Maddin Milestones: Celebrating 100 Years With David Hart
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 David Hart, a shareholder, member of the firm’s executive management committee, and co-chair of the Financial Services and Real Property Litigation 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 almost 26 years ago, but I had started looking at the firm while I was still in law school. I knew some folks there, top-notch attorneys all, and it had such a stellar reputation in the legal community that it always seemed like a place I would like to land and grow my practice. Ultimately, when the timing was right, I agreed to join the firm. Everything I had heard and hoped about Maddin Hauser turned out to be true.
Undoubtedly, the sophistication of the work and the depth and breadth of talent here are pillars of the firm’s success, but what makes it special is that intangible and elusive quality many other workplaces and firms lack: the simple joy of waking up in the morning and looking forward to going to the office because you genuinely enjoy not just the work that you do but the people you do it with. It is an environment that is congenial, comfortable, and supportive, and the firm encourages individual growth alongside collective efforts to make it a great place to practice and build a book of business.
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: No enterprise makes it to 100 by being static, stuck in its ways, or resting on its laurels. Maddin Hauser has always been purposeful and deliberate about its evolution and growth, and I believe it will continue to be in the future. It is a matter of anticipating client needs and preparing for changes in technology, expectations, and ways of doing business by adding the resources and capabilities that can address those needs and position the firm and its clients for sustained success in a constantly evolving legal and business landscape.
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: Being an effective lawyer requires exceptional skill, knowledge, and judgment, but without enthusiasm, commitment, and creativity, those other qualities alone won’t get the job done. Maddin Hauser recognizes that lawyers and staff who are happy about where they work, who value those they work with and feel valued in return, will do a better job for clients. That is why the firm invests so much in its people and prioritizes both professional development and personal satisfaction. It’s also why we always try to have some fun along the way.
Q: Technology and how we work and communicate have changed dramatically in the last 100 years. How has innovation influenced your practice?
A: Innovation certainly facilitates efficiency, but for me, the primary impact has been the freedom it provides. That we can be anywhere and still be productive and accessible allows us to better serve clients. It also helps people more effectively handle work responsibilities alongside the ups and downs of daily life. This, in turn, goes back to how important it is to have a workplace that values that balance between the personal and professional.
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: I actually keep a card in my pocket that lists all of the values in The Maddin Hauser Way because I consider them to be that important. I alluded earlier to one – “Have Fun in Your Professional Excellence” – that I insisted be included. But two others are also particularly resonant for me.
“Be a Mentor and Sponsor” reflects how critical it is to both the firm and its clients that we always nurture the talents of younger lawyers and help them reach their potential. By ensuring we have attorneys at all levels of experience, all of whom are qualified and prepared, we can staff matters in a way that is most cost-effective for clients without sacrificing quality. The other one that stands out to me is “Share the Why.” You can provide sound and insightful guidance or propose a brilliant course of action, but if a client doesn’t understand what you’re saying and why you’re saying it, you aren’t doing your job as a counselor.