Irwin died March 4, 2013, in West Bloomfield, Mich.
Born in Vineland, N.J., he graduated from Vineland High School. At Princeton he was active in The Daily Princetonian and Whig-Clio. He dined at Key and Seal and majored in the Woodrow Wilson School.
He attended Columbia University Law School, graduating cum laude in 1965. He served as law clerk to the chief judge of the U.S. District Court in Detroit, then joined a large New York City law firm but moved back to Detroit to practice.
Colleagues wrote that Irwin’s thirst for knowledge combined with his keen insights, quick wit, and appreciation for detail made him one of America’s top attorneys. He achieved highest honors, litigated landmark cases, and influenced the interpretation of the law. He volunteered for many organizations, including offering his talents for pro bono cases and charitable causes.
In his 50th-yearbook essay Irwin noted, “I still regard [my time at] Princeton as the most important years of my development. It significantly affected my life.” He was recognized for and proud of his pin for 50 years of Annual Giving.
The class extends sympathy to his widow, Marilyn McCall Alterman, and children Owen Alterman ’99 and Jennifer Dall’Olmo.