Born in Detroit, Michigan, Guy received an Artium Baccalaureus degree from the University of Michigan in 1951 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School in 1953. He was in private practice in Dearborn, Michigan from 1954 to 1955. He was an assistant corporation counsel for the City of Dearborn from 1955 to 1958, and corporation counsel for that city until 1968. He was then a Chief Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan until 1970, going on to serve as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan until 1976.[2]