The John Marshall Law School mourns the passing of alumnus and emeritus Board of Trustees member Bruce Meckler (’81).
Meckler was a founding member of Meckler, Bulger, Tilson, Marick & Pearson, an appointed member to the Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board and a member of the Illinois Supreme Court’s Standing Committee of Professional Responsibility.
“Bruce was one of the truly good people. He loved John Marshall. He loved serving on the Board of Trustees, and he truly cared about the school’s success and its mission of access and opportunity,” said Leonard F. Amari (’68), President of the Board of Trustees.
“Bruce was a force of nature,” added John Marshall Dean John E. Corkery. “He had more energy than just about anyone I know. And he was a great help to us as a Board member. He will be sorely missed.”
After graduating from John Marshall, Meckler worked at the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office for three years before joining the then-Chicago litigation firm Pope & John. In 1994, he helped found the Meckler, Bulger firm which last year merged with the Philadelphia –based law firm Cozen O’Connor. Meckler served as vice-chair of Cozen O’Connor’s commercial litigation department and was on its board of directors and management committee. He also chaired the firm’s Legal Fee Solutions subsidiary, a litigation and legal services consulting firm.
“I considered him a dear friend and professional colleague. He had to retire from the Board of Trustees because those meetings were in conflict with his Judicial Inquiry Board responsibilities. We kept in regular contact because he wanted to be kept in the loop to all things John Marshall,” said Amari.
“We will all miss him very much.”
In addition to his reputation in the legal community as an outstanding lawyer, Meckler also will be remembered for the longstanding high-powered pick-up basketball games he helped organize each week where policemen, firemen and members of the city’s political elite mixed it up on the basketball court.
Tributes to Meckler have poured in from across the city and country. Here are a few:
The Chicago Daily Law Bulletin: https://www.cozen.com/Templates/media/files/publications/CO%20Meckler%20CDLB%2016%2011%2007.pdf
Crain’s Chicago Business: https://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20161104/NEWS04/161109889/attorney-bruce-meckler-dies-at-61
