The Fellows of the Indiana Bar Foundation have chosen Leslie Duvall as the 2011 Legendary Lawyer. On Sept. 27, Indianapolis firm Lewis & Kappes will hold a ceremony in his honor.

Duvall was a member of the Indiana Senate from 1966 to 1985. During that time, Duvall proposed a new model to rehabilitate criminals that allowed non-violent offenders a means of staying connected to their communities.

The January 3, 1983, issue of the Logansport Pharos-Tribune featured a story about Duvall’s push for community corrections. “Maximum security prisons ought to be reserved for those who society needs to be protected against,” he said.

The late Gov. Robert Orr appointed Duvall as chair of the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission in 1985. As head of the IURC, Duvall halted production at the Marble Hill nuclear power plant in Madison, Ind., due to cost overruns and quality control problems.

Duvall chaired many committees for the Indianapolis and Indiana State bar associations, including those that established the Marion County Public Defender Council in 1997 and unified the Marion County courts. Duvall joined Lewis & Kappes in 1995 and is now retired.

The Legendary Lawyer Award honors individual attorneys whose careers exemplify commitment to legal ethics, community involvement, public service, and professionalism.

The event in Duvall’s honor will begin with a reception at 4:30 p.m., followed by a ceremony at 5 p.m. The Indiana Bar Foundation asks that people wishing to attend request reservations by contacting Theresa Browning at 317-269-7864, or tbrowning@inbf.org.