Former State Bar President Leonard Loeb's contributions impacted many - families, lawyers, the profession

March 19, 2003

"Leonard deeply believed that the practice of law was a profession and not a business," said Gregg Herman, who has practiced with Loeb for 19 years. "As a result, he loved involvement in bar associations and being president of the State Bar was the crowning achievement in his 50-plus years of practice. His legacy to us is to act as professionals at work and as devoted spouses, parents, children, and friends outside of work."

Former State Bar President Leonard Loeb, Loeb & Herman S.C., Milwaukee, died of a heart attack at his home in Fox Point on Sunday, March 9. He was 73.

Measuring "worth." "Leonard told clients that their real worth was measured not by what was in the bank, but by their family and their children," said Herman. "He practiced law and lived his life consistent with that principle. His pride and joy were his four children, two of whom are lawyers."

Loeb leaves his wife Karen, two daughters Jennifer and Hallie, sons Harlan and Jordan, and three grandchildren. Harlan is the national director of litigation support at Hill & Knowlton, Chicago, and Jordan is an attorney at Cullen, Weston, Pines & Bach LLP, Madison.

"Over the years people have commented on how I have 'followed in the footsteps' of my father by becoming a lawyer," said Jordan Loeb. "I don't think that observation is accurate. I always wanted (and still want) to follow in my dad's footsteps, but that can't be done by simply becoming a lawyer or even an accomplished lawyer. He was so much more than that. His qualities that are being espoused center around integrity, insight, and compassion. Qualities that are critical in many professions and all aspects of life."

"Dad was a role model in an era when role models were few and far between," said Harlan Loeb. "His professionalism was priceless, his understanding was extended to all he knew, and his loyalty to his friends and organizations was daunting. He always believed the enterprise was larger than himself, and he wove his humanity and his love of people in everything he did. He is the only person I know who - when you left him you felt better than you did before you saw him."

Good lawyering is problem solving. "An illustration of my father's regard for the practice of law as a sub-text in leading a decent life was his response when I won a trial," continued Jordan. "He would always ask me how my practice was going. Whenever I told him that I won a trial I could tell that he was proud of my skills and satisfied with how my career was developing, but he never was too interested in the courtroom drama (war stories). In contrast, he lit up whenever I told him that I settled a case. He was intrigued by the details of my negotiations and wanted to know everything that contributed to the settlement, regardless of the legal issue. To my father good lawyering was problem solving, not fighting."

"Leonard made a huge impression on the practice of family law in Wisconsin, not just because he was one of the best in the field, but also because he raised the level of the practice for others," said State Bar President Pat Ballman, also a family law practitioner. "Among his many accomplishments Leonard authored the System Book for Family Law, cofounded the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and was a general mentor to many.

"I think Leonard's most impressive skill was his gift of relating with people, including clients, judges, and opposing counsel," said Ballman. "He was unfailingly gracious, whether as a coworker on a Bar project, or as opposing counsel in a hotly contested divorce case. He never stooped to negative comments about the other side in a case, or about anything. Rather, he was always constructive, optimistic, and positive. And as he always said, settlements had to be a 'win - win.' That was Leonard - always assuring that everyone walked out a winner."

More than 15 years ago, Loeb, as MBA president, convened a task force that drafted the Lawyers' Standard of Conduct, which is still posted in many courtrooms throughout Milwaukee County today.

Dedicated to the profession, clients. "Leonard was a great friend to our profession," said Myron LaRowe, Reedsburg, newly appointed State Bar Senior Lawyers Division President-elect and former State Bar president. "His dedication to the law and his clients was unsurpassed. I will always cherish the many opportunities that I had over the years to work with Leonard and to just spend time with him. Leonard will be missed by all of us who had the pleasure to know him as a friend and fellow practitioner."

"We will miss Leonard as long as we can retain our memories," said Harry Hathaway, immediate past chair, ABA Senior Lawyers Division, who served with Loeb on the ABA Board of Governors and later in the House of Delegates and on the Council of the ABA Senior Lawyers Division. "Leonard was the 'Compleat Lawyer and Bar Junkie.' He was knowledgeable about so many issues facing the profession, he was the ultimate resource to us, probably because he seemed to have belonged to everything of importance that the profession offered. He was incredibly popular and widely respected by lawyers and spouses alike because he truly cared about their lives and well being. His death has come as a complete shock to me and my wife; we thought him to be ageless. We feel that Lenny proved the point of the old saying: 'As a man thinks in his heart he is.' He was generous, full of love and friendship - and that is the way he will be remembered."

"Leonard Loeb's passion for the legal profession and for justice was amazing and inspiring," said Sarina Butler, ABA associate executive director for communications. "He had a wonderful wit and a true interest in people. When Leonard asked how you were, he really wanted to know. He delighted in the success of others, and was the first to applaud and cheer them on. He was a warm and genuine person whose friendship I will miss more than I can say."

"The first thing Leonard did as Milwaukee Bar Association (MBA) president was to convene an all-day retreat of board members to discuss ideas for new bar projects," said Nathan Fisbach former Milwaukee Bar Association president. "By the end of the day, we had a list of over 25 new projects. Significantly, Leonard appointed each board member as a leader of at least one of the projects. Almost over night, every board member felt that he or she was an important part of the MBA."

At the time of his death, Loeb was State Bar Senior Lawyers Division president; Wisconsin Bar Foundation director; Delegate at Large to the ABA House of Delegates; a member of the ABA Council of Senior Lawyers Division; the ABA Standing Committee on Bar Services; National Conference of Bar Presidents; Fellow of the American Bar Foundation; and was elected to the American Law Institute. Loeb also was a retired Colonel, U.S. Air Force Judge Advocates General's Department.

Founding principles, service. A 1952 U.W. Law School graduate, Loeb began his law career in the Air Force Judge Advocate General Corps. He built the firm of Loeb & Herman S.C. in Milwaukee, upon the principle that children are the most precious assets in a marriage and should be the most protected asset during a divorce.

During his career Loeb served as State Bar of Wisconsin president and chair and long-time member of its Family Law Section. He was an active ABA member serving on the Board of Governors, as ABA Consortium for Legal Services president, as chair of both the ABA Standing Committee on Legal Assistance for Military Personnel and Family Law Section. Loeb served as Milwaukee Bar Association president and chair of its Family Law Section. Loeb also was the founding president of the Thomas E. Fairchild American Inns of Court and the Leander J. Foley Jr. Matrimonial Chap. - American Inns of Court.

He also served as American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Foundation president and charter president of the Wisconsin Chapter, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Other contributions include Editor-in-Chief, Journal of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers; charter president, Wisconsin Chapter, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers; lecturer, U.W. and Marquette University law schools; consultant to Wisconsin Legislature; mission leader for Citizens Ambassador Program, Delegation of Family Lawyers to China, Australia, New Zealand, and Russia; faculty for Univ. Denver Law School's Family Law Advocacy Institute, American Institute of CPAs Divorce Programs; Harvard Law School's Family Mediation Institute; Stanford Law School's Arbitration Training; and honoree of the Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge.

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