William H. Ewing is a shining example for lawyers who want to get involved in public interest work. He is known throughout the city for his active engagement and participation in community committees and projects, including the ACLU of Pennsylvania and Urban Affairs Coalition. According to Law Center Board meeting minutes from 2012, Mr. Ewing was lauded for “being the best example of how a private practice attorney can make huge contributions through public work.”

In 2014, Bill was honored with Thaddeus Stevens Champion Award for his decades of service and generosity to the Law Center. He was a member of our Board of Directors from 1985 to to 2012, serving as chair from 1992 to 1994.

Bill received his baptism of fire in the law of employment discrimination in the early 1970s, when he was recruited by the Law Center’s Employment Discrimination Referral Project to become lead counsel in one of our class action cases against the steel industry. That experience launched a lengthy career representing victims of employment discrimination. He also lived out his commitment to civil rights by serving as a Law Center board member for 25 years and otherwise supporting our work, over the years providing numerous case and programming suggestions. Most recently, Mr. Ewing distinguished himself by representing Rev. Frank Schaefer in the proceedings against him by the Methodist church after the clergyman performed the wedding of his son who is gay.

Executive director Jennifer Clarke says that she treasures Mr. Ewing’s contributions because he always has ideas and feedback. He provides the Law Center with case or issue suggestions, including leading us to a case in our Fair Employment Opportunities Project. He served as co-chair of the board loan effort in 2012 and serves on the Board Event Committee to this day, two years after his final term as board member. He pushed the Law Center to provide more current updates on the photo identification trial in 2012 and 2013; and he continues to forward us notices of programs and symposia that are relevant to our work.