David E. Springer (BA ’74 JD ‘77) was born in Evanston, IL on January 20, 1952. Sprigner graduated  summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa before attending Yale Law School, where he studied complex corporate litigation.

Springer’s legal career began in the business litigation department at the Chicago firm Kirkland & Ellis. In 1986 he joined Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, where he represented major corporations including WorldCom and Kmart and eventually became a partner.

Openly out since high school, Springer was an outspoken advocate for gay rights and liberation. Throughout his career, he represented a variety of clients on a pro-bono basis through his involvement with Lambda Legal. In 1996, while working with Lambda,Springer represented Jamie Nabozny, a Wisconsin man who sued his high school district for its negligence during anti-gay harassment. Jon W. Davidson, Lambda’s legal director, celebrated the case’s landmark victory, saying it, “…sent a message to school districts around the country.” Springer also served as a mentor for young lawyers, advising in the fields of legal writing and trail advocacy. Springer established his credibility on such matters through publishing a number of articles on legal ethics throughout his life.

In addition to serving on the Executive Committee of the Yale Law School Association and the boards of directors of GLAAD and The Hubbard Street Dance Company, Springer was a member of the City Club of Chicago, the Chicago Club, and the Trial Bar of the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Springer lived HIV+ for several years. His partner of 17 years, Bill Strausberger, is a Ph.D, a Research Associate at the Pritzker Laboratory for Molecular Biology. Aside from a one-year break in the 1990s, Springer continued to practice law well beyond the years of his diagnosis.

He died of cancer on June 19, 2007. He was 55 years old.

This profile is in progress–click here if you would like to make a contribution.