Statement of Wm. T. (Bill) Robinson III, President, American Bar Association Re: Passing of Judge Louis H. Pollak

The American Bar Association mourns the loss of lawyer, freedom fighter and federal judge Louis H. Pollak. Pollak, who died at 89, devoted his career to the struggle to achieve equality, and he leaves a legacy as a strong advocate for civil rights. He played a significant role in the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education, and he masterfully argued Abernathy v. Alabama, which held that the convictions of Freedom Riders, for their campaign to desegregate buses, could not stand. For his contributions to the advancement of racial and ethic diversity in the legal profession, the American Bar Association recognized Pollak in 2003 with a Spirit of Excellence Award.

Pollak, a member of the ABA since 1982, was a former chair of the ABA Section of Individual Rights and Responsibilities, where he led the association’s first endeavor to involve law firms in pro bono service.

Pollak will also be remembered for his contributions to two of the country’s most prestigious law schools. He was a professor and dean at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, then Yale Law School. At both institutions, he championed efforts to increase the population of minority students and is credited with creating an environment in which those students could flourish.

Pollak died May 8 at his home in Philadelphia.

Pollak’s devotion and contribution to the legal community will be missed.

With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization in the world.  As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.

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Please click here for a biography and photo of Wm. T. (Bill) Robinson III, president of the American Bar Association.

(Media contact: Rob Boisseau at 202-662-1093 or robert.boisseau@americanbar.org)