The American Bar Association is mourning the passing of William G. (Bill) Paul (Chickasaw), a leader in the legal profession and the ABA’s first Native American president. Known for his dedication to justice, equity, and diversity, Paul left a legacy that continues to shape the legal field today. Mr. Paul was 94.
On November 20, 2003, he was inducted into the Chickasaw Hall of Fame. Paul's great-great-grandparents founded the city of Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, In addition, his great-grandfather was a senator in the Chickasaw Nation in the late 1800s and his father was president of the Oklahoma Senate, according to the Chickasaw Hall of Fame website.
Successful in his own right, Paul served as ABA president from 1999 to 2000, but his contributions to the profession spanned decades. A partner at the Oklahoma-based firm Crowe Dunlevy for 59 years, he was also general counsel and senior vice president of Phillips Petroleum for a decade.
Paul’s legal career was briefly interrupted by two years of service in the U.S. Marines during the Korean War in 1952.
A proud graduate of the University of Oklahoma and its law school, Paul never forgot the barriers many aspiring lawyers face. Alongside his wife Barbara and his law firm, he helped launch the ABA Legal Opportunity Scholarship Fund with an initial $100,000 contribution, aimed at supporting students from underrepresented backgrounds.
“Bill Paul’s integrity, wisdom, and unwavering commitment to justice left a lasting mark on the legal profession and the American Bar Association,” ABA President William R. Bay said in a statement. “He believed deeply in creating opportunity for those who had long been overlooked.”
Paul also made history presiding over the ABA’s rededication of the Magna Carta monument in England, standing beside Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Tony Blair during the ceremony.
Throughout his career, Paul was deeply respected by peers across the country, not just for his accomplishments, but for his character.
Former ABA president William Hubbard described him as “a truly kind, caring gentleman and an inspiration for so many of us.” Martha Barnett, who succeeded Paul as ABA president in 2000, simply called him “a gentleman and indeed a prince.”
“He saw how we could make voluntary funds available to incentivize young people to consider becoming law students but lacked the funds to consider their dream,” Dennis Archer, another past ABA president and former mayor of Detroit said. “What a legacy.”
Paul’s leadership extended beyond the ABA. He served as president of the Oklahoma Bar Association and the National Conference of Bar Presidents.
In addition to being named to the Chickasaw Hall of Fame, Paul was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 2003, and received the ABA Spirit of Excellence Award in 2002.
Robert Grey, president of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, called Paul “a generational leader… a champion of fairness and equity.” His example continues to inspire today’s legal leaders and advocates.
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