In Memoriam

David Prosser Jr. ’68, who spent 18 years as a state representative and 18 more as a state Supreme Court justice, died Dec. 1, 2024; he was 81.

Justice Prosser, who was born in Chicago but grew up in Appleton, worked in a few roles outside Wisconsin after graduating from University of Wisconsin Law School: He was a lecturer at the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law briefly before becoming an attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. He returned to Wisconsin in the mid-1970s as a self-employed lawyer for two years.

Prosser’s decades-long commitment to public service in the Badger State started when he was elected Outagamie County District Attorney in 1976.

Two years later, he was elected to the state Assembly, where he served nine terms representing south-central and northeastern Wisconsin districts. He was elevated to minority leader and speaker during his last eight years as a legislator (1989-97). A baseball fan, he famously helped push to provide funding for Miller Park, the Milwaukee Brewers’ stadium now known as American Family Field.

In 1998, after nearly two years as a member of the Wisconsin Tax Appeals Commission, Prosser was appointed to the Wisconsin Supreme Court by then-Gov. Tommy Thompson. He won election to 10-year terms in 2001 and again in 2011, retiring midway through that term, in 2016.

After Justice Prosser’s passing, Thompson reflected that he “could always count on him to be candid in discussions and results-oriented in action.”

Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Annette Ziegler added that her former colleague “profoundly shaped the legal, legislative and judicial landscape of Wisconsin.”

“His exemplary service … demonstrated his unparalleled versatility and dedication to the public good,” she said.

 

Richard Bilder, who served for more than 50 years as a Uni­versity of Wisconsin Law School professor and renowned international law scholar, died Jan. 18 in Madison; he was 97.

Bilder was an expert in international and foreign relations law, international organizations, admiralty law, contracts and torts. He was extremely active in the American Society of International Law, where he held such roles as vice president and journal editor and earned the Manley O. Hudson Medal in 2016.

“His body of international law scholarship is legendary and will surely continue to teach and inspire for decades to come,” said Dean Dan Tokaji, noting his dozens of papers and close to 17,000 downloads on SSRN.

According to his family obituary, Bilder’s book, “Managing the Risks of International Agreement,” remains “a crucial reminder of the necessity for thoughtful and strategic international cooperation in an ever-changing world.” He wrote well into his 90s, with his last paper being published in 2020.

Bilder was born in New Jersey and split his early adult years between serving his country and pursuing his education. He joined the U.S. Navy toward the end of World War II, then earned a bachelor’s degree in political theory from Williams College in 1949 and became a Fulbright Scholar at Cambridge University. Bilder returned to service during the Korean War and went on to earn his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1956. Notably, he continued on in the Naval Reserve and retired as a commander.

Before becoming a professor, Bilder worked as an attorney in the Office of Legal Adviser at the U.S. State Department. In this capacity, he traveled to Antarctica in 1957 as part of the International Geophysical Year, a cooperative event involving 67 nations.

 

William Lawrence “Larry” Church ’63, who was widely acknowledged as a highly effective and original teacher focused on developing his students’ capacity for analysis and logical thought, passed away Nov. 24, 2024; he was 86.

Church was the Sherwood R. Volkman-Bascom Teaching Professor of Law at University of Wisconsin Law School. He taught more than 15 different courses for more than four decades starting in 1968, including comparative law, constitutional law, legal processes and property law.

The Milwaukee native spent only a few years of his career away from UW Law after graduation — working as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ethiopia and practicing with Foley, Sammond & Lardner in Milwaukee.

“Our alumni often ask about him and share memories of his teaching and influence, a testament to his lasting impact,” said Dean Dan Tokaji.

Church was the longtime adviser to the Wisconsin Law Review and was named Classroom Teacher of the Year five times.

Some students may remember him co-teaching a Supreme Court seminar each spring with Fredericka Paff, his wife.

Church often wrote his own course materials and used what he called a “semi-Socratic method.”

His work extended well beyond campus. Church taught in more than 15 different countries and five continents. He was part of the founding group of UW Law professors (including Zig Zile, Chuck Irish, John Kidwell and Ken Davis) who created and taught in the Law School’s summer U.S. Legal Institutions program for international lawyers.

 

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