Obituaries
William Neukom, former ABA president with affect ‘from boardrooms to ballparks to courtrooms,’ dies at 83
William H. “Invoice” Neukom (ABA Picture)
Former ABA President William H. “Invoice” Neukom, previously the chief lawyer for Microsoft and the ex-CEO of the San Francisco Giants, has died at the age of 83.
Neukom, recognized for the bow ties he wore, served as president of the American Bar Affiliation for the 2007 to 2008 time period. Throughout his presidency, Neukom established the ABA Fee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identification and arranged an ABA members’ march on Washington, D.C., to help protesting Pakistani attorneys searching for to reinstate the rule of legislation.
Neukom was additionally a retired accomplice at K&L Gates and the co-founder and chief govt officer of the World Justice Undertaking, a company that promotes the rule of legislation. He and his kids based the Neukom Household Basis, which helps nonprofits within the fields of training, the setting, human companies, justice and public well being.
“When you don’t have the rule of legislation, you possibly can’t have human rights,” Neukom instructed the ABA Journal in 2020 when he gained the ABA Medal, the affiliation’s highest honor. “When you don’t have the rule of legislation, you possibly can’t have open, participatory governments. When you don’t have the rule of legislation, you possibly can’t have an inclusive financial system. And when you don’t have the rule of legislation, you possibly can’t have a peaceable existence.”
Former ABA President Bob Carlson referred to as Neukom “a real lawyer chief…He devoted his time, treasure and appreciable expertise to creating the world a extra simply place.”
Present ABA President William R. Bay mentioned that Neukom confirmed that the legislation is a calling rooted in service to others and a dedication to strengthen justice and freedom.
“From boardrooms to ballparks to courtrooms, Invoice’s integrity and imaginative and prescient had been deeply influential throughout the globe,” Bay mentioned.
Neukom served the ABA in a number of capacities. He was chair of the ABA Younger Legal professionals Division, chair of the Fund for Justice and Schooling, and chair of an ABA activity drive to advance the rule of legislation. He was affiliation secretary and a member of the Board of Governors and the Home of Delegates. He’s additionally a former member of the ABA Journal Board of Editors.
According to the ABA, Neukom began his profession with a various apply that handled civil rights circumstances and illustration of group organizations. He was devoted to the significance of training and along with his work with Stanford, additionally was a trustee emeritus of College of Puget Sound and Dartmouth School, his undergraduate alma mater, the place he served as chair of the board from 2004 to 2007
Neukom lived in Seattle together with his spouse Sally, in keeping with K&L Gates. Collectively they’d 5 kids and 16 grandchildren.
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