Summary
A Harvard Law School graduate and former Big Law partner will be in the midst of the action as Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans commences on Sunday night.
Bloomberg Law
"Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans will kick off Sunday night with a Harvard Law School graduate and former Big Law partner in the middle of the action.
Referee Ronald Torbert is a former equity partner at Dykema Gossett, as well as general counsel for AlliedSignal Automotive and construction company Barton Malow. Torbert, who worked out of Dykema’s offices in Detroit and Lansing, Michigan, is set to take the field for his second Super Bowl.
Dykema CEO Leonard Wolfe called his ex-colleague—who retired from practicing law in 2019—a “proud part” of the firm’s legacy and a “star” trial lawyer. “Ron consistently demonstrated a level of knowledge and excellence that led to a successful legal career,” Wolfe said. “He also was a clear leader, as involved in the business of the firm as he was with individual lawyers learning their craft.”
Torbert’s Big Law accomplishments were followed by distinction on the gridiron. He spent two decades calling high school and college football games before joining the NFL as a side judge in 2010. Torbert was promoted to referee—a role requiring a unique blend of mental and physical fitness—four years later. He told Harvard Magazine in 2022 that he still relies on his legal training.
“Being a lawyer has helped me to be a better official,” Torbert said. “In both fields, you take in information, apply rules and the philosophy behind them, and reach a decision.”
This article was originally published in Bloomberg Law.
