Obituaries
William Neukom, former ABA president with influence ‘from boardrooms to ballparks to courtrooms,’ dies at 83
William H. “Bill” Neukom (ABA Photo)
Former ABA President William H. “Bill” Neukom, formerly the chief lawyer for Microsoft and the ex-CEO of the San Francisco Giants, has died at the age of 83.
Neukom, known for the bow ties he wore, served as president of the American Bar Association for the 2007 to 2008 term. During his presidency, Neukom established the ABA Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and organized an ABA members’ march on Washington, D.C., to support protesting Pakistani lawyers seeking to reinstate the rule of law.
Neukom was also a retired partner at K&L Gates and the co-founder and chief executive officer of the World Justice Project, an organization that promotes the rule of law. He and his children founded the Neukom Family Foundation, which supports nonprofits in the fields of education, the environment, human services, justice and public health.
“If you don’t have the rule of law, you can’t have human rights,” Neukom told the ABA Journal in 2020 when he won the ABA Medal, the association’s highest honor. “If you don’t have the rule of law, you can’t have open, participatory governments. If you don’t have the rule of law, you can’t have an inclusive economy. And if you don’t have the rule of law, you can’t have a peaceful existence.”
Former ABA President Bob Carlson called Neukom “a true lawyer leader…He dedicated his time, treasure and considerable talent to making the world a more just place.”
Current ABA President William R. Bay said that Neukom showed that the law is a calling rooted in service to others and a commitment to strengthen justice and freedom.
“From boardrooms to ballparks to courtrooms, Bill’s integrity and vision were deeply influential across the globe,” Bay said.
Neukom served the ABA in several capacities. He was chair of the ABA Young Lawyers Division, chair of the Fund for Justice and Education, and chair of an ABA task force to advance the rule of law. He was association secretary and a member of the Board of Governors and the House of Delegates. He is also a former member of the ABA Journal Board of Editors.
According to the ABA, Neukom started his career with a diverse practice that dealt with civil rights cases and representation of community organizations. He was dedicated to the importance of education and in addition to his work with Stanford, also was a trustee emeritus of University of Puget Sound and Dartmouth College, his undergraduate alma mater, where he served as chair of the board from 2004 to 2007
Neukom lived in Seattle with his wife Sally, according to K&L Gates. Together they had five children and 16 grandchildren.
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