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Evansville Bar Association honors lawyer

IL Staff
April 27, 2009
Keywords
Bar Associations/Foundations, Evansville Bar Association
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A longtime lawyer received the Evansville Bar Association annual award in recognition of an attorney who has elevated respect for the law, promoted freedom, or otherwise furthered the ideals for which Law Day is celebrated.

At its Law Day dinner April 24, Thomas R. Bodkin, of the firm of Bamberger Foreman Oswald and Hahn, received the James Bethel Gresham Award for his dedication to the legal practice and for his community service.

The award is named in honor of James Bethel Gresham who lived in Evansville from 1901 to 1914 and is believed to have been the first American soldier to have given his life in combat during World War I.

Bodkin is the author of 19 published articles and two book chapters on topics related to the law; currently serves on the Indiana Civil Litigation Review Board of Editors; and continually strives to mentor and encourage young attorneys to educate others through publication or lecture.

His community work includes serving on the boards of both the National Alzheimer's Association and the Greater Kentucky and Southern Indiana Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. He has served as a member of the Citizens Advisory Counsel for the Indiana University School of Medicine - Evansville campus, and is a member of the St. Mary's Medical Center Ethics Committee and a member of the Human Research Committee for Deaconess Hospital.

He is general counsel to and a charter member of Historic Newburgh and a member of the Regional Advisory Committee for Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana, among other community service.

Regarding this recognition, one attorney in his office stated, "It is against this backdrop that the Gresham Award was created: Service, honor, commitment, willingness to sacrifice, concern for the greater good over one's self, and a dedication to the community reflected by one's actions. Tom Bodkin's career has reflected all of these attributes."


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  1. G. Michael Witte letter states he's suspended for three years. The case that got him suspended is identical to my estate case, including havin the Late Judge Deiter recuse himself because Newman had a conflict of interest with the judge. His Modus Operandi is nearly identical.

  2. SIGNED BY G. MICHAEL WITTE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY INDIANA SUPREME COURT DISCIPLINARY COMMISSION DATED MAY 17, 2012.

    Your 6th complaint against Lawrence T. Newman filed on 4/12/2012. On 1/31/12, the Indiana Supreme Court entered an order suspending Lawrence T. Newman’s law license for a period of three years. More important, even after three years, Lawrence Todd Newman will not get his license back unless and until he goes through a separate proceeding to prove that he is fit to practice law. This is not an easy process, and the burden is upon Lawrence T. Newman to prove by clear and convincing evidence that he is fit to return to practice.
    Because of the length of Lawrence T. Newman’s license suspension and the fact he may never succeed in getting his law license reinstated, we are not opening an investigation file at this time.
    Should Lawrence T. Newman seek reinstatement in the future, we will open your file and ask Lawrence T. Newman to address your grievance as part of his burden of proving fitness. We have attempted to notify Lawrence T. Newman that this will be required of him.
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