University of Cincinnati College of Law Alumni Association to Recognize Three Distinguished Alumni

The University of Cincinnati College of Law Alumni Association will recognize three graduates with the Distinguished Alumni Award:  Louis F. Gilligan ’68, Colonel Levator Norsworthy ’73, and George Fabe ’81. Presented since 1980, the award recognizes excellence and achievement in the recipient’s chosen field of practice or profession. The event will be held at noon, Friday, May 20, at The Westin Cincinnati—Fountain Room.

Louis F. Gilligan ‘68
For the first seven years of his practice, Lou Gilligan’s work involved essentially every area of law including all types of litigation, business representation of individuals, small companies, and large corporations in a variety of business matters, banking, leasing, insurance law issues, bankruptcy, and zoning. In 1978, he was appointed one of the lead counsels in the Beverly Hills Supper Club fire litigation, which was the first mass disaster class action in the United States. As a result of spending over seven years on that case and other litigation matters, Gilligan’s practice of law centered on a litigation specialty. 

He has practiced with the law firm of Keating Muething & Klekamp PLL since 1970, where he is now a senior partner and one of two general counsels for the law firm. In addition to practicing litigation before state and federal courts, he has also had extensive practice in arbitration and mediation.

Gilligan currently serves on the University of Cincinnati College of Law Board of Trustees and the Board of Trustees of Good Samaritan Hospital Foundation.

Colonel Levator Norsworthy, Jr. ‘73
Colonel Levator Norsworthy has had a connection to the military throughout his life. Born in New Orleans to a military family, he lived in several cities around the world, based on where his father was stationed. After his father retired, the family settled in Louisville, KY. When it came time for college, he attended the University of Dayton and graduated with a degree in business administration with a concentration in economics.

Today, Norsworthy is Acting Principal Deputy General Counsel (Acquisition) for the United States Army. In this capacity, he is responsible for the overall provision of legal advice and counsel to the Secretary of the Army. He was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in January 1998 as Deputy General Counsel (Acquisition) where he assists the General Counsel in providing advice and counsel to all Army Secretariat officials to include the Secretary of the Army, the Army Acquisition Executive, the Army Chief Information Officer, and their staffs. 

George Fabe ‘81
Born in 1921, George Fabe attended Walnut Hills High School and earned his bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Cincinnati. He served in the Navy during World War II, as a Lieutenant, j.g., and Commander of the USS Dawn.

Following  the war, Fabe returned to Cincinnati to serve as president of Fabe Construction Company, a position he held for over 30 years. It was then he decided to go to law school, choosing the UC College of Law. He enjoyed law school, particularly because it was challenging intellectually. After earning his juris doctor in 1981, Fabe served in Governor Richard Celeste’s cabinet as Insurance Commissioner for the State of Ohio from 1982 until 1990. 

A great supporter of the law school, he has established two scholarship funds at the College: The Florence Straus Fabe Scholarship Fund and The George Van Antwerp Fabe Scholarship Fund. He is a former member of the Dean’s Board of Visitors and The Board of Trustees of the University of Cincinnati Foundation.  

For more information, please contact Peggy Ruwe at 513-556-0071 or peggy.ruwe@uc.edu.