Phil C. Neal

Phil C. Neal (July 30, 1919 – September 27, 2016) was an American legal scholar who served as the 6th dean of the University of Chicago Law School from 1963 to 1975. Under his leadership, the law school recruited many influential scholars who contributed to the law and economics movement.

Early life and education

Neal was born on July 30, 1919, in Chicago, Illinois and grew up in Oak Park, Illinois. He graduated from Oak Park and River Forest High School in 1936. As a student, Neal was influenced by his English teacher and debate coach, John Gehlmann, who played a part in moulding Neal's succinct and persuasive writing style. Neal graduated from Harvard University with an A.B. summa cum laude in 1940. In 1943, he graduated from Harvard Law School with a LL.B. magna cum laude and served as president of the Harvard Law Review.

Career

After graduating from law school, Neal worked as a law clerk to Justice Robert H. Jackson on the U.S. Supreme Court between 1943 and 1945.

Retirement and death

In 1986, Neal retired from the law school faculty to co-found the Chicago-based firm Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg with 35 other attorneys.

Neal died in 2016 at the age of 97. He is survived by his wife, Linda Thoren Neal, his three sons Stephen, Timothy and Andrew, 13 grandchildren and one great-grandson. He was preceded in death by his son Richard, who died in 2015.