Page 11 - July August 22 CBA Report

Over the course of his 44-year career, Bill Hawkins has tried scores of civil cases and a number of criminal cases, honing his trial skills while demonstrating unfailing professionalism, civility and commitment to the ethical practice of law.
Before joining BakerHostetler as counsel in 2009, he served as senior vice president and general counsel of Convergys Corpora- tion. Prior to that, he was a partner at Frost & Jacobs (now Frost Brown Todd) and served as chair of its Executive Committee.
Bill’s work as a highly successful mediator and arbitrator has helped cement his well-earned reputation for cooperation, collab- oration and respect toward everyone. In the past year, Bill has mediated 39 cases, over 80 percent of which were resolved with his assistance.
Bill achieves success by being a keen observer and an active listener, and he draws on his deep trial experience to help him identify the key issues and interests of all parties in a dispute. He nimbly guides them toward common ground on which they can build a mutually acceptable resolution.
His calm and respectful demeanor sets a clear standard and discourages uncivil behavior. This approach encourages the parties to trust the process and his role in it, and to speak with the candor necessary to get to the heart of a conflict and develop options for the ultimate resolution.
Bill leads by example. A perpetual mentor, Bill is a key figure in BakerHostetler’s national coaching program, mentoring attor- neys across the firm. He has played a particularly critical role in the firm’s efforts to promote and retain attorneys of diverse backgrounds.
For years, Bill has been actively training newer trial lawyers in the community by taking part in the Cincinnati Bar Association/ National Institute of Trial Advocacy (NITA) trial skills program; he is a NITA faculty member and serves on its steering committee.
Via formal and informal channels, Bill coaches lawyers throughout the community, helping drive home the importance of proactively managing the challenges and stresses associated with being a trial lawyer. He has also been active in the commu- nity in other ways, as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Greater Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber and as chair of the Mercy Hospital Foundation. He currently serves on the leader- ship committee for the NKU Capital Campaign and as finance chair of the Chase Board of Visitors.
Bill shows how one person can motivate others through action and attitude, making an impact that will last well into the future.
A ward Winners
JOHN P. KIELY PROFESSIONALISM AWARD
William Hawkins
The John P. Kiely Professionalism Award recognizes a trial lawyer for possessing outstanding trial skills and demonstrating the highest degree of professionalism, civility and ethical standards in his or her daily practice. This annual award is presented by the Professionalism Committee of the CBA in honor of attorney John P. Kiely.
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