William M. Brodhead
William McNulty Brodhead is an American lawyer and former politician from Michigan who served four terms in the United States House of Representatives from 1975 to 1983.
Early life and education
Brodhead was born in Cleveland, Ohio and attended elementary and secondary schools in Cleveland. He received a B.A. from Wayne State University in Detroit in 1965 and a J.D. from the University of [Michigan Law School], Ann Arbor, in 1967.Legal career and politics
He was admitted to the Michigan Bar in 1968 and commenced practice in Detroit. He was elected to Michigan House of Representatives in 1970 and was reelected in 1972, from a district in Detroit.Congress
In 1974, Martha W. Griffiths, Democratic incumbent for Michigan's 17th District to the United States House of Representatives was not a candidate for renomination. Brodhead won nomination as the Democratic candidate and was elected to the Ninety-fourth [United States Congress|Ninety-fourth] and to the three succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1975 to January 3, 1983. While in Congress, Brodhead served on the House Ways and Means Committee and on the Budget Committee. Brodhead also served as Chair of the Democratic Study Group which was then the liberal caucus in the House.Post-political career
He declined to run for reelection in 1982 and returned home to the Detroit area.He became a partner in the Detroit law firm, Plunkett & Cooney, where he practiced from 1983 to 2003. Retiring from the law firm in October, 2003, he practiced on his own until 2006, when he retired completely.
While in law practice in Detroit, Brodhead served on many non-profit boards including Detroit Public Television, Mt. Carmel Hospital, Michigan's Children and the Citizen's Research Council. He served at various times as Board Chair of the Skillman Foundation, Covenant House Michigan, Focus:Hope and the Oakland Mediation Center.