He was in the United States Army, JAG Corps from 1967 to 1968, reaching the rank of lieutenant.

He continued at this rank in the United States Army Reserve JAG Corps from 1968 to 1973.

Friedman was a felony trial attorney of Wayne County prosecutor's office, Michigan from 1969 to 1970.

[3] On March 21, 2014, Friedman struck down Michigan's constitutional and statutory bans on same-sex marriage.

[4] On November 20, 2018, he ruled that the federal law against female genital mutilation (FGM) is unconstitutional because the law overreaches the federal government's enumerated powers as defined by the "necessary and proper" clause and the "Interstate commerce" clause.