41 law legends honored by bar

One of them, Robert N. C. Nix Jr., was the first African-American to serve on the state Supreme Court.

Another, Esther Polen, launched her law career only after raising two kids.

Samuel E. Klein defended the city's newspapers and broadcasters in defamation suits.

Rotan E. Lee moved in the city's top business and government circles and wrote a column for the Daily News.

Stephan Presser, William R. Klaus and William M. Marutani ensured that those who needed legal services most had access to them.

They are among the 41 attorneys who were inducted into the Philadelphia Bar Association's "Legends of the Bar" hall of fame last night.

The posthumous award recognizes lawyers who exhibited a breadth of achievement, rather than a single accomplishment, and a commitment to the principles of the legal profession.

This year's honorees are:

James Beasley (1926-2004); Edward Becker ('33-'06); Sylvan Cohen ('14-'01); Kenwyn Dougherty ('55-'05); H. Thomas Felix II ('34-'06); Barton Ferst ('19-'06); Leon Forman ('14-'06); Maurice Heckscher ('07-'01); H. Ober Hess ('14-'04); Judith Jamison ('25-'01); William Klaus ('26-'05); Samuel Klein ('47-'02); Robert Landis ('20-'05); and Rotan Lee ('49-'06).

Also: James Marsh ('13-'06); Francis Marshall ('22-'03); William Marutani ('23-'04); John McConnell ('15-'04); Anthony "Skippy" Minisi ('26-'05); Robert N. C. Nix Jr. ('28-'03); Joseph Pinto Sr. ('33-'04); Esther Polen ('10-'03); Edward Polisher ('02-'04); and Franklin Poul ('25-'06); Lawrence Prattis ('27-'03); and Stefan Presser ('53-'05).

Also: Samuel Rabinowitz ('33-'06); Arthur Raynes ('34-'06); Henry Reath ('19-'05); Stephen Saltz ('41-'06); Helen Spigel Sax ('16-'04); Robert Sayre ('16-'06); Harvey Schmidt ('15-'02); Irving Segal ('14-'02); Stanford Shmukler ('30-'06); David S. Shrager ('35-'05); Robert Trescher ('13-'02); Lewis Van Dusen Jr. ('10-'04); Charles Weiner ('22-'05); Robert Wolf ('15-'05), and Andrew Young ('07-'03). *