From Olde Boys’ Weekend to Giving Blue Day to support at XVs games and the CRC, UMRFC receives a lot of support from its alumni throughout the year. One such supporter is Vince Colella. Currently a decorated lawyer in the Detroit area, Vince made time in his schedule away from work to serve as a club Captain from 2003-2004, and was a featured speaker in one of UMRFC’s “Life Labs” this September. Here’s a little more about Vince:

When did you play?
I played for UMRFC from April 2000 through September 2005.

What was your favorite memory as a member of the club?
My fondest memory of the club (on the field) was our 2004 “tour” of Savannah to play in the St. Patrick’s Day 15 a-side tournament. We advanced to the semi-finals to meet Air Force, one of the tournament favorites. After a hard fought match, we came out on top. The following day we played the St. Petersburg Pelicans in the finals. Despite tearing my ACL in the first half, we played a glorious match and took first place.

Did you receive any special honors as a member of the club?
While a member of the UMRFC, I was elected Captain of the 2003-04 team. That fall, we finished undefeated. I had also served in a number of cabinet positions (none of which I care to recall.)

What are you doing now?
Today, I am the managing partner of Moss & Colella, P.C., a personal injury trial law firm. I established the firm with my partner in 1997. Since then, I have been honored by my peers as D-Business Top Lawyer, Top 100 National Trial Lawyers, and Super Lawyers (2006-2016). I am a member of the Michigan Bar, Federal District Courts for the Eastern and Western District of Michigan and have been admitted to the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals. I have also served on the Executive Board of the Michigan Association of Justice and belong to a number of legal organizations, including the American Association for Justice. I have been featured in Michigan Lawyers Weekly, Detroit Legal News, Metro Times and Free Press. My firm handles a variety of personal injury cases, however, I specialize in civil rights including, police misconduct and brutality.

Any other interesting stories?
My fondest memory of rugby was having the opportunity to tour England, Ireland and Wales in 1999. The Rugby World Cup was held in Cardiff at Millenium Stadium. During the opening round play, we had the opportunity to watch the USA-Ireland match at Landsdowne. Featured in that squad was Rich Schurfeld (UMRFC). The following day, I had the opportunity to play a match against the prestigious St. Mary’s College (U23s) in Dublin. I recall coming out of the changing rooms, stepping onto the pitch in a stadium full of rugby fans while the senior members of the club watched from the overhead pub while tipping pints of Guinness. I thought I had died and gone to heaven….