Julia Donovan Darlow


Julia Donovan Darlow, J.D. is a Michigan attorney and a Regent Emerita of the University of Michigan Board of Regents.

Education and career

Darlow earned her J.D. in 1971 from Wayne State University School of Law. She had previously earned a B. A. in history from Vassar College in 1963.
She practiced law for 36 years, first with Dickinson Wright PLLC in Detroit from 1971-2004, focusing on international and domestic business transactions and corporate governance and then with Varnum, Riddering, Schmidt & Howlett LLP in Novi, Michigan from 2005-2007, focusing on nonprofit law. She taught as adjunct professor at Wayne State University Law School in 1976 and 1996. Darlow’s many achievements have included serving as:
Darlow has served on a number of boards of directors and boards of trustees, including the boards of the Detroit Medical Center, Hutzel Hospital, Michigan Opera Theatre, Marygrove College, Michigan Women's Foundation, the University Musical Society, Hella North America, Inc., North American Lighting, Inc., Intermet Corporation and Hueck Foils, Inc.
Darlow served as a member of the University of Michigan Board of Regents from January 1, 2007 – December 31, 2015.

Election as University of Michigan Regent

In 2006 Darlow was one of four candidates who sought one of the two Democratic nominations for the University of Michigan Board of Regents, whose members are elected by Michigan voters to eight-year terms. Incumbent Regent Kathy White; Denise Ilitch, daughter of Little Caesars owner Mike Ilitch; and Democratic activist Casandra Ulbrich. White and Darlow won the Democratic nominations for U-M Regent at the August 2006 Michigan Democratic Party Convention.
Darlow was elected to the U-M Board in the November 7, 2006, election, finishing in second place with 1,633,250 votes. Darlow was sworn in as a Regent on January 1, 2007.