McDermott Tax Partner Was Young Chess Champion
A tax partner at McDermott Will & Emery had achieved fame before he even entered law school.
Michael Wilder, 47, was U.S. chess champion in 1988 and a 1L at the University of Michigan in 1989, the New York Times reports. “I just didn’t have the energy or the motivation to keep my skills fresh,” he told the Times. A photo with the article shows him at the age of 13 playing Soviet-born grandmaster Anatoly Lein.
Wilder, who is married and has two daughters, says money was an issue. “I knew that I wanted to be a family man,” he said, “and I thought there are other things that I find interesting that might be a more stable career.”
The Times checked in with several former U.S. champions who gave up full-time chess to pursue advanced education and more traditional careers.
