Arizona Lawyer, He Was Involved In The Landmark Cases Supreme Court Ruled That Suspected Criminals In Which The Must Be Advised Of Their Right

us courts, Feb 21, 2005

Chief Judge Mary M. Schroeder of the United States Courts for the Ninth Circuit has announced the establishment of the John P. Frank Award recognizing an outstanding lawyer practicing in the federal courts of the western United States.

The new award is named for the late John P. Frank of Phoenix, a renowned attorney, author, law professor, civil liberties advocate and legal historian. His law career spanned 62 years and included work on more than 500 appeals argued before the Arizona Court of Appeals, the Arizona Supreme Court, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, other federal circuit courts and the United States Supreme Court.

Mr. Frank, who died last year, will be the first recipient of the award, which will be presented June 23, 2003, during the opening session of the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference in Hawai'i. Chief Judge Schroeder, who was mentored by Mr. Frank as a young attorney and later became his law partner in the prominent Phoenix firm of Lewis and Roca, will accept the award.

“This award is a fitting tribute to the memory of someone who did so much for others throughout his life and career. It will be my honor to accept on behalf of John’s family,” Chief Judge Schroeder said.

The award was established by the Judicial Council of the Ninth Circuit, which oversees the federal courts in nine western states and two Pacific Island jurisdictions, after being recommended by the circuit’s Advisory Board, a group of experienced attorneys that advises the council on matters of judicial administration. Attorney Thomas J. McDermott, Jr. of San Diego, who chairs the Advisory Board, will make the presentation.

Beginning in 2004, the award will be presented annually to a lawyer who has “demonstrated outstanding character and integrity; dedication to the rule of law; proficiency as a trial and appellate lawyer; success in promoting collegiality among members of the bench and bar; and a lifetime of service to the federal courts of the Ninth Circuit.”

At Lewis and Roca, Mr. Frank spent 48 years as a litigator, specializing in appeals, civil litigation and anti-trust. As an appellate lawyer, he was involved in the landmark cases of Miranda v. Arizona, in which the Supreme Court ruled that suspected criminals must be advised of their right to legal counsel, and Sara Baird v. State Bar, in which the high court declared that loyalty oaths for lawyers were unconstitutional.

Mr. Frank is credited with helping break down gender barriers that prevented women lawyers from becoming partners in major law firms in Phoenix. Under his tutelage, Chief Judge Schroeder became Phoenix’s first female law partner just three years after joining Lewis and Roca. He also mentored another of the firm’s female partners, Janet Napolitano, former attorney general and now governor of Arizona.

He was influential in the selection of state and federal judges, serving on the Arizona Appellate Court Nominating Committee, 1972-84, and as chairman of the nomination commission for the Southern Division of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, 1977-80.

Mr. Frank authored 11 books on legal history and constitutional law, including the influential American Law: The Case for Radical Reform, Mr. Justice Black, The Supreme Court in American Life and Lincoln as a Lawyer. He also wrote more than 100 articles for law journals and mass circulation magazines, such as The Reader’s Digest, Redbook and Fortune.

Mr. Frank attended the University of Wisconsin, where he earned his undergraduate degree in 1938 and his master’s degree and LL.B. in 1940. He received his J.S.D. from Yale University in 1947. He was a law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Hugo L. Black in 1942, and taught law at Indiana University, 1946-49, and Yale University, 1949-54. While teaching, he also was associated with the Antitrust Division of the United States Department of Justice.