chase the shiniest new object that comes along. We strive to balance innovation with a thoughtful approach that considers whether and how we can deploy new software or systems in a way that enhances our services and representation. This is particularly important at this juncture, given the rapid growth of AI in the legal profession. There is immense promise in AI that we can leverage, but we will do so responsibly and thoughtfully, in a way that enhances, rather than replaces, our attorneys’ talents and client relationships.
Q: In 2023, the firm launched an important initiative, The Maddin Hauser Way, which clearly defines everyone’s shared values and practices, which are the foundation of the firm’s culture. Recognizing that all of them are vital, is there one that has more greatly influenced or impacted your practice?
A: This is like picking your favorite child. I was deeply involved in the development of these, and each one is there because it is indispensable to our shared values. We actually keep them top of mind, and each week, someone picks from the list and writes about what it means to them. That said, there are two that are particularly resonant for me.
“Demonstrate a Passion for Excellence” speaks to our commitment to delivering the best product we’re capable of, an outcome that can only happen by constantly striving to do better. There is a vast difference between good and great; good is simply not good enough here. Everything we do is done to be great.
While talent and dedication are essential qualities for any attorney worth their salt, there is one trait above all others that defines a strong and successful attorney-client relationship and should be non-negotiable: trust. If a client can’t trust their lawyer to do what they say, say what they mean, and keep their promises, that client needs another lawyer. That is why “Acting With Integrity” is probably our number one core value. We have zero tolerance for anyone who cuts corners on honesty, professionalism, or commitment. Maddin Hauser has spent 100 years building a reputation for unimpeachable integrity, and we strive to fiercely defend and build on that reputation every single day.