Paul. D. Bekman is the winner of the University of Maryland School of Law\u27s 2010 Distinguished Graduate Award

Donovan, Doug

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Digital Commons @ UM Law

JD 2010 48Paul D. Bekman ’71 had one vision for his future when hegraduated from the University of Maryland School ofLaw nearly four decades ago.“I hoped that I could somehow, some way make a differencein people’s lives,” says Bekman, today a partner with Baltimore’sSalsbury, Clements, Bekman, Marder & Adkins.Mission accomplished. But by no means over.The winner of the School of Law’s 2010 Distinguished Graduateaward has long been—and continues to be—involved in someof Maryland’s most high profile catastrophic injury cases as an advo-cate for clients facing life-changing experiences that inflict heavyemotional, physical, and financial damage.“I can make their lives a little bit easier,” Bekman says. “By givingthem some security, it can help make their futures a little brighter.”Throughout his career, Bekman has had a hand in nearly everymajor maritime accident case in Maryland. He helped secure asubstantial settlement for relatives of passengers who died in the2004 Inner Harbor water taxi accident. And he recently filed a $35million lawsuit against Baltimore City on behalf of a fire departmentcadet who died in a flawed training drill three years ago.It would appear Bekman is more than living up to the expecta-tions of his high school classmates from the New York MilitaryAcademy, who voted him “most likely to succeed”—boosting himover charismatic classmate Donald Trump.Bekman was born in Washington, in 1946, but his father’sState Department job took thefamily to South Korea when hewas 12. (Four years of militarybase life left a lasting impres-sion on his golf game. A soldieron base named Orville Moodytaught Bekman to play. Moodywould go on to win the U.S. Open in 1969.)Bekman—five-time club champion at Chestnut Ridge CountryClub—attended the U.S. Air Force Academy for three years, wherea law course spurred his career ambition. He finished his senior yearat the University of Maryland and went straight to law school.Two of his proudest professional accomplishments sincethen include a U.S. Supreme Court victory and admittance toa distinguished organization for top lawyers.The Supreme Court case in 1985 centered on an age discriminationlawsuit that he filed for Baltimore firefighters forced to retire at 55.An appeals court had reversed his trial court victory, but the nation’shighest court sided with a 39-year-old Bekman—unanimously.Eight years later, Bekman was admitted to the American Collegeof Trial Lawyers, an exclusive invitation-only group that countsonly 1 percent of the nation’s lawyers as members. Since 2006 hehas served as one of the group’s 15 regents, overseeing the selectionprocess for lawyers in Maryland and Washington. He was alsonamed to the Best Lawyers In America list for more than 20 yearsin five categories: personal injury litigation; medical malpractice;products liability; maritime law; and alternative dispute resolution.The former president of the Maryland State Bar Association(1997), the Bar Association of Baltimore City (1993), and theMaryland Trial Lawyers Association (1986) has been married for41 years to his wife Arlene, an elementary school vice principal.He has two daughters, who are both attorneys married to lawyers.“They’re not only great lawyers, they’re great people,”said Bekman, 64. “I’m very proud.”Since 1983, members of thestate bar association repeatedlyelected Bekman to serve on thecommittee for nominating judges.After the job changed to anappointed position, Gov. MartinO’Malley tapped Bekman.Bekman has also been a leader in his service to UMDLaw, serving forthe last eight years as chairman of the Board of Visitors. In addition,he was chair of the School’s $20 million new building campaign andhas established the Paul D. Bekman Leadership in Law Scholarship,which provides tuition support for an outstanding member of eachincoming class.“Paul Bekman epitomizes what lawyers should do: serve theirprofession, their clients, and their community,” says Thomas D.Murphy ’73, president-elect of the Maryland State Bar Association.“He does all those things.”—Doug DonovanBrightin theFaceCatastropheALightof“I CAN MAKE [clients’] lives a little biteasier. By giving them some security, it canhelp make their futures a little brighter.”| ALUMNI |

A Bright Light in the Face of Catastrophe

NELLCO Consortium Legal Scholarship Repository

https://digitalcommons.law.umaryland.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1172&amp;context=jd

A Bright Light in the Face of Catastrophe

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